Jacob and Esau grow up.

Torah study. 12-17 Genesis 25:27-34

Parent favoritism a Trade: Stew for birthright.

Esau is the hunter a man of the field. Metaphoric reflection on his character.

Midrash pictures Esau as evil, negative, not good:

Rashi –says he is an idler not favorable

SRH. The man who hunts is the one who can stalk and be sneaky. Malicious nature of the hunter. Entraps his father.

Zohar. Man of the field. He was a highway man who robs and kills people.

Jacob... Mild man. Tam. Simple naive. Plain. Has integrity. Not sharp witted in deceiving.

Eli Munk - Jacob's stage of perfection exceeds Abraham.

Zohar interpretation...Jacob holds both generosity and firmness in balance.

J Marder... Unto himself he is complete.

Second description of Jacob... The one who dwells in tents. Nomadic shepherd... Pastoral nomad. The family business of the Israelites.

Midrash and Rashi. In the tent of Shem and ever primeval figures.

Running a yeshivah. In the study house.

Eli Munk - where he studied. Abraham was a missionary. Grandson focus on study...Jacob the one who stays inside concentrating on study.

V28. Taste for game... Isaac loved Esau because he brought him meat.

Rebecca liked Jacob better.

Parent bias.

Esau his meat was in his words.

Isaac loved Esau for a particular reason vs no reason given for Rebecca loving Jacob.

SRH. Train each child in accordance to their own nature. Favoritism...love important but there are some who need more love... Those not a good need more love and attention.

Different types of love... Conditional and non conditional love.

Book: Erich Fromm the Art of Loving. Motherly vs fatherly love. Fatherly love easier because you can do something to effect it- need to achieve conditional love.. Motherly love gives security...need both.

Book: UnConditional Parenting... Alfie Kohen writer NY Times

Book: Super Nanny by Jo Frost.

Problem with praise... Can be problematic because it can effect the future opinion of the parents. Long range effects of conditional parenting are harmful.Using love as a method of control is not a good way to get long range results.

Foreshadowing of the next happening...

Jacob Cooking something in a pot... Esau comes in and he is famished in desperate need of food and drink... Lentil stew.. Why.. Lentils

It is known that they were cultivated in that place... Rashi says that Abraham died on that day...cooking lentils to comfort the mourners.. Give lentils to mourner because they are round like a wheel... Mourning is like a wheel. Cycle of life... Lentils have no mouth like the mourners who cannot speak. Mourner is mute...not supposed to speak or naturally inclined to be silent. This meal must be given to the mourner - round food is a symbol.

More next time….