Sell for lentil stew the meaning of a phraseological unit. The history and meaning of the oldest cultivated cereal: recipes for lentil stew, mentioned in the Bible
So: The children grew up, and Esau became a man skilled in hunting, a man of the fields; but Jacob a meek man living in tents (Gen. 25, 27).
But the word which we have here translated as gentle , can also be understood as “whole”, that is, in his life he will fulfill the divine destiny.
Isaac loved Esau … (Gen. 25, 28).
Here it is not clear! It would seem that Isaac - himself a prophet of God, the patriarch of God's people - should love Jacob, who is engaged in the study of the Law of God. But he loves more than Esau. And it even explains why: Isaac loved Esau because his game was to his taste, but Rebekah loved Jacob (Gen. 25, 28).
If we take this text literally, in this reading, and leave it in this understanding, then the personality of Isaac fades! He loves Esau because of some gastronomic preferences, because he cooks meat well! And in this case, the words apply to him: Do not accept gifts, for gifts make blind those who see and turn the cause of the righteous(Ex. 23:8).
Ideally, parents should treat their children equally well, neither singling out nor neglecting anyone.
But in fact, everything is more complicated. Let's remember: Noah knows which animals are clean and which are unclean! Knows? Knows! And Abel knows how to offer sacrifice from the firstborn of their flock and from their fat(Gen. 4, 4), as the Law says in the Book of Leviticus: And he will bring from the peace offering to the Lord the fat that covers the insides, and all the fat that is on the insides(Lev. 3, 3).
And it is natural that they passed on these details - what is called Sacred Tradition - from mouth to mouth. For fifteen years, both Jacob and Esau watched Abraham do all this, he taught them, perhaps from the age of five, until the age of fifteen. Ten! Imagine having such a school director - Patriarch Abraham.
The prophets, apparently, also had so-called "houses of the sons of the prophets", prophetic schools where youths studied from the age of five. The students of the "schools of the prophets" were called "sons of the prophets." These are, apparently, the disciples whom the prophet Isaiah also mentions (cf. Isaiah 8:16; 54:13). In biblical times, there were already various rules for training and education based on practical experience. The youth were to be taught according to their age (Prov. 22:6).
So these words: Isaac loved Esau because his game was to his taste - you can understand this way, this is how you can expand this text: "Isaac loved Esau, because he cooked food according to the laws of God that were established," - because it is impossible to imagine that Patriarch Isaac (at a time when people already knew which food is pure and which is not) ate something unlawful.
Here is an example. Remember, after the Flood, God commanded not to eat food with blood? Do not eat meat that is cut off from an animal while the animal is still alive. And naturally, if Noah knows which animals are clean and which are unclean, although they did not yet have the Pentateuch of Moses - before that, for a long, long, long time, - but they knew all this. Therefore, Isaac could love Esau because he understood very well what kind of food is fast and what is not, how you can cook on fast days, and how you can cook something on a holiday, and the rules for slaughtering livestock and game. He especially understood about the game, which is clean, which is unclean. For the people of the Old Testament, this was of great importance: to know what kind of food can be offered as a sacrifice to God, and what kind cannot. And then we can understand Isaac - why he treasured his son Esau. Jacob studies the laws with his grandfather, with Abraham, Esau - in practice, drains and expresses blood, does everything as it should be.
And Rebekah loved Jacob. Why? The fact is that in the East, cooking meat is a man's business. And, of course, Rebekah was never allowed to do that. And why did she communicate more often with Jacob? So after all, he often sat in a tent, studied with his grandfather Abraham while he was alive, and then Isaac was obliged to teach him.
Rebekah could also love those activities of her grandfather and grandson, son and father, since women were not supposed to be directly trained.
And we read:
And Jacob cooked food; but Esau came from the field weary. And Esau said to Jacob, Give me red to eat, this red, for I am weary. From this was given him a nickname: Edom (Gen. 25:29-30).
Blessed Jerome of Stridon interpreted the words of Esau in this way: “Red”, or “red”, in Hebrew it will be edom (אדם). Thus, due to the fact that Esau sold his birthright for red food, he received the name Edom, that is, “red” ” . But! Perhaps the situation was much more complicated ...
St. Philaret (Drozdov) wrote in his Commentary on the Book of Genesis: Feed me red, red this. Esau does not call the food by its proper name because, perhaps, he did not know what it was made of... The repetition in his speech expresses haste and greed. Edom. - That is red. - That is, pretending in the eyes of his father to be a person attentive to the issues of “permitted” and “unlawful”, he himself did not attach serious importance to these issues. So, hypocritically, he penetrated into the heart of his own father Isaac!
He loves red, the sight of blood excites this man. He came from the field, he didn't catch anything that day, and Jacob made red lentils, stew!
And Esau said to Jacob, Give me red to eat, this red , - he wants it! We, too, in pursuit of a happy life in Russia at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century, were carried away by the ideas of socialism, we also wanted this: red, red . They ran with red flags, they ran with banners - for what? For a happy life! “We will live in palaces! - said the revolutionaries. - Everyone will be fed, shod, dressed! And this Esau, this spiritual descendant of Nimrod, red, red wants! His followers, too, are willing to give up the birthright, the privileges of faith, for lentil stew.
Esau shows that the good of animal life is dearer to him than the happiness of living in God
And this philosophy of Edom - it lives in our time! In the prophetic texts, the name "Edom" means a lot - it is no longer associated only with the historical Esau. “Edom” is a symbol of readiness to renounce eternal blessings because of earthly pleasures. Esau-Edom shows with his hairy covering that the good of animal and bestial life is dearer to him than the advantages of blissful happiness of living in God and with God. He wants to get everything now and now ...
But Jacob said to [Esau], Sell me now your birthright. (Gen. 25, 31).
Is Jacob being cunning? NO! Jacob understands that such a person, with such low spiritual qualities, cannot be the leader of such a glorious family! He cannot be the patriarch of God's people - his priorities are completely different. Until then, Jacob had never disputed his birthright, but now that he had considered his brother, he said:
- Sell me the birthright now , Now! Before I would not have asked you for this, but now I see, now I understand. - Blessed Augustine writes: “Before it came to the blessing, Esau was already tempted by the lentils prepared by Jacob... and sold his birthright to his younger brother. He left with temporary satisfaction - the other brother left with permanent honor. Hence those in the Church who are slaves to temporal pleasures and satisfactions and eat lentils—which Jacob no doubt prepared, but Jacob did not eat. Idols flourished in Egypt more than anywhere else; lentils are the food of Egypt; therefore, lentils signify all the delusions of non-Jews... Now add the following. There is a Christian people. But among the people themselves, only those who are of the line of Jacob have the birthright. Those who live according to the flesh, believe according to the flesh, hope according to the flesh, still belong to the Old Testament, but not yet to the New. They still share Esau's lot, but not Jacob's blessing."
What started the October Revolution? There were bread riots! People shouted:
There is nothing! Why do we need this king? We will follow anyone! - This is the philosophy of Esau and "Red" Edom! Esau said: Behold, I am dying, what is this birthright to me?
Jacob said to [him], Swear to me now. He swore to him, and sold [Esau] his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and lentils; and he ate and drank, and got up and went; and Esau neglected the birthright (Gen. 25:33-34).
That is what is of interest to many people! Eat, be merry and drink. And this is a serious problem... And the Lord, the Lord of hosts, calls you on this day to weep and mourn, and cut your hair and gird yourself with sackcloth. But now, fun and joy! They kill oxen and slaughter sheep; they eat meat and drink wine: “let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die!” And the Lord of Hosts opened in my ears: This wickedness will not be forgiven you until you die, said the Lord, the Lord of hosts.(Isaiah 22:12-14).
There was a famine in the land, beyond the famine that was in the days of Abraham; And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar. The Lord appeared to him and said: do not go into Egypt; live in the land that I will tell you about, wander in this land, and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands and I will fulfill the [My] oath that I swore to Abraham your father; I will multiply your offspring like the stars of heaven, and I will give to your offspring all these lands; all the nations of the earth will be blessed in your seed (Gen. 26:1-4).
It would seem that the same promises that were given to Abraham are repeated here. Yes. But precisely in connection with the fact that Isaac did not go to Egypt, although it is said about this famine: There was a famine in the land, on top of the famine that was in the days of Abraham , - Why does Moses recall the days of Abraham? Abraham went down to Egypt because of a life of hunger, and this was followed by God's punishment: And the Lord said to Abram: Know that your descendants will be strangers in a land not their own, and will subjugate them and oppress them for four hundred years.(Gen. 15, 13). He, Abraham, went to Egypt for bread - and the Jews will move to Egypt because of the bread.
Believers become truly free when they are ruled by people of the same faith.
But where did 400 years come from? They were in slavery, if you carefully calculate everything, they turned out to be 210 years old, we have already talked about this - I will remind you for those who have not heard. Precisely because Isaac did not follow the path of his father, who descended into Egypt, but imitated his father in the best, and not in the worst, God reduced the time their descendants spent in slavery by almost half: instead of 400 years, they received 210. But in reality they were in enslavement even less than 210 years, for this number means All during their stay in Egypt, and they were enslaved only when Joseph and all those who came with him to Egypt died. And Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all their kind; but the sons of Israel were fruitful and multiplied, and increased and became exceedingly strong, and the land was filled with them. And a new king arose in Egypt, who did not know Joseph ... And they put over him the chiefs of work, so that they exhausted him with hard work. And he built for Pharaoh Pithom and Ramesses, cities for stores, [and He, otherwise Heliopolis](Ex. 1, 6-8, 11). But why did we read: know that your descendants will be aliens in a land not their own, and will enslave them and oppress them for four hundred years(Gen. 15, 13)? The answer is obvious: to live under the rule of the Canaanites and Egyptians means, as it were, to be in captivity of the pagans (godless). And although inwardly they - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - were free, surrounded by pagan temples, they felt themselves under the yoke of the devil and his servants. Believers become truly free when they are ruled by people of the same faith with them, and until we are freed by God from the power of atheists and non-believers, we must be aware of ourselves being in the occupied territory.
In verse 4, the following points out: I will multiply your offspring … Offspring are many! I will multiply your offspring , - again offspring: many, - like the stars of heaven, and I will give to your offspring all these lands; all the nations of the earth will be blessed in your seed . It is not said: “in your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed”, but - in your seed ! As it is said about ONE, in the singular. This is about Christ! And the apostles paid attention to this text, noting that when it is said about offspring, it is about many, and when it is said that in your seed all the peoples of the earth will receive a blessing, it is about Jesus Christ, Who commanded the apostles: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit(Matthew 28:19). And only in Christ and with Christ has the blessing come to many.
The apostle Paul wrote in his Epistle to the Galatians: But the promises were made to Abraham and to his seed. It is not said: And to descendants, as if about many, but as about one: And to your seed, which is Christ.(Gal. 3:16). - And Blessed Theodoret of Cyrus teaches: “And the Old Testament Scripture calls the promise that was to Abraham the covenant of God. Therefore, it is impossible that there should be any addition or violation in it due to the statute that was after a long time. But the God of all promised to bless the nations with the seed of Abraham; and this Seed is the Lord Christ Himself. For by him this promise has been fulfilled, and the nations have received the blessing. All the rest, even those who have reached the highest virtue, Moses, Samuel, Elijah, in a word, all those descended from Israel by nature, although they are called the seed of Abraham, they are not the Seed that brought a source of blessing to the nations. For this is what the divine Apostle says: He does not say, “And by seed, as of many, but as of one: and to thy Seed, who is Christ.”. Therefore, not because they also descend from Abraham, are called the seed of Abraham, but because Christ in the proper sense has this name, as the only one who, according to the promise, would give blessing to the peoples. God said: bless thy seed in all the tongues of the earth(Gen. 22:18). But the nations have not received this blessing from anyone else. Wherefore the divine Apostle proves that the promise is stronger than the law.”
The Lord goes on to say why He blesses Isaac: Because Abraham [your father] obeyed My voice and kept what I commanded to keep: My precepts, My statutes, and My laws (Gen. 26:5). You will not be able to find in the Book of Genesis when the Lord would have taught Abraham what commands, statutes, laws with all gradations and subtleties are. But God was Abraham's true Instructor. In the Holy Spirit, Abraham knew the Law of God, so what we call Sacred Tradition is the presence of the Holy Spirit among the people of God. After all, the Holy Spirit is the One Who teaches and guides us into all truth! It is said: But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of everything that I have told you” (John 14:26). So, Isaac settled in Gerar(Gen. 26:6). He (Isaac) does not go to Egypt, he settled in Gerar, but Abraham was once here too. Abraham begged, begged God for this place. Abraham also had problems with Sarah here.
The inhabitants of that place asked about [Rebekah] his wife, and he said: This is my sister , - here he imitates his father! - because he was afraid to say: My wife, lest they kill me, he thought, the inhabitants of this place are for Rebekah, because she is beautiful in appearance. (Gen. 26:7).
And he lived there for a long time, among these Canaanites - just like you and I since childhood, we live among people of different political and religious formations ...
But when he had already lived there for a long time, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looking out the window, saw that Isaac was playing with Rebekah, his wife (Gen. 26:8).
These third-party people who surround us, they always strive to find some compromising evidence on us. "Look out the window" in the language of the Bible means the same as in Russian - "look through the keyhole." Remember when the prophet Daniel prayed, he opened the windows to Jerusalem? And there was a ban: it was impossible for anyone to pray, except for an idol. And he prays for this city, and there such physiognomies of spies protrude, who were spying on him! They heard and saw, probably, how he prays, they probably wrote down on clay tablets: aha, he is not praying for an idol, that's all ... now we will send a scammer ... (cf. Dan. 6, 10-13).
Believe me, brothers and sisters: there are always ill-wishers among us believers! Angry people will say about us that we are irritable. Fornicating people will say about us that we are adulterers. People who are dishonest will talk about us that we steal ... And all these rumors that can go around any of us do not really indicate our condition! They testify to the immoral environment in which we are forced to live among today's Canaanites.
What means: plays ? This is the Hebrew word "metzahek" (מְצַחֵק), in this case meaning affection between husband and wife.
But here, in his understanding, Abimelech saw that he (Isaac) was taking liberties. And he realized that it was his wife.
And Abimelech called Isaac and said, Behold, this is your wife; how did you say: she is my sister? Isaac said to him: because I thought I would not die for her sake. But Abimelech said to [him], What have you done to us? As soon as one of [my] people had not copulated with your wife, and you would have led us into sin. And Abimelech gave a command to all the people, saying: whoever touches this man and his wife, he will be put to death (Gen. 26:9-11).
It was a very complex world that those people lived in, it was not an easy environment. But about the last times, about the very last times, we find the following words in the prophet Daniel: and a time of trouble will come, such as has not happened since the existence of people, until now; but at that time all of your people will be saved who are found written in the book(Dan. 12:1). That is, the most difficult times are ahead! The most difficult test is when you have to save your wives, show some kind of cunning so that they are not attacked.
Although the fear of committing sin was present there, in contrast to the modern world.
And now, on the streets of our cities, aliens openly encroach on our girls. They allow themselves "metsakhek" - to play with them, flirt, talk indecently with them! And people don't know what to do anymore. How can they keep their children safe?
The book of Genesis is a school for the survival of a believing family in a godless world
Therefore, all these lessons have practical meaning for us. Genesis 12 to 50 is a school for the survival of a believing family in a godless world!
And Isaac sowed in that land, and in that year he received a hundredfold barley: thus the Lord blessed him. And this man became great, and was exalted more and more until he became very great. He had herds of flocks and herds of cattle and many arable fields, and the Philistines became jealous of him (Gen. 26:12-14).
The Lord will always take care of His believers to the end, the Lord will always help us! And we sometimes wonder: how do we manage to survive in such difficult conditions? But this God's help cannot be too open, because the envy of those around us would then destroy us. Therefore, the Lord, if I may say so, helps us in doses. He provides the essentials that we really need. As the Apostle Paul says in Timothy: If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts, which plunge people into disaster and destruction.(1 Tim. 6:8-9).
And here is the envy on the part of the Canaanites. Isaac became a great man, and the Philistines became jealous of him.
And all the wells that his father's servants dug during the life of his father Abraham, the Philistines filled up and covered with earth (Genesis 26:15).
All wells filled up and covered with earth! But! In that area, the well is the source of life. And in the biblical sense, a well is a symbol of the pure water of the word of God! Because river water is not clean, it is flowing, it carries river sand and garbage. By the way, the river allegorically means heresies. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where a place had been prepared for her by God, to be fed there a thousand two hundred and sixty days.<…>When the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he began to pursue the woman ... And two wings of a great eagle were given to the woman, so that she would fly into the wilderness to her place from the face of the serpent and eat there for a time, times and half a time. And the serpent sent water out of its mouth after the woman like a river, in order to carry her away with the river(Rev. 12:6; 13-15). Why did he let the river go? And this is heresy, delusion. That is, not only will the Church be persecuted in the last times, but the evil one will also release false water, as if letting it out of his mouth! A well is clean water. And the deeper the well is dug, the purer the water. And wells filled with clean water.
There was a period in our history when the temples were destroyed. And now many temples are destroyed, unrestored. As if the wells of grace are clogged with dirt, rubble, stone, sand ... and more - our indifference, inattention and cowardice.
And when Isaac is faced with this problem, his main life goal will be to dig up his father's wells. When we, Orthodox people of the 21st century, are asked: “What goal do you set for yourself?” - we must know that our goal is to clear the wells of the crystal water of the Orthodox dogma. Remove from them all the dirt, all this rubble, so that the teaching of the holy fathers would prevail! So that the word of God, pure, without admixtures, would be accessible to understanding.
And the Philistines? They filled up and covered everything with earth! Isaac moves away from there, he is located in tents in the valley of Gerar, that is, away from Gerar itself:
And Isaac departed from there, and pitched his tents in the valley of Gerar, and settled there. And again Isaac dug the wells of water, which had been dug in the days of Abraham his father, and which the Philistines filled up after the death of Abraham [his father]; and called them by the same names that [Abraham,] his father called them (Gen. 26:17-18).
We must return the names of our temples! We must return the names of our villages, our cities, streets, if they have been renamed. And Isaac was such a man. He dug wells, which the pagans filled with mud, because these were the wells of his father. And our nation will not be reborn until we clear all the shrines of the Russian land from rubble and garbage that these contemporary Philistine demons have thrown there ...
Isaac understands that it is necessary to revive the tradition of his father. We must strive to revive the tradition of the fathers. Love for the word of God must fill our hearts, we must deepen the knowledge of the word of God! And the deeper the well, the more effort, the cleaner the water will be.
(Gen. 26:19).
So, Isaac restored all the wells that his father, the patriarch Abraham, had built, and found his own well of living water!
And it is obvious that the experience of Abraham's communion with God is completely independent and unique in its own way. And Isaac does everything to preserve this experience, to preserve it. But also multiply. God is not only the God of Abraham, He is the God of Isaac too! That is, Isaac has his own experience of communion with God. And it is unique, just as the experience of communion with God is unique for every person in his generation.
And this spring, the well of living water, which Isaac's servants dug, is evidence that life goes on. That the struggle between magicism and monotheism, paganism and monotheism is going on.
And the shepherds of Gerar argued with the shepherds of Isaac, saying, Our water (Gen. 26, 20).
And they do not need water - they had enough of it in the cities. They argue, it would seem, about nothing: "Our water!" And why then did the wells of Abraham fall asleep? They want to take possession of this well of clean water. How now the world wants to control everything, including the Church and its property! They strive to keep everything at their fingertips so that at the right moment they can throw rubble and dirt into the pure sources of our confession.
And the shepherds of Gerar argued with the shepherds of Isaac, saying, Our water. And he called the name of the well: Esek, because they argued with him. [When Isaac moved from there,] they dug another well; they also argued about him; and he called his name: Sitna. And he moved from here and dug another well, which was no longer disputed, and called his name: Rehoboth, for, he said, now the Lord has given us a spacious place, and we will multiply on the earth (Gen. 26:20-22).
The word "Esek" means "dispute", "discord".
The word "Sitna" means "obstacle".
The word "Rehoboth" means "a spacious place", "a free place".
That is, when we stop disputes (Esek) and quarrels with outsiders, we will remove the obstacles (Sitna) that stand in our way, and we will gain freedom (Rehoboth) from their power (heathens and atheists) over us. It is said: Let [not] your springs spill over the street, streams of water - over the squares(Prov. 5, 16); and further: Do not give holy things to dogs, and do not cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample it under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces.(Matthew 7:6). We must not argue and argue with them, but ignore their claims to dominance and control. But if we submit to the power of the wicked, who demand that we submit to their ungodly laws, then we will certainly suffer. There is a time when a man dominates a man to his detriment(Eccl. 8, 9); Adulterers and adulterers! Don't you know that friendship with the world is enmity against God! So whoever wants to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy to God(James 4:4).
But back to our story...
What else can these wells mean? These are strategic locations for missionary work! You won't find better places in the East. What is a well? This is a place where all kinds of people gather. And the person who controls the well can organize any conversations and holidays at this well. People didn't read newspapers, there were no magazines, there was no television, there wasn't even the Internet. There were wells - at the well they learned everything! And whoever controls the wells controls the situation.
Thus, all information flows were in the hands of Patriarch Isaac. He fought not only for water: but how much water does a person need? Well, three liters a day, even less can do. He wanted to control the flow of human thought, the exchange of information - he is God's prophet! And these were the centers of missionary service in the name of the ideals of monotheism against paganism. And the demons fight with the hearths where the word of God spreads, they resist it. But Isaac continues his work, restores his father's wells and finds new ones.
And, believe me, the more we delve into the knowledge of God and His Word, the purer the water will be, the more joyful will be the personal experience of communion with God; but with the greater hatred the devil will rise up against us through his minions. The examples of the patriarchs are examples of uncompromising life and struggle, these are examples of the life of people for whom the will of God, His, God, decrees, charters, laws were above all! We see how they are similar to each other, how they succeed one another - the Book of Genesis shows how one generation of older believers can influence the next, younger generation.
You and I established that when Abraham died, Jacob and Esau were 15 years old. So he taught them. Then the next generation will come. The time will come when Jacob will lead his entire congregation. And the day will come when at the well of Jacob the Samaritan woman will converse with Abraham's descendant according to the flesh, our Lord Jesus Christ (John 4:6-7).
And it is very significant that Isaac discovers a source of pure water, living water (Gen. 26, 19), gushing out of the ground, when he dug out all the wells of his father, covered with pagans.
The revival of Russia will happen when we restore all the churches
This is a very serious hint for us: the revival of Russia will occur when we restore all the churches. And if we really restore all the temples, this will change the situation. Speaking of temples, I mean not only the places where our ancestors prayed, but, first of all, it is necessary to restore faith in the format that our ancestors believed.
The restoration of the temple does not mean only the restoration of the walls: it is necessary to restore the ancient piety that was in Holy Rus'. And then we can wait for new blessings from God. Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will punish him: for the temple of God is holy; and this temple is you(1 Cor. 3:16-17).
And when Isaac restored all the wells of his father, cleansed them of dirt, of what the pagans had thrown there, only then did he discover a source of living water. Therefore, when we seek revival for our land, we must understand that it occurs when we renew the faith of our fathers. How did Isaac, restoring the wells of his father - the patriarch Abraham. Blessed Jerome, interpreting verse 19 of the 26th chapter of the Book of Genesis: And the servants of Isaac dug in the valley [of Gerar] and found there a well of living water, writes: “And here instead of “valley” it is written “stream”. Because in the valley you can never find a well with living water. That is, we are talking about a source, a stream that becomes a channel and fills the entire valley, turning it into a stream. Similarly, the spiritual life begins with the restoration of what little has been lost, and with a careful attitude towards spiritual life, it turns into a swift stream. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, rivers of living water will flow from the womb(John 7:38).
From there he went to Bathsheba. And that night the Lord appeared to him and said: I am the God of Abraham your father; do not be afraid, for I am with you; and I will bless you and multiply your offspring, for the sake of [your father] Abraham my servant (Gen. 26:23-24).
We must pay special attention to these words. God comes to Isaac and says: I am the God of Abraham . Several centuries will pass, and God will appear to Moses and say: … But now He calls Himself I am the God of Abraham . This is very important when children profess the faith of their fathers. God, being self-sufficient, is not ashamed to call Himself the God of certain people. I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob(Ex. 3, 6),” He will say to Moses. Because God reveals Himself in the faith of these amazing people. The faith of the saints tells us the right direction to God. As the Song of Songs says:
- Tell me, you whom my soul loves: where do you feed?
- If you do not know this, most beautiful of women, then follow in the footsteps of the sheep and feed your kids near the shepherd's tents. (Song 1, 6-7).
And the Church finds her Bridegroom by imitating the saints. That is, when we imitate the saints, follow in their footsteps, we come to the Heavenly Bridegroom Jesus Christ. It is said: Brothers, imitate me and look at those who walk in the image that you have in us.(Phil. 3, 17); and further: Remember your leaders who preached to you the word of God, and, looking at the end of their lives, imitate their faith(Heb. 13:7). That is, following in the footsteps of the sheep, which always follow the Shepherd, we come closer to Himself. For example, the apostle Paul once exclaimed: Therefore, I beseech you: imitate me, as I imitate Christ(1 Cor. 4:16).
These words: I am the God of Abraham your father; do not be afraid, for I am with you , spoken to Isaac, are reminiscent of those that both Abraham and Moses once heard later.
And for Isaac it was very important to hear these words, because he entered into a confrontation with the pagans, he restored the wells that were filled with them. It was probably not easy, there must have been resistance, but he, overcoming all difficulties, fulfills his duty to his dead father and restores all the wells.
It is very important here that the Lord does something for the sake of His servants. This means that our prayers to the saints have a biblical basis, it is very important to realize this.
(Gen. 26, 25).
That is, when the wells of the father are restored, it is already possible to build something new here, but, as it were, on the old foundation, on the faith of Abraham.
If we tried to evaluate the life of these people from the point of view of the modern world, then their life was in constant motion, it was a very difficult life. The Apostle Paul writes: By faith, Abraham obeyed the call to go to the country that he had to receive as an inheritance, and he went, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the promised land as in a foreign land, and dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, joint heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for a city that has foundations, whose maker and builder is God. By faith, Sarah herself (being barren) received strength to receive the seed, and she gave birth not according to the time of her age, for she knew that He who promised was faithful. And therefore, from one, and, moreover, dead, so many were born, as many stars are in the sky and as countless is the sand on the seashore. All these died in faith, having not received the promises, but only saw them from afar, and rejoiced, and said of themselves that they were strangers and strangers on earth; for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a fatherland. And if they had in their thoughts the fatherland from which they came out, they would have had time to return; but they aspired to the best, that is, to the heavenly; therefore God is not ashamed of them, calling himself their God: for he has prepared a city for them(Heb. 11:8-16).
And he built an altar there , - we read about Isaac, - and called on the name of the Lord . What does it mean to "call on the name of the Lord"? The fact is that in ancient times there was a special reverence for the name of God. When the four-letter name "LORD" was pronounced in the Temple in Jerusalem - this was done only once a year - all the people fell on their faces. And only the high priest could pronounce the name of God: this was the case in the Old Testament church. And calling on the name of God means submitting the area to God. Isaac built an altar to God and called on the name of God. The very name that we bless and sanctify: "Hallowed be Thy name" - and which for us Christians is revealed in the name JESUS (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ), for the name Jesus comes directly from the four-letter name of God, and in it we see the first three letters - י yot, ה het and ו vav. And the apostles directly taught about the name of the Son of God: He is the stone that is neglected by you builders, but has become the head of the corner, and there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.(Acts 4:11-12).
So Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord. And he built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord. And he pitched his tent there, and there Isaac's servants dug a well, [in the valley of Gerar] (Gen. 26, 25). That is, not only an altar, but an outstretched tent and a dug well - this is a place where you can live. The spread tent allegorically denotes the presence of Divine grace, Divine radiance over this place, God's special protection. The tent also means the place of teaching and joint prayer of the children of God.
And someone has limited and is limiting his interests with a bowl of lentil stew ...
The price of lentil soup
For twenty long years, the happy spouses, Isaac and Rebekah, waited for the birth of their son, until, finally, two twins were born, who received the names Esau and Jacob. The birth of the first-born, and even the long-awaited one, is always a great happiness, and the birth of two sons at once is doubly happiness: double support for parents in old age, support for each other in the future. But was that the case in this family? Did love and mutual understanding reign among the four members of this small family, were the brothers friendly with each other and their parents were happy?
The Holy Scripture tells us that even before the birth of her sons, the expectant mother felt something was wrong: “The sons in her womb began to beat, and she said: if this is so, then why do I need this? And she went to ask the Lord. The Lord said to her: two tribes are in your womb, and two peoples will come from your womb; one nation will become stronger than the other, and the larger will serve the smaller.”(Gen. 25:22-23). The firstborn (firstborn son) was Esau.
From birth, there was no understanding and mutual affection between the brothers, and they were different people both in character, in occupation, and in their assessment of life priorities. Parents, by their attitude towards their sons, also did not contribute to the development of mutual affection between brothers: "Isaac loved Esau...and Rebekah loved Jacob"(Gen. 25:28). And then one day an event happened, at first glance unremarkable: Esau, tired and hungry, returned from the field in the evening, and saw that Jacob had cooked lentil stew: “And Esau said unto Jacob, Give me red to eat, this red; because I'm tired..."(Gen. 25:30). The most common request, right? But its consequences were far from ordinary, and moreover, tragic. Jacob, in response to his brother's request, promised to feed him, but on one condition: in exchange for the birthright.
“Esau said, Behold, I am dying; what is this birthright to me? Jacob said: Swear to me now. He swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and lentils… and Esau despised the birthright.”(Gen. 25:32-34).
Today, it is difficult for many to understand the difference between an older and a younger brother, as well as how seniority can be sold or bought. What did this concept include in ancient Israel? Birthright was of great importance and benefits:
1. the right to a double part of the inheritance.
2. the title of a priest in his family, which means a special closeness to God and God's special blessings.
3. The Messiah promised to Adam, that is, the Savior Jesus Christ, was to come from his family.
And these are the benefits Esau easily sacrifices for a bowl of stew. A momentary feeling of hunger overcame everything in this man!
At first, the thought arises that, perhaps, he was not a particularly smart person? But the subsequent acquaintance with his later life tells us about Esau as a smart and very pragmatic person. What is the point then?
And the whole problem was that Esau looked carnally at the birthright, from the position of momentary gain. Let's try to look at the problem through the eyes of Esau: people in those days lived for a long time, more than a hundred years, and therefore his father Isaac could live another 80-90 years, and until then the birthright would have remained unclaimed, and the lentil stew was in front of the hungry Esau right now . In addition, he probably did not attach much importance to his promise: at the right time, which will not come very soon, everything can be changed.
However, when such a moment came, nothing could be changed: Jacob, as the firstborn son, received the blessings of his father, with all the rights and advantages of the head of the clan. But received by deception: “When Isaac grew old, and the sight of his eyes became dull, he called his eldest son Esau and said to him: ... behold, I am old ... go into the field, and catch me game, and prepare me food, which I love ... so that my soul will bless you before I die"(Gen. 27:1-4). Rebekah heard this conversation, and, wanting her father's blessing to go to her beloved son Jacob, went to the trick: “… she said… to Jacob… go to the flock and take two kids for me… I will prepare food from them for your father, which he loves; And you will bring to your father…”(Gen. 27:5-10). Jacob liked the plan very much, but he was embarrassed by one circumstance: if his father takes him by the hands, he will immediately guess about the deception: "... my brother, a shaggy man, and I am a smooth man ..."(Gen. 27:11-12). But this obstacle was also removed: Jacob was dressed in the clothes of Esau, and his mother overlaid the skins of goats on his hands and neck.
As a result of all this, Jacob received the blessing intended by his father for his brother, thus "legitimizing" the acquired birthright. “And Esau hated Jacob… and said… the days of mourning for my father are drawing near… and I will kill Jacob my brother.”(Gen. 27:41).
What an interesting chain of events! What amazing personalities, the sons of Isaac!
Esau at first neglects his birthright and without hesitation gives it to his brother for a bowl of stew, then he tries to correct his oversight, hoping to receive his father's blessing, but when he is convinced that he cannot return what he has done, he decides to kill his brother.
Thus, the initial neglect of spiritual values leads to envy, hatred, open enmity and the desire to kill. But the matter will not be limited to the framework of one family, as we will see later, this led to moral and spiritual degradation, and then the death of an entire people, whose ancestor was Esau, as well as to hatred and war between two fraternal peoples (historical and prophetic study of this chain events will be discussed in detail in the chapter "Eagle's Nest").
Now let's trace the features of the character of Jacob, who highly valued all the advantages of the birthright, and, above all, spiritual ones. Rebekah must have told her beloved son about God's promise that "the greater will serve the lesser," but Jacob was not willing to wait patiently for God to fulfill this. He decided to act on his own and by far not the best methods: knowing the impatient character of Esau, he took advantage of his brother’s fatigue and hunger and bought his birthright in exchange for stew, and then “took possession” of his father’s blessing by cunning.
And today among people there are a lot of Esaus, who in their daily lives often make a choice in favor of momentary attraction, sacrificing eternal spiritual and moral values. This choice may concern watching indecent films, magazines, gambling, visiting discos, nightclubs, drinking alcohol, drugs.
At the same time, many today, like Esau, it seems that nothing bad can happen from this, only try once, see only once, go only once, listen only once ... But often only one single time decides the entire future fate of a person. and his loved ones. If today everyone who faces this or that choice, in front of this or that road, gave himself a little trouble to think whether this choice would not be the first step into a bottomless pool, into a fast whirlpool from which there will be no way out, how many happy people would be today , prosperous families. Having taken only one step in the wrong direction, a person falls into the kingdom and power of Satan, from which one can get out only with God's help, and then if the person understands where he is and wishes to turn to God for help. This choice can concern both entertainment and business matters: speculation, document fraud, taking bribes, illegal buying and selling, violations of state laws, etc. All this is unfortunately very widespread today.
You remember we talked about how Esau was motivated to get immediate benefits, seemingly without killing or robbing anyone. So today, people, wanting to get an immediate benefit, also do not rob or kill anyone, and they are proud of their intelligence and pragmatism. But this benefit is so often elusive. All this is confirmed by everyday life.
It must be remembered that each of our actions, and often even a word, has its own consequences, close or distant, constructive or destructive. Take for example the most standard situation, the career of a novice businessman. A young man who wants to create his own business and have a quick result goes first to one, at first glance, an insignificant offense, then to another. Having accumulated some capital, there is a desire to increase it by investing in a profitable deal, and so on ad infinitum - there is no limit to desires, you want more and more, but at the same time, someone will certainly have more money, and a better apartment or house, and a more luxurious car, a younger and more beautiful wife, etc. All this leads to envy, hatred, revenge, and finally, to crimes.
So, the example of Esau teaches us to avoid rash actions, to be very attentive to the choice that each of us makes almost daily. In addition, we should be very responsible for our words and promises.
In the example of Esau, we can also see the bottomless abyss where a person is drawn by his envy.
It was envy that became the cause of many years of hatred and enmity between the older brother and the younger, which almost ended in murder.
Studying the book of Genesis, we are again and again convinced that the Bible is an excellent adviser on all life's problems and issues. In particular, the patriarchs give me and you advice on how we can learn to avoid envy:
One should not envy those who have acquired wealth and fame by unrighteous means, since all this will not only not bring a person happiness, peace and tranquility in this life, as evidenced by polls of American and European millionaires, but will also be the cause of their eternal death.
You should always remember that there are always people around you who are much worse than you. Even if you only have one pair of shoes, remember that there are those who don't.
To whom much is given, much will be required.
For many people (you may be one of them), wealth and honors can be a stumbling block that blocks the path to eternity. Perhaps that is why you are deprived of them.
Remember that there is no limit to human desires, and there will always be someone luckier and happier than you. So appreciate what you have and don't torture yourself with what you can't have.
And in conclusion, let's say a few words about Jacob and people like him.
Unfortunately, today there are few Jacobs, that is, people for whom spiritual values are the most important thing in life, those who strive to possess them at all costs.
These include the desire to know the truth, the thirst for knowledge of God and His ways, His commandments, the desire to be like Christ and bring your life in line with His will.
And the life of Jacob teaches us that God will certainly bless this desire and this desire in a person, and under no circumstances will he leave you.
Of the crafty deceivers that Jacob was at the beginning of his life, we will certainly become winners like him, if only we entrust our lives and our problems into the hands of the One who will never deceive, never fail, and will give us happiness in this life and eternal life in the future.
P.S:
The trampling of spiritual values leads to unforeseen consequences for us and those around us.
Oparin A.A. History Keys.
Archaeological study of the book of Genesis
Birthright
Wikipedia illustration: Hendrik Terbruggen. Esau sells his birthright for lentil stew. 1627
The oldest anecdote is the sale of birthright for lentil stew
Rami YUDOVIN
The Torah tells how Jacob bought the birthright of his elder brother Esau (Esau) for lentil stew.
“And Jacob cooked a meal; but Esau came from the field weary.The birthright in the ancient East was given to the eldest (first) son of the main wife.And Esau said to Jacob, Give me red to eat, this red, for I am weary. From this was given him a nickname: Edom.
But Jacob said to [Esau], Sell me now your birthright.
Esau said, Behold, I am dying, what is this birthright to me?
Jacob said to [him], Swear to me now. He swore to him, and sold [Esau] his birthright to Jacob.
And Jacob gave Esau bread and lentils; and he ate and drank, and got up and went; And Esau neglected the birthright” (Gen. 25:29-34).
It is known from Phoenician and Ugaritic sources that the eldest son was the main recipient of the inheritance. However, this rule did not always apply. For example, in some cases, the father or brothers could redeem the birthright for a certain amount of money. Therefore, the sale of the birthright by Esau to Jacob was legal, legal.
In Akkadian, there are two terms for the word son: aplu, the firstborn son-heir, and maru, son.
According to the laws of Hammurabi, the aplu had the right to choose part of his inheritance after it was divided among his sons. If the inheritance was not divided for any reason, then the firstborn son had the right to manage the entire household.
In ancient Eilai (a city-state in Mesopotamia), the father often appointed primogeniture, that is, even the youngest son could manage property, and only in the 1st millennium BC. e. finally strengthened the right of the eldest son.
Lentil stew— simple and cheap food, and the sale of birthrights for such a price was anecdotal. This story ridicules Esau and exalts Jacob, since in the East from ancient times cunning was considered a special virtue.
Even Christian authors believe that the "wicked" Esau is not worthy of the birthright, since he easily refused it:
"so that there is not (between you ) a fornicator, or a wicked one, who, like Esau, would have given up his birthright for one meal” (Epistle to the Hebrews ch. 12:15).The Torah does not directly condemn Jacob, who by cunning received the birthright, moreover, he deceived his blind father Yitzhak (Isaac), introducing himself as the elder brother Esau, in order to receive a blessing (Gen. 27:18-29. But Scripture shows the situation in which Jacob was treated Also, Laban changed the bride in the dark, marrying off the eldest daughter Leah instead of the youngest daughter of the beautiful Rachel (Gen. 29:23-25).
"BLESSED MEAL. Bible Stories and Recipes is the title of a book by Anthony Ciffolo and Reiner Hesse, published by Hummingbird, ABC-Atticus. The authors - priest Reiner Hesse and historian and publisher Anthony Ciffolo are dedicated to the world of the Old and New Testaments, holidays, rituals and everyday life of biblical heroes. Here are passages from the Holy Scriptures, and historical comments, and most importantly - recipes for dishes that biblical heroes and apostles ate.
We introduce readers to the site. Kitchen with excerpts from it. Before you - the second part.
Birthright for lentil stew
And the time came for her to give birth: and behold, the twins were in her womb. The first came out red, all shaggy like skin; and they called his name Esau. Then his brother went out, holding Esau's heel with his hand; and his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when they were born [of Rebekah]. The children grew up, and Esau became a man skilled in hunting, a man of the fields; but Jacob is a meek man, dwelling in tents.
Isaac loved Esau because his game was to his taste, and Rebekah loved Jacob. And Jacob cooked food; but Esau came from the field weary. And Esau said to Jacob, Give me red to eat, this red, for I am weary. From this was given him a nickname: Edom. But Jacob said to [Esau], Sell me now your birthright. Esau said, Behold, I am dying; what is this birthright to me? Jacob said to [him], Swear to me now. He swore to him, and sold [Esau] his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and lentils; and he ate and drank and got up and went; and Esau neglected the birthright.
(Genesis 25:24-34)
Game contra soup
At the center of this unpretentious and very famous biblical story is hunger, greed, ignorance and a fair amount of envy. An excellent dish can be prepared from such a mixture! This plot also gives us an idea of the occupations of the inhabitants of ancient Palestine, where Jacob and Esau grew up.
Some were engaged in cattle breeding, others - in hunting. Jacob and Esau, in fact, personify these two types. It clearly follows from the text that the truth is on the side of Jacob, not only because he managed to receive the birthright, but because his way of life is more orderly, civilized and not so dependent on circumstances.
And although Esau was his father's favorite, because he brought game into the house, which in those days did not often appear on the tables, Jacob the herdsman got the better of him. We find the key to this turn of events at the very beginning, when it is said that he was born holding Esau's heel. From then on, Esau was destined to look back forever, fearing a dirty trick from his brother.
Esau enters Jacob's tent brutally hungry. It doesn’t matter to him what exactly his brother cooked, it doesn’t matter what he serves. Some Bible commentators believe that Jacob was preparing a dish of Egyptian lentils that Esau had not tasted before; an unfamiliar seductive scent made him forget everything in the world (see Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, David Brown. A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. 1921). The food must have been very satisfying, because he finished it quickly, got up and left.
Among the descendants of Abraham, the birthright was of great importance. The firstborn was given precedence over all other children born of his father. Usually he inherited the lion's share of his father's property, in Deuteronomy (21:17) it is expressly stated that the father must give the firstborn "double of everything that he has." This norm actually forbids the father to support the younger son to the detriment of the older one. After the death of the father, the firstborn son became the head of the family with all the ensuing rights (to respect and property) and duties (to take care of his father's widows, unmarried sisters and underage brothers). Either way, the birthright was extremely important, and Esau should have taken great care before ceding it to his brother.
Fraternal Dinner Menu
Bread. Lentils with rice. Cucumber salad with yogurt. Onions with lentils, nuts and fruits. Esau's Chowder. Baked goat cheese with herbs. Dried apricots and pistachios. Red Velvet Cake
In addition to the Genesis chapter cited above, the lentils that Jacob fed his brother are mentioned three more times in the Bible (2 Samuel 17:28 and 23:11; Ezekiel 4:9). There is reason to believe that lentils in biblical times were grown very widely and were a frequent dish on the table of the poor. It was sown before winter on small plots of plowed land, and the crop was harvested in late spring or early summer. It grew up to thirty centimeters tall and bloomed with small white and blue flowers.
Lentils, rich in protein and amino acids, vitamins A and C, are still popular today in the Middle East, where mainly two types of lentils are grown. The first produces large gray beans, reddish inside. Before cooking, the top layer is ground, leaving red cotyledons. The husk is fed to livestock. This variety cooks faster than the second, smaller variety without red cotyledons (although it is reddish brown on the outside).
Lentils of this variety are eaten whole, without grinding the husk. In the recipes that we give, it is precisely second-class lentils that appear, with less hassle. Two of the dishes are vegetarian, the third one has a bit of meat added for lovers of a more satisfying meal. Each of them can feed a lot of hungry people, and such a treat will cost very cheap!
bible bread
Of all the types of Middle Eastern flatbread, the easiest to bake is the most delicious of them - ale hobuts
Required: 1 pack yeast, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, ⅓ cup warm water, 1 cup ground semolina, 2 cups wheat flour, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, 2½ cups water, 2 tablespoons ground semolina, to sprinkle surface
Cooking: Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Put yeast, granulated sugar and water in a cup; stir and put in a warm place until the yeast has doubled in volume. Meanwhile, mix flour, salt, sesame seeds in a large bowl. Slowly pour in a third of a cup of warm water, then the yeast mixture.
Knead the dough with your hands for 5-6 minutes, giving it the shape of a bun; Remove the dough from the bowl and knead for about two more minutes. The dough should acquire a homogeneous viscous consistency. Cut the dough into two pieces. Cover each part with a damp hot towel and set aside for two minutes.
Sprinkle ground semolina on the work surface and roll a bun from each half of the dough. Cover them with hot wet wipes, put on a baking sheet and leave for three minutes. Sprinkle the dough with semolina flour and roll the koloboks into cakes about 12 centimeters in diameter. Cover with hot damp cloths and leave to rise in a warm place.
With a sharp knife, make notches on the surface of the dough and bake for 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 160 degrees and bake for another 25-35 minutes. Take the bread out of the oven. The bread is ready when it is covered with a brownish crust on top, and if you pat it, it “sighs”, as if hollow. Cover it with a towel and let cool. Bread should be cut right before serving.
Yield: 12 large pieces.
Lentils with rice
Mejedarah - a dish of lentils with onions - is often found on the menu of Middle Eastern cuisine
Required: 2 cups lentils (approximately 400g), 8 cups water, 2 large onions, ½ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons sumac, 1 cup brown or white rice, salt and pepper to taste
Cooking: Sort the lentils (small pebbles may come across in it), rinse thoroughly and dry. Place in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, fry the chopped onion in olive oil with the addition of sumac until caramelized. Add raw rice, onion and put in lentils. Simmer, stirring, for about 45 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve cold or hot.
Yield: 8 servings.
Cucumber salad with yogurt
Cucumber salad with yogurt with its slight sourness - a light refreshing dish
Required: 3 large cucumbers, juice of one lemon, 1 clove minced garlic, 4-5 sprigs of fresh mint, finely chopped, 1 cup low-fat yogurt, ½ teaspoon salt
Cooking: Peel cucumbers and cut into thin slices. Fan out into the bottom of a large chilled glass dish. Squeeze the juice of one lemon on the cucumbers. Put the crushed garlic and chopped mint leaves into a garlic press and flavor the salad with the resulting juice. Put the mass remaining in the press into yogurt, add salt, pour salad over it and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Yield: 6 servings.
Onions with lentils, nuts and fruits
This is a vegetarian version of the Bedouin dish basai badawi. If you want to serve it with rice, add saffron or turmeric to the rice before cooking. This will add flavor to the dish and turn the rice red.
Required: 4 large onions, ½ cup boiled red lentils, salt and pepper to taste, ¾ cup low-fat yogurt, 2 tablespoons finely chopped dates, 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, 2 tablespoons raisins or raisins, 2 tablespoons bread crusts, chopped handful fresh parsley
Cooking: Preheat oven to 180 degrees. ¶ Peel the onion (do not cut the ends), put it in a large pot of boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 15-20 minutes until tender. Remove onion from water and let cool. Using a knife and fork, carefully cut off the lid of the onion and remove the core, leaving a “uniform” of about three-quarters of a centimeter. Mix together lentils, salt, pepper, yogurt, dates, walnuts, raisins and crushed bread crusts. Stuff the onions with this mixture. Mix the remaining minced meat with onion cores. Place the stuffed onions in a heat-resistant dish, spread the minced meat around them and bake for about 20 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve with regular or "red" rice.
Yield: 8 servings.
Esau's Chowder
Esau's stew is such a delicacy that it was not a pity to give up all the privileges of birthright for it.
Required: ½ cup olive oil, 6 chopped onions, 400g diced veal 2 carrots, 2 stalks celery, 1 green pepper, 2 cups cherry tomatoes, 400g lentils, 2-3 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
Cooking: Heat oil in a saucepan, add onion and fry until light golden brown. Add meat (low-fat!) And put the stew, and in the meantime, wash and chop the vegetables. Put the vegetables and lentils into the meat, pour in two cups of water and simmer until the lentils are tender (about an hour and a half). When the lentils are ready, add salt. To prevent the contents of the pan from burning, shake it from time to time or add an extra cup of water. Serve hot in a bowl or on a platter with cucumber salad.
Yield: 6-8 servings.
Baked goat cheese with herbs
Since Jacob was a shepherd, he always had cheese and goat's milk on hand. Therefore, we offer this easy-to-prepare dish that goes well with lentil stew.
Required: 200 g fresh soft goat cheese (feta cheese is not good - too dry), 5 small ripe tomatoes, cut into slices; 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, a handful of parsley and sage
Cooking: Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Wetting your hands with water, form the cheese into an oblong ball. Place it in the middle of an oiled skillet. Garnish around with tomato slices. Drizzle with olive oil on top so that the cheese does not burn and becomes brownish. Top with herbs and bake for about 55-60 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool on a wooden cutting board. Serve with tomatoes. Separately serve dried apricots and pistachios. You can spread it on bread, the recipe of which is given above.
Yield: 6-8 servings.
Red Velvet Cake
In memory of Esau's nickname - Edom ("red"), the meal is crowned with a marvelous cake called "Red Velvet". It is amazingly tender, with a mild chocolate flavor, with an unusual red color. In order to hide the main surprise - the red color - for the time being, the cake is covered with a thick layer of white icing.
Required: 2 ¼ cups sifted flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons cocoa 50g (4 tablespoons) red food coloring, ½ cup vegetable fat, 1½ cups granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 1 teaspoon white vinegar 1 teaspoon baking soda
Cooking: Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease two cake molds with butter and sprinkle with flour. Mix flour and salt, set aside. Put cocoa in a glass dish, gradually add food coloring, knead and set aside. Mix vegetable fat with granulated sugar, beat with a mixer for 45 minutes at medium speed. Add eggs one at a time, beating the mixture for 30 seconds each time. Pour the flour into the sugar mixture, add the buttermilk and vanilla. Add cocoa with dye, knead so that the mass acquires a uniform color. Do not beat or the cake will be dry.
In a small bowl, mix the vinegar and baking soda to extinguish the soda. Pour quickly into the prepared mass, mix gently so that the mass is soaked. Divide the dough into molds and bake for 25-30 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes before removing them from the mould. When they are completely cool, layer and decorate the cake with whipped cream.
Icing: 1½ cups granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ½ cup water, 4 egg whites.
Mix sugar, cream of tartar, salt and water in a deep bowl. Place over medium heat and stir constantly until the mixture becomes clear. Beat the egg whites with a mixer until foamy. Continuing to beat, pour the sugar mixture in a thin stream along the wall of the dish - so that it does not get into the beater. Continue whisking until foam thickens.
E. Chiffolo, R. Hesse Blessed meal. Bible Stories and Recipes / Anthony Ciffolo, Reiner Hesse: trans. from English. N. Tsyrkun. - M .: Hummingbird, Azbuka-Atticus, 2011. - 368 p.
How is a parable different from a sermon? The sermon is to the point, it guides instructively to the right place. The parable does not give a direct answer, only suggests a solution. On the other hand, a sermon will be of limited use, and a parable will be able to connect with reality even after several millennia.
The parable of the sale of the birthright is one of the most ancient. True, how many times I heard her, so many blank spots remained in her understanding. Although something was clear.
The title of the painting by Matthias Stomer "Esau and Jacob"
That's what it says in the book of Genesis.
27. The children grew up, and Esau became a man skilled in hunting, a man of the fields; but Jacob is a meek man, dwelling in tents. 28. Isaac loved Esau because his game was to his taste, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29. And Jacob cooked food; but Esau came from the field weary. 30. And Esau said to Jacob, Give me red to eat, this red, for I am weary. From this was given him a nickname: Edom. 31 But Jacob said, Sell me now your birthright. 32. Esau said, Behold, I am dying, what is this birthright to me? 33. Jacob said: Swear to me now. He swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34. And Jacob gave Esau bread and lentils; and he ate and drank, and got up and went; and Esau neglected the birthright. (Genesis 25:27-34)
Those. first, Esau symbolically renounces the birthright. Since the concept of "primogeniture" was unfamiliar to me, I went straight to the dictionary.
firstborn, or firstborn son- in ancient times he enjoyed special rights and advantages: after the head of the family, he had power over other family members and dominion over the house and clan; he inherited a double share of his father's estate; among the Jews, along with a special blessing that passed from father to son, he acquired the advantage of being the ancestor of the promised Redeemer. [Encyclopedic Dictionary of F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron]
Painting by Luca Giordano. Isaac Blessing Jacob. 17th century
After Esau renounces the birthright in words, some time passes. And the hour comes when the father must bless the eldest son, pass on the highest spiritual mission to him and, in addition, appoint him as the heir. At this hour, the father calls Esau and orders him to go hunting and prepare food. As Esau hunts, an action-packed campaign of deception takes place.
1. When Isaac grew old and the sight of his eyes grew dim, he called his eldest son Esau and said to him: My son! He said to him: Here I am.
2. He said, Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death;
3. Now take your tools, your quiver and your bow, go into the field and catch me game,
4. And prepare for me a meal that I love, and bring me something to eat, so that my soul will bless you before I die.
5. Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. And Esau went into the field to get and bring game;
6. And Rebekah said to her son Jacob, Behold, I heard your father say to your brother Esau:
7. bring me game and prepare food for me; I will sing and bless you before the face of the Lord, before my death.
8. Now, my son, obey my words in what I command you:
9. go to the herd and take me two good goats from there, and I will prepare food from them for your father, which he loves,
10. but you will bring it to your father, and he will eat to bless you before his death.
11. Jacob said to Rebekah his mother: Esau, my brother, is a shaggy man, but I am a smooth man;
12. It may happen that my father will feel me, and I will be a deceiver in his eyes and bring a curse upon myself, and not a blessing.
13. His mother said to him: Let your curse be on me, my son, just listen to my words and go and fetch me.
14. He went and took and brought to his mother; and his mother made a dish that his father loved.
15 And Rebekah took the rich clothes of her eldest son Esau, which were in her house, and put them on her youngest son Jacob;
16. And she overlaid his hands and his smooth neck with the skin of goats;
17. And she gave the meat and the bread which she had prepared into the hands of Jacob her son.
18. He went in to his father and said: My father! He said: here I am; who are you my son?
19. Jacob said to his father, I am Esau, your firstborn; I did as you told me; Arise, sit down, and eat of my game, so that your soul may bless me.
20 And Isaac said to his son, What did you find so soon, my son? He said: because the Lord your God has sent to meet me.
21 And Isaac said to Jacob, Come, I will feel you, my son, are you my son Esau or not?
22. Jacob went up to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, The voice, the voice of Jacob; but the hands, the hands of Esau.
23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were like the hands of Esau his brother, shaggy; and blessed him
24. And he said, Are you my son Esau? He answered: me.
25. Isaac said: Give me, I will eat the game of my son, so that my soul will bless you. Jacob gave it to him, and he ate; brought him wine, and he drank.
26. Isaac his father said to him, Come, kiss me, my son.
27. He came up and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his clothes and blessed him and said: Behold, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed;
28. may God give you from the dew of heaven and from the fatness of the earth, and plenty of bread and wine;
29. Let the nations serve you, and let the peoples worship you; be lord over your brothers, and let your mother's sons worship you; those who curse you are cursed; those who bless you are blessed!
30. As soon as Isaac blessed Jacob, and as soon as Jacob went out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came from his hunt.
31. He also prepared food, and brought it to his father, and said to his father: Arise, my father, and eat the game of your son, so that your soul will bless me.
32 And Isaac his father said to him, Who are you? He said: I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.
33. And Isaac trembled with a very great trembling, and said, Who is this that got the game and brought it to me, and I ate of everything before you came and I blessed him? he will be blessed.
34. Esau, having heard the words of his father, raised a loud and very bitter cry, and said to his father, My father! bless me too.
35 But he said, Your brother has come with a trick and taken your blessing.
36. And he said, Is it not for this reason that his name was given to him, Jacob, because he has already kicked me twice? He took my birthright, and behold, now he has taken my blessing. And he said again: Haven't you left me a blessing?
37. Isaac answered Esau, Behold, I have made him lord over you, and I have given all his brothers as his servants; gave him bread and wine; what will I do for you, my son?
38. But Esau said to his father: Is it possible, my father, that you have one blessing? bless me too, my father! And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.
39 And Isaac his father answered and said to him, Behold, from the fatness of the earth shall thy dwelling be, and from the dew of heaven above;
40. And you will live by your sword and serve your brother; the time will come when you will resist and cast off his yoke from your neck.
Father's lawful firstborn - Esau, who marries "on the daughters of Canaan, the Hittites and the Hebrews", allows them "to worship, according to their hereditary custom, nature and idols in front of their parents". And the most offensive for the father, "that [Esau] himself was indifferent to the high heritage of Abram and, having concluded a hunting-religious alliance with the Seirites in the south, openly served the Thunderer Kutsakh". But the firstborn, as we remember, received a special blessing to spread the faith and pass it on to posterity. Blindness, real or imagined, becomes the way out for Isaac (father). Therefore, the father, as Thomas Mann writes, "stayed in darkness to be deceived along with Esau, his elder".
It turns out that the actual ritual deception is a purely technical execution of something that has already happened before. Esau has already bartered, sold his honor in exchange for stew symbolically, in words. The word had a special, almost magical meaning, it made it possible for objects and phenomena to find themselves. Therefore, the further course of events is already predetermined.. And the father and brothers and mother - everyone already knows what will happen next and everyone plays their prepared role. Isaac (father) wants to be deceived, Esau looks forward to the triumphant beginning of the ritual and its shameful conclusion, Jacob knows that he will receive a blessing.
Selling birthright for lentil stew is a rejection of a special blessing, of domination over one's home and family, a rejection of a great historical mission. If you like, this is the metaphysical fall of man, which leaves an imprint of shame on all posterity.