Toldot: The Blindness of Isaac & Eli

How Hofni & Pinchas inform our reading of Esau

When reading the text of the story of Esau, it seems like his reputation is maligned. It has become de rigueur for Modern Orthodox people to defend him and suggest that Esau was robbed.

I understand that reading, but I think there is more evidence than some might realize for the Midrashic rendering. It’s not just that Esau is a man of the field or marries women who are not within the original Abrahamic family, though of course, those can be used to support the Midrashic understanding. It’s also that the entire Tanakh is meant to be read together. It is one great literary masterwork. Thus, the writers of the Midrash had to be aware of the two characters (to my knowledge, the only two in the entire Tanakh who are described in this precise way- NOTE: A READER CORRECTED ME THAT JACOB IS ALSO DESCRIBED AS BLIND IN THIS PASUK) who are described as blind.

These two characters are, of course, Isaac and Eli.

Here is how Isaac is described.

וַֽיְהִי֙ כִּֽי־זָקֵ֣ן יִצְחָ֔ק וַתִּכְהֶ֥יןָ עֵינָ֖יו מֵרְאֹ֑ת וַיִּקְרָ֞א אֶת־עֵשָׂ֣ו ׀ בְּנ֣וֹ הַגָּדֹ֗ל וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ בְּנִ֔י וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו הִנֵּֽנִי׃ When Isaac was old and his eyes were too dim to see, he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” He answered, “Here I am.”

-Genesis 27:1

Here is how Eli is described. See first I Samuel 2:22.

וְעֵלִ֖י זָקֵ֣ן מְאֹ֑ד וְשָׁמַ֗ע אֵת֩ כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַעֲשׂ֤וּן בָּנָיו֙ לְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֵ֤ת אֲשֶֽׁר־יִשְׁכְּבוּן֙ אֶת־הַנָּשִׁ֔ים הַצֹּ֣בְא֔וֹת פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃ Now Eli was very old. When he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who performed tasks at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting,

Then see I Samuel 3:2.

וַֽיְהִי֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא וְעֵלִ֖י שֹׁכֵ֣ב בִּמְקוֹמ֑וֹ וְעֵינָו֙ הֵחֵ֣לּוּ כֵה֔וֹת לֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל לִרְאֽוֹת׃ One day, Eli was asleep in his usual place; his eyes had begun to fail and he could barely see.

The stories of Isaac and Eli parallel each other, though they do have important differences. Most important is that we are not told Eli’s eyes are failing him when his two sons, Hofni and Pinchas, begin to sin- at that point, it is possible that he could have seen and could have witnessed their behaviors, and ought to have acted more strongly against them.

What exactly were the sins of Hofni and Pinchas, you ask? There are several different interpretations, but all agree that they corrupted the Kehunah, the priestly birthright. Here are some of the verses that pertain to them.

וּבְנֵ֥י עֵלִ֖י בְּנֵ֣י בְלִיָּ֑עַל לֹ֥א יָדְע֖וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה׃

Now Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they paid no heed to the LORD.

וּמִשְׁפַּ֥ט הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים אֶת־הָעָ֑ם כׇּל־אִ֞ישׁ זֹבֵ֣חַ זֶ֗בַח וּבָ֨א נַ֤עַר הַכֹּהֵן֙ כְּבַשֵּׁ֣ל הַבָּשָׂ֔ר וְהַמַּזְלֵ֛ג שְׁלֹ֥שׁ הַשִּׁנַּ֖יִם בְּיָדֽוֹ׃ This is how the priests used to deal with the people: When anyone brought a sacrifice, the priest’s boy would come along with a three-pronged fork while the meat was boiling,

וְהִכָּ֨ה בַכִּיּ֜וֹר א֣וֹ בַדּ֗וּד א֤וֹ בַקַּלַּ֙חַת֙ א֣וֹ בַפָּר֔וּר כֹּ֚ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר יַעֲלֶ֣ה הַמַּזְלֵ֔ג יִקַּ֥ח הַכֹּהֵ֖ן בּ֑וֹ כָּ֚כָה יַעֲשׂ֣וּ לְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַבָּאִ֥ים שָׁ֖ם בְּשִׁלֹֽה׃ a

and he would thrust it into the cauldron, or the kettle, or the great pot, or the small cooking-pot; and whatever the fork brought up, the priest would take away. This was the practice at Shiloh with all the Israelites who came there.

גַּם֮ בְּטֶ֘רֶם֮ יַקְטִר֣וּן אֶת־הַחֵ֒לֶב֒ וּבָ֣א ׀ נַ֣עַר הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְאָמַר֙ לָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֹּבֵ֔חַ תְּנָ֣ה בָשָׂ֔ר לִצְל֖וֹת לַכֹּהֵ֑ן וְלֹא־יִקַּ֧ח מִמְּךָ֛ בָּשָׂ֥ר מְבֻשָּׁ֖ל כִּ֥י אִם־חָֽי׃

[But now] even before the suet was turned into smoke, the priest’s boy would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Hand over some meat to roast for the priest; for he won’t accept boiled meat from you, only raw.”

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו הָאִ֗ישׁ קַטֵּ֨ר יַקְטִיר֤וּן כַּיּוֹם֙ הַחֵ֔לֶב וְקַ֨ח־לְךָ֔ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּאַוֶּ֖ה נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וְאָמַ֥ר ׀ (לו) [לֹא֙] כִּ֚י עַתָּ֣ה תִתֵּ֔ן וְאִם־לֹ֖א לָקַ֥חְתִּי בְחׇזְקָֽה׃

And if the man said to him, “Let them first turn the suet into smoke, and then take as much as you want,” he would reply, “No, hand it over at once or I’ll take it by force.”

וַתְּהִ֨י חַטַּ֧את הַנְּעָרִ֛ים גְּדוֹלָ֥ה מְאֹ֖ד אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כִּ֤י נִֽאֲצוּ֙ הָאֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֵ֖ת מִנְחַ֥ת יְהֹוָֽה׃ The sin of the young men against the LORD was very great, for the men treated the LORD’s offerings impiously.

-I Samuel 2:12-17

So here’s what we see- young men who are sinning against the Kehunah, the priesthood, and specifically doing so within the context of food. They are betraying their birthright, the idea of serving God as priests, by being so impatient that they cannot wait. It is because of their impatience and gluttony that they send a boy with a three-pronged fork to go get the meat - and refuse to wait until God has been properly honored.

Does this sound familiar? It should. Take a look at this week’s parsha.

וַיָּ֥זֶד יַעֲקֹ֖ב נָזִ֑יד וַיָּבֹ֥א עֵשָׂ֛ו מִן־הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה וְה֥וּא עָיֵֽף׃ Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the open, famished.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר עֵשָׂ֜ו אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֗ב הַלְעִיטֵ֤נִי נָא֙ מִן־הָאָדֹ֤ם הָאָדֹם֙ הַזֶּ֔ה כִּ֥י עָיֵ֖ף אָנֹ֑כִי עַל־כֵּ֥ן קָרָֽא־שְׁמ֖וֹ אֱדֽוֹם׃ And Esau said to Jacob, “Give me some of that red stuff to gulp down, for I am famished”—which is why he was named Edom.

וַיֹּ֖אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֑ב מִכְרָ֥ה כַיּ֛וֹם אֶת־בְּכֹרָֽתְךָ֖ לִֽי׃ Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.”

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר עֵשָׂ֔ו הִנֵּ֛ה אָנֹכִ֥י הוֹלֵ֖ךְ לָמ֑וּת וְלָמָּה־זֶּ֥ה לִ֖י בְּכֹרָֽה׃ And Esau said, “I am at the point of death, so of what use is my birthright to me?”

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֗ב הִשָּׁ֤בְעָה לִּי֙ כַּיּ֔וֹם וַיִּשָּׁבַ֖ע ל֑וֹ וַיִּמְכֹּ֥ר אֶת־בְּכֹרָת֖וֹ לְיַעֲקֹֽב׃ But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.

וְיַעֲקֹ֞ב נָתַ֣ן לְעֵשָׂ֗ו לֶ֚חֶם וּנְזִ֣יד עֲדָשִׁ֔ים וַיֹּ֣אכַל וַיֵּ֔שְׁתְּ וַיָּ֖קׇם וַיֵּלַ֑ךְ וַיִּ֥בֶז עֵשָׂ֖ו אֶת־הַבְּכֹרָֽה׃ {פ}
Jacob then gave Esau bread and lentil stew; he ate and drank, and he rose and went away. Thus did Esau spurn the birthright.

-Genesis 25:29-34

Here we have a tale of a man cooking a stew. And we also have a tale of his brother, a man who is impatient, who cannot wait, who demands the food at exactly that moment- while it is still being cooked. There is then a cryptic exchange about the birthright. What is this birthright? How should this story be understood?

Well, when read within the context of Samuel, it all makes sense.

Take a look at Rashi.

בכרתך. לְפִי שֶׁהָעֲבוֹדָה בַּבְּכוֹרוֹת, אָמַר יַעֲקֹב אֵין רָשָׁע זֶה כְדַאי שֶׁיַּקְרִיב לְהַקָּבָּ"ה:

בכרתך THY BIRTHRIGHT — Because the sacrificial service was then carried out by the first-born sons, Jacob said, “This wicked man is unworthy to sacrifice to the Holy One, blessed be He” (Genesis Rabbah 63:13).

(Note that the source in Genesis Rabbah explicitly mentions the Kehunah.)

One can argue that the parallel in both stories is the impatience, the unwillingness to wait and defer gratification. It is an inability to practice self control. And the kind of people who cannot practice self control are not those who will be able to serve God. The essence of the Avodah is having clarity of vision as to who you are and who God is. God is the one you honor- you come second to him. Indeed, although Eli rebukes his sons, it is ultimately ineffectual. God holds him to task for this, and states that Eli has honored his sons more than he has honored God, a damning accusation.

Unfortunately, the impatience linked to the consumption of food is not the only crime that the sons of Eli are accused of. There is another.

וְעֵלִ֖י זָקֵ֣ן מְאֹ֑ד וְשָׁמַ֗ע אֵת֩ כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַעֲשׂ֤וּן בָּנָיו֙ לְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֵ֤ת אֲשֶֽׁר־יִשְׁכְּבוּן֙ אֶת־הַנָּשִׁ֔ים הַצֹּ֣בְא֔וֹת פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃ Now Eli was very old. When he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who performed tasks at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting,

-I Samuel 2:22

Here we have priests of Israel having sex with women. (The rabbis are divided as to what exactly the sin entailed- some understand it to mean what it sounds like, where the priests were taking advantage of their position to sleep with the women, while others say that they were simply choosing not to offer the women’s smaller bird offerings after the women had given birth which caused the women to have to stay longer at the Mishkan and prevented them from being reunited with their husbands. Malbim has a particularly creative approach where, because the women’s sacrifices weren’t offered, men and women slept over in the front of the Mishkan and their proximity led some of them to sin with one another.)

This crime is paralleled by one attributed to Esau. See Bava Batra 16b.

בָּא עַל נַעֲרָה מְאוֹרָסָה כְּתִיב הָכָא וַיָּבֹא עֵשָׂו מִן הַשָּׂדֶה וּכְתִיב הָתָם כִּי בַשָּׂדֶה מְצָאָהּ הָרַג אֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ כְּתִיב הָכָא עָיֵף וּכְתִיב הָתָם אוֹי נָא לִי כִּי עָיְפָה נַפְשִׁי לְהֹרְגִים

He engaged in sexual intercourse with a betrothed maiden, as it is written here: “And Esau came in from the field”; and it is written there with regard to rape of a betrothed maiden: “For he found her in a field” (Deuteronomy 22:27).

(It’s interesting to consider one of the other allegations made against him there, that he denied God, in comparison to the statement that Hofni and Pinchas were benei Belial and did not know God.)

In Eli’s case, his blindness does not occur until Chapter 3. Despite this, it’s interesting that he hears the rumors about his sons conduct- he does not actually see the conduct.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם לָ֥מָּה תַעֲשׂ֖וּן כַּדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֤י שֹׁמֵ֙עַ֙ אֶת־דִּבְרֵיכֶ֣ם רָעִ֔ים מֵאֵ֖ת כׇּל־הָעָ֥ם אֵֽלֶּה׃ he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I hear evil reports about you from the people on all hands.

אַ֖ל בָּנָ֑י כִּ֠י לֽוֹא־טוֹבָ֤ה הַשְּׁמֻעָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָנֹכִ֣י שֹׁמֵ֔עַ מַעֲבִרִ֖ים עַם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ Don’t, my sons! It is no favorable report I hear the people of the LORD spreading about.

-I Samuel 2:23- 24

The fact that Eli hears but does not see suggests his blindness, whether it be literal or figurative, begins earlier. Indeed, one could argue it begins as early as his first encounter with Chana, whom he grossly misjudges.

The interesting thing about Isaac is that he sees the wives that Esau marries- and they are a source of bitterness to him- but otherwise he does not appear (at least in the text) to see or even be told about Esau’s antics. He certainly does not get the report about the incident with the soup from Jacob (an interesting contrast to Joseph, who does tell tales about his brothers.)

So what are we left with?

Two narratives that involve aged mentors, who experience literal and, according to various interpretations, figurative blindness.

The sons of these men who are involved in incidents involving impatience with food, where that is linked with desecration of or rejection of the priesthood.

And later attribution of worse crimes, such as sexual sins, to these individuals.

The story of Esau is not the story of a character maligned.

It’s the story of a character understood within context of his proper literary parallels, Hofni and Pinchas. Blindness, cooking food and birthrights draw the two together. The Midrash simply draws the obvious conclusion- and knots it up for us with a bow.