Esau was a hunter therefore he did not plan beyond the hunt. Jacob was a man who did plan for the future. This is the reason that Esau was willing to sell his birthright for a pot of lentils. He was hungry now.
A Quick Dvar Torah – Parshat Toldot
Esav and Yaakov: Living for Today or Planning for Tomorrow?
In this week’s parsha, Toldot, we see the beginning of the struggle between Esav and Yaakov. And we discover that these two brothers were very different individuals, not only in their personalities but also in the way they looked at life.
Esav is described as Ish Yodea Tzayid, Ish Sadeh — a skilled hunter, a man of the field. He was, in a sense, a hunter-gatherer. He went out looking for food, hoping to find something he could eat. He lived for the present. He was not particularly concerned about tomorrow.
Yaakov, on the other hand, is described as Ish Tam, Yoshev Ohalim — a man who dwelled in tents. According to the Midrash, these were the tents of Shem and Ever, where Yaakov studied Torah. Yaakov was someone who understood the importance of preparing for the future.
And nowhere is this difference more apparent than in the famous story of the lentils.
Esav returns from the field, apparently unsuccessful in his hunt. He is exhausted and hungry. Yaakov is preparing a pot of lentils, and Esav demands, “Give me some of that red, red stuff, because I’m exhausted!”
Yaakov responds, “I’ll give it to you, but on one condition. Sell me your birthright.”
Esav replies, “Look, I’m going to die! What good is the birthright to me?”
Think about that for a moment. Esav is willing to surrender something of tremendous importance, his birthright, for a bowl of lentils. Why? Because he is hungry right now.
And there is something else interesting here.
The Torah specifically emphasizes that the lentils were red. Now, red lentils, when they are fully cooked, generally lose their reddish color and turn yellowish or golden. The fact that Esav calls them red suggests that they may not even have been fully cooked!
But Esav doesn’t care. He’s hungry now. He wants to eat now. He cannot even wait a few more minutes for a properly cooked meal.
And that tells us something about Esav’s character.
Esav lived for the moment. Yaakov understood the importance of the future.
This difference would have consequences far beyond the lives of these two brothers.
Esav becomes known as Edom, and according to our tradition, Edom eventually becomes associated with Rome.
Now, the Romans were certainly great conquerors, builders, and administrators. But one of the recurring problems of the Roman Empire was the question of succession. What happened when an emperor died without a clear successor?
Very often, the result was a civil war. Rival generals and political leaders fought for power, sometimes tearing the empire apart.
The Romans could conquer vast territories, but they frequently struggled with the question of who would lead after the current emperor was gone.
We saw a similar problem in the old Soviet Union.
When Lenin died, Stalin eventually emerged victorious after a bitter power struggle, eliminating his rivals. After Stalin’s death, Nikita Khrushchev rose to power through another struggle within the Communist leadership.
The Soviet system had no reliable, orderly method of succession comparable to what we have in the United States.
And that is one of the great advantages of the American constitutional system.
If, God forbid, the president dies in office, we know exactly what happens. The vice president becomes president. And if the vice president cannot serve, there is an established line of succession.
Why? Because the people who established our system understood that government must be prepared for the future. A nation cannot depend entirely on one individual.
And this brings us back to Yaakov and Esav.
Esav saw a bowl of lentils. Yaakov saw the birthright.
Esav saw his immediate hunger. Yaakov saw the responsibilities and opportunities of future generations.
And that is a lesson not only for individuals but also for families, organizations, and nations.
We all have immediate needs. We all have things we want right now. But the question is whether we are willing to sacrifice something of lasting importance simply to satisfy the needs of the moment.
The Torah is teaching us that true leadership, and true wisdom, require us to look beyond today.
Esav asked, “What do I need right now?” Yaakov asked, “What will matter tomorrow?”
And perhaps that is one of the most important lessons of Parshat Toldot.
Something to think about.
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