Toldos
The passuk states, “הקול קול יעקב והידים ידי עשו, the voice is the voice of Yaakov and the hands are the hands of Eisav.” Simply, this shows that Yitzchok who was uncertain which son actually entered before him to receive the beracha. He felt like Eisav but sounded like Yaakov; was it Eisav or Yaakov?
The Midrash Rabbah writes that the non-Jews’ claim to the Chachamim, “We can team up and fight against the nation of Yisrael and we will be victorious.” The Chachamim responded, “Go around and peek into the Shuls and Batei Midrashos and see if the little children are saying over words of Torah. If their voices are heard inside you will be unable to win over them, but if they are not heard then you will be able to win over them. Their father Yitzchok guaranteed them, “הקול קול יעקב והידים ידי עשו.” This teaches that as long as the voice of Yaakov is heard in Shuls and Batei Midrashos there is no place for the hands Eisav to rule, but if not, there is place. Some explain the words “הקול קול יעקב והידים ידי עשו” as a question, “when the voice of Yaakov is heard, will the hands of Eisav rule? Others write that the vav of v’hayadayim means as ‘או, or.’ Either Yaakov will rule or Eisav will rule, it is all dependent on whether Klal Yisrael’s voices are heard learning Torah.
The passuk states in Yeshayah, “לכן כאכול קש לשון אש, therefore, it will be as straw consumes a flame of fire.” Naturally fire consumes straw, what does it mean that ‘straw consumes a flame of fire’? The Midrash Rabbah writes that ‘straw’ hints at the ‘house of Eisav’ who is called straw, and ‘fire’ hits at the ‘house of Yaakov’ who is called fire, as it states, “And the household of Yaakov will be like fire, the household of Yosef like a spark, and the household of Eisav like straw.” Hashem created the world to learn the Torah and perform His mitzvos. If Yisrael follows the ratzon of Hashem, then naturally the Torah which is compared to fire will consume Eisav who is compared to straw. However, if Yisrael does not fulfill Hashem’s will, then Hashem will so to say ‘change the rules of nature’ and cause the straw to consume the fire, giving strength to Eisav to be victorious over Yisrael.
The passuk mentions the word ‘קול’ twice, the first time with a dagesh – dot in the letter ק’, and the second without. The קול with the dagesh emphasizes that when Yaakov is strong and solid – learning Torah as they are supposed to, then Yaakov will be victorious. However, the קול without the dagesh hints that if Yaakov is weak, then as the passuk ends, Eisav will be on top. May Hashem help us learn Torah with a bren – fire and naturally get rid of our enemies!
