Why did Isaac love Esau, when Rebecca had been told by God that the younger son would prevail, while the older son would serve him? According to Rashi and the Magic of Dubnow, Esau knew how to deceive Isaac, letting his father think that he was strictly religious in asking about tithes.
Joy Ladin comments on Rebecca’s remarkable independence – an essential quality for a Matriarch. Unlike Abraham, who had direct communication from God on what to do, Rebecca had to rely on her own personal determination.
Rabbi Bearman ties parashat Bereishit to two historical female rabbis: Rabbi Sally Priesand and Rabbi Regina Jonas. Rabbi Priesand’s favorite biblical figure is Eve, “because she chose knowledge and wisdom over life in the Garden of Eden.” Rabbi Jonas is known as the first female rabbi, ordained in 1935. She was murdered in Auschwitz around October 1944. Parashat Bereishit has been designated as her yahrzeit.
Rabbi Sacks writes of the interesting quandary Abraham finds himself in: God has promised him land three times yet here he is, bereft of Sarai, and despite his wealth, he has no ownership of land to bury her in. Despite the generosity of the Hittites in offering to give him the land, he insists on purchasing it. Furthermore, Abraham, in maintaining his distance from his neighbors was greatly respected, whereas Lot, who fully assimilated, was not respected.
Rabbi Mirvis presents an interesting interpretation of the Akeida. He references Rashi who cites Bereishit Rabbah, stating that Abraham was confused by God’s conflicting instructions. The Midrash continues to claim that God’s instructions were not conflicting but misunderstood.
Rabbi Sacks writes of the cognitive dissonance experienced by Abraham: He trusts in God while at the same time being filled with fear. He keeps his emotions hidden from his son; Vayelchu shenehem yachdav. The dialog between them is sparse. Rabbi Sacks shares the poignancy of their togetherness and compares it to his contemporary element, with the gap between family time vs consumerism, and the gap between Jewish and secular values.
Rabbi Bouskila writes about the qualities of superior leadership: taking risks, showing care, dreaming visions, holding high expectations. Abraham was the first leader with God’s endorsement, the first in 10 generations of humanity. Abraham had no political power but was so influential.
Lizzie Frankel begins with the novel concept of the barrenness of men, rather than women. Avram says to God: “You haven’t given me seed”. What exactly is the meaning behind “seed” and Avram’s need for it?
While Sarai is barren, Hagar is not. When she is sent away, God makes a similar promise to her that He made to Avram. However, she names God as “El Roi” – The One Who Sees, later The One Who Sees Me. This is a very personal approach.
Until now, the Biblical narrative is about archetypal characters, humanity in general. Suddenly the narrative becomes personal, an individual who is the patriarch of one nation. Why did God lose interest in the rest of the world? Actually, taking the entire Tanakh into context, the narrative is about other peoples: Egypt is a great nation, Nineveh is a subject of God’s concern, and so forth.