[Par-lite] for TOLDOT - additonal shiur

Wed Nov 3 12:04:41 EDT 2010

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     THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org]

          In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag

     Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag

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          PARSHAT  TOLDOT - shiur #2

       "MA'ASE AVOT-  'SIMAN' LA'BANIM"

     In Parshat Toldot, we find a very lengthy story about
the

wells that Yitzchak dug (see chapter 26).  As this is one
of

the few stories where we find details about his life, we

should expect that story to be thematically important.  To

find its significance, we begin our shiur with a short

explanation of the difference between a "bor" (pit or
cistern)

and "be'er" (well), which will help us understand the
story of

Yitzchak and the Plishtim.

INTRODUCTION

     In ancient times, there were two basic methods of
water

storage - the "bor" and the "be'er":

I. THE "BOR"

  The simplest manner to store rain water was to dig a pit
or

'cistern' into the bedrock.  In Hebrew, this cistern is
known

as a "bor".  To increase its efficiency, the "bor" must be

covered with "sid" [plaster] to stop the water from
seeping

out.

II. THE "BE"ER:

     A "be'er" (a well) is quite different, for instead of

collecting rainwater (from the heavens), it taps the

underground water table  [better known as an aquifer].
The

aquifer receives its water from accumulative rainfall,
which

seeps through the ground until it reaches a non-porous
rock

level.  To reach the aquifer, one must dig a hole into the

ground. Once opened, the well will supply water as long as

water remains in the aquifer.

     So what does any of this have to do with Torah?

AN ANCIENT 'WATER FIGHT'

     This background explains the quarrel between Yitzchak
and

the Plishtim over the "be'erot" (see 26:17-26). Since time

immemorial there have always been disputes concerning the

rights to the underground water table, similar to the one
that

takes place in this week's Parsha.

  During his life time, Avraham dug many wells, thus
staking

his claim to their water supply. After his death, the
Plishtim

plugged those wells, but then dug different wells to gain

access to the very same aquifer (see 26:18), thus staking

their claim to that water supply.

  Years later, Yitzchak wants to re-open the same wells
that

his father had dug, thus claiming his water back. Upon
doing

so, the Plishtim protest, claiming that the water belongs
to

them (see 26:20-21). [See also Ramban on 26:17-18!]

     Instead of fighting, Yitzchak tries again and again
to re-

open his father's wells, until he finally opens a well
that no

one else claims - and hence naming it "Rechovot" (see
26:22).

     So why does the Torah discuss such mundane issues?

PEACE & THE MIKDASH

     Ramban on 26:20-22 asks this very same question! He

claims that if we follow only the "pshat" of these
stories,

they appear to carry very little significance. Instead,
Ramban

claims that this story foreshadows future events ["maase
Avot

siman la'banim"] that will take place in Jewish History -

relating to the first, second, and third Temples.

     In that commentary, Ramban suggests that the first
two

wells (that concluded with strife) reflect the First and

Second Temples as they were ultimately destroyed, while
the

third well (that concluded in peace) reflects our
aspirations

for the Third Temple (that will never be destroyed).

     To support Rabman's interpretation that these wells
are

'Temple related, we examine the events that take place in

chapter 26 in light of our thematic study thus far of
Sefer

Breishit.

  Review 26:23-24, noting how immediately after these
three

'well incidents', Yitzchak ascends to Be'er Sheva.  There,
God

appears unto him, confirming his "bechira" (the blessing
of

Avraham), but reminds him once again that it is for the
'sake

of Avraham'. In response to this "hitgalut" [revelation],

Yitzchak builds a MIZBAYACH and CALLS OUT in God's Name.

  The fact that Yitzchak 'calls out in God's Name' at this

time should not surprise us, as once again he is following
in

his father's footsteps.  Recall how Avraham had done
precisely

the same thing three times - twice at Bet-el (see 12:8 &
13:4)

and once at  Be'er Sheva (see 21:33). But why does he
'call

out in God's Name specifically at this time? [And why
didn't

he do so earlier?]

  As Ramban himself explained in Parshat Lech L'cha (see

12:8), by 'calling out in God's Name', Avraham preached
the

existence of God to the neighboring people - thus 'making
a

Name for God'.  This in itself also foreshadowed Jewish

History, for the very purpose of God's choice of Avraham
Avinu

- was to bring His Name to all mankind.

     So what took Yitzchak so long to act in a manner
similar

to Avraham?  Seforno suggests that Yitzchak was actually

punished for not doing so earlier!  In his commentary to

Breishit 26:5, he explains that Yitzchak's troubles with
the

Plishtim were caused because he was not actively 'calling
out

in God's Name'.  It was only after he did so in Beer Sheva

that he became successful.  In fact, immediately after

Yitzchak builds his mizbayach, another well is dug without
a

quarrel (see 26:25 and Seforno), and afterward Avimelech

himself offers to enter a covenant with Yitzchak, thus
ending

all future quarrels.

     There remains however a small problem with Seforno's

interpretation, for Yitzchak had already achieved peace
after

digging the third well - at Rechovot - which took place
BEFORE

he calls out in God's Name in Beer Sheva.  According to

Seforno, it is not clear why he achieved this success

'prematurely'.

WHAT COMES FIRST?

     One could suggest a slightly different reason for why

Yitzchak did not 'call out in God's Name' until after
digging

his third well.  Recall that even before these incidents
with

the wells the Plishtim and Yitzchak did not get along so
well.

[See 26:6-14, especially 26:14.]  It seems that they had

always been quite jealous of Yitzchak and his wealth.

     The backdrop, together with the serious disputes of
the

first two wells can provide us with a different reason for
why

Yitzchak had not 'called out in God's Name'.  The reason
why

is simple - for there was no one would listen!  If your

neighbors don't like you, they won't be interested in your

opinions.

  It is only after peace is achieved - i.e. after digging
the

third well, that Yitzchak feels the time is finally ripe
to

ascend to Be'er Sheva to build a mizbayach and follow his

father's legacy of 'calling out in God's Name'.

  In other words, Yitzchak's troubles were not caused by
the

fact that he didn't call out in God's Name, rather - it
was

because he encountered so many troubles - he was unable to
do

so!

  If our understanding is correct, then we can infer from

these events that before Am Yisrael can fulfill its
ultimate

goal of building a Mikdash open for all mankind, it must
first

attain a certain level of stability and normalized
relations

with its neighbors. This 'prerequisite' can be inferred as

well from the Torah's commandment concerning when to build
the

Bet Ha'mikdash as described in Sefer Devarim:

  "... and you shall cross the Jordan and settle the
land...

  and He will grant you safety from your enemies and you
will

  live in security, THEN you shall bring everything I
command

  you to HA'MAKOM ASHER YIVCHAR HASHEM - the place that
God

  will choose to establish His NAME [i.e. the Bet
ha'Mikdash]"

  (See Devarim 12:8-11)

     This prerequisite is actually quite logical, for if a

primary purpose of the Mikdash is to provide a vehicle by

which all nations can find God (see I Melachim 8:41-43!),
then

it should only be built once we achieve the status of a
nation

that other nations look up to. [See also Devarim 4:5-8!]

  [Of course, Bnei Yisrael need to have a MISHKAN - for
their

  own connection with God - immediately after Matan Torah.

  However, the transition from a Mishkan to a Mikdash only

  takes place once Am Yisrael is ready to fulfill that
role.]

     In the history of Bayit Rishon [the first Temple],
this

is exactly the sequence of events. From the time of
Yehoshua

until King David, there is only a Mishkan, for during this

time period, Am Yisrael never achieved peace with their

enemies, nor did they establish a prosperous state that
other

nations could look up to. Only in the time of David did Am

Yisrael reach this level of prosperity, peace, and
security -

and this is exactly when David ha'melech asks to build the

Mikdash (see II Shmuel 7:1-3 and note the phrase "acharei

asher haniyach Hashem m'kol oyveyhem m'saviv".).

  Despite that request, God agrees with David that there
has

indeed been a tremendous improvement,  but nevertheless Am

Yisrael must wait one more generation until an even higher

level of peace and stability is reached before the Mikdash
can

be built - i.e. only after Shlomo becomes king and both

internal and external peace is achieved. [Read carefully
II

Shmuel 7:1-15.]

  [The popular reason given for why David could not build
the

  Temple - because he had 'blood on his hands'- is not
found

  in Sefer Shmuel, rather in Divrei Ha'yamim in David's

  conversation with Shlomo - but this is a topic for a
future

  shiur. See I Divrei Ha'yamim 17:1-20, & 22:2-15!]

     In this sense, this sequence of events between
Yitzchak

and the neighboring Plishtim may not only 'foreshadow'
what

will happen in the future, but more significantly, it can

serve as guide to help us understand how we should
prioritize

our goals and aspirations.

                              shabbat shalom,

                              menachem

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