Similarly, when Isaac, our father, was about to bless his eldest son Esau, his mother Rebecca feared that the blessing would be given to one who was not worthy of it, and she instructed Jacob to ...

who wrote this in less time than Esau needed to build Rome. Gen. 32:16, listing the gifts that Jacob offered Esau when returning to the land of Israel from Mesopotamia, where he had established a ...

Modern Jews also need to change the world because the outside is getting nasty. A worldwide study of Antisemitism was released by the ADL on January 14. The results were frightening: “The survey shows ...

G-d deliberately made Isaac blind to ensure Jacob received the blessings Isaac intended for Esau. (Midrash Rabah 65:8.) A quick review of the story: Isaac knew his older son, Esau, was not as ...

After being deprived of the birthright blessing, Esau announced his intention to kill Jacob once Isaac passed away. Jacob was stuck. None of this was his idea. It was Jacob’s mother, Rebecca ...

What does it mean to love our children equally? It’s a question that many families wrestle with, especially when each ...

Rebecca orchestrates an elaborate deception, instructing Jacob to disguise himself as Esau and trick his father Isaac into giving him the blessing. Isaac, who loves Esau, unwittingly blesses Jacob ...

I imagine Isaac saying this: “Of course I know that it will be Jacob and not Esau who will continue the covenant. But I have two quite different blessings in mind, one for each of our sons.