Shabbat

Portion Toledot Isaac and Eyes and Children

פרטים
קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
פורסם ברביעי, 02 דצמבר 2020 17:41
נכתב על ידי Super User
כניסות: 453
Portion Toledot Isaac and Eyes and Children
 
The Medrash says Isaac was blind, and couldn't see the way his children's actions.
 
In this portion we see Father Isaac - this son of Abraham - in various situations -
In some he shines,
But with regards his children?
 
Did he really not "see" - or couldn't understand? And what's that to us?
Didn't he and Rebecca communicate? The Medrash says that they, too, were from different generations!
 
What is it that makes inter-generation understanding so confused - is it
The times that seem to change so much or fast, or
Is it that we forget we were once children and
 
Needed to learn so much in order to fit in, and
Have a comfort zone, and
Succeed socially and economically?
 
Two things here in the Portion become obvious:
 
Parents are supposed to communicate with one another, and
Children need communication too.
 
And ancient times seem not so different from us today!
 
Do you communicate with children?
 
How about your parents - and - those that came before?
 
Is "Kaddish" the only connection between "Western" Jews and generations gone by?
 
There is a beautiful prayer in the Sephardic morning service
 
Portraying how Rabbi Shimon (of the  Zohar).  "Says, as speaking to the Almihgty AND
To our forefathers and foremothers:
(And is responded to by
 the shechina (spirit)
And  the Almighty)
 
"Arise those who are sleeping in Hebron....
 
You who are with the Shechina - the Holiness of the Almighty.. "
 
Were our ancestors so much closer to  G-d and G-dly Spirit?
Or are we to learn from this prayer 
 
How to call to them 
 
To waken in ourselves
The Shichina - and closeness to the Almighty?
 
Shouldn't we all in our souls call out to our Jewish Roots
And our Connection to Holiness?
 
Especially on Shabbat
 
Don't be "blind" to the competition between Jacob and Esau -Esav
What did the holy parents Isaac and Rebecca think about the life styles of the children
How could they have better kept the family - and the connection of humanity-
closer together...
 
and us?
 
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz