Two Minute Torah Podcast

Toldot 5771 by Rabbi Shalom Kantor

Shalom, my name is Rabbi Shalom Kantor and I am the KOACH Hillel Rabbi at Binghamton University in Binghamton New York. Welcome to KOACH's Two-Minute Torah; a project of the College Department of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism

It is no big secret that Jews have a fixation on food. We obsess over where it comes from, what combination we eat it in, how it was cooked, when it was cooked, and even whose grandmother's recipe is used for a given dish. In fact I don't know of a single holiday (even Yom Kippur) that I can't associate a specific food that goes with it. Yet, all too often we find ourselves eating our food in a non-holy manner- rushing through our meals if we even pause to have a full meal, grabbing something at the drive through, or skipping meals all together in favor of a quick snack.

It is with that lens that I read this weeks' parasha, Toldot and find that the two apexes of the story of Jacob and Esau occur around meals. The first episode involves Esau returning from the field “famished” to find Jacob at home cooking a red lentil stew. Esau said to Jacob, “Give me some of that red stuff to gulp down for I am famished.” (Gen. 25:30) Jacob uses this moment to extract from Esau the birthright. Esau's relation to the food in this scene is one of pure physical sustenance with no regard for the spiritual value of the food, the meal, and subsequently the birthright that he gives up for “some of that red stuff”. Esau exemplifies the “fast food” mentality, he does not even care what is in the food or how it came to be. He sees no importance of the food outside of the need to relieve his pangs of hunger.

In clear opposition to this “fast food meal” comes the carefully prepared meal that Jacob (in place of Esau) brings to his father Isaac. The meal is described as Isaac's favorite dish and one that requires special preparation. This is not a dish of “red stuff” but rather a dish of caring, respect, and effort. Also, the dish is not one that is “gulped down” but rather eaten in ceremony with wine. Here, the food is eaten slowly with intention. It is part of a moment of holiness, and as such allows for discussion and blessings to occur.

As we go through our lives, all too often we “gulp down” our food. We are all guilty of running from one meeting to the next from one appointment to another and not taking the time to enjoy our food, savor our relationships, and give thanks for the bounty that we are blessed with. May we all be blessed with this awareness to take the time to enjoy our food and give thanks to The Source of all that we have.