Weekly Words of Torah goes PC (Parashah and Chesed) – Parashat Toldot 5780 

To inspire, guide, engage, enrich, and empower Conservative Jewish Women
By Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields, Executive Director, Women’s League For Conservative Judaism

Parashat Toldot begins with Rebecca’s pregnancy with Jacob and Esau. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob in exchange for a bowl of lentil soup. Isaac goes to Gerar because of a famine. A dispute arises over wells. Rebecca conspires with Jacob to trick Isaac into giving him the birthright of the firstborn. Isaac winds up giving a blessing to both Jacob and Esau, which describes their personalities, as well as anticipates the personalities of their progeny. Esau is very upset with Jacob for tricking him out of the birthright. Jacob is forced to leave his home, to protect himself against his brother’s wrath. Esau marries Ishmael’s daughters. 

Esau’s hunger after coming home from hunting, and requesting a bowl of soup, usually described as lentil soup from Jacob, in exchange for the birthright is the origin of the brothers’ dispute. How appropriate for an act of Chesed this week, would it be to help serve soup, and dinner, in honor of Thanksgiving, at a local soup kitchen! Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Weekly Words of Torah is a brief paragraph prepared weekly by our Executive Director, Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields, presented in our “This Week @ Women’s League.” WWOT will provide meaningful thoughts related to the Weekly Torah Portion, an event on the Calendar, a Prayer, or something of Jewish interest, to inspire, guide, engage, enrich, and empower Conservative Jewish Women. If you have any particular interest in future topics, or want to send Rabbi Wolintz-Fields an email, you can contact her at ewolintz-fields@wlcj.org. Read previous Weekly Words of Torah here, and stay up-to-date with the latest WWOT theme, Chesed, here.