Parsha Halacha – Parshat Toldot
Yitzchak’s Time in Gan Eden
Getting Smicha before Marriage
Sponsored by Amnon Treibish in honor of his wife Mimi’s birthday on 14 Kislev and in honor of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s and Rebbetzin’s Anniversary
Parsha Halacha is underwritten by a grant from Dr. Stephen and Bella Brenner and Dr. Morton Borg in loving memory of Stephen’s father, Shmuel Tzvi ben Pinchas, and Bella’s and Morton’s parents, Avraham ben Yitzchak and Leah bas HaRav Sholom Zev HaCohen
To sponsor or subscribe, please email rabbicitron@hotmail.com
Click here for a printable version of my article
In the Torah portion of Toldot, we read about the early years of the twin boys, Yaakov and Eisav, as it says,[1] וַיִּגְדְּלוּ הַנְּעָרִים וַיְהִי עֵשָׂו אִישׁ יֹדֵעַ צַיִד אִישׁ שָׂדֶה וְיַעֲקֹב אִישׁ תָּם יֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים – “The lads grew up. Eisav became a skilled trapper, a man of the field. Yaakov was a wholesome man, living in tents.”
Rashi explains (based on the Bereishit Rabbah 63:10) that while they were young, it was impossible to discern their true characters. When they turned 13, however, they became adults and started to behave in very different ways. The Midrash compares this to one who plants a myrtle and a thorn bush. When they are small, one cannot tell the difference between them. But when they grow and blossom, one can smell the fragrance of one and see the thorns on the other.
Rashi also says[2] that Eisav didn’t sin in public until the day Avraham died and that this is why it says that Avraham passed away “in a good old age,” meaning he didn’t experience the anguish of seeing his grandson sin. Since Yitzchak was born when Avraham was 100,[3] he would have been 75 when his father passed away at the age of 175. And since Yaakov and Eisav were born when Yitzchak was 60,[4] they would have been 15 when Avraham died. As such, it seems that Eisav began his sinful career at the age of 15, not at the age of 13 as indicated earlier.
The commentaries offer several explanations:
● Sinned in Private
Several commentaries explain[5] that, although Eisav was sinning from the age of 13, he was doing so in private until he turned 15. Similarly, some say that Eisav began studying paganism at the age of 13 but that he didn’t practice it for two years – until after Avraham passed away.[6]
● Emend the Text
According to the Bartenura, the words, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ בְנֵי שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה/” when they turned 13 years old,” should be deleted from the text of Rashi since they were 15 at the time as explained above.
● Two Years in Gan Eden
According to the Midrash,[7] Yitzchak spent (nearly) three years in Gan Eden after the Akeidah (the binding of Isaac) and only returned to this world shortly before marrying Rivkah. The years he spent in Gan Eden are not counted in his years since Gan Eden is beyond time.[8] As such, although Yitzchak was 60 when the twins were born, Avraham was 162 at that time since two of Avraham’s years didn’t count for Yitzchak. It emerges that the twins were 13 when Avraham passed away at the age of 175.[9]
Why Did Yitzchak Go to Gan Eden?
According to the Midrash,[10] Yitzchak was injured on his neck during the Akeidah. (Although the angel told Avraham[11] “not to do anything to the lad,” it seems that by that time Avraham had already begun to cut.) Yitzchak therefore went into Gan Eden to be healed from his injury. The Torah says[12] that, after the Akeidah, “Avraham returned to his assistants, and they rose and went together to Beer Sheva.” No mention is made as to where Yitzchak went. This is because he was in Gan Eden at that time.[13] This also explains why Yitzchak isn’t mentioned at his mother’s funeral; he did not attend it since it took place while he was in Gan Eden.
When Did He Return?
The verse says[14] that while Rivkah was on her way to Canaan, “Yitzchak went out to pray in the field…” The Midrash says,[15] “Out of where did he go? Out of Gan Eden.” This means that Yitzchak returned to this world in time for his wedding.
Remembered the Smell of Gan Eden
When Yaakov entered Yitzchak’s room (dressed up as Eisav) in order to receive the blessings, Yitzchak remarked,[16] “My son’s fragrance is like the fragrance of a field blessed by G-d.” The Midrash says[17] that this refers to the smell of Gan Eden. The commentaries explain[18] that Yitzchak recognized the smell of Gan Eden having beenthere. Although a baby is made to forget their “in utero Torah learning” before he isborn[19] and although a person passing away from this world is made to forget the physicality of this world before his soul can ascend to the upper realms,[20] Yitzchak did not forget his Gan Eden experience when he returned to this world. Rather, it continued to impact him.[21]
Protection
The commentaries cite another reason as to why Yitzchak spent three years in Gan Eden. After Chanaya, Mishae’l, and Azaryah were miraculously saved from Nevuchadnetzar’s fiery furnace,[22] there was an ayin harah (evil eye) cast on them which (according to some opinions) led to their early demise.[23] Similarly, since Yitzchak was saved at the Akeidah at the last minute by Divine intervention, he was kept away from the public eye until his marriage.[24] Gan Eden is a place that is free of any evil[25] and was therefore the perfect place for Yitzchak to stay during this spiritually sensitive time. In addition, the time before one’s marriage is considered a very elevated time and is therefore more vulnerable to an “ayin harah.”
A Chattan Needs a Shomer
This is why the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe instructed that, for several days before his wedding a Chattan should not walk around without a shomer (guard) for spiritual protection.[26] (The widespread minhag is to only have a shomer after the wedding, during the sheva brachot.[27])
A Chattan Should Have Smicha
The Lubavitcher Rebbe connected this to the practice of the Chabad Rabbe’im – to get smicha (Rabbinic ordination) before one’s wedding. (Specifically, the Rebbe Maharash – the fourth Chabad Rebbe instructed his son, who would later become the fifth Rebbe – (the Rebbe Rashab) – to get smicha before his wedding. The Rebbe Rashab, in turn, instructed his son, the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe – to get smicha before hiswedding.) Just as Yitzchak spent time in a place of eternity (Gan Eden) before getting married and building his eternal house, so, too, one should connect to the deepest eternity of Torah before getting married. (Although the entire Torah is eternal, the halacha is the deepest will of G-d and is therefore considered the most eternal.)[28]
May We Merit to Experience the Taste of Gan Eden in this World!
[5] Da’at Zekeinim quotes this in the name of the Jerusalem Talmud. (It’s unknown as to where this is found in the Jerusalem Talmud.) The Chizkuni cites this in the name of the Aggadah.
[7] Midrash HaGadol on Gen. 22:18, cited in Torah Shleimah on that verse.
[8] Likutei Sichot vol. 1 page 49. See there regarding a letter that the Ba’al Shem Tov wrote to his brother-in-law in which he describes an event that hadn’t happened yet as if it happened. When questioned by his brother-in-law about this, the Ba’al Shem Tov explained that since at that time he was in a higher realm, he had experienced the future ahead of time. See Shivchei HaBa’al Shem Tov, 29.
[9] Hadar Zekeinim and HaTur Ha’Aruch on the verse and Megaleh Amukot on Gen. 24:63.
[10] Quoted in Hadar Zekeinim (Gen 25:27).
[15] Yalkut Shimoni al HaTorah, Remez 108, cited in Torah Shleima, Hadar Zekeinimand Chizkuni.
[18] Asara Ma’amarot, quoted here.
[20] Likutei Torah, Devarim 84 side 4.
[21] Likutei Sichot vol. 1, page 50.
[24] See Bereishit Rabbah 56:11.
[25] See Tehillim 5:5 with Midrash Tehillim.
[26] Likutei Sichot, ibid. pg. 54.
[27] The Rama brings the custom that a chattan must have a shomer regarding the time after one’s wedding (Even Ha’Ezer 64:1). The Mishnah Berurah (239:9) explains that the reason a Chattan needs to have a shomer is for (spiritual) protection from mazikin(demons or damaging forces) . Neither of them mention the need for an escort before the wedding. But see Bikurei Yaakov by Rabbi Yaakov Ettlinger (on Orach Chaim 669:3) that it’s possible that the title “Chattan” can apply even before the wedding if it’s within the week.
[28] Likutei Sichot, ibid. page 53 and on. See Jerusalem Talmud, Megillah 1:5
Wishing you a Chodesh Tov and a Shabbat Shalom UMevorach!