Toldot

Two nations waged war in Rivka’s womb

Try as she might, it was not under stood

Rivka asked of HaShem, what can this mean

The answer,   forthcoming, the younger will be sovereign

He pushed his way out, grasping Esau’s heel

The older, though brawnier, was not his equal.

Red hued and hairy, hunting inclined

The younger more studious, Torah learned and fine

Esau came from the hunt and yelled “give me that stew”

For that bowl of lentils, I’ll give up my birthright to you”

And then was the story of Isaac’s 3 wells

Which the Philistines kept filling with dirt and with stones

And Abimelech spied Isaac and Rivka sporting

“She can’t be his sister, the way they are courting”!

Back to the brothers, Esau and Jacob

Jacob the one that Rivka favoured

Rivka  devised a wily plan

To  delude her old husband , already a blind man.

“Dress in these goat skins, and take Yitzhak the meat, this plan is the way Esau to defeat,

You will get Isaac’s blessing, which is your due

It is your good character which must come through”.

And so  it did happen, Rebecca was wise, her plan came to fruition, Jacob’s  identity disguised

Jacob received the brocha for which he was fated, and aroused Esau’s anger, now his brother he doubly hated

 So Jacob fled to his uncle Laban

From out of the fire he jumped in the pan

To Padan Aram, to marry Laban’s daughter

He obeyed his father and mother like he oughta

But Esau-he thought he better do that too-and married Machlath, daughter of his nephew

This was in addition to his other wives

They certainly led complicated lives

Like father and mother

This whole radical bunch

What the Torah relates ,  is the stuff of Freudian lunch!

By Jacqi Waltz