Twinning and Splitting: The Genesis of a Cry and it's Future Vayeitze

ByDianne Cohler-Esses

Romemu: Open Book, Open Up

בראשית כ״ט:י״א

(יא) וַיִּשַּׁ֥ק יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְרָחֵ֑ל וַיִּשָּׂ֥א אֶת־קֹל֖וֹ וַיֵּֽבְךְּ׃

Genesis 29:11

(11) Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and broke into tears.

בראשית כ״ז:ל״א-מ׳

(לא) וַיַּ֤עַשׂ גַּם־הוּא֙ מַטְעַמִּ֔ים וַיָּבֵ֖א לְאָבִ֑יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְאָבִ֗יו יָקֻ֤ם אָבִי֙ וְיֹאכַל֙ מִצֵּ֣יד בְּנ֔וֹ בַּעֲבֻ֖ר תְּבָרְכַ֥נִּי נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ (לב) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֛וֹ יִצְחָ֥ק אָבִ֖יו מִי־אָ֑תָּה וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֲנִ֛י בִּנְךָ֥ בְכֹֽרְךָ֖ עֵשָֽׂו׃ (לג) וַיֶּחֱרַ֨ד יִצְחָ֣ק חֲרָדָה֮ גְּדֹלָ֣ה עַד־מְאֹד֒ וַיֹּ֡אמֶר מִֽי־אֵפ֡וֹא ה֣וּא הַצָּֽד־צַ֩יִד֩ וַיָּ֨בֵא לִ֜י וָאֹכַ֥ל מִכֹּ֛ל בְּטֶ֥רֶם תָּב֖וֹא וָאֲבָרְכֵ֑הוּ גַּם־בָּר֖וּךְ יִהְיֶֽה׃ (לד) כִּשְׁמֹ֤עַ עֵשָׂו֙ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֣י אָבִ֔יו וַיִּצְעַ֣ק צְעָקָ֔ה גְּדֹלָ֥ה וּמָרָ֖ה עַד־מְאֹ֑ד וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְאָבִ֔יו בָּרְכֵ֥נִי גַם־אָ֖נִי אָבִֽי׃ (לה) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר בָּ֥א אָחִ֖יךָ בְּמִרְמָ֑ה וַיִּקַּ֖ח בִּרְכָתֶֽךָ׃ (לו) וַיֹּ֡אמֶר הֲכִי֩ קָרָ֨א שְׁמ֜וֹ יַעֲקֹ֗ב וַֽיַּעְקְבֵ֙נִי֙ זֶ֣ה פַעֲמַ֔יִם אֶת־בְּכֹרָתִ֣י לָקָ֔ח וְהִנֵּ֥ה עַתָּ֖ה לָקַ֣ח בִּרְכָתִ֑י וַיֹּאמַ֕ר הֲלֹא־אָצַ֥לְתָּ לִּ֖י בְּרָכָֽה׃ (לז) וַיַּ֨עַן יִצְחָ֜ק וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְעֵשָׂ֗ו הֵ֣ן גְּבִ֞יר שַׂמְתִּ֥יו לָךְ֙ וְאֶת־כׇּל־אֶחָ֗יו נָתַ֤תִּי לוֹ֙ לַעֲבָדִ֔ים וְדָגָ֥ן וְתִירֹ֖שׁ סְמַכְתִּ֑יו וּלְכָ֣ה אֵפ֔וֹא מָ֥ה אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֖ה בְּנִֽי׃ (לח) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר עֵשָׂ֜ו אֶל־אָבִ֗יו הַֽבְרָכָ֨ה אַחַ֤ת הִֽוא־לְךָ֙ אָבִ֔י בָּרְכֵ֥נִי גַם־אָ֖נִי אָבִ֑י וַיִּשָּׂ֥א עֵשָׂ֛ו קֹל֖וֹ וַיֵּֽבְךְּ׃ (לט) וַיַּ֛עַן יִצְחָ֥ק אָבִ֖יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֑יו הִנֵּ֞ה מִשְׁמַנֵּ֤י הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה מֽוֹשָׁבֶ֔ךָ וּמִטַּ֥ל הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם מֵעָֽל׃ (מ) וְעַל־חַרְבְּךָ֣ תִֽחְיֶ֔ה וְאֶת־אָחִ֖יךָ תַּעֲבֹ֑ד וְהָיָה֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר תָּרִ֔יד וּפָרַקְתָּ֥ עֻלּ֖וֹ מֵעַ֥ל צַוָּארֶֽךָ׃

Genesis 27:31-40

(31) He too prepared a dish and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father sit up and eat of his son’s game, so that you may give me your innermost blessing.” (32) His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” And he said, “I am your son, Esau, your first-born!” (33) Isaac was seized with very violent trembling. “Who was it then,” he demanded, “that hunted game and brought it to me? Moreover, I ate of it before you came, and I blessed him; now he must remain blessed!” (34) When Esau heard his father’s words, he burst into wild and bitter sobbing, and said to his father, “Bless me too, Father!” (35) But he answered, “Your brother came with guile and took away your blessing.” (36) [Esau] said, “Was he, then, named Jacob that he might supplant*supplant Heb. ‘aqab, connected with “Jacob.” me these two times? First he took away my birthright and now he has taken away my blessing!” And he added, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” (37) Isaac answered, saying to Esau, “But I have made him master over you: I have given him all his brothers for servants, and sustained him with grain and wine. What, then, can I still do for you, my son?” (38) And Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, Father? Bless me too, Father!” And Esau wept aloud. (39) And his father Isaac answered, saying to him,
“See, your abode shall enjoy the fat of the earth
And*enjoy the fat of the earth / And Others “be away from the fat of the earth and from.” the dew of heaven above.
(40) Yet by your sword you shall live,
And you shall serve your brother;
But when you grow restive,
You shall break his yoke from your neck.”

בראשית כ״ז:א׳

(א) וַֽיְהִי֙ כִּֽי־זָקֵ֣ן יִצְחָ֔ק וַתִּכְהֶ֥יןָ עֵינָ֖יו מֵרְאֹ֑ת וַיִּקְרָ֞א אֶת־עֵשָׂ֣ו ׀ בְּנ֣וֹ הַגָּדֹ֗ל וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ בְּנִ֔י וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו הִנֵּֽנִי׃

Genesis 27:1

(1) When Isaac was old and his eyes were too dim to see, he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” He answered, “Here I am.”

בראשית רבה ס״ה:י׳

(י) וַתִּכְהֶיןָ עֵינָיו מֵרְאֹת (בראשית כז, א), אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה מֵרְאוֹת בְּרָע, מֵרְאוֹת בְּרָעָתוֹ שֶׁל רָשָׁע, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִהְיֶה יִצְחָק יוֹצֵא לַשּׁוּק וִיהוֹן בְּרִיָּתָא אָמְרִין דֵּין אֲבוּהּ דְּהַהוּא רַשִׁיעָא, אֶלָּא הֲרֵינִי מַכְּהֶה אֶת עֵינָיו וְהוּא יוֹשֵׁב בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי כח, כח): בְּקוּם רְשָׁעִים יִסָּתֵר אָדָם, מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ כָּל הַמַּעֲמִיד בֵּן רָשָׁע אוֹ תַּלְמִיד רָשָׁע סוֹף שֶׁעֵינָיו כֵּהוֹת. תַּלְמִיד רָשָׁע מֵאֲחִיָּה הַשִּׁילוֹנִי (מלכים א יד, ד): וַאֲחִיָּהוּ לֹא יָכֹל לִרְאוֹת כִּי קָמוּ עֵינָיו מִשֵּׂיבוֹ, שֶׁהֶעֱמִיד אֶת יָרָבְעָם תַּלְמִיד רָשָׁע. בֵּן רָשָׁע, מִיִּצְחָק, וַיְהִי כִּי זָקֵן יִצְחָק וַתִּכְהֶיןָ עֵינָיו. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מֵרְאֹת, מִכֹּחַ אוֹתָהּ רְאִיָּה, שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָקַד אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ אֶת בְּנוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ בָּכוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה לג, ז): הֵן אֶרְאֶלָּם צָעֲקוּ חֻצָה וגו', וְנָשְׁרוּ דְּמָעוֹת מֵעֵינֵיהֶם לְתוֹךְ עֵינָיו, וְהָיוּ רְשׁוּמוֹת בְּתוֹךְ עֵינָיו, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהִזְקִין כָּהוּ עֵינָיו, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיְהִי כִּי זָקֵן יִצְחָק, וגו' דָּבָר אַחֵר, מֵרְאֹת, מִכֹּחַ אוֹתָהּ הָרְאִיָּה, שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָקַד אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ אֶת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, תָּלָה עֵינָיו בַּמָּרוֹם וְהִבִּיט בַּשְּׁכִינָה. מוֹשְׁלִים אוֹתוֹ מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה, לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה מְטַיֵּל בְּפֶתַח פָּלָטִין שֶׁלּוֹ וְתָלָה עֵינָיו וְרָאָה בְּנוֹ שֶׁל אוֹהֲבוֹ מֵצִיץ עָלָיו בְּעַד הַחַלּוֹן, אָמַר אִם הוֹרְגוֹ אֲנִי עַכְשָׁו מַכְרִיעַ אֲנִי אֶת אוֹהֲבִי, אֶלָּא גּוֹזְרַנִי שֶׁיִּסָּתְמוּ חַלּוֹנוֹתָיו. כָּךְ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהֶעֱקִיד אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ אֶת בְּנוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ תָּלָה עֵינָיו וְהִבִּיט בַּשְּׁכִינָה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִם הוֹרְגוֹ אֲנִי עַכְשָׁו אֲנִי מַכְרִיעַ אֶת אַבְרָהָם אוֹהֲבִי, אֶלָּא גּוֹזֵר אֲנִי שֶׁיִּכְּהוּ עֵינָיו, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהִזְקִין כָּהוּ עֵינָיו, וַיְהִי כִּי זָקֵן יִצְחָק וגו'.

Bereshit Rabbah 65:10

(10) “His eyes dimmed from seeing” – Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya said: From seeing evil– from seeing the evil of the wicked one. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Isaac will walk out to the marketplace and the people will say: This is the father of that wicked one. Instead, I will dim his eyes and he will remain inside his house.’ That is what is written: “With the rise of the wicked, a person should hide” (Proverbs 28:28). From here they said: Anyone who produces a wicked son or a wicked student, ultimately his eyes will dim. A wicked student, from Aḥiya the Shilonite – “Aḥiyahu was unable to see, for his eyes had dimmed due to his old age” (I Kings 14:4); he had produced Yerovam, a wicked student. A wicked son, from Isaac – “it was when Isaac was old, and his eyes dimmed.”
Another matter. “from seeing [mereot]” – as a result of that sight [re’iya]; when Abraham our patriarch bound his son atop the altar, the ministering angels wept. That is what is written: “Behold, their angels cry out outside…” (Isaiah 33:7). Tears fell from their eyes into his eyes, and they had an effect inside his eyes. When he grew old, his eyes dimmed. That is what is written: “It was when Isaac was old…”
Another matter. “from seeing [mereot]” – as a result of that sight [re’iya]; when Abraham our patriarch bound his son atop the altar, he [Isaac] directed his eyes heavenward and looked at the Divine Presence. They say a parable, to what is the matter comparable? It is comparable to a king who was strolling at the entrance of his palace and glanced and saw his friend’s son peering at him through the window.9It was forbidden to look at the king. He said: ‘If I kill him, I will now cause my friend to collapse. Instead, I will decree that his windows should be sealed.’ So, when Abraham our patriarch bound his son atop the altar, he directed his eyes and looked at the Divine Presence. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If I kill him, I will now cause Abraham my friend to collapse. Instead, I decree that his eyes will dim.’ When he grew old, his eyes dimmed – “it was when Isaac was old…”

אסתר ד׳:א׳

(א) וּמׇרְדֳּכַ֗י יָדַע֙ אֶת־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַעֲשָׂ֔ה וַיִּקְרַ֤ע מׇרְדֳּכַי֙ אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו וַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁ שַׂ֖ק וָאֵ֑פֶר וַיֵּצֵא֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֔יר וַיִּזְעַ֛ק זְעָקָ֥ה גְדוֹלָ֖ה וּמָרָֽה׃

Esther 4:1

(1) When Mordecai learned all that had happened, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes. He went through the city, crying out loudly and bitterly,

https://ohr.edu/this_week/the_anatomy_of_a_mitzvah/7759

https://www.cardozoacademy.org/thoughtstoponder/making-enemy-birth-amalek/