Did Yitzchak know that Avraham and Sara did the same thing in Mitzriam (pretending their wives were their sisters)? While we don’t know for sure, there might be a hint from the fact that in the pasuk before, Yitzchak says Rivka is his sister. In perek 26, pasuk 5 talks about Avraham and all that he left to Yitzchak as inheritance. We’ll never know, and maybe they just did the same thing because they were both in a similar situation, but maybe he also inherited the story of the wife who became a sister and then copied his father’s actions. He also re-dug the old wells that Avraham dug. Yitzchak does repeat a lot of Avraham’s actions instead of coming up with his own original ideas.
It’s interesting that a parsha that begins with Yitzchak telling his wife to pretend she’s not who she is, ends with Yitzchak being tricked by his wife into believing Yaakov is not who he really is. Maybe she learned the concept of pretending to be somebody you aren’t from when they went to Gerar and Yitzchak told her to say she was his sister.
Rabbi Label Lam starts by asking: “Why was the bad nevuah about Eisav only told to Rivka?” “Why didn’t Rivka tell Yitzchak about the future trouble?”
Even though Rivka was told about Eisav’s future, Eisav still had a choice to change but because he refused to change his ways, he was punished. Eisav blames Yaakov for everything. Rabbi Lam feels that it is Eisav’s fault. He also thinks that Yitzchak is easily fooled by Eisav because Yitzchak loves him and wants Eisav to succeed. Rabbi Lam thinks that Rivka is right about both her sons because she sees Yaakov and Eisav for who they really are, unlike Yitzchak who doesn’t want to see Eisav’s true colors. Eisav is so bad that even his father’s belief and love isn’t enough to get him to make the right choices.
I learned from this parsha that you have to face a problem in order to fix it. Sometimes my friends have misunderstandings with each other or with me. Then they go around talking about the misunderstanding or fight with all the other girls in the group, except for the person they are having the problem with. Of course this doesn’t fix anything; it just makes it worse. I like to talk straight with the person and that usually ends the fight much sooner. I think some people just like the attention and the drama. Yitzchak doesn’t talk to Eisav and try to convince him do the right things. A lot of people walk away from problems and don’t try to resolve them. I also learned that parents who choose favorites amongst their children are very wrong and that they should love all their children equally.
same as bein (son) (Rashi). (2) had all a man wants – riches, longevity, honor and children (Ramban). (3) had a daughter named “Bakol”, fulfilling mitzvat peru u-revu by fathering a son and daughter; (4) was blessed by not having a daughter, since there would be no appropriate man for her to marry; (5) had astrological skills which kings far and wide consulted; (6) owned a precious stone that cured sick people; (7) saw Yishmael’s teshuva; (8) was free of the yeitzer hara; (9) was blessed with a lifespan shortened by 5 years, from 180 to 175 years and did not see his grandson Eisav sin (Bava Batra 16b). (10) had the Shechina dwelling within him (Zohar Chadash). (c) (1) (i) By marrying a Charanit, Yitzchak’s wife would be far from her family, who could not influence her (Kli Yakar). (ii) The Cana’anim, unlike the Charanim, were cursed – they were unsuited as mates for Avraham’s blessed offspring (Ohr haChaim). (iii) The Cana’anim, unlike the Charanim, were morally corrupt – Hashem gave Eretz Yisrael to Avraham’s offspring to live with the Torah’s morality, without letting Cana’ani immorality seep into his family (Meshech Chochma). (iv) Avraham wanted it known that his offspring acquired Eretz Yisrael through Hashem’s promise, not by intermarrying with the Cana’anim. (2) As a result of the akeida, Yitzchak was an “ola temima” (a perfect offering to Hashem), who could not leave the holy land (Chizkuni).