Jewish scholars certainly seem to think there’s plenty of “hidden meanings” in the story … here is the entire article I found in a newspaper in Jerusalem around 1998.
The Tora of Guela By HaRav David Bar Hayim
“And it came to pass that Yishaq was old, and his eyes were too dim to see…” (Bereshith27:1). Thus begins the story we recently read in this weekly portion of the Tora, relating how Yishaq came to bestow his blessings upon Ya’aqov, rather that Esauw. the first-born. The Tora describes these events in no less than 51 verses (Bereshith 27:1 - 28:5). many more than the Tora utilizes when speaking of Shabath!
It is with regard to such lengthy ‘narrative’ sections of the Tora that the Zohar states: “Woe to the man who says that this Tora wishes to relate simple stories … rather (the fact is) that everything in the Tora is 1ofty and contains great secrets …
“ … and just as His Angels, [who are of spiritual, and not physical essence), when they descend to Earth take on the ‘garments’ of this world (a physical form): and were this not so they [the Angels] could not exist in this world and the world could not bear them … how much more so the Tora itself – when it descends to this world, were it not to take on the ‘garments’ of the world, the world could not bear it. Thus, the stories of the Tora are the Tora’s ‘garments’ …“ (Zohar III 152a)
The Zohar repeats this statement with specific references to the tale of Yishaq’s blessing: “All the works of the Holy One Blessed Be He are profoundly true; all things in the Tora are rooted in the mysteries of the Higher Worlds” (Zohar I, 141b). The meaning is clear: the Tora does not spend 51 verses in order to tell us ‘a good story.’ Hashem is trying to tell us something.
“And it came to pass that Yishaq was old, and his eyes were too dim to see, he called Esauw his elder son …” Several questions occur to us upon reading these words, and the story that follows:
Would it not have been sufficient to simply inform us that Yishaq blessed Ya’aqov, despite not being the first born, due to his superior moral behavior(as Hazal are so intent on pointing out)? Would any of us have challenged such a decision?
Why emphasize that Yishaq called Esauw “his elder son”? The fact that Esauw was the first-born is plainly stated at the beginning of the weekly reading.
Why did Yishaq insist on passing his mantle to Esauw? Could he truly not perceive that Ya’aqov was more worthy?
On what basis did our matriarch Rivqa decide that she could devise a plan to grant Ya’aqov the blessings? What did she know that Yishaq did not?
We must begin by defining the attributes of our forefathers. Avraham is known as a man of great kindness and giving: the story of seeing the three travellers in the desert and inviting them into his home is famous (Bereshith 18:1). Our Sages further amplify this picture of Avraham in many Midrashim. Even when the situation required making an unpleasant decision, such as distancing Yishmael from Yishaq and removing him from the family, Avraham faltered: “And this thing was very grievous in Avraham’s eyes(Bereshith 21:11). It ran against the grain of Avraham’s love of compassion.
Yishaq is a more stern and severe figure. When Ya’aqov rebukes Lavan, he refers to his forefathers in an unusual fashion: “Were it not that the G-d of my father, the g-d of Avraham, and the fear of Yishaq, had been with me, you would have surely sent me away empty handed” (Bereshith 31:42)
Ya’aqov is the confluence of these two tendencies — he is the perfectly balanced Jew: ‘The choicest of the Forefathers” (Bereshith Raba 76:1). Or in the words of the prophet Mikha: “You shall show Truth (perfection) to Ya’aqov, Loyal Love (compassion) to Avraham” (Mikha 7:20).
The Zohar sums it up thus:“Ya’aqov completes and perfects everything … as it says ‘Loyal Love (compassion) to Avraham’ — this is Avraham’s portion because he showed compassion to people … Yishaq is strict justice (I. 96aJ. “Hesed (Compassion), Pahad (Fear), Emeth (Truth) — these are the attributes of the three Forefathers” (III, 217a).
Our holy forefather Yishaq, therefore, is driven by a strict sense of justice and a rigid loyalty to tradition. It is for this reason that he felt that he must bestow his blessings, and the leadership of the nascent Jewish people, to Esauw: this was the tradition he had received from his father. This was the Law: the blessing belongs to the first-born. Therefore “He called Esauw his elder son …” He was, in fact, aware of Esauw’s shortcomings. This is why he requested that Esauw bring him his favorite dish: ‘that my soul may bless you before I die” (27:4). He needed to be in a positive frame of mind toward Esauw, in order to bless him with a happy and full heart (only in this fashion, he knew, would his blessing be truly effective). As for the future, be felt that Hashem could cause Esauw to repent and return to Him if He so chose. He felt, at any rate, that this was out of his hands (see Mei HaShiloah, Toldoth).
Rivqa, however, knew that radical and rapid action was required to avert disaster (see Rambam 27:7). “Upon me be your curse, my son; but obey my voice. “ (27:13) she said upon seeing Ya’aqov’s reluctance to go along with her plot.
How did she know that this was the right thing to do? We find two explanations in our classic sources. Onqelos, in his Aramaic translation, states: “It was said to me by way of prophecy that no curse shall befall you.” The Rashbam points out: “She relied [in so doing] on that which had been said to her by Hashem ‘and the elder shall serve the younger.”’
In truth, these two explanations are one. The Rashbam and Onqelos are simply reminding us of what we read at the beginning of the parasha when Rivqa, distressed by an unusual pregnancy, “went to inquire of the Lord” (This very fact indicates Rivqa’s holy intuition, the first step to prophecy; many women would simply have put it down to ‘bad luck’). “And the Lord said to her: Two nations are in thy womb and the elder shall serve the younger” (25:22-23).
Note the wording ‘and the; Lord said to her.’ In general, woman have greater powers of intuition and insight than men: “Hashem placed greater insight in women than men” (T.B. Nida 45b) (The expression ‘a woman’s intuition’ has a basis in reality!) That which was revealed to Rivka was unclear to Yishaq: “his eyes were too dim to see …“ She did not share this knowledge with him. “‘And the Darkness He called Night’ — this refers to Yishaq (Zohar I, 142a). He was in the dark.
Rivqa. armed with this knowledge, knew that Ya’aqov must receive the blessing. The question was ‘How?. Hashem had not revealed the answer to this question. Yet Rivqa does not falter. If Hashem, in His Wisdom, had informed her of what must be, it was surely her responsibility to make it happen. She therefore hatches a plan and speaks to Ya’aqov: “obey my voice …” She is not only sure in the knowledge of what Hashem revealed to her; she is equally certain as to what must be done. The former is prophecy; the latter holy intuition, Ruah Haqodesh.
“Woe to the man who says that this Tora wishes to relate simple stories.” We must internalize the profound truth hidden herein.
Great events in our national existence cannot be understood and decisions that will shape our people’s future cannot be made in the ‘Yishaq mode.’ In order to perceive the direction and orientation that must be assumed, to come to terms with the steps that must be taken, and to possess the self-assuredness simply to know when something is right, and to be therefore willing to lead the way -for all these, something more than rigid loyalty to tradition is required.
Our Geula, which was prophetically mapped out for us long ago, is the. ‘What.’ We must supply the ‘How.’
Rav David Bar Hayim is the head of the Makhon Ben Yishai Institute for Tora Research in Jerusalem
