TOLDOT

The parashah of Toldot (Genealogy) recounts the birth of twin sons—Yaakov and Eisav—to Yitzchak and Rivkah. As they grow up, Yaakov, the younger twin, purchases the firstborn birthright from Eisav. Amidst a famine, Yitzchak considers traveling to Egypt, but G-d instructs him to remain in Eretz Yisrael, promising blessings in the land. Obeying this command, Yitzchak stays and re-digs the wells of his father, Avraham, finding water repeatedly. The parashah concludes with Yaakov disguising himself as Eisav to receive his father’s blessing for the firstborn.

Yitzchak’s Wells: A Deeper Lesson

Earlier in the parashah, the Torah describes Yitzchak’s successes and struggles in what we might call ranching today.

In Bereishit 26, we read:

“Yitzchak sowed in that land, and he reaped a hundredfold that year, for the L-rd blessed him. The man became great and grew constantly greater until he had grown very great. He had flocks of sheep, herds of cattle, and a large household, and the Pelishtim envied him. They stopped up all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in Avraham’s days, filling them with earth. Avimelech said to Yitzchak, ‘Go away from us, for you have become much mightier than we.’ Yitzchak departed and encamped in the valley of Gerar, where he re-dug the wells of his father that the Pelishtim had stopped up. He named them as his father had. Yitzchak’s servants also dug a new well and found living waters, but the shepherds of Gerar quarreled with them, claiming, ‘The water is ours!’ He named that well Esek (Challenge). They dug another well, but there was also quarreling, so he named it Sitnah (Accusation). Then he moved on and dug a third well, and there was no quarreling over it, so he named it Rechovot (Wide Spaces), saying, ‘Now the L-rd has granted us room, and we will be fruitful in the land’” (Bereishit 26:12-22).

This story is a vivid example of the principle “maaseh avot siman l’banim”—the actions of the forefathers foreshadow events in the lives of their descendants.

Yitzchak’s peaceful life among the Pelishtim ended when his wealth aroused their envy, leading to conflict. He moved, dug new wells, and faced repeated challenges before eventually finding peace. This mirrors Jewish history: when the Jewish people were poor and inconspicuous, they were left undisturbed. But as they gained wealth and prominence, they faced expulsion and persecution, such as during the expulsions from medieval England, France, and Spain.

The Symbolism Of The Wells

Why does the Torah describe these wells in such detail? Nachmanides (Ramban) offers a profound interpretation. He explains that the wells symbolize the three Temples in Jewish history:

Esek (Challenge): The First Temple faced challenges and strife leading up to its destruction, marked by conflict and controversy between Babylon and Judea.

Sitnah (Accusation): The Second Temple’s construction was delayed by accusations from the Jews’ enemies, as recorded in Sefer Ezra (4:6). This opposition persisted throughout its existence.

Rechovot (Wide Spaces): The Third Temple, yet to be built, will face no opposition. It will be a time of ultimate peace and room for the Jewish people to flourish, as Yitzchak declared, “Now the L-rd has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.”

The wells remind us that just as Yitzchak persevered to find peace, so too will the Jewish people endure and ultimately experience a time of spiritual and physical harmony.

Copyright© 2023 by The LaMaalot Foundation. Talks on the Torah, by Rabbi Yitzchak Zilber is catalogued at The Library of Congress. All rights reserved. Printed in China by Best Win Printing, Shenzhen, China.

By Rav Yitzchok Zilber ztk"l
Founder, Toldot Yeshurun