As we follow the weekly Jewish reading calendar, we arrive at this week’s Torah portion, called Toldot, which means “descendants” or “generations,” covering Genesis 25:19–28:9.
The reading picks up where the last portion ended: the union of Isaac and Rebekah. After twenty years of childlessness, God blessed the couple with twin boys: Jacob and Esau. However, before we delve into Jacob and Esau’s turbulent rivalry, it is essential to pause and give their father, Isaac, his due attention.
Isaac is a mysterious figure, by far the most understated of the patriarchs. The biblical narrative that surrounds Isaac is undramatic. Abraham negotiates with God and Jacob wrestles a divine being and demands a blessing. Isaac, on the other hand, hardly speaks at all. The stories where he is the central character rarely have him in extended dialogue.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.