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In the end of perek 26 the Torah tells us that Eisav decides to get married (at age 40 to copy his father). The Torah emphasizes that that Yitzchak and Rivka were very upset about his choice in wives. Rashi explains, based on the Midrash, that they were oved avoda zara and they did things "le-hachis".
After seeing this you would expect to see the reaction of Yitzchak and Rivka to be a rebuke, a punishment, ... something negative!
But the next perek begins with Yitzchak calling in Eisav to give him a bracha!
Granted these events did not happen one after the other in immediate succession, and the Torah is not presenting this as Yitzchak's reaction however the juxtaposition seems very odd.
I didn't see any discussion of this in the meforshim in a standard mikros gedolos - does anyone have thoughts on this?
 
Posts: 41 | Location: Bet Shemesh, Israel | Registered: March 29, 2005Report This Post

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B"H

I think I remember reading somewhere (I think it was in Meseches Berakhos) that it is not everywhere that we are permitted to expound on juxtapostions (דורש סמוכין), but in the book of Devorim (Mishne Torah) it is permitted to expound in all places on juxtapositions.

Sincerely,
David
 
Posts: 1031 | Location: Israel | Registered: December 05, 2005Report This Post

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quote:
דורש סמוכין

You are correct that there is a machlokes in the gemara (brachos) regarding this issue. Rav yochanan is always doresh smuchin (daf 10).But even Rav Yehudah who is only doresh in Mishnah Torah is talking about a drasha for halacha. If I remember correctly when it comes to parshanut hamikra nobody argues.

For example, Rashi on Chumash (Bhaaloscha) asks why the parsha of menorah is next to the nesiim. Another example, why is the parsha of Sota next to Nazir (rashi also brings that gemara in his perush on chumash)
 
Posts: 41 | Location: Bet Shemesh, Israel | Registered: March 29, 2005Report This Post

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Shalom Gilad,
Perhaps we can explain as follows. Many commentaries discuss why Yitzchak wanted to give the berachos to Eisav instead of Yaakov. One of the classic answers given is that Yitzchak felt that since Eisav was wicked, he needed kiruv: he needed to be shown warmth, love etc. Yitzchak wanted to show Eisav that despite all his evil, Yitzchak still loved him.

This could be what the Torah is hinting at by this juxtaposition. The Torah wants to emphasize that it was due to Eisav's evil acts that Yitzchak felt compelled to give him the Berachos.
Kol Tuv
Yisroel
 
Posts: 13 | Location: New York | Registered: January 05, 2007Report This Post
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