No community start suggestion yet.
Why does Esav ask for food when the Torah (תורה) says he was "tired"? Rashi (רש"י) explains he was tired from murder, not physical exertion. The shiur builds on a psychological distinction: physical fatigue demands sleep, while emotional emptiness drives a person to eat as a way to "fill up" the void—revealing that murder leaves the deepest sense of unfulfillment.
This shiur examines Rashi (רש"י)'s enigmatic comment on the pasuk describing Esav's return from the field. The Torah (תורה) states that Yaakov was cooking when Esav came in from the field, tired, and immediately asked for food. Rashi famously explains that Esav was "tired from murder." The shiur raises two fundamental questions: first, how does Rashi's interpretation of "tired" as referring to murder coalesce with the straightforward meaning of physical fatigue? Second, what in the pasuk compelled Rashi to abandon the simple pshat and interpret "tired" in this unusual way? Rabbi Zweig develops a yesod based on a fundamental psychological distinction between two types of exhaustion. When a person is physically tired—having worked hard throughout the day—the natural response is to want to sleep. Physical fatigue is alleviated by rest, not by eating. However, when a person is emotionally exhausted or feels unfulfilled, the response is different: such a person seeks to eat as a way to fill the emotional void. This distinction is key to understanding Rashi's interpretation.
Looking for the full summary?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Dedicate a Shiur in Parsha
L'ilui nishmas a loved one. In honor of a simcha or yahrzeit. As a zechus for a refuah sheleimah. Your dedication helps carry Rabbi Zweig's Torah to learners around the world.
Up Next in this Series
Why does Rashi give conflicting descriptions of Israel's leaders in Egypt? The shiur explores how two different leadership styles emerged: those who pushed people to work harder while taking beatings, versus those who simply absorbed punishment to spare their people. The Torah prioritizes the first type - leaders who accomplish things even when unpopular.
Why does the Torah repeat that Rivka came from a family of manipulators and wicked people? The shiur argues that this is not "despite" her background but rather her yichus—she inherited their extraordinary sensitivity to others' needs but channeled it toward chesed rather than manipulation. True kindness requires understanding what the recipient actually needs, not just what the giver wants to give.
Why did Avrohom ask for visible signs of old age when people were already growing old? The shiur develops the principle that Avrohom requested that aging reflect not just physical decline but accumulated wisdom and compassion. This dignity of age is the foundation for transmitting values across generations—and its absence explains both the sin of the spies and the breakdown of contemporary families.
Bereishis 25:29-30 (Parshas Toldos)
Looking for the full transcript?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Why didn't Noach daven for his generation while Avrohom advocated for Sedom? Noach viewed each person as an independent island responsible only for their own teshuvah. Avrohom understood that all humanity is interconnected through shared perspective and values, making prayer for others both possible and necessary.
