Toldos (2a): One Mission

ויבז עשיו את הבכורה

And Eisav disgraced the position of the first-born.

Rashi on this explains that the Passuk is teaching us that the abandonment of the Bechorah by Eisav was the ultimate and definitive display of Eisav's wickedness.

This requires a clearer understanding. Aside from rejecting the first-born's rights, the Gemara lists that Eisav did four sins on this fateful day: He took for himself an already-engaged girl, he murdered, he blasphemed and denied G-d and finally he denied final reincarnation, Techiyas HaMeisim. It would seem that passing up priestly duties and honors is vastly less severe than the other four sins of that day. Yet, this is the only one mentioned in the Torah, and Rashi describes it as Eisavs paramount evil act. What's going on?

Rebbe Yitzchak of Bohush (a grandson of the saintly R' Yisrael M'Ruzhin zy"a) explains this based on a novel Chassidisheh idea about the rectification of souls. We all know that a Jew often enters and re-enters this world to perform various missions and correct previous mistakes. This concept is what we know as Gilgulim and is from the most complex and profound topics in mysticism. Chassidus teaches that sometimes a soul is so near perfection that it must return to Olam HaZeh under awkward circumstances tailor-made to deal with one particular issue. Of course, this person is obligated in all the Mitzvos, but Hashem is looking out for this one unique issue. Everything else is icing on the cake.

Says the Rebbe, Eisav's particular mission was to perfect the realm of Bechorah. This task the priestly duties originally bestowed upon the first-born and the complex Avodah of elevating the physical through accepting things like Ma'aser and Matnas Kehunah. This was his central job. However the allure of the Bechorah was not quite enchanting enough and he sold it off for a bowl of soup. In doing this he effectively aborted his life's mission.

While it's true that he did severe sins that day, and many more before and after, the Torah only explicitly mentions this singular act. This raises a powerful point: We each are responsible to keep all the rules, but Hashem designed each of our lives to aide us is carrying out a particular Tafkid, and our whole life depends on it. If I don't get in contact with that unique point in my soul I've missed the whole point of being here. However, if I fully invest my inner strength into 'it' I will get to experience the joy - in this world and the next - of truly having been myself.

More on this to come...