|
Our Torah portion this week, Parashat Toldot, teaches us that sometimes acting on impulse, without consideration for future consequences, can be dangerous and can lead to terrible consequences. This is illustrated by what happens to Esav, brother of Jacob and son of Isaac and Rebecca.
As the story goes, one day Esav comes home after hunting and working in the fields. He is feeling famished and he smells the pleasing aroma of a red lentil soup being prepared by his brother. As soon as Esav perceives this smell he instantly demands that Jacob give him the soup so that he can eat. In chapter 25, verse 30, of the book of Genesis, Esav says to his brother Jacob, "Pour into me, NOW, some of that very red stuff for I am exhausted."
Esav is insisting on instant gratification. He cannot wait even a moment longer. However, Jacob demands that Esav must sell his birthright to Jacob in exchange for the soup. Esav quickly obliges, saying to his brother in verse 32, "Look I am about to die, and of what use to me is this birthright?"
Esav can only live in the moment. He feels hunger and he needs to eat right away. In that instant, nothing else matters. Esav is not able to think beyond the now and into the future.
Later in this parsha, Esav seems to regret his earlier actions. He becomes furious that Isaac, his father, has given the blessing of the birthright to Jacob instead of to him. Esav apparently feels that this is not fair. He perhaps wishes that he had never traded his birthright for a pot of soup. But sometimes in life there is no turning back.
We hope and pray that in our lives we possess the discipline and the foresight not to trade away our futures for what may amount to a moment of trivial pleasure. Sometimes these pleasures can be extremely tempting and it can feel quite difficult to resist. Unlike Esav we must carefully reflect and allow ourselves to remember that what may feel right or seem good in one moment cannot cloud our judgment as to the future ramifications. May we all have the patience and insight to recognize the correct decisions for ourselves, not only in the moment, but for the long term as well.
Shabbat Shalom!
Cantor Zachary Konigsberg
cantorzkonigsberg@gmail.com
917-696-0749
| 
