Toldot Parashat

This week’s parashat is the 6th parashat in the book of B’reisheet also called Genesis, and is called Toldot which means ‘Generations’.

Bullet Point Summary

–  Yitzchak prays because Rivka is barren and she conceives twins
–  One baby was hairy and his name was Esav and the other grabbed his heel and his name was Ya’akov
–  Esav became a hunter and Ya’akov dwelled in tents
–  Esav sold his birthright to Ya’akov for a bowl of food when he was really hungry
–  YHWH appeared to Yitzchak and told him not to go to Mitzrayim because of the famine but that He would bless him
–  Yitzchak dwelt in Gerar and told the men of that place Rivka was his sister
–  Avimelech saw them playing together and knew she was his wife
–  Avimelech asks Yitzchak why he said she was his sister
–  Avimelech tells all the men not to touch them or they will be killed
–  Yitzchak became great and Avimelech asked them to leave
–  Yitzchak dug again the wells of his father that the Pelishtim had filled with dirt
–  The Herdsman of Gerar fought with Yitzchak over the wells he dug and Yitzchak kept digging wells until they stopped fighting with him
–  YHWH appeared to Yitzchak in Be’er-Sheva and said He will bless him for Avraham’s sake
–  Avimelech, Achuzzat, and Pichol went to Yitzchak and asked him to make a covenant with him that he wouldn’t harm them
–  They made a feast and a covenant then they left and Yitzchak dug a well and called it Sheva
–  When Yitzchak was old and almost blind he told Yishma’el to go and hunt venison for him so he could eat and bless him
–  Rivka heard it and told Ya’akov to get 2 goats and she would make meat so Yitzchak could bless Ya’akov
–  Ya’akov said my brother is hairy and when my father feels me he will know I am a deceiver
–  Rivka put Esav’s clothes on Ya’akov and goat’s skins on his hands and his neck
–  Ya’akov went to his father and Yitzchak asked how he found the meat so fast
–  Yitzchak asked him to come near so he could feel him to see if he was hairy
–  Yitzchak asked again if he was Esav and Ya’akov said yes
–  Yitzchak asked for a kiss so he could smell his clothes to see if it was Esav
–  So Yitzchak blessed Ya’akov with Esav’s blessing
–  Esav brought meat to Yitzchak but he said another already came and he ate and blessed him
–  Esav cried out because Ya’akov took his birthright and now his blessing also
–  Yitzchak told Esav he made Ya’akov lord over his brethren and they would be his servants
–  Esav begged for some kind of a blessing and Yitzchak blessed him
–  Esav was going to kill Ya’akov after their father’s death and mourning so Rivka planned on sending Ya’akov away
–  Yitzchak tells Ya’akov not to take a wife from the daughters of Chet but to go to Padan’aram and take a wife
–  Yitzchak leaves to Padan’aram and Esav takes a wife of Yishma’el’s daughters
–  Haftarah – YHWH compares the two sons Yisra’el and Esav and how he loves Yisra’el and Esav has not pleased him

Parashat Text with Readers and Daily Portions (Reader 1 Starts on Saturday Evening)

Toldot “Generations”
Gen 25:19 – 28:9 Malachi 1:1 – 2:7

Reader 1 (Evening Portion)

Gen 25:19 And these are the generations of Yitzchak, Avraham’s son: Avraham begat Yitzchak:
Gen 25:20 And Yitzchak was forty years old when he took Rivka to wife, the daughter of Betu’el
the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Lavan the Syrian.
Gen 25:21 And Yitzchak intreated YHWH for his wife, because she was barren: and YHWH was
intreated of him, and Rivka his wife conceived.
Gen 25:22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I
thus? And she went to enquire of YHWH.
Gen 25:23 And YHWH said unto her, Two nations are in your womb, and two manner of
people shall be separated from your bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the
other people, and the elder shall serve the younger.
Gen 25:24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her
womb.
Gen 25:25 And the first came out red, all over like a hairy garment; and they called his name
Esav.
Gen 25:26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esav’s heel; and his
name was called Ya’akov: and Yitzchak was sixty years old when she bare them.
Gen 25:27 And the boys grew: and Esav was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Ya’akov
was a plain man, dwelling in tents.
Gen 25:28 And Yitzchak loved Esav, because he did eat of his venison: but Rivka loved Ya’akov.

(Morning Portion)

Gen 25:29 And Ya’akov sod pottage: and Esav came from the field, and he was faint:
Gen 25:30 And Esav said to Ya’akov, Feed me, I pray you, with that same red pottage; for I am
faint: therefore was his name called Edom.
Gen 25:31 And Ya’akov said, Sell me this day your birthright.
Gen 25:32 And Esav said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright
do to me?
Gen 25:33 And Ya’akov said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his
birthright unto Ya’akov.
Gen 25:34 Then Ya’akov gave Esav bread and pottage of lentils, and he did eat and drink, and
rose up, and went his way: thus Esav despised his birthright.
Gen 26:1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of
Avraham. And Yitzchak went unto Avimelech king of the Pelishtim unto Gerar.
Gen 26:2 And YHWH appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Mitzrayim; dwell in the land
which I shall tell you of:
Gen 26:3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you; for unto you, and unto
your seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto
Avraham your father;
Gen 26:4 And I will make your seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto your
seed all these countries; and in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
Gen 26:5 Because that Avraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my
statutes, and my laws.

Reader 2 (Evening Portion)

Gen 26:6 And Yitzchak dwelt in Gerar:
Gen 26:7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he
feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rivka;
because she was fair to look upon.
Gen 26:8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Avimelech king of the
Pelishtim looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Yitzchak was sporting with Rivka
his wife.

(Morning Portion)

Gen 26:9 And Avimelech called Yitzchak, and said, Behold, of a surety she is your wife: and how
said you, She is my sister? And Yitzchak said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.
Gen 26:10 And Avimelech said, What is this you have done unto us? one of the people might
lightly have laid with your wife, and you should have brought guiltiness upon us.
Gen 26:11 And Avimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife
shall surely be put to death.
Gen 26:12 Then Yitzchak sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and
YHWH blessed him.

Reader 3 (Evening Portion)

Gen 26:13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:
Gen 26:14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants:
and the Pelishtim envied him.
Gen 26:15 For all the wells which his father’s servants had digged in the days of Avraham his
father, the Pelishtim had stopped them, and filled them with earth.
Gen 26:16 And Avimelech said unto Yitzchak, Go from us; for you art much mightier than we.
Gen 26:17 And Yitzchak departed there, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt
there.

(Morning Portion)

Gen 26:18 And Yitzchak digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of
Avraham his father; for the Pelishtim had stopped them after the death of Avraham: and he
called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
Gen 26:19 And Yitzchak’s servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing
water.
Gen 26:20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Yitzchak’s herdmen, saying, The water is
ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.
Gen 26:21 And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it
Sitnah.
Gen 26:22 And he removed from there, and digged another well; and for that they strove not:
and he called the name of it Rehovot; and he said, For now YHWH has made room for us,
and we shall be fruitful in the land.

Reader 4 (Evening Portion)

Gen 26:23 And he went up from there to Be’er-sheva.
Gen 26:24 And YHWH appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the Elohim of
Avraham your father: fear not, for I am with you, and will bless you, and multiply your seed
for my servant Avraham’s sake.
Gen 26:25 And he built an altar there, and called upon the name of YHWH, and pitched his
tent there: and there Yitzchak’s servants digged a well.

(Morning Portion)

Gen 26:26 Then Avimelech went to him from Gerar, and Achuzzat one of his friends, and Pichol
the chief captain of his army.
Gen 26:27 And Yitzchak said unto them, Wherefore come you to me, seeing you hate me, and
have sent me away from you?
Gen 26:28 And they said, We saw certainly that YHWH was with you: and we said, Let there be
now an oath between us, even between us and you, and let us make a covenant with you;
Gen 26:29 That you will do us no hurt, as we have not touched you, and as we have done unto
you nothing but good, and have sent you away in peace: you are now the blessed of YHWH.

Reader 5 (Evening Portion)

Gen 26:30 And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.
Gen 26:31 And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another: and Yitzchak
sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
Gen 26:32 And it came to pass the same day, that Yitzchak’s servants came, and told him
concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water.
Gen 26:33 And he called it Shibah: therefore the name of the city is Be’er-sheva unto this day.
Gen 26:34 And Esav was forty years old when he took to wife Yahudit the daughter of Be’eri the
Chittite, and Basemat the daughter of Elon the Chittite:
Gen 26:35 Which were a grief of mind unto Yitzchak and to Rivka.
Gen 27:1 And it came to pass, that when Yitzchak was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he
could not see, he called Esav his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto
him, Behold, here am I.
Gen 27:2 And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:
Gen 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray you, your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out
to the field, and take me some venison;
Gen 27:4 And make me savory meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my
soul may bless you before I die.
Gen 27:5 And Rivka heard when Yitzchak spake to Esav his son. And Esav went to the field to
hunt for venison, and to bring it.
Gen 27:6 And Rivka spake unto Ya’akov her son, saying, Behold, I heard your father speak unto
Esav your brother, saying,
Gen 27:7 Bring me venison, and make me savory meat, that I may eat, and bless you before
YHWH before my death.
Gen 27:8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command you.
Gen 27:9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from there two good kids of the goats; and I will
make them savory meat for your father, such as he loves:
Gen 27:10 And you shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, and that he may bless you
before his death.

(Morning Portion)

Gen 27:11 And Ya’akov said to Rivka his mother, Behold, Esav my brother is a hairy man, and I
am a smooth man:
Gen 27:12 My father, peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall
bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.
Gen 27:13 And his mother said unto him, Upon me be your curse, my son: only obey my voice,
and go fetch me them.
Gen 27:14 And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made
savory meat, such as his father loved.
Gen 27:15 And Rivka took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esav, which were with her in the
house, and put them upon Ya’akov her younger son:
Gen 27:16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth
of his neck:
Gen 27:17 And she gave the savory meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand
of her son Ya’akov.
Gen 27:18 And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who are you, my son?
Gen 27:19 And Ya’akov said unto his father, I am Esav your firstborn; I have done according as
you bid me: arise, I pray you, sit and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me.
Gen 27:20 And Yitzchak said unto his son, How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?
And he said, Because YHWH your Elohim brought it to me.
Gen 27:21 And Yitzchak said unto Ya’akov, Come near, I pray you, that I may feel you, my son,
whether you be my very son Esav or not.
Gen 27:22 And Ya’akov went near unto Yitzchak his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice
is Ya’akov’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esav.
Gen 27:23 And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esav’s
hands: so he blessed him.
Gen 27:24 And he said, Are you my very son Esav? And he said, I am.
Gen 27:25 And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may
bless you. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he
drank.
Gen 27:26 And his father Yitzchak said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.
Gen 27:27 And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and
blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which YHWH has
blessed:

Reader 6 (Evening Portion)

Gen 27:28 Therefore Elohim give you of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and
plenty of grain and wine:
Gen 27:29 Let people serve you, and nations bow down to you: be lord over your brethren, and
let your mother’s sons bow down to you: cursed be every one that curses you, and blessed be
he that blesses you.
Gen 27:30 And it came to pass, as soon as Yitzchak had made an end of blessing Ya’akov, and
Ya’akov was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Yitzchak his father, that Esav his
brother came in from his hunting.
Gen 27:31 And he also had made savory meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his
father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison, that thy soul may bless me.
Gen 27:32 And Yitzchak his father said unto him, Who are you? And he said, I am your son,
your firstborn Esav.
Gen 27:33 And Yitzchak trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? Where is he that has taken
venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before you came, and have blessed him?
yea, and he shall be blessed.
Gen 27:34 And when Esav heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding
bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.
Gen 27:35 And he said, Your brother came with subtlety and has taken away your blessing.
Gen 27:36 And he said, Is not he rightly named Ya’akov? for he has supplanted me these two
times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he has taken away my blessing. And he
said, Have you not reserved a blessing for me?
Gen 27:37 And Yitzchak answered and said unto Esav, Behold, I have made him your lord, and
all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with grain and wine have I sustained
him: and what shall I do now unto you, my son?
Gen 27:38 And Esav said unto his father, Have you but one blessing, my father? bless me, even
me also, O my father. And Esav lifted up his voice and wept.
Gen 27:39 And Yitzchak his father answered and said unto him, Behold, your dwelling shall be
the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;
Gen 27:40 And by your sword shalt you live, and shalt serve your brother, and it shall come to
pass when you shall have the dominion, that you shalt break his yoke from off your neck.
Gen 27:41 And Esav hated Ya’akov because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him:
and Esav said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay
my brother Ya’akov.
Gen 27:42 And these words of Esav her elder son were told to Rivka: and she sent and called
Ya’akov her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, your brother Esav, as touching you,
does comfort himself, purposing to kill you.
Gen 27:43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee you to Lavan my brother to
Haran;
Gen 27:44 And tarry with him a few days, until your brother’s fury turn away;
Gen 27:45 Until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets that which you have
done to him: then I will send, and fetch you from there: why should I be deprived also of you
both in one day?
Gen 27:46 And Rivka said to Yitzchak, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Chet: if
Ya’akov take a wife of the daughters of Chet, such as these which are of the daughters of the
land, what good shall my life do me?
Gen 28:1 And Yitzchak called Ya’akov, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him,
You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Kena’an.
Gen 28:2 Arise, go to Padan-aram, to the house of Betu’el your mother’s father; and take you a
wife from there of the daughters of Lavan your mother’s brother.
Gen 28:3 And El Shaddai bless you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, that you may be a
multitude of people;
Gen 28:4 And give you the blessing of Avraham, to you, and to your seed with you; that you
may inherit the land wherein you are a stranger, which Elohim gave unto Avraham.

Reader 7 (6th Day Morning Portion)

Gen 28:5 And Yitzchak sent away Ya’akov: and he went to Padan-aram unto Lavan, son of
Betu’el the Syrian, the brother of Rivka, Ya’akov’s and Esav’s mother.
Gen 28:6 When Esav saw that Yitzchak had blessed Ya’akov, and sent him away to Padan-aram,
to take him a wife from there; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, You
shall not take a wife of the daughters of Kena’an;
Gen 28:7 And that Ya’akov obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padan-aram;
Gen 28:8 And Esav seeing that the daughters of Kena’an pleased not Yitzchak his father;
Gen 28:9 Then went Esav unto Yishma’el, and took unto the wives which he had Machalat the
daughter of Yishma’el Avraham’s son, the sister of Nevayot, to be his wife.

Haftarah (Shabbat Evening Portion)

Mal 1:1 The burden of the word of YHWH to Yisra’el by Mal’akhi.
Mal 1:2 I have loved you, saith YHWH. Yet you say, Wherein have you loved us? Was not Esav
Ya’akov’s brother? saith YHWH: yet I loved Ya’akov,
Mal 1:3 And I hated Esav, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the
wilderness.
Mal 1:4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate
places; thus saith YHWH Tseva’ah, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall
call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom YHWH has indignation
for ever.
Mal 1:5 And your eyes shall see, and you shall say, YHWH will be magnified from the border of
Yisra’el.
Mal 1:6 A son honors his father, and a servant his master: if then I am a father, where is my
honor? and if I am a master, where is my fear? saith YHWH Tseva’ah unto you, O priests,
that despise my name. And you say, Wherein have we despised your name?
Mal 1:7 You offer polluted bread upon my altar; and you say, Where have we polluted you? In
that you say, The table of YHWH is contemptible.
Mal 1:8 And if you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if you offer the lame and sick,
is it not evil? offer it now unto your governor; will he be pleased with you, or accept your
person? saith YHWH Tseva’ah.
Mal 1:9 And now, I pray you, beseech Elohim that he will be gracious unto us: this has been by
your means: will he regard your persons? saith YHWH Tseva’ah.
Mal 1:10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nothing? neither do you
kindle fire on my altar for nothing. I have no pleasure in you, saith YHWH Tsebeoath,
neither will I accept an offering at your hand.
Mal 1:11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be
great among the nations; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a
pure offering: for my name shall be great among the nations, saith YHWH Tseva’ah.
Mal 1:12 But you have profaned it, in that you say, The table of YHWH is polluted; and the fruit
thereof, even his food is contemptible.
Mal 1:13 You said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and you have snuffed at it, saith YHWH
Tseva’ah; and you brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus you brought an
offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith YHWH.
Mal 1:14 But cursed be the deceiver, which has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices unto
Adonai a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith YHWH Tseva’ah, and my name is
dreadful among the nations.
Mal 2:1 And now, O you priests, this commandment is for you.
Mal 2:2 If you will not hear, and if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith
YHWH Tseva’ah, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I
have cursed them already, because you do not lay it to heart.
Mal 2:3 Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, the dung of your
solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.
Mal 2:4 And you shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant
might be with Levi, saith YHWH Tseva’ah.
Mal 2:5 My covenant was with him of life and peace, and I gave them to him for the fear
wherewith he feared me and was afraid before my name.
Mal 2:6 The Torah of truth was in his mouth, and lawlessness was not found in his lips: he
walked with me in peace and straightness, and did turn many away from lawlessness.
Mal 2:7 For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the Torah at his
mouth: for he is the messenger of YHWH Tseva’ah.
Review Torah Summaries (Shabbat Morning Portion)

Other Sermons
Recent terms