Parshas Toldos
1. On the verses1 "And the lads grew up, and Esav was a man who knew trapping, a man of the field," Rashi addresses the words "who knew trapping" and explains: "to trap and to deceive his father with his mouth, and he would ask him, Father, how does one tithe salt and straw?2 His father thought that he was meticulous in mitzvos."3
The commentators4 explain that the reason Esav asked specifically about salt and straw is that they are entirely exempt from tithing, even rabbinically (and by this Esav wished to show that he was so meticulous in mitzvos that he tithes even things that are exempt from tithing).
But according to this it is astonishing: had Esav actually separated a tithe from salt and straw, that could have indicated meticulousness in mitzvos; but in asking how one separates a tithe from them, not only did he thereby fail to impress Yitzchak, but on the contrary — for the question indicates his ignorance,5 that he does not know the laws of tithing!
And more than that: Esav was raised in Yitzchak's house for many years of his childhood and youth; and if he is indeed one who seeks to be meticulous in mitzvos — as he wished to present himself — he surely watched how Yitzchak fulfills mitzvos and would certainly have had to notice that Yitzchak does not give a tithe from salt and straw. How, then, did he think to impress Yitzchak with the question "how does one tithe," and so forth?
The wonder is still greater:
The content of this comment of Rashi (how Esav wished to show Yitzchak that he is meticulous in mitzvos) appears both in Tanchuma6 and in Bereishis Rabbah.7 In Tanchuma it appears with a change of wording, that Esav asked Yitzchak "what is it that should be obligated in tithing"; but in Bereishis Rabbah it appears similarly8 to the wording that Rashi uses in his commentary: "how does one rectify salt … how does one rectify straw" — from which wording it is implied (as the commentators say)9 that the fact that salt and straw are obligated in tithing was to Esav no question at all; his question was only "how does one tithe the salt and the straw."
It emerges that Rashi chooses specifically the version that further magnifies: (a) Esav's ignorance (that to him it is clear that salt and straw are obligated in tithing); (b) his failure to notice that Yitzchak does not tithe salt and straw.
2. Also not understood:10 how does it fit at all to ask "how does one tithe"?11 Everyone knows the (plain) meaning of a tithe — a tenth. In what, then, does the question "how does one tithe," how does one take a tithe (a tenth) from salt and straw, consist?!
In the Midrash one can still answer that this question (and the question above, section 1) is guarded against by the precise wording of the Midrash, "how does one rectify salt … straw" (and not "how does one tithe"):
Esav certainly knew that salt and straw are exempt from tithing; his question, however, was "how does one rectify them": since we find that one must take a tithe from "the produce of your seed" (and similarly the tithe of animals, and so forth) in order to show that "the earth is the L‑rd's and its fullness,"12 there should then be some similar act and "rectification" also with regard to those things that are exempt from tithing, so that with them too one should show that they come from the Almighty.
And this was Esav's question — "how does one rectify salt … straw" — how does one rectify them (since with them there is no mitzvah of tithing).13
Consequently the question also falls away — how does it fit at all to ask "how does one tithe": he did not in fact ask "how does one tithe," but "how does one rectify."
And according to this the wonder becomes still greater — why does Rashi change from the wording of the Midrash, and instead of "(how does one) rectify" he says "(how does one) tithe"?!
3. And this is the explanation of the matter:
It has already been discussed many times that Rashi explains the plain meaning of Scripture — "I have come only for the plain meaning of Scripture"14 — even when this does not accord with the halachic portion of Torah.
And so in our case: the question "how does one tithe the salt and the straw" in Rashi's commentary is not bound up with the mitzvah of tithing produce (which is after the Giving of the Torah), but with the mitzvah of tithing that was practiced then (according to the plain meaning of Scripture):
Earlier, in Parshas Lech Lecha, it is related, after Avraham vanquished the four kings — "And Malki Tzedek king of Shalem … and he was a kohen … and he gave him a tithe from all."15 And Rashi explains: "and he gave him — Avram, a tithe from all that was his, because he was a kohen" — that is:
(a) Avraham gave a tithe to Malki Tzedek16 ("because he was a kohen").
(b) He gave "from all that was his"; and as the commentators17 say, Rashi thereby intends to exclude the interpretation that the tithe Avraham gave was (only) from the spoils of the war — for that is stated explicitly in Scripture separately, as the verse there immediately continues that Avraham said "if from a thread … and if I shall take from all that is yours"18 (that he took nothing at all from the spoils of Sedom)19 — rather the tithe was "from all that was his."
We see, then, that Avraham conducted himself so as to give a tithe "from all that was his (Avram's)," from all his possessions (as is stated explicitly earlier — sheep and cattle and servants … silver and gold).20 And since "he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the L‑rd to do righteousness and justice,"21 it is understood that Yitzchak too conducted himself so, and gave a tithe not only from his grain (as Rashi brings later on the verse22 "and he found … a hundredfold"), but "a tithe from all that was his."23
And one may say further, that so it is according to all approaches to the interpretation of the Torah: Avraham fulfilled the entire Torah24 — including also the mitzvah of charity, (at least) a tithe from the principal,25 and "he will command his children … to do righteousness."
And accordingly it will be understood simply what Esav meant (in wishing to impress his father) with his question "how does one tithe the salt and the straw" — because Yitzchak did separate a tithe from salt and straw26 (since he too separated "a tithe from all that was his") — Esav's question was only "how does one tithe," and so forth, as will be explained.
4. The common factor of salt and straw (in their difference from other things) is27 that by themselves they have no (great) importance, but when one mixes them together with other things, one derives from them a benefit that is incomparably greater than their benefit in their own right.
As one sees in practice, that a small amount of salt28 — whose quantity in itself has very little monetary worth and importance — gives taste to a cooked dish and to food and improves it with an improvement far greater than the pinch of salt; and not only an addition of taste, but in such a manner that without the salt the eating of the food is lacking altogether, and in the language of the verse:29 "Can that which is tasteless be eaten without salt?"
And similarly straw: in itself (as animal fodder, or for heating an oven30 and the like) straw has very little monetary worth and importance; but when one uses it for making bricks31 for building and so forth, its worth is far greater.
And this was Esav's question: with regard to the tithe in our case — "and he gave him a tithe from all (that was his)," which is (stringently) from everything one possesses — there is seemingly room to say that one does not reckon the tithe of straw and salt according to measure, weight or number32 in their own right and at present — as with the tithe of animals — but according to the worth of these things33 as they will be when he actually uses them.
And since this is so, the question arises with salt and straw:34 how does one reckon their worth35 — according to their value in themselves now, or according to their worth at the time one uses them as a mixture and as something that imparts taste, and so forth?
And according to this the precise wording of Rashi, "his father thought that he was meticulous in mitzvos," is sweetened: that he fulfills the mitzvos properly with the greatest precision in calculation and the like.
[Whereas according to the interpretation of the commentators, that Esav wished to impress Yitzchak by showing that he gives a tithe even from things that are not obligated in tithing, the wording "stringent in mitzvos," "scrupulous in mitzvos," and the like, would have been more fitting.]
5. Among the wondrous matters in the realm of halachah in this comment of Rashi:
As mentioned earlier (section 2), in the Midrash the wording is "how does one rectify" and Rashi says "how does one tithe." And one may say that this difference in wording depends on the dispute between the Rambam and the Raavad:
In Hilchos Melachim36 the Rambam speaks of the mitzvos that were before the Giving of the Torah, and these are his words: "Concerning six matters was Adam HaRishon commanded … Avraham came and was commanded … and he prayed shacharis, and Yitzchak separated a tithe." Upon this the Raavad says:37 "It would have been fitting to say, and he (Avraham) … separated a tithe."
The commentators explain38 that the Rambam and the Raavad differ in the interpretation of "and he gave him a tithe from all" (which is stated regarding Avraham):
According to the Rambam, the "and he gave him a tithe" was not in the category of separating a tithe like the mitzvah of tithing after the Giving of the Torah, for "tithes apply only to produce of the ground of our land"39 —
rather it was only a tithe from the spoils that came into his hand,40 and as the Rogatchover41 explains, that according to the Rambam's approach the tithe was like the mitzvah of the levy of tribute from the captives and the spoil taken in the war with Midian42 (which mitzvah does not apply for the generations)43 —
whereas according to the Raavad, this was in the category of the mitzvah of tithing.
[And although a tithe is specifically from produce of the ground — one may say: (a) that condition is a novelty that came about only after the Giving of the Torah, whereas the tithe from before the Giving of the Torah applied to all things, without exception — as stated explicitly, "from all" (and in the manner in which we find regarding other mitzvos that the Patriarchs fulfilled, that they were not performed with all the conditions as after the Giving of the Torah)44 — in the manner of levirate marriage before the Giving of the Torah, which was then "by the brother or the father or the relative of the family."45
(b) Avraham's tithe was in the manner of the tithe of money, for even if one were to say that the obligation of the tithe of money is only rabbinic,46 it is (in addition to the above, "and he kept My teachings" — to include the Oral Torah47) bound up with (and a consequence of) the mitzvah of tithing (which is why the Sifri48 derives the tithe of money from the verse49 "You shall surely tithe"), and therefore the mitzvah of tithing in general is attributed to Avraham's "and he gave him a tithe."]
And according to this one may say that the difference between the interpretation of the Midrash and that of Rashi depends on the above dispute:
According to the Midrash, "and he gave him a tithe from all" was not in the category of the mitzvah of tithing, and since the mitzvah of tithing is only from produce of the ground and so forth, the question "how does one tithe the salt," and so forth, has no place — therefore the Midrash says that Esav's question was "how does one rectify salt … straw" (as above, section 2).
Rashi, however, understands (as above, section 3) that "and he gave him a tithe from all" was in the category of the mitzvah of tithing, and since the "tithe" is "from all" — therefore the question "how does one tithe the salt and the straw" is fitting.
6. From the inner dimension of Torah in this comment of Rashi:
Seemingly it is still not smooth: why did Esav ask specifically50 concerning these two things, salt and straw?51 Surely there are other things with the same quality described above,52 that when they are used in a mixture with other kinds they acquire great importance (relative to their importance in their own right)?
And this is the (inner) explanation of the matter:
The Alter Rebbe asks in Torah Or:53 since Yitzchak knew that "the name of Heaven was not fluent in the mouth" of Esav54 — how is it possible to say that Esav "deceived him with questions of how one tithes the straw"? And he answers that Esav as he is here below ("and from the side of his inner dimension") is one of whom "the name of Heaven is not fluent in his mouth"; but Esav as he is in his root (which encompasses him from above) is a lofty level in holiness — "the head of Esav is in the bosom of Yitzchak":55 the root of Esav (severity of the side of impurity) is from Yitzchak, severity of holiness — and "from the aspect of the encompassing light, Esav asks how one tithes the straw."
And therefore Yitzchak wished to give the blessings to Esav, because through this he wished to draw down the root of Esav here below, through which (in Yitzchak's view)56 Esav would be refined.
And according to this one may say that the reason Esav chose specifically the matter of "how does one tithe the salt and the straw"57 is because this alludes to his refinement:
It is stated in Chassidus58 that "salt" is the "root of all the severities," and therefore salt sweetens judgments, because the severities are sweetened only in their root. It emerges that in the matter of "tithing the salt" there is alluded the refinement of the severities59 of Esav.60
And similarly "tithing the straw" — as it is stated in Chassidus61 that "chaff and straw, which are only the waste of the wheat," are "of the aspect of the klipos,"62 and therefore Esav — who "was from the side of the klipah" — "praised himself that he gave a tithe from chaff and straw."
And therefore it is stated63 regarding the refinement of Esav in the time to come — "And the house of Yaakov shall be fire, and the house of Yosef a flame, and the house of Esav for straw"64 —
so may it be speedily in our days literally, with the coming of Moshiach our righteous one.
(From the sichah of Shabbos Parshas Toldos, 5734)
Notes
1) Our parsha 25:27.
2) In the Riva on the Torah here: "the doubtfully-tithed produce, and the salt, and the straw." And this requires examination.
3) See Bartenura, Re'em (and others) here for the necessity, according to the plain meaning, not to explain "who knew trapping" literally. [Even though Rashi himself: (a) explains "a man of the field" as "as his form, with his bow, animals and birds" (and this is a matter additional to "(a man of the) field" — "an idle man" (and see Re'em and Gur Aryeh there) — and not like the first answer in the Re'em). (b) On the verse (there, 25:28) "game in his mouth" he explains in the first interpretation "as the Targum renders it" (the matter of trapping in its literal sense), and only in the second interpretation (emphasizing that this is "its Midrashic sense") does he explain "that he would trap him and deceive him with his words" (and see Nachalas Yaakov on Rashi there).] And one may add further: if we explain "who knew trapping" literally, it should have placed "a man of the field" before "who knew trapping" (for literal trapping is only after he is in the field). And from this it is necessary that the matter of "who knew trapping" was still while he was in the house, before he went out to the field. And according to this Rashi's necessity to explain that the deception lies in his "asking him … how does one tithe," and that he did not explain like the Ibn Ezra that the matter of "full of deceits" relates to literal trapping, is also sweetened.
4) Bartenura, Re'em, Gur Aryeh and others. And see Pesikta d'Rav Kahana, Parshas VeZos HaBerachah.
*) And Rashi above (Noach 10:9) is different — for there it states explicitly "before the L‑rd."
5) So too asks the Maskil l'David here. And see also Divrei David (of the Taz) here. And see below, note 10.
6) Our parsha 8.
7) 63:10.
8) And similarly it is in Pesikta d'Rav Kahana there.
9) And the Tzeidah LaDerech already asked on the Re'em, who wrote that the source of Rashi's comment is from Tanchuma. [In the second printing of Rashi the reading is "whether one tithes," but in the manuscripts of Rashi, the printings of Rashi and the commentators on Rashi (including the Re'em) the reading "that it should be" is as in the text.]
10) Vilna Gaon and Tzeidah LaDerech here. In Divrei David here: "that he had no doubt whether it is obligated in tithing … but rather he showed before his father that he is stringent upon himself to obligate it in tithing, but that he had a doubt … in this tithe which is only a stringency, how should he give the tithe by estimation." And in the Maskil l'David here: "that he was asking, I know that the straw is exempt by law; however, one who wishes to be stringent and tithe it, how should he do it, for it stands to reason that he should make some distinction and change … and that no ruin should come from it, to tithe from the exempt upon the obligated." But the plain sense of the wording "how does one tithe" implies that it was obvious to him that they are obligated in tithing (as in the commentators cited at the beginning of this note). And further, and this is the main point: a five-year-old beginning Scripture has not yet learned that one does not tithe by estimation or that one does not tithe from the exempt upon the obligated, and if this were Rashi's intent he should have explained it.
11) As the Bartenura asks on Rashi's comment here. — And what they explained, that he was asking what the reason is that one tithes, and so forth (see there) [and similarly what is written in the Maharik on Rashi (Jerusalem 5741), "that is to say, from when does one tithe and what is the completion of its processing"] — does not accord with the plain sense of the wording "how does one tithe." And see the interpretation of the Divrei David cited in the previous note.
12) The language of the verse — Tehillim 24:1.
13) In the manner of what is written in Gur Aryeh here.
14) Rashi, Bereishis 3:8. And in many places.
15) 14:18-20.
16) And he thereby excludes the interpretation (Chizkuni, Riva and Tur HaAroch, Lech Lecha there; and see also Radak there in the name of his father (cited also in the Tur HaAroch there)) that Malki Tzedek gave a tithe to Avraham.
17) Riva and Gur Aryeh there.
18) 14:23.
19) And see also the commentators cited in note 16. Migdal Oz, Hilchos Melachim, beginning of ch. 9. — And what the Ramban writes there (and see the sources cited in Likkutei Sichos vol. 5, p. 68, note 7, at its end) that (only) "the portion of the Most High did he separate to give to the kohen" — does not accord with the plain implication of Scripture, that the king of Sedom received everything back from Avraham — in order to negate the statement "I have made Avram rich" (for before the giving of the tithe to the kohen it was the property of the giver, and he became (additionally) rich through it).
20) Lech Lecha 12:16; there 13:2.
21) Vayeira 18:19.
22) Our parsha 26:12 (from Bereishis Rabbah 64:6). And see below, section 5.
23) And so too regarding Yaakov it is stated (Vayeitzei 28:22) "and all that You give me I shall surely tithe to You." And to note from Rashi, Vayishlach 32:14 (in the third interpretation).
24) Our parsha 26:5 (and Rashi there). Yoma 28b. Kiddushin 82a (in the Mishnah).
25) Tur and Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah, beginning of siman 249 (and in the Shach there).
26) To note from Tzafnas Paneach on the Torah here (in the realm of halachah), "that there is a category of tithing with straw." See there.
27) To note also from the Vilna Gaon and others here.
28) To note from Rashi above (Vayeira 19:26).
29) Iyov 6:6. And see Likkutei Torah, Vayikra 3d, and sources cited there.
30) Shabbos, beginning of ch. 3. There 38b.
31) Shemos 5:7 ff. (and Rashi there).
32) See Rambam, Hilchos Maaser 1:14 (with regard to the tithe of produce). Hilchos Terumos 3:11 (with regard to the terumah of the tithe).
*32) That is, that the "tithe from all that was his" is not by separating a tithe from each and every kind in its own right, but rather he separates a tithe from the worth of all his property.
33) According to this the reason is sweetened why Rashi did not adopt the reading of the Pesikta d'Rav Kahana (cited above, note 4), "water (and salt)."
34) With regard to other things, even those which when one mixes them with other things gain in importance — seemingly there is no question, and one judges according to their importance at present in actuality. But with regard to salt and straw, whose entire (essential) importance is only when one mixes them with other things, there is room to say that with them one reckons according to the future, and so forth.
35) And with this there is no difficulty (as above, section 1) that this question indicates that he is not meticulous in mitzvos since he should have known from Yitzchak's conduct — for it is understood that the reckoning of the tithe is not a revealed matter, and so forth.
36) 9:1.
37) And see Torah Sheleimah, Lech Lecha there, os 132, and sources cited there.
38) See Radbaz, Kesef Mishneh and Migdal Oz there. And see (regarding what follows) Likkutei Sichos vol. 5, p. 68 ff. and the notes there.
39) Radbaz there.
40) Kesef Mishneh there (and although Avraham said "if from a thread," and so forth — see above, note 19 and the sources cited there).
41) Tzafnas Paneach, Hilchos Matnos Aniyim 6:5. And see also Tzafnas Paneach on the Torah, Parshas Lech Lecha (p. 57).
42) Mattos 31:28 ff.
43) Sefer HaMitzvos of the Rambam, root 3 — and therefore the Rambam did not cite this tithe of Avraham.
44) In the manner of the mitzvah of circumcision, for the uncovering of the circumcision was not given to Avraham (Yevamos 71b), even though after the Giving of the Torah one who circumcised but did not uncover is as though he did not circumcise (Mishnah, Shabbos 137b).
45) Ramban, Vayeishev 38:8. And see also Chizkuni (there, 38:13). Radak, Moshav Zekeinim (of the Baalei HaTosafos) and Or HaChaim (there, 38:24). Daas Zekeinim of the Baalei HaTosafos (there, 38:26).
46) See Likkutei Sichos there, note 13.
47) From which it is understood that it is possible to say that what is stated in the Written Torah, "and he gave him a tithe," refers also to a rabbinic tithe, and (according to the Raavad) this mitzvah that Avraham fulfilled is counted (and not all the mitzvos that he fulfilled before they were given — and see the question of the Lechem Mishneh there), because only those explicit (or at least alluded to) in the Written Torah were counted.
48) Cited in Tosafos, s.v. "aser," Taanis 9a (and it is not in our editions of the Sifri).
49) Re'eh 14:22.
50) The reason that he deceived Yitzchak specifically with the mitzvah of tithing — see Tzeidah LaDerech and Sifsei Chachamim here (and in Anaf Yosef on Tanchuma there, "that he took it merely as an example … but indeed he would mislead him also in the other mitzvos").
51) According to the commentators who hold that his question was whether they are obligated in tithing, the reason he took salt and straw is because "the straw is of the produce of the ground, and likewise salt is produce of a place that one digs" (Be'er Mayim Chaim (of the brother of the Maharal) on Rashi; and so too in Nachalas Yaakov). But according to the explanation above (section 4) this is difficult, as in the text.
*) To note that salt too is called a growing thing (Shaar HaMitzvos and Taamei HaMitzvos, Parshas Eikev; Etz Chaim, shaar 50, ch. 2, and in the glosses of the Tzemach there; and elsewhere).
52) Such as spices (although one may say that they are included in "salt") and others.
53) Our parsha 20b ff.
54) Rashi, our parsha 27:21.
55) Targum Yonasan, Vayechi 50:13 (with a slight change of wording). And see Likkutei Sichos vol. 16, p. 193, note 21.
56) See Torah Or there (20c) that the refinement of Esav must be specifically through Yaakov.
57) And not "water," as in the Pesikta d'Rav Kahana. And see above, note 33.
58) Likkutei Torah, Vayikra 4a. And see also there 6a ff. And see note 60.
59) Unlike water — kindness.
60) To note from Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim (10a), that salt (is the aspect of severity and) relates to the three hundred sixty-five negative commandments, and in Or HaTorah, Vayikra (vol. 1, in the addenda, beginning of p. 226), "if so, salt is like four times …" (see there). — And according to this it is sweetened that Esav wished to deceive his father into saying that Esav is meticulous in mitzvos through his question "how does one tithe the salt."
61) Biurei HaZohar, Vayishlach 19d (and see Zohar vol. 2, 120b; Zohar vol. 3, 169a). And see Midbar Kedeimos, entry "teven" (tav, 6): "straw … the wicked one with eight hundred men with him, and therefore he wished to tithe the straw."
62) From the expression "the peel of the fruit," like the straw which is the husk of the wheat.
63) Ovadiah 1:18.
64) See Shemos there, 5:12 (and Rashi): "stubble for straw." And see Midbar Kedeimos there.
Key Lesson
Esav's question about tithing salt and straw was not ignorance but calculation — he picked the two things worth almost nothing alone that become indispensable once mixed into something else, and asked how their value should be reckoned. That is precisely the question of his own refinement: salt is the root of all severities and sweetens judgment only at its root, and straw is the husk of the wheat. What appears worthless in isolation can turn out to carry the greatest worth once it is joined to something higher — and that is how even Esav is ultimately refined.