Parshat Hayyei Sarah

In 25:11 the passuk says and after Avraham died, "ויברך אלקים את יצחק בנו" - And Hashem blessed Yitzchak his son.

We already know Yitzchak is Avraham's son. It has told us this many times. Especially now that Avraham has died what is the need to say "his son"?

I think this tells us that Yitzchak continued the ways and methods of Avraham after Avraham's death. Yitzchak showed everybody by his actions that Avraham was the influence in his life. He lived in a way that honored his father.

I know a Rav who very often quotes his father. if you go to him to ask a shailoh, very frequently he begins his answer by saying, "My father would do this.." or "My father held that..". He quotes from his late father even though he is a talmid chacham in his own right. He is continuing the path of his father. He lives and gives honor to his father.

That is Yitzchak. By Yitzchak's life you could see he was the son of Avraham. Even after Avraham's death.

dinner in bed

Parshat Toldos

In 27:3-4 Yitzhak tells Esau that he is soon going to die and he should go trap a deer and make food so he can bless him. He was very specific about what he wanted Esau to bring him.

Was Yitzhak really so concerned on his deathbed about what his last meal would consist of? Why didn't he just say bring me something to eat so I can bless you? Whyw as he so concerned with the specifics? And why is he so concerned about what's for dinner at such a critical time?

The Seforno suggests that he requested food from Esau because he wanted Esau to perform this mitzva of honoring his father so the blessing would have a mitzva to take effect upon, because Yitzhak knew that Esau was not really a worthy person (even if he did not know how bad he actually was, he at least knew this).

But it still seems out of place that Yitzhak gave such specific instructions. He could have just said to bring him dinner and the mitzva would have been accomplished the same.

Still thinking

different attitudes

Parshat Toldos

It happened again. In Chapter 26 we see Yitzhak going to the city of G'rar. He followed in his father's footsteps and told the people (and Avimelech the king) that Rivka is his sister so they would not kill him and take her. Avimelech played sleuth and figured out that they are husband/wife and not brother/sister.

Avimelech chastised him for the lie saying somebody could have possibly approached Rivka and we all would have been punished for it. "How could you do this to us?" He then told his people to leave Yitzhak and Rivka alone. They continued to live there and prospered.

This is consistent with how Avimelech reacted with Avraham. When Avraham pulled the same trick of saying Sarah is his wife, Avimelech nearly got killed for it and when he found out he gave Avraham great wealth and a choice of land to live on.

Yet when Avraham pulled the same trick on Pharoh, the Egyptians threw him out of Egypt. They gave him money and told him to get lost.

I find the different reactions interesting and telling regarding their attitudes. At the time Avraham went down to Egypt we are told that Egypt had a decadent society and therefore Avraham had great fear for his life. That might be consistent with the Egyptians throwing Avraham out after having duped them. Yet Avimelech had a positive attitude and understood Avraham and Yitzhak's concerns and allowed them to continue living in his country.