Parshas Toldos

Another great Parsha with many ideas for your Parsha Party. REMINDER - THIS IS A SPRINGBOARD OF IDEAS. YOU CAN CHOOSE ONE IDEA OR A FEW. AND HAVE THE KIDS GUESS THE CONNECTIONS.

Parsha Overview (Feel free to skip straight to the Party below - simply click the arrow next to this text and the overview will disappear.)

Yitzchak marries Rivka at age 40 and she was an Akara. They did not have children for twenty years. They davened opposite each other to have a child and Hashem answered the tefilla of Yitzchak, the Tzaddik ben Tzaddik. Rivka becomes pregnant but is having a very difficult pregnancy as the babies struggle inside of her. According to the Medrash, when she would pass by a place of kedusha then the baby would give her pain and when she would pass a place of Avodah Zara again she would have pain. She went to seek answers from Hashem (through Shem) who told her that there are twins inside of her that will be two great nations. One will be a Tzaddik and One will be a Rasha. The older one will serve the younger one.

The first baby to be born is Esav. He came out red and hairy and they called him Esav – ready made. Then Yaakov is born holding onto the heel of Esav and is named Yaakov by Hashem. Esav grows up to be a hunter and trapper (trickster), a man of the field, and Yaakov was pure and dwelled in tents - becoming a talmid chacham. Yitzchak loves Esav, who would trick him to believe he was good, while Rivka loves Yaakov. (Rashi says Esav would deceive his father asking questions about taking Maaser on salt and straw, to make him think he was doing mitzvos carefully).

One day Esav is out hunting and returns to the house famished and tired. He sees Yaakov cooking lentils stew for his father and he demands that Yaakov pour it down his throat. Yaakov tells him he will give him the food if he sells him the Bechora, rights of the firstborn. The sale is made and Esav gets the food.

Another famine comes to the land and Yitzchak plans to leave to Mitzrayim and stops in Gerar on the way. Hashem tells him that he is too holy and needs to stay in Canaan and he should remain where he is in Gerar. He promises him that his children will be many like the stars and the land will be his. Yitzchak remains in Gerar and tells the people that Rivka his sister, like his father did to protect himself from being killed. Avimelech the king realizes that she is in fact his wife and is upset that someone may have come and taken Rivka. He warns the people not to take her. Yitzchak plants in the land and Hashem makes it grow a lot. He also re-digs the wells that his father had dug which the Pelishtim had closed up. (The pasuk says he dug and found “Be’er Mayim Chaim.) The Pelishtim start to fight about the wells but the third well that he opens they don’t fight about.

Yitzchak travels to Be’er Sheva and Hashem appears to him and says “Don’t be afraid, I am with you and will bless you and your children.” Yitzchak builds a Mizbeyach. Avimelech comes and finds him and makes a treaty with him that they won’t harm each other.

Esav marries Yehudis and Basmas, 2 Chitti women and Yitzchak and Rivka do not like them.

Yitzchak gets old and blind and wants to bless his sons, specifically Esav, before he dies. He sends Esav to get meat for him and prepare a meal. According to the Medrash it was the night of Pesach. Meanwhile, Rivka realizes what is about to happen and she tells Yaakov to quickly dress in Esavs clothing and pretend to be Esav and get the brachos from Yitzchak. She covers his arms and neck in goatskins to resemble Esavs hairy body and prepares tasty food and bread for Yaakov to serve his father. Yaakov follows his mother’s command and Yitzchak is confused. The voice sounds like Yaakov but the hands feel like Esav. Yitzchak is deceived and blesses Yaakov for the dew of the heaven and the fat of the land and to be master over his brother. When Esav returns and realizes what happen he cries bitterly. Yitzchak realizes what happened and blesses Esav that he will live in the fat places of the earth (Medrash: Italy) and will live by his sword.

Esav hates Yaakov because he took his bracha and he wanted to kill him. Rivka tells Yaakov to run for his life to Charan to the house of her brother Lavan. Yitzchak tells him to find a wife from his mother’s family. Esav marries a third wife named Machlas, the daughter of Yishmael. (Adapted partially from In a Nutshell by Chabad.org and The Medrash says)

And now for the fun part

PARSHA PARTY

Yitzchak and Rivka Daven for a baby

· PopCorners (Each in their own corner)

· Baby bites

· Baby bottle pop

· Pacifier Candy

Rivka is expecting twins

· Mike and ike

· Twin pops

· Twin cherries

Esav is red and hairy

· Red Jelly Beans

· Red hot candies

· Red Hot potato chips

· Cherry oodles

· Cherry sours

· Red candies

· Red Soursticks

· Red pull and peel or braided twizzler

· Red Lasso strings

Yaakov is holding onto Esavs heel

· Fruit by the foot

Esav is a trickster and a wild hunter

· Trix Cereal

· Tricky ice pops

· Dazzlers

· Fudge cookies (He “fudged” that he was so good to his father)

· Wild strawberry fruit snacks or gummies

· Sour sticks wild cherry (also can be for his hair!)

· Salty snacks and straws for drinks– he tricked his father with asking about Maaser on salt and straw (Salted nuts, salted pretzels, saltwater taffies, etc)

Yaakov learned Torah – dwelled in tents

· Torah oodles

· Torah Squeeze gel candy (zazers)

· Torah Winkies (Take 2 winkies and tape them together to create a Torah)

· (Twirly Bissli – I have seen this used to represent curled Payos to express that Yaakov was the one that followed the ways of Hashem. Feel free to use this if it resonates with you.)

· Graham Crackers with peanut butter or fluff can be shaped into a tent

Yaakov cooks lentils and gives Esav to eat with bread (did you know it was served with this? Thanks to Y Grunfeld for pointing this out!)

· Chocolate Lentils

· Krispy Yogurt with candy lentils (for Shabbos Breakfast)

· Adashim (candy lentils)

Hashem tells Yitzchak his children will be many like the stars

· Star candies

· Zillions

Yitzchak digs the wells

· Aqua Chews

· Mayim Chaim and Beer Mayim flavored drinks

Yitzchak builds a Mizbayach in Beer Sheva

· Candy Brix

Yitzchak is old and blind

· Candy cane or fizz candy cane

· Eye Candies (you can make this with 2 white marshmallows and two chocolate chips as the pupils. Button candy can be used as well.)

· Drinking straw glasses – Not sure where they are available but it is a straw in the shape of glasses. You can check Amazon.

Rivka prepares Mataamim – Tasty foods for Yaakov to bring

· Sweet treats taffies

· Tasty Meats (for the seudah)

· Beef Jerky

Hakol “Kol” Yaakov

· Cola

· Cola flavor candies

· Cola Ice Pops

Yitzchak blesses Yaakov wit Dew and Fat of the land and will be superior to his brother

· Mountain dew

· Mist spray candies

· Ice Cream – fat of the land

· Chocolate Supreme Tofutti (He will be supreme over his brother)

Esav bitterly cries when he realizes Yaakov “stole” his Bracha

· Cry baby gum

· Crush Soda (He feels crushed)

Yitzchak blesses Esav with living in lands that have fat and dew – Medrash says it was the land of Italy

· Italian ices

We would love to hear your additional ideas in the comments below!

Feel free to share pictures of dessert ideas as well.

And of course tell us your favorite noshes from this weeks Parsha party!

Have a wonderful Shabbos!

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