Parshas Toldos

In this week's parsha, the Torah tells us how Eisav returned from thefield, hungry and thirsty, while Yaakov was cooking lentils for theirfather. Wanting something to eat, Eisav demanded that Yaakov feed himthe lentils. He didn't even bother calling the dish by its proper name, though; rather, he asked to be fed "the red substance".

A father once brought his young son to visit Rav Shach, zichrono levracha. Rav Shach took out two lollipops - a red one and a green one - and offered them to the child, asking him to choose one. Rav Shach's gabbai interjected, "Isn't Rebbe encouraging Middas Eisav in the child? After all, Eisav is is the one who chose 'the red one!'" Rav Shach replied that choosing a red lollipop is not Middas Eisav; it is ordinary behavior for a child. In fact, it is expected of a child. The problem only begins if this behavior is exhibited by an adult - then it is Middas Eisav.

Although as a child, a person is expected to appreciate only the outer appearance of something, as he gets older he is expected to place more emphasis on its intrinsic value. Going for the superficial, outer appearance is the hallmark of Eisav. Eisav was only interested in externality. He even went so far as to refer to his food as "the red substance". He didn't care what it actually was; the important thing to him was how it looked on the outside.

Everything in our lives has a superficial value, as well as an intrinsic value. When we are children, it is natural for a person to judge things by their external appearance. The brighter, redder, more flashy something is, the more a child is attracted to it. As we get older, however, we must adopt a more mature perspective. We must realize that our accomplishments in life should not be measured by how people perceive them from the outside; rather it is their inherent value that renders them truly worthy.