Voices of WRJ: Tol'dot

by Amy Konig Wulfe “A blessing on your head...mazel tov, mazel tov.” Even though Grandma Tzeitel credits Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick for their words in Fiddler on the Roof, we have to give Patriarch Isaac the honor for creating “the philosophy of blessings.” This week’s parashah, Tol'dot (Genesis 25:19-28:9), reads like a Broadway play. Synopsis: the young beauty, Rebekah marries a much older Isaac. Many years of infertility are rewarded when Rebekah becomes pregnant. During this difficult time, she is gifted with the knowledge that “there are two nations in your womb,” and that the younger will prevail over the elder. Esau emerges first and matures into a womanizing hunk who excels at the hunt, followed, quite literally, on the heel with tiny Jacob, the mild manner homebody. During one scene, Esau returns tired and hungry, stumbling into his brother’s abode looking for food, for which Jacob graciously barters for Esau’s birthright. The deal is done and Jacob won’t let Esau forget it. Of course there is a famine. Isaac relocates his family to the land of the Philistines. To protect their true identities, he tells King Avimelech that he and Rebekah are siblings. However, they are caught doing “unsibling” acts and confess their deception. Isaac is allowed to remain because his water well enterprises have topped the industry of the year. The show closes when an aged Isaac asks his beloved first-born to go find his favorite game for the last time. Rebekah seizes this opportunity to seal Jacob’s fate. Her scheme is to dress Jacob up to appear as Esau and instructs him to convince his father that “he” deserves the legacy blessing. As righteous as Jacob is, he participates. Jacob is blessed. Esau is betrayed and weeps. Isaac must come up with a satisfactory conclusion to this epic story. His solution is touching and prolific. Why was this blessing so important? Why do young people ask their loved ones for a blessing for marriage? Why do my kids always ask my blessing to use the Best Buy credit card? Why, if we miss any part of a service, we make sure we are present for the Rabbi’s blessing? According to Dru Greenwood, MSW, in his commentary, “beit reish khaf,” interpreted as “blessing,” is found 34 times in this 106-verse parashah. I believe it’s the power that a blessing possesses. Isaac and Rebekah knew the importance of this divine message. Jacob might have been “chosen” to take this seed and protect it for the “tol'dot” or generations to come. For you and I. But Isaac was a parent, who like us, saw the promise in children. “Do you have but one blessing, my Father?” Esau asks (Genesis 27:38). Up to this point in our history, there is no record of other kinds of influential expression except the passing of Abraham’s legacy. So Isaac meditated and asked himself, “What would WRJ do in this instance?” Of course, he reasoned, if each person is unique and we all have the covenant of God within us, then we are all worthy of a blessing. There shouldn’t be just “one.” WRJ has many ways of spreading this uplifting gift. The one that is dear to me, is the Uniongram. For over 30 years, my mother was the Uniongram chair for her sisterhood. She would borrow sentiments from Hallmark to personally script sentiments for her fellow sisters in her legendary handwriting. Finally illness caused her to give up her cherished position. Today she is the Uniongram chair for the angels. Every time you purchase a WRJ Note Card, you are not only sending “a blessing” to someone special, but supporting our Youth, Education and Special Projects (YES) Fund to strengthen our movement and ensure our future, just as Rebekah and Isaac had hoped. On this cool November Shabbat, I want each of you to know that I believe you are all are “blessings” to our faith, to our sisterhood family. As Grandma Tzeitel would sing in her scratchy voice, just like mine, “a blessing on your head, mazel tov, mazel tov!” Amy Konig Wulfe is a third generation sisterhood member in Texas. She serves proudly on the WRJ Board of Directors, participates in WRJ Southwest District projects and “shouts out” to her beloved Temple Beth-El sisters. She is married and is the mother of four sons who have grown up believing they were sisterhood members.