Parshat Toldot 5 Kislev 5761, 2 December 2000

By Shlomo Riskin

Efrat, Israel - On what basis, and with which type of people, are we encouraged to make treaties? A careful reading of the relationships between Abraham, Isaac and Avimelekh - and especially a study of Chapter 26 in this week's Torah portion - will not only provide a most significant answer to these questions but will also contain a crucial message for the Government of Israel today.

We first meet Avimelekh when Abraham wanders over to Gerar, the area over which he rules; Gerar is the land of the Philistines, which is part of the Divinely promised borders of Israel. Abraham refers to Sarah as his sister, and she is immediately taken into Avimelekh's harem - without his receiving her or her "brother's" permission to do so. Clearly he is a lascivious and cruel despot, who certainly would have murdered Sarah's husband had he thought she had one. After he is given a dire warning in a dream sent by G-d, Avimelekh plays the innocent, asserting that the fault lies with Abraham since he acted "with purity of heart and innocence of hand" (Genesis 20:5). Abraham correctly explains: "there is no fear of G-d in this place, and I would have been murdered over my wife" (Genesis 20:11).

The Torah then tells us of the birth of Isaac and the banishment of Ishmael - for 21 verses in Chapter 21 - and then returns to describe a meeting between Abraham, Avimelekh and his General Pikhol. Avimelekh is interested in a sworn treaty with Abraham to the effect that the latter will not act falsely by taking away his land (Rabbenu Saadia Gaon) during the lifetime of his great-grand-children and grand-children; obviously, Avimelekh will make a similar oath to Abraham. (Genesis 21:23) Abraham then chastises Avimelekh for having stolen his well; Avimelekh once again plays the innocent, remonstrating that "I didn't know who did this thing, you didn't tell me, and I never heard of it until today." Aside from the inherent contradiction in his words - first he says he did not succeed in finding the culprit and then he says he didn't know the incident ever happened - "one thinks he dost protest too much."

Despite Avimelekh's apparent duplicity as a woman-snatcher and well-stealer, Abraham nevertheless makes a treaty with him. Abraham gives him sheep and cattle as well as seven more ewes as a sign that he dug the well at Be'er Sheba (literally the well of the oath). It is remarkable that Abraham only gives but receives nothing. Although the covenant - oath is taken by both of them (Genesis 21:27, 32). What immediately follows is the awe-ful command by G-d that Abraham offer his only son as a whole burnt offering, with the opening words serving as the segue: "And it happened after these things." (Genesis 22:1). The Rashbam cites a midrash which suggests that the binding of Isaac is a punishment to Abraham for his treaty with Avimelekh. Entering a treaty with a treacherous individual for a number of generations puts one's progeny at risk - and Abraham has no right to jeopardize his children's lives. In order to impress upon Abraham the error of his ways, G-d commands him to sacrifice his son!

And now we come to our Torah portion, TOLDOT. The most important thing we learn from history is that we do not learn from history. This time it is Isaac, Abraham's son, who is forced by famine to go to "Avimelekh, the King of the Philistines, to Gerar" (Genesis 26:1). Immediately the people of the area ask about his wife and - for self-protection - he refers to Rebecca as his sister. In addition to his other character traits, Avimelekh is apparently also a voyeur; he looks into Isaac's window and sees him "playing" with his wife! Once again, Avimelekh feigns innocence, calling Isaac the deceiver. "What is this that you did to us" by claiming she was your sister? One of my people almost slept with your wife! (Genesis 26:10). Avimelekh virtuously places himself outside of any possible realm of sexual activity.

Isaac goes on to amass a vast accumulation of wealth, including a plethora of cattle, sheep and servants. He is still living in Gerar, "And the Philistines were jealous of him." (Genesis 26:14) Now this is the same Avimelekh and these are the same Philistines with whom Abraham took his treaty-oath. Nevertheless "the Philistines stopped up all of the wells which were dug by the servants of his father. Moreover, Avimelekh forces Isaac to move away because the son of Abraham is wealthier than he and has taken his wealth from him. (Genesis 26:16) Isaac passively leaves, but nevertheless insists upon re-digging the wells of his father which had been destroyed. To add insult to injury, Isaac now digs two new wells in his new location - only to have the Philistines arguing with him over the ownership of the water. (Genesis 26:18-21)

The finale of this incident is difficult to imagine. After all that has transpired, Avimelekh comes to Isaac flanked with his generals Pikhol and (Achuzat Mere-ahu) a group of friends in order to sign another treaty with him (sic!). Isaac is understandably surprised, seeing that they have "hated him and exiled him." The fork-tongued Avimelekh argues "we have done only good towards you because we sent you away in peace" (Genesis 26: 26-29). The Philistine King apparently believes that if a Jew is banished - but is permitted to flee with his life - the Jew ought be grateful! And, despite Avimelekh's history, Isaac has a feast with him and they swear yet another oath together. Isaac now renames the place Be'er Sheba in honor of this second oath-treaty.

Is the Torah then teaching us to continue to make treaties, even though our would-be partners have a history of duplicity and treachery? I believe the very opposite to be the case. "The actions of the ancestors are repeated in the lives of their children" - and Jews are always over-anxious to believe that their enemies have become their friends and the leopard has changed his spots. The very next verse in the Torah - the closing of the story of Isaac and Avimelekh but seemingly without any connection to it - reads: "And Esau was forty years old and he took to wife Yehudit the daughter of Be'eri the Hittite and Bosmat the daughter of Eglon the Hittite. And this was a bitterness of spirit to Isaac and to Rebecca" (Genesis 26:34,35) - and so concludes chapter 26.

Now, the one clear prohibition insisted upon by the Patriarchs was that their sons not take Canaanite or Hittite wives. I believe that the Torah is telling us that if Isaac makes a treaty with an inappropriate partner, his son will make a marriage with an inappropriate partner. Just as Abraham is punished for his treaty with Avimelekh, so is Isaac punished for his treaty with Avimelekh. The land of Israel is too important and the preservation of Jewish future is too vulnerable for us to take risks and make treaties with unconscionable and dishonest rulers. A treaty is only possible when it is made with a partner who fears G-d in the same way that we do.

Shabbat Shalom.

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