Parshas Toldos
1. The saying of Chazal is well known1 — "everything that befell the Patriarchs is a sign for the children"2 — and the Ramban3 elaborates at length in explaining how a number of the deeds of the Patriarchs contain within them signs alluding to the events that would befall the children, the Jewish people.
Since Chazal bring out this matter specifically in the language of fathers and children, where the father's affairs are handed down as an inheritance to his children after him, it is understood that the deeds of the Patriarchs are not merely a sign, but also a granting of power4 from the Patriarchs of the nation to the children.56
And with regard to our parsha — the Torah relates7 that "there was a famine in the land," and that in connection with this the Almighty appeared to Yitzchak and told him "Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. Sojourn in this land and I shall be with you and bless you." Chazal explain8 that since he was an "unblemished offering" he must remain in Eretz Yisrael, and "outside the Land is not fitting for you"9 (he should not do as his father Avraham, who when a famine came went out of Eretz Yisrael to outside the Land, to Egypt).
And the sign for the children here is plain10 even on the surface: that the true place of the Jewish people is not in exile (outside the Land), but when they are at their Father's table11 — "who redeems them and brings them to His table" in Eretz Yisrael. And therefore even in the time when "because of our sins we were exiled from our land" — "children who were exiled from their Father's table" — the Jewish people cannot, G‑d forbid, be content, and cannot even be at ease12 in exile, knowing that this is not the state in which they ought to be; rather they hope13 and ask to be returned by their Father to their Father's table, in Eretz Yisrael, to the point that they request and demand it14 three times each (weekday) — "the offshoot of David Your servant speedily cause to flourish" — and (every day, also on Shabbos and Yom Tov and so forth) "and may our eyes behold Your return to Zion in mercy."15
And one may say that this is one of the reasons that in the time to come it is specifically to Yitzchak that they will say "for you are our father,"16 because then there will be openly seen among the Jewish people the quality of wholeness and perfection, the power for which they take from Yitzchak Avinu (an "unblemished offering"), and therefore they find themselves in their true place, their Father's table, in Eretz Yisrael.
And this matter, of being only in Eretz Yisrael, was specifically with Yitzchak, whereas with Avraham and with Yaakov there were times when they found themselves outside the Land.
2. Since the fact that "we call none Patriarchs but the three"17 is a matter of the present, and together with this an abiding and eternal matter,18 it is understood that details of the deeds of the Patriarchs (and particularly general ones) that express the distinctive quality of each one of the Patriarchs are a sign and a granting of power to the children — not only to the Jewish people as a whole, and in a particular situation, but "in every generation … in every person of Israel"19 (individually), also as Jews find themselves in exile in Eretz Yisrael or outside the Land.
And this is the explanation of the matter:
The Jewish people are in general divided into two types — Yissachar and Zevulun,20 masters of Torah and masters of good deeds:21 Jews whose essential occupation in the service of G‑d is within, "Yissachar in your tents," who are in their true place — wholly given over to the study of Torah;22 and Jews who are engaged in business, who go out beyond the four cubits of Torah and the like, "Zevulun in your going out," and who have dealings with worldly matters — "your deeds" and "your ways" — and through their avodah in this in a manner of "all your deeds shall be for the sake of Heaven"23 and "in all your ways know Him,"24 they bring holiness into worldly matters as well.
And these are the two modes of avodah, the power to carry out which every Jew25 receives from the Patriarchs:
Avraham Avinu went out of Eretz Yisrael and "descended" into Egypt, into the (straits and limitations of) outside the Land, and accomplished through his avodah that there, and likewise even before that, people should recognize and serve the Almighty; he brought them "under the wings of the Shechinah," as it is written "and the souls that they made in Charan,"26 and as is related at length in the Midrashim of Chazal.27 His avodah in general was "and he called there in the name of the L‑rd, G‑d of the world,"28 as Chazal say29 that "he began to make known to the people that it is not fitting to serve any but the G‑d of the world … and to call out in a great voice to the whole world and to make known to them that there is one G‑d and it is fitting to serve Him; and he would go and call and gather the people from city to city and from kingdom to kingdom … as it is said, and he called," and so forth30 — until he effected that the Almighty should be (in addition to "G‑d of the heavens," also) "G‑d of the earth," "that I accustomed Him to the mouths of the creatures."31
Yitzchak, however, did not go out to outside the Land. On the contrary, since he was an "unblemished offering" he had to, he was obliged to, remain in Eretz Yisrael; and even there we do not find (to such a degree) that he went out from his own particular place and occupied himself with others outside. That is to say, his (essential) order of avodah was within.
And from these two Patriarchs the Jewish people take both lines in avodah:
From Avraham Avinu (each and) all Jews have the instruction and the granting of power for the avodah with another, outside: all Jews, also those whose essential occupation is within, in the study of Torah, should from time to time also go out from their place and bring holiness also beyond the boundary of the place of holiness; they should publicize the Name of the Holy One blessed be He in every single place, to the point of "(the souls) that they made," bringing Jews close to G‑d and His Torah,32 and as our Sages said, "whoever occupies himself with Torah alone," and so forth,33 and "whoever34 says I have only Torah, he does not even have Torah, but rather Torah and acts of kindness";
and from Yitzchak Avinu every Jew takes the instruction and the power for avodah within: that also those whose essential occupation is outside (to occupy themselves with worldly matters and through that) to draw down holiness into worldly matters (your deeds and your ways), and to bring the word of G‑d also to Jews who are for the time being distant from G‑d and His Torah — they too must from time to time separate themselves from that "outside" and occupy themselves within, in Torah, and in such a manner that at that time they have no worries at all ("like the eaters of the manna")35 and no other thoughts — at that time their Torah must be their occupation.
3. It has already been discussed several times36 with regard to the names of the parshiyos, that (although in the plain sense the name of each parsha is after its opening, nevertheless) since they are names according to (the custom of Israel, which is) Torah [and particularly according to the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov37 that the name by which a thing is called in the Holy Tongue is the essence and the life-force and the sustainer of the thing called by that name], it is understood that the name of each parsha brings out the content of the entire parsha.
A conclusive proof of this38 is from the fact that specifically our parsha is called by the name "Toldos," while Parshas Noach too begins with the words "these are the offspring of (Noach)": if the names of the parshiyos were only by virtue of their opening — it would have been more fitting that the earlier parsha (Noach) should bear the name "Toldos" (since the word "toldos" is closer to the opening of that parsha than the word "Noach") and that the parsha after it (our parsha, "Toldos") should be called "Yitzchak" (in order to make a distinction between it and the parsha before it).
From the fact that the first parsha is called by the name "Noach" and specifically our parsha is called by the name "Toldos," it is proven that this is because the name "Noach" (not "Toldos") expresses the content of the earlier parsha,39 and the word "Toldos" brings out the content of our parsha.
That is to say, the general content of our parsha is the matter of "toldos" — the bearing of children; and the lesson in this in spiritual terms is that every Jew must accomplish the matter of "toldos" spiritually — that there should be added another Jew who observes Torah and mitzvos, by bringing him close to G‑d and His Torah, as in the saying40 "whoever teaches the son of his fellow Torah, Scripture accounts it to him as though he bore him," which is the matter of "be fruitful and multiply" in spiritual avodah.41
And this is alluded to also in Rashi's commentary on our parsha, that "toldos" refers to "Yaakov and Esav who are mentioned in the parsha" — that is, the "offspring of Yitzchak" consist not only of such as are on the level of Yaakov; rather one must accomplish that also such as find themselves in a state and standing resembling Esav42 should become "mentioned in the parsha," belonging to the "offspring of Yitzchak" (and his upbringing — the study of the parshiyos (Torah) and the fulfillment of their mitzvos) — through drawing them close and bringing them into Torah and mitzvos.
4. But in spite of all this an explanation is required: how does this accord with what was explained above, that the content and manner of Yitzchak's avodah was the opposite — his being set apart in Eretz Yisrael, by himself, within, and not establishing "toldos" outside, who are not (like) "fathers,"43 through occupying himself with another outside.
And more than that: according to this the parsha (which speaks entirely of the matter and avodah of Yitzchak) should have been called not "Toldos" but "Yitzchak," in order to bring out the uniqueness of Yitzchak, which consisted (as above) specifically in not going out to outside the Land to establish "toldos" there, souls (as in Avraham's avodah, "and the souls that they made in Charan," as above).
And one must say that since Yitzchak is one of the three Patriarchs, and "fathers — implying that there are offspring,"43 from fathers one derives, there come to be "offspring," it is understood that his avodah too was in establishing offspring.
Moreover: from the fact that specifically the parsha that speaks entirely of the avodah of Yitzchak (begins and) is called "Toldos," and not the other parshiyos where the matter of Avraham (and Yaakov) is discussed, it is proven that the essential matter of "toldos" is specifically through the avodah of Yitzchak, even more than through the avodah of Avraham (and Yaakov).
5. This will be understood by first explaining the manner of conduct in the time to come, from which it will also be understood with regard to the avodah of Yitzchak, and as mentioned at the end of section 1, that in the time to come they will say to Yitzchak "for you are our father."
The Rambam rules4445 "Moshe commanded from the mouth of the Almighty to compel all the inhabitants of the world to accept the mitzvos commanded to the children of Noach," and this halachah, like all matters of halachah, is an eternal matter in all times and in all places: that the desired conduct in the fulfillment of the mitzvos by all the inhabitants of the world (the seven Noachide mitzvos) is when this is effected upon them through the Jewish people.
And according to this an explanation is required: how will this task of the Jewish people (in relation to the seven Noachide mitzvos) be carried out in the time to come, with the coming of Moshiach our righteous one? The Rambam indeed concludes46 that among the lofty matters that Moshiach will accomplish will be: "and he will repair47 the entire world to serve the L‑rd together, as it is said,48 for then I shall turn to the peoples a clear language, that they may all call in the name of the L‑rd and serve Him49 with one accord";
but the question is: since all Jews will be redeemed from the exile among the nations and will find themselves upon their land in Eretz Yisrael — and the law is that "at a time when the hand of Israel is strong … (a non-Jew, even if he) dwells temporarily or passes from place to place in trade," must first "accept upon himself the seven mitzvos"50 — how then will it be that Jews instruct the nations, the "inhabitants of the world," concerning the seven Noachide mitzvos?
This is understood from the verses in Yeshayahu51 concerning the redemption: "And it shall be at the end of days that the mountain of the house of the L‑rd shall be established at the head of the mountains … and all the nations shall stream to it. And many peoples shall go and say, come let us go up to the mountain of the L‑rd, to the house of the G‑d of Yaakov, and He will teach us of His ways and we shall walk in His paths, for from Zion shall go forth Torah … and He shall judge among the nations … and they shall beat their swords … O house of Yaakov, come let us go in the light of the L‑rd."
That is to say: the fact that in the time to come the nations of the world too will learn the ways of the L‑rd and serve the Almighty will not come about through the Jewish people going out from their holy land to outside the Land, to the nations and peoples, in order to effect this with them; rather, since the state and standing of the Jewish people, of Eretz Yisrael and the Beis HaMikdash, will then be in the utmost excellence and perfection, and the "light of the L‑rd" will shine there openly before the eyes of every living being, this will of itself effect52 upon the nations and the many peoples throughout the world, to the point that "all the nations shall stream to it and many peoples shall go and say, come let us go up to the mountain of the L‑rd … and He will teach us of His ways."
It emerges that in the time to come the Jewish people will not (need to) go out to the outside to occupy themselves with "all the inhabitants of the world"; rather they will be "free for Torah and its wisdom" — "Israel will be great sages and will know hidden matters and will attain knowledge of their Creator according to the capacity of man";53 and nevertheless the Jewish people will influence the nations, so that they themselves will be aroused and will go and say "come let us go in the light of the L‑rd."54
6. In this manner, and of this nature, was the matter and the avodah of Yitzchak:55
Yitzchak's56 manner of establishing offspring was not through going "from city to city and from kingdom to kingdom" in order to publicize the Name of the Holy One blessed be He in every single place, as Avraham did (as above, section 2); rather, while remaining in one place in Eretz Yisrael, he drew the inhabitants of the world to himself, in the likeness of a great torch that draws the sparks to itself.57
And this matter is brought out in the content of the parsha: when a situation of "there was a famine in the land" arose, "his intent (Yitzchak's) was to go down to Egypt as his father had gone down in the days of the famine."58 Knowing the "principle that Avraham planted,"59 that the Almighty is the Conductor of the world and directs all things in the world, Yitzchak understood from that principle which his father Avraham planted (and as his father had gone down) — that is, it was his intent — that this was by the particular providence and intention of the Almighty, that he should go out of Eretz Yisrael to outside the Land and there publicize and reveal the Name of the Holy One blessed be He, just as his father Avraham had done in his time, when there was60 a famine in the land.
To this the Almighty said to him: "Do not go down to Egypt … dwell in the land," which our Sages61 interpret as "settle the Shechinah in the land" — that his manner of avodah in revealing the Name of the Holy One blessed be He is not through descending to outside the Land, to Egypt, the nakedness of the land, but through "settling the Shechinah in the land" — and through this the Name of the Holy One blessed be He will reach all the inhabitants of the world.
And so it is indeed related further on in the parsha (in the continuation of the matter) concerning the time when Yitzchak was in Gerar: "And the man became great and went on growing greater until he became very great" — "for they would say, the dung of Yitzchak's mules and not the silver and gold of Avimelech":62
And this is especially emphasized in the continuation of the following verses — that earlier63 Avimelech had said to Yitzchak "go from us, for you have become much mightier than we";64 but after Yitzchak built an altar there and "called in the name of the L‑rd,"65 the Torah relates that "Avimelech went to him from Gerar, with a group of his friends and Pichol the captain of his host," and that they answered Yitzchak's question "why have you come to me"66 with the words "we have surely seen that the L‑rd was with you, and we said, let there now be an oath between us, between us and you."67
And it is understood that when they saw that "the L‑rd was with you" — and particularly when this aroused them to the point that Avimelech went to him, to go and come to Yitzchak and make a covenant with him — this effected that they should conduct themselves in accordance with the will of Yitzchak Avinu.
7. According to this it is understood why specifically the parsha in which the avodah of Yitzchak is discussed68 is called by the name "Toldos" (and not the parshiyos in which the avodah of Avraham (and Yaakov) is discussed):
When the avodah is in a manner that one descends and accomplishes outside the boundary of holiness, in the manner of Avraham's avodah, then it is not emphasized to such a degree that these are his "offspring." Granted, they are "the souls that they made," a making of his; but it is not "as though he bore them"69 — offspring:
"Toldos" emphasizes that they resemble the father,70 implying that (where there are fathers) there are offspring; and this is specifically the type of avodah of Yitzchak, who stands in his place and raises the inhabitants of the world up to his place and his level, through which they become "offspring" — resembling the father.
8. And this is the eternal lesson from the avodah of Yitzchak, which is alluded to in the name of the parsha — "Toldos":
That (also) the masters of good deeds — whose constant avodah is to publicize the Name of the Holy One blessed be He as they go from place to place, and to establish offspring for G‑d and His Torah — must leave themselves standing in a state of avodah within, of the study of Torah, the revealed part and the inner part of Torah, in a manner of "his Torah is his occupation" —
this does not mean that they are thereby withdrawing, G‑d forbid, from their mission (to bring Jews close to G‑d and His Torah); on the contrary, this is an essential part of the avodah.
For in addition to the fact that, since every Jew has the Patriarchs, the aspect of Yitzchak within his soul, he has the power that his avodah within should have an effect upon his portion in the world, including also upon those Jews who are (according to Torah) under his influence and the like — through this he establishes true "offspring": for besides effecting upon them the "(souls) that they made," and bringing them in under the wings of the Shechinah, there also comes about the matter of "(as though) he bore them," his "offspring" being of his own kind,70 resembling the father, the one who influences.
And in the same manner is the lesson to those who dwell in the tent,71 whose entire occupation is within the four cubits of Torah and halachah (and prayer) — that besides the fact that they too must go out from time to time from their four cubits to bring Jews close to G‑d and His Torah, as above, also in their avodah of the occupation with Torah and prayer it must be heard that this is bound up with making "offspring" for the Almighty; the learning must be in order to teach, for then the offspring are as they ought to be, as above.
And through this avodah, to establish offspring for G‑d and His Torah in that manner of avodah which (one learns, and indeed) one takes from Yitzchak Avinu, one hastens all the more the time when "they shall say to Yitzchak, for you are our father," the true and complete redemption, and then "our mouth shall be filled with laughter."72
Through this avodah one causes the complete laughter and delight Above,73 and from that laughter and delight above it comes down also below, so that (then) "those who taste it merit life," already beforehand on the eve of Shabbos,74 until by every single Jew the delight of the Creator is openly heard,
"for75 the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the L‑rd as the waters cover the sea."
(From the sichos of the second night of Sukkos, 5743 and 5745, and Shabbos Parshas Toldos, 5745)
Notes
1) See Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 9. Bereishis Rabbah 9:6. And see also Bereishis Rabbah 48:10 (and Tanchuma, Vayeira 4). And there: "I shall repay your children …" and see there further.
2) And see also Rashi, Vayeira 18:1, s.v. "sat" (from Bereishis Rabbah 48:7). And elsewhere.
3) Lech Lecha 12:6; there 12:10; 14:1. Our parsha 26:1. Vayishlach 32:4; there 32:9. And elsewhere.
4) More than this we find with the signs of purity in an animal and so forth — that they are what cause the purity and do not merely indicate it (see Tzafnas Paneach on the Rambam, Hilchos Maachalos Asuros, beginning of ch. 1).
5) As is understood also from the example of the "prophets" in the Ramban, Lech Lecha there (12:6). And see Bereishis Rabbah 40 there (cited also in the Ramban there, 12:10): "go out and conquer the way before your children." And see also the sources noted in the following note.
6) See Toras Chaim, Lech Lecha 83c ff. Chayei Sarah 135a ff. And in many places. And see Likkutei Sichos vol. 1, p. 41; vol. 3, p. 758; vol. 5, p. 88 ff.; vol. 16, p. 76 ff. And elsewhere.
7) 26:1 ff.
8) See Bereishis Rabbah 64:3. Rashi on the verse (there, 26:3). Ramban (there, 26:1).
9) The language of Rashi there (and so it is in the Ramban there). And see at length Likkutei Sichos vol. 16, p. 200 ff., in explanation of the differences between Rashi and the Midrash.
10) In the Ramban on our parsha there: "and it alludes to the exile in every place that is the dwelling of their fathers," and so forth. And his interpretation is the allusion in Yitzchak's going to the land of the Philistines and so forth; see there in the parshiyos. And in the text here the "deeds of the Patriarchs" is explained in the words of G‑d who said to him "do not go down to Egypt, dwell in the land," and so forth, for according to the words of our Sages cited in the body of the sichah the emphasis (in these verses) is that he should not leave Eretz Yisrael.
11) See Berachos 3a.
12) And as it is written (Ki Savo 28:65) "and among those nations you shall have no repose and there shall be no rest," and so forth. See Bereishis Rabbah 33:6. And see Makkos 24a.
13) See the language of the Rambam, Hilchos Teshuvah, beginning of ch. 9 and 9:2. Hilchos Melachim, beginning of 12:4.
14) And as is the instruction of Chazal (as halachah) — and in this very language, "they shall demand" — see Beis Yosef on Tur Orach Chaim 188 (s.v. "and the Rambam wrote") from Shibolei HaLeket (the law of the order of the Grace after Meals, siman 150); and see Midrash Tehillim, psalm 17; Midrash Shmuel ch. 31 (cited in the Radak at the end of Shmuel II), and in many places, concerning the gravity and seriousness of the matter.
15) And likewise in the Grace after Meals, "the kingdom of the house of David … and rebuild Jerusalem … speedily in our days" (see Beis Yosef there).
16) Shabbos 89b. And see Torah Or on our parsha 17c. Vayeitzei 21b ff. Toras Chaim on our parsha 4d ff. And elsewhere.
17) Berachos 16b.
18) Torah Or, beginning of Parshas Vaeira. And see Likkutei Sichos vol. 4, p. 1068, note 12; vol. 10, p. 97 (and note 48).
19) See at length Torah Or, Parshas Terumah.
20) See Iggeres HaKodesh, siman 5 (109a). Biurei HaZohar, Vayeishev, of the Mitteler Rebbe (25a-b) and of the Tzemach Tzedek (p. 134).
21) Berachah 33:18.
22) In the place of a person's thought, there he is found (see Kesser Shem Tov (Kehot) in the addenda, siman 38, and sources cited there). And this is relevant also to halachah (Rashi, Eruvin 26b, s.v. "except for the water"; Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe, Orach Chaim siman 408).
23) Avos 2:12.
24) Mishlei 3:6.
25) For in each and every one there must be Torah and good deeds (Iggeres HaKodesh there; and to note from Iggeres HaKodesh siman 13 (119a) concerning the two attributes of kindness and severity). And see further in the text.
26) Lech Lecha 12:5. Rashi there (from Bereishis Rabbah, end of ch. 39).
27) See also Bereishis Rabbah there, 39:14. Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan on the verse.
28) Vayeira 21:33.
29) See also Sotah 10a ff. Bereishis Rabbah, end of ch. 54. And elsewhere.
30) Rambam, Hilchos Avodah Zarah 1:3.
31) Rashi, Chayei Sarah 24:7 (based on Bereishis Rabbah 59:8).
32) And as our Sages said (Sanhedrin 99b) "whoever teaches the son of his fellow Torah, Scripture accounts it to him as though he made him, as it is said, and the souls that they made in Charan." And see further in the text, section 7 and note 69.
33) Avodah Zarah 17b.
34) Yevamos 109b. Likkutei Torah, Vayikra 5a. And see Sefer HaMaamarim 5708, p. 266 — in the note.
35) As our Sages said (Mechilta, Beshalach at its beginning; there 16:4) the Torah was given (to be expounded) only to the eaters of the manna.
36) See Likkutei Sichos vol. 5, p. 58.
37) See Toldos Yaakov Yosef, Parshas Shemos near its end. Or Torah of the Maggid 4c. Likkutei Amarim of his, 58d. Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah ch. 1. And elsewhere.
38) See Likkutei Sichos there, note 10, and sources cited there; p. 355. And elsewhere.
39) See Likkutei Sichos vol. 20, p. 285 ff.
40) Sanhedrin 19b. Rashi, Bamidbar 3:1.
41) See Likkutei Dibburim vol. 4, 746a. Sefer HaSichos 5701, p. 45 ff.
42) See Kiddushin 18a.
43) See below from Bava Kamma, "fathers implying that there are (a matter of the opposite sort) offspring."
44) See Bava Kamma at its beginning.
45) Hilchos Melachim 8:10.
46) There, end of ch. 11.
47) So it is in the printings before us, that "and he will repair" refers to Moshiach. But in manuscripts and printings over which the censor had no control there appears here a passage that was omitted, "and if he did not succeed," and so forth, and the words "and he will repair the entire world," and so forth, are in the middle of the matter there: "and all these matters (of Yeshu the Nazarene) and of this Ishmaelite … are only to straighten the way for the King Moshiach and to repair the entire world," and so forth — and see there at the conclusion of his words. And see Likkutei Sichos vol. 18, p. 283. And this is not the place for it.
48) Tzefaniah 3:9.
49) So it is in the Rambam there. And in the verse: "to serve Him." And see Likkutei Sichos vol. 23, p. 103, note 79.
50) Rambam, Hilchos Avodah Zarah 10:3.
51) 2:2 ff.
52) See in this manner Tanya, end of ch. 36.
53) The language of the Rambam, Hilchos Melachim, end of ch. 12 (12:4-5) — with regard to the time to come.
54) See Rashi, Yeshayahu there, 2:5. Tanya there.
55) In detail, what is explained in the verses of Yeshayahu there relates to the level of Yaakov, as our Sages said (Pesachim 88a, on the verse) "not like Avraham … but like Yaakov, who called it a house" (and see at length Likkutei Sichos vol. 16, p. 240 ff.). But in general it relates to the level of Yitzchak.
56) The substance of the difference between the avodah of Avraham and the avodah of Yitzchak explained in the text is founded upon and in accordance with what is explained in the discourses of Chassidus, that the avodah of Avraham is in the way of from above downward and the avodah of Yitzchak from below upward. And see at length Likkutei Sichos there, p. 194 ff., and sources cited there.
57) See Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 4a. And see at length Sefer HaMaamarim 5659 (p. 162 ff.); Sefer HaMaamarim 5704 (p. 106 ff.) and elsewhere — concerning the two modes of refinement (in Likkutei Torah there), by way of war and by way of rest.
58) The language of Rashi on our parsha 26:2. And see also Ramban there, 26:1.
59) The language of the Rambam, Hilchos Avodah Zarah, end of ch. 1.
60) Lech Lecha 12:10.
61) Bereishis Rabbah 64:3.
62) Our parsha 26:13 and Rashi there (from Bereishis Rabbah there, 64:7).
63) To note from the Ramban cited in note 10.
64) 26:16.
65) There, 26:25.
66) Not that Yitzchak spoke with them about this.
67) There, 26:26, 28.
68) For in Parshas Vayeira and Chayei Sarah the matter of Yitzchak that is in them consists of details in the account (and the matter) of Avraham. And all the more so in the parshiyos after them, in which Yitzchak is only mentioned.
69) And according to this one may explain the difference between the two above sayings of our Sages (in Sanhedrin), in "whoever teaches," and so forth — "as though he made him" (cited in note 32) or "as though he bore him" (above, section 3, and sources cited there).
70) To note from Bava Kamma at its beginning, "their offspring are of their own kind." And see Likkutei Sichos there, p. 196 ff.
71) And see Likkutei Sichos vol. 17, p. 307 ff., and sources cited there.
72) Tehillim 126:2. Berachos 31a.
73) See Torah Or and Toras Chaim cited above, note 16.
74) Pri Etz Chaim, shaar 8, beginning of ch. 3. Shaar HaKavanos, the matter of the immersion on the eve of Shabbos. Magen Avraham (and Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe) Orach Chaim siman 250, end of subsection 1 (se'if 8).
75) Yeshayahu 11:9. Rambam at the conclusion and seal of Hilchos Melachim uMilchamoseihem (and of his work as a whole).
Key Lesson
There are two ways to bring another person closer: go out to where they are, as Avraham did, travelling from city to city; or stand firm in your own place and become so luminous that they come to you, as Yitzchak did. Both are needed, and every Jew inherits both. But the parsha of Yitzchak is the one called "Toldos" — offspring — because only the second way produces people who genuinely resemble the father. Which means the hours spent inside, in learning, are not time taken away from reaching others; they are what makes the reaching real.