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When our oldest son, David, was born in January 1993 at Lakeside Hospital here in New Orleans, my mother z’l, after holding David in her arms, declared that he had long, thin fingers and would therefore likely be tall. I scoffed at this – surely it’s too early to tell anything about an infant’s physique, and it won’t become apparent for a year or two. My mother, who had raised three children, proved right – my son David is the tallest in our family, and sometimes I’m struck by how short I look standing next to him.
In this week’s Torah portion, Toldot, our matriarch Rebecca, after a period of barrenness, gives birth to twins. The first, Esau, is the more striking in appearance. The Targum Jonathan, a 2nd/3rd century CE Aramaic translation of the Bible, says:
- And the two hundred and seventy days of Rebecca being pregnant were completed; and, behold, twins were in her womb.
- And the first came forth wholly red, as a garment of hair: and they called his name Esau, because he was born altogether complete, with the hair of the head, and the beard, and teeth, and molars. (Genesis 25:25)
Now it seems pretty unlikely that Esau, or any other child, could emerge from the womb with a beard and teeth. But what about the red color? What does it symbolize?
The answer, it turns out, is blood and violence. Isaac prefers Esau because he’s a hunter of game, and before anyone was touting the virtues of Impossible Burgers, a meat meal was highly valued. When Esau came in from hunting, he sold his birthright to Jacob for soup, which was – naturally – red, a word repeated several times in this passage from our portion:
- Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the open, famished.
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And Esau said to Jacob, “Give me some of that red, red stuff (ha-adom, ha-adom hazeh) to gulp down, for I am famished”—which is why he was nicknamed Edom. (= adom, red).
- Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” And Esau said, “I am at the point of death, so of what use is my birthright to me?” But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.
In later rabbinic tradition, Esau/Edom became identified with Rome. The Roman governors were cruel tyrants, and killed numerous innocent people. Esau, a violent, bloodthirsty person, became identified with Rome, a violent, bloodthirsty empire.
This was all predictable, not only based upon Esau’s ruddy complexion, but because his appearance even as a baby was frightening. He was born ready for war, long before he was old enough for actual combat.
And let’s be honest, it’s easier to predict the adult appearance of a baby with a beard and teeth than it is to predict the adult appearance of a baby with long, thin fingers.
- Rabbi Scott Hoffman
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