Tuesday, Mar-Cheshvan 25, 5778 / November 14, 2017

This week's Parsha, Toldot, begins with the story of the birth of the famous twins, Esau and Yaakov to their parents Yitzchak & Rivkah. Yitzchak and Rivkah were married twenty years, yet didn’t have children. Yitzchak and Rivkah prayed for children and she became pregnant.

Rivkah had a very difficult pregnancy. She experienced a constant struggle in her womb which made her very concerned, questioning if praying for children was the right thing to do.

She went to inquire from Noach’s son, Sheim, who was the prophet at that time. G-d told Sheim to tell her, "Two nations are in your womb and two nations shall come from you, one will be stronger than the other and the elder shall serve the younger one."

Rivkah gave birth to twins. The older one was called Esau and the younger one was named Yaakov.   Esau became a hunter, "a man of the field," while Yaakov "dwelt in the tents" - studying Torah. Indeed, the struggle between Esau and Yaakov, which began while still in their mother’s womb, lasted throughout their lives.

It is interesting to note that three of our matriarchs, Sarah, Rivkah and Rachel were barren. By laws of nature, they couldn’t have any children. It was only because G-d performed a miracle for each of them that they had children.

Sarah had only one son, Yitzchak. Rivkah had twins, Esau and Yaakov; and Rachel had two sons, Joseph and Binyamin.

Q. Why did G-d make it that the matriarchs of the Jewish nation would have difficulty having children?

A. The sages explain that G-d made them barren so they would pray to Him, for G-d loves the prayers of the righteous. Not everything which seems negative in life is really negative. It is the transformation of the negative into positive which G-d desires. This story also teaches us the importance of prayer. It is a lesson for us, their descendants, never to give up on prayer.

On the lighter side: Little Moshe, didn’t know that his mother was expecting. He begged his mother for a baby brother. His mother said, “If you pray every day for the next three months for a baby brother, I guarantee you that God will give you a baby brother."

Little Moshe was so excited. He prayed every night for two months, but then he stopped. After another month his parents called him into their bedroom and there on the bed were two babies - twins!

His parents said to him, "Moshe’le, aren't you glad you prayed?" Moshe looked up at his parents and said, "Yes… but aren't you glad I quit when I did?"

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY