Context is very important. Sometimes it enhances our understanding, other times it broadens it, and occasionally it can even turn things completely on their head. I especially find context to be fascinating when we may be inclined to accept someone’s narrative, just because that is what they SAY (as loudly as they can possibly say it!). If we add history, community, geography, or any number of relevant facts, the picture may shift dramatically. Our parashah this week contains several well-known Biblical stories, but there are some underlying assumptions that cloud our reading of them. Let’s see what happens when we add context...
Essentially, our Torah portion focuses on Isaac, his wife, Rebecca, and their two sons, Esau and Jacob. The part we’ll be reading this weekend comes from the middle of the story, where Isaac attempts to give Esau, his favored son, a very special “innermost blessing” (Gen. 27:4) before he dies. Rebecca orchestrates a nifty plan to make sure HER favored son, Jacob, gets that blessing instead. It’s a story filled with high drama, twists and turns, and juicy intrigue. And it also holds a sense of urgency, because Isaac declares, “I am old, and I do not know how soon I will die” (v. 2). With the patriarch at death’s door, on his deathbed, with death waiting just around the corner, one son MUST get this blessing... before it’s too late!
So, here’s the funny thing about context. A quick summary of what happens next: Jacob successfully pilfers the blessing; but he has to flee for his life from his enraged sibling; he lives with his uncle for twenty years; has 13 children; then FINALLY returns home after quite the odyssey. And who is there to greet him when he returns? His father, Isaac! A full EIGHT chapters after our dramatic story, Gen. 35:27 tells us: “Jacob came to his father, Isaac, at Mamre.” And only soon after that does Isaac actually pass. Soooo, this little nugget of information kind of changes how we view our original story, where Isaac was an awful lot more spry than he let on... Maybe he was already a senior citizen, sure, but immanently dying might have been a SLIGHT exaggeration.
My point in sharing this insight with you is really to say this: Age truly is just a number. I know people in their 90s - even 100 years old! - who adjusted to life on zoom, and who let NOTHING stop them. And I know considerably younger people who, let’s face it, incessantly talk about how old, feeble, and ancient they are. Of course, life experience has a lot to do with this, as does illness, community, family, and many other factors. But the actual NUMBER of times you’ve circled the sun is just that; a digit. This story is a good reminder to us all to make the most of each day. Sometimes you feel sluggish, laden with trouble, and even depressed, and that TOO is part of life! Nevertheless, we should all strive to counterbalance those moments with joy, wonder, and experiences that challenge us to use our brains in new ways. Your story isn’t actually ever written by anyone else. You write it, every day, and you decide what those who come after will learn from your life. Happy writing!
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