Megillah, Daf Yod Zayin, Part 1

 

Introduction

Today’s section continues with the topic of Talmud Torah the supreme value of studying Torah.

 

אמר רבה אמר רב יצחק בר שמואל בר מרתא: גדול תלמוד תורה יותר מכבוד אב ואם, שכל אותן שנים שהיה יעקב אבינו בבית עבר לא נענש.

 

Rabbah said in the name of R. Isaac b. Shmuel b. Marta: The study of the Torah is greater than honoring one’s father and mother. For, for the fourteen years that Jacob spent in the Study House of Ever, he was not punished.

 

According to the rabbis, there was a Bet Midrash in the time of the patriarchs that had been established by Shem and Ever (Shem was one of Noah’s sons, and Ever was his grandson). Jacob, according to legend, studied in the Bet Midrash of Ever (Shem was already dead). During those years he was not able to honor his parents due to his absence. Nevertheless, he was not punished. This teaches that the study of Torah is greater than honoring one’s parents.

 

דאמר מר: למה נמנו שנותיו של ישמעאל – כדי ליחס בהן שנותיו של יעקב. דכתיב +בראשית כ"ה+ ואלה שני חיי ישמעאל מאת שנה ושלשים שנה ושבע שנים. כמה קשיש ישמעאל מיצחק – ארביסר שנין, דכתיב +בראשית ט"ז+ ואברם בן שמנים שנה ושש שנים בלדת הגר את ישמעאל לאברם, וכתיב +בראשית כ"א+ ואברהם בן מאת שנה בהולד לו את יצחק בנו.

 

Since a Master said: Why were the years of Ishmael counted? So as to reckon by them the years of Jacob, as it is written, "And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, a hundred and thirty and seven years" (Genesis 25:17). How much older was Ishmael than Isaac? Fourteen years, as it is written, "And Avram was eighty and six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram" (16:16), and it is also written, "And Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him" (21:5).

 

The Talmud now begins a long calculation of Jacob’s life to show that he was not punished for the years he spent in the Bet Midrash of Ever. To do so, it goes all the way back to Ishmael. The years of Ishmael’s life were needed to calculate Jacob’s life. Ishmael was 14 years older than Isaac, as can be seen by Abraham’s age at their births.

 

וכתיב +בראשית כ"ה+ ויצחק בן ששים שנה בלדת אתם. בר כמה הוה ישמעאל כדאתיליד יעקב – בר שבעים וארבעה, כמה פיישן משניה – שתין ותלת. ותניא: היה יעקב אבינו בשעה שנתברך מאביו בן ששים ושלש שנה,

 

And it is written, "And Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them". How old then was Ishmael when Jacob was born? Seventy-four.

How many years were left of his life? Sixty-three; and it has been taught: Jacob our father at the time when he was blessed by his father was sixty-three years old.

 

Rebekah gave birth to Jacob and Esau when Isaac was sixty years old. Ishmael was thus 74. He had 63 more years to live. And during the last year of Ishmael’s life, Jacob stole the blessing from Esau. Jacob was 63 at the time.

ובו בפרק מת ישמעאל, דכתיב +בראשית כ"ח+ וירא עשו כי ברך וגו‘ וילך עשו אל ישמעאל ויקח את מחלת בת ישמעאל אחות נביות, ממשמע שנאמר בת ישמעאל איני יודע שהיא אחות נביות? מלמד שקידשה ישמעאל ומת, והשיאה נביות אחיה,

 

It was just at that time that Ishmael died, as it is written, "Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob…so Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahlat the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nevayot" (28:6, 9).

Now once it has been said, "Ishmael’s daughter" do I not know that she was the sister of Nevayot? This tells us then that Ishmael betrothed her and then died, and Nevayot her brother gave her in marriage.

 

According to this midrash, when Jacob received the blessing, Esau went and married Ishmael’s daughter. From the repetitiveness of the verse, the rabbis learn that Esau betrothed Mahalat while her father was still alive, but he married her only once Ishmael had already died.

In total we see that the mention of the age of Ishmael helps in reckoning how old Jacob was when he received Isaac’s blessing. Tomorrow’s section continues the calculation.