Nature vs. Nurture
This argument has raged on for years, and although my take is that neither side is 100% correct, I believe there is a hint in this week's parsha to the torah's opinion of which carries the greater weight (care to guess which way?).
After the story with Reuven and Bilhah, the Torah enumerates the children of Yaakov and concludes the description with the words, "Aileh Bnai Yaakov asher yulad lo b'Fadan Aram". Less than ten pesukim later, after telling us of the sons of Eisav, the Torah concludes the description with the words, "Aileh Bnai Eisav asher yuldo lo b'Eretz Knaan". Two almost identical pesukim, less than ten pesukim apart. In my opinion, it beggars explanation.
I looked it up in many seforim and haven't found an answer, but l'fi aniyus daati (IMHO) the following is the explanation....
The torah is telling us that the children of Eisav had the privilege to be born in Eretz Yisrael, a holy land filled with spirituality and close proximity to Yitzchak Avinu. Yet, they turn out to be wicked rshaim like their father, because that was the upbringing that they had. On the flip side, the children of Yaakov were born in Padan Aram, a land that we have already been taught was void of holiness and spirituality and in whose proximity did they grow up? Lavan. Yet, they turn out to be tzadikim like their father, because that was the upbringing that THEY had.
I think that even explains why by the shevatim, it uses the term yulad (singular) whereas by Eisav's children it uses the proper term yuldu (plural). Because the shevatim were tzadikim, k'ish echad, b'lev echad, whereas the children of Eisav each one was his own individual rasha.
As parents we have a tremendous responsibility to raise our children and raise them properly. I heard a beautiful pshat on the end of last week's parsha, Vayetze. Yaakov lifts a rock and then tells his "brothers" to lift rocks as well. Rashi points out that who were his brothers? His sons, the shevatim. Lesson #1, Yaakov was close with his sons like brothers and most importantly lesson #2, First Yaakov lifted the rock. He didn't just tell them what to do. He led by example. We don't realize how much our children copy and emulate us. We need to focus on that and do the right things ourselves and hopefully our children will learn from our good traits, as well.
After the story with Reuven and Bilhah, the Torah enumerates the children of Yaakov and concludes the description with the words, "Aileh Bnai Yaakov asher yulad lo b'Fadan Aram". Less than ten pesukim later, after telling us of the sons of Eisav, the Torah concludes the description with the words, "Aileh Bnai Eisav asher yuldo lo b'Eretz Knaan". Two almost identical pesukim, less than ten pesukim apart. In my opinion, it beggars explanation.
I looked it up in many seforim and haven't found an answer, but l'fi aniyus daati (IMHO) the following is the explanation....
The torah is telling us that the children of Eisav had the privilege to be born in Eretz Yisrael, a holy land filled with spirituality and close proximity to Yitzchak Avinu. Yet, they turn out to be wicked rshaim like their father, because that was the upbringing that they had. On the flip side, the children of Yaakov were born in Padan Aram, a land that we have already been taught was void of holiness and spirituality and in whose proximity did they grow up? Lavan. Yet, they turn out to be tzadikim like their father, because that was the upbringing that THEY had.
I think that even explains why by the shevatim, it uses the term yulad (singular) whereas by Eisav's children it uses the proper term yuldu (plural). Because the shevatim were tzadikim, k'ish echad, b'lev echad, whereas the children of Eisav each one was his own individual rasha.
As parents we have a tremendous responsibility to raise our children and raise them properly. I heard a beautiful pshat on the end of last week's parsha, Vayetze. Yaakov lifts a rock and then tells his "brothers" to lift rocks as well. Rashi points out that who were his brothers? His sons, the shevatim. Lesson #1, Yaakov was close with his sons like brothers and most importantly lesson #2, First Yaakov lifted the rock. He didn't just tell them what to do. He led by example. We don't realize how much our children copy and emulate us. We need to focus on that and do the right things ourselves and hopefully our children will learn from our good traits, as well.
13 Comments:
What a beautiful 'chiddush'! Thank you so much!
As for my opinion, far be it for me to disagree that nurture quite makes the person... but there is something to say about nature... i.e. twins separated at birth yet have the exact same mannerisms....
I have been told that I am a patient person. Do you think you envy it or do you envy it?
Nice Vort.
Parents have a tremendous responsibility and I don't know whether parents today live up to it.
On the other hand Rabbi Twersky (I think it's him) writes that parents have only 50% influence, the other 50% is the child's character and environment.
Just from observation. I see most children ending up exactly like their parents. But that is mostly external..
internally the depths vary greatly. I might look..act..dress..like my father..but deep down..I'm so different.
The many layers of David
:-)
You don't want to go there FG...lol
Oh, David... but I DO :-)
Ok..but this is not the time and place...and don't say you weren't warned ;-)
Great post; I wish I would have come across it sooner because I made I post on the topic of Jewish woman and their influence on the Jewish future via their family. Nice to see it's actively on the minds of observant Jewish adults.
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