Free Choice vs. Destiny - How to Study Torah - Toldot

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Free Choice vs. Destiny: How to Study Torah - Toldot

The Torah records minute details about Rebecca’s first and only pregnancy. Did her twin sons, Jacob and Esau, have free choice to become who they wanted to be or were their personalities predestined from the womb?

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Topics:	Jacob, Rebecca, Isaac, Esau, Toldot

By Mendel Kaplan

Rabbi Mendel Kaplan is the Spiritual Leader and Executive Director of Chabad Flamingo in Thornhill, Ontario, serving one of Canada’s most dynamic Jewish communities. He also serves as Chaplain of the York Regional Police Service. He is an active member of Toronto’s Vaad HaRabbanim (Council of Orthodox Rabbis), and a voting member of the COR Kashruth Council of Canada’s executive rabbinical board. Rabbi Kaplan is featured regularly on many local television and radio shows. He is a sought after speaker, with hundreds of lectures on Chabad.org. He and his wife, Faygie, are blessed with eight children. Artistically endowed, the rabbi enjoys drawing, sketching and creating charcoal portraits.

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5 Comments

Daniel Souther October 31, 2013

why--who got answered first Could it be the reason why Jacob was answered first --Abraham was promised that Through Jacob WOULD WE COME..so of course HASHEM would hear Jacob PRAYER First ..For the promise was to him Not Through Rivka. Reply

Angela Hoffberg Richland November 16, 2012

Destiny or Choice? Our souls have been around and a part of G-d from the beginning, so we live accordingly to the part we were made. We can always move up the ladder if the desire and curiosity was placed there. We're the ones who strayed from this Source in the beginning in order to learn, and to this Source we will return. God knew who we were, and what was placed in us, to make us choose. Reply

Miriam Hamilton via chabadflamingo.com November 24, 2011

Thank You! Once again Rabbi, a true lesson that one can bring to their everyday lives. Truly inspirational! Reply

Anonymous Mesa, Arizona, USA November 23, 2011

Free Choice versus Destiny At the beginning of the lecture Rabbi Kaplan you you mentioned that the class was going to be on Esau and Yacob. But most of the lecture was on Abraham and Isaac. When you come to mention Lavan and Abraham's father, both were wicked. Was Rivka's mother the one who was righteous?Who and what was Rivka's mother? I never knew that Rivka went to Shem to ask him about her pregnancy. I thought she prayed to Hashem, Blessed be His Name. Yes Esau had the campacity to become righteous but he chose to be evil. And as the way I see the Jewish people have suffered tremendously this past generations the most horrendous crimes. You are so right Rabbi Kaplan, generic is not our power it is our trust in the Most High G-d and the seeking of His presence for guidance. The choises we make are very important to determine what our future will be. Even if we have been deceived with idolatry, we need to seek the truth hidden in Torah. Reply

john smith fort lauderdale, fl November 23, 2011

thank you what else is there to say....your the best!

thanks for being the "good boy" and explaining how the world REALLY works.

of course...there is always a question of WHY(?) ....but that is for a deeper understanding that maybe nobody knows BUT.... it is what it is! Reply