Toldot – Genesis 25:19-28:9

Nov 15 to 21, 2020 | 5 Kislev 5781

Photograph by Basir Ted Yasi

Generations: Destiny and Free Will

Throughout Toldot, we witness two levels of reality: human and divine. To delve into this parsha, we must seek to understand human events in the context of divine will. In this parsha we are confronted with the play between fate and free will, destiny and choice — the same paradox each of us faces in our own lives.

The dynamic figure of the generation following Avraham and Sara is not Yitzhak (Isaac), but Rivka (Rebecca). It is she to whom G’d reveals the master plan for the future generations. And it is Rivka who devises the scheme to see that G’d’s will is carried out. Of the generations to follow, it is Yaakov (Heal-Holder) about whom many stories are told. And with the new name of Israel (G’d Fighter), it is his name that is given to the Jewish people.

Even in the womb, Yaakov and Esav wrestled, causing Rivka much discomfort. Inquiring as to the reason, YHWY reveals the master plan: 

YHWH said to her:

Two nations are in your body,

two tribes from your belly shall be divided:

tribe shall be mightier than tribe,

elder shall be servant to younger!

 – Gen 25:23

Of course we all know the deception that happens. Rivka plots with Yaakov to trick Yitzhak into believing that he is giving the blessing of the first born (material inheritance) to Esav. Ruminating on this, if Yitzhak trusted his hearing, he would not have been deceived. Not only was Yaakov unable to disguise his voice, he deferred to G’d in a way that would have been uncharacteristic for Esav:

Yitzhak said to his son:

How did you find it [hunted game] so hastily, my son?

He said: Indeed, YHWH your G’d made it happen for me.

– Gen 27:20

Blind Yitzhak trusted his senses of touch and smell, rather than his hearing. This reveals something of Yitzhak’s character, a man who admired the hunt and the field. However, in Torah G’d reveals Presence primarily through sound. And G-d’s voice (vibration / sound) is the first emanation in Bereshit: “G’d said, ‘Let there be light’.”  

Yaakov the Lineage Holder

May G’d Shaddai bless you,

may he make you bear fruit and make you many,

so that you become a host of peoples.

– Gen 28:3

Before Yaakov fled from his brother’s wrath, his father gave him the instructions to choose a wife from the daughters of his mother’s brother Laban, who lived far away in Aram. This blessing acknowledges Yaakov as the rightful lineage holder of the Covenant.

From Kabbalah, we learn that Rivka correctly perceived that being the lineage holder also requires Yaakov to be the inheritor of the rights of the firstborn (material wealth), not Esav as Yitzhak had intended. If we fail to put G’d first, before the material, then we will fall short of our destiny as Bestowers. For a more detailed discussion of the role of Ego and Bestowal, please visit the Kabbalah Blog.

Reflection: Where are YOU in the balance of your focus between the inner world and the material world? How do you live your life today? Which comes first? When we give material concerns primacy over the inner life, this can be called idolatry. Pause and reflect. Where in you is there room for growth?

Yaakov as Bestower

Esav was born first, just as the desire for self gratification, Ego, awakens before our ability matures to consider the other. Yaakov embodies the kindness and consideration of his mother. This is why Esav was the first born, and why the birthright needed to pass to Yaakov. This is the way we as human beings mature through life.

Refletion: What will it take for humanity to develop the maturity to consider the whole impact of our actions? When we collectively awaken to the other as oneself, the world’s problems can be solved.

Mirror of the Past

Another fascinating aspect of this parsha which is relevant to our lives is the repetition of the storyline. Going back to the Garden of Eden, we have eaten from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Bad. When Kayne kills Havel, we witness the first murder. Later, human beings stray so far from how we were intended to live, that G’d was sorry for having created us. Thus, the Flood.

And so on through to this parsha, with the Esav / Yaakov dynamic. Another reocurring theme is G’ds preference for the shephard, the gentle soul seeking connection with G’d (Havel, Yaakov) over the man of the fields (Kayne, Esav).

Reflection: So I ask myself, in what ways does my present mirror my past? What themes repeat in my life, time and time again? And in your life?

“To realize one’s destiny is a person’s only real obligation and when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

Listening for Guidance

For this week’s practices, we will seek to open the door to divine guidance. To continue our progression from the external to the internal, and ultimately, to bring the two together, in the marriage of heaven and earth. This is how we can be in tune with the Infinite and the rhythm of life. This beautiful, chaotic, ever changing life. This life right now, as we seek to apply our personal will to a deeper calling, and by so doing, allow for divine grace to guide our life.

WEEKLY PRACTICES: Destiny and Free Will

The secret of inner guidance: On whatever the desire of the soul is fixed, to that the way is cleared and all hindrances are swept aside. If you unswervingly desire anything or to become anything, that you will become. … Whatever the self desires, that is its destiny.

– Hazrat Inayat Khan

With the Soul Manifestation Process, we listen for divine guidance before setting our intention toward fulfillment.  The door opens through breath, light and sound.

Suggestion: Do one practice a day, or do all 6 consecutively. Remember… have your Journal nearby to jot down any insights that may arise.

Audio Recording – Coming Soon

Breath:

Sitting comfortably with an upright spine, breathe in and out through your nose. Inhale deeply. Exhale completely, eliminating all of the spent air in your lungs. Inhale deeply and focus on your abdomen. Exhale completely. Inhale and focus on your chest, then exhale completely. Once more, inhale and focus on your crown, and then exhale completely.

Breathing comfortably, imagine pure white Light entering through your forehead. On the next breath, imagine this clear light filling your head. On the next breath, filling your upper body. And then your torso to your legs and toes, and down your arms to your fingertips. And now, breathe in the clear light of guidance and exhale light all around you. As you continue to breath comfortably, feel this light of guidance as it enters through your forehead, fills your body, and radiates outward in all directions.

With eyes closed and mouth relaxed and open, breathe in and out through your mouth.  This is the purification breath of Air. Sense the spaciousness in your body. As you exhale, imagine all of your molecules being scattered far and wide. As you inhale, recollect yourself through your Heart center in a more loving, harmonious, beautiful formation. Your inhale is the same length as your exhale, rhythmic and gentle. You are spreading yourself throughout the cosmos as you exhale, reforming yourself in Divine Light as you inhale.

Contemplation:

Following your breath, mentally recite these contemplations drawn from the words of this week’s parsha and from the Sufi master Hazrat Inayat Khan:

Light:

With eyes closed, breathe in and out through the nose. Let your breath be gentle and refined. Allow your breath to become shallow. Keep your body still. Breathe gently in and out through the nose. This is the subtle breath of ether. In this refined state, imagine Light entering through the top of your head, your crown center. Breathe in Light through your crown, exhale Light through the palm of your hands. Allow yourself to receive any shift in awareness that happens. No effort; simply receive in stillness. When you are ready, open your eyes and breathe fully, deeply. Feel a sense of gratitude for the experience of stillness filled with Light.

Sound:

Similar to mantra, to practice Wazifa is to repeat a Name (quality) of G’d. The meaning of the Name, which is encoded in the sound vibration, will be revealed to you through repetition and focus. This week’s Sufi practice with sound vibration will focus on receiving inner guidance: Ya Rashid and Ya Hadi. 

As a starting point, we can say that Ya Hadi (yaa haa-DEE) calls on the source of all guidance for the whole of humanity. Ya Rashid (yaa ra-SHEED) brings an established and clear consciousness that balances inner experience and worldly life.

Inhale: Ya Rashid

Exhale: Ya Hadi

As you rhythmically inhale and exhale, softly repeat each Name out loud, 33 times. Afterward, feel the effects of the sound vibration on your being.

Zikr:

Meaning “remembrance”, Zikr is the repetition of a sacred phrase with the intention of returning to the essence of Unity. Continuing from last week, we will repeat the central Jewish prayer known as the Sh’ma.

In Hebrew:

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָֽד

Shema Yisrael YHWH Eloheinu YHWH Echad

The Sh’ma can be translated as: “Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one”. LORD is the unpronounceable four letter word יְהוָה – YHWH, the Name of G’d that can’t be named. Instead, we’ll use the word “Adonai“, meaning Lord, or “HaShem“, meaning The Name.

When practicing Zikr, it’s best to use the original language in which the prayer was revealed. As you inhale and exhale, softly repeat out loud, 33 times. Afterward, feel the effects of the vibration on your being.

Nature:

Excellent! Now it’s time to return to the every day world, refreshed, renewed and reconnected.

When you wake up in the morning, recall this week’s practice. Take a moment each day to quietly inhale ya Rashid, exhale, ya Hadi. What does this practice awaken in you?

Shabbat Shalom!

After 6 days of practice, when Shabbat arrives, observe how this week’s practices shape your Shabbat experience. Be sure to check in Sunday morning for next week’s parsha.

You are invited to comment on how the contemplations and practices for this week have shaped your experience of daily life… any big Ah-ha’s? Please share your thoughts and feelings below.

חַיִּים
L’Hayyim…. To Life!