2005/5766

At the beginning of Parsht Toldot, we see that in order to figure out what is happening in her womb, “Vateilech Lidrosh Et Hashem,”  “[Rivkah] went to seek out God” (5:22).  Rashi comments that Rivkah wanted to know “Mah Tehei BeSofah,” what would happen in the end with her situation.  The Kol Simcha points out that Rivkah thought that she would have one baby.  When there was kicking by the Beit Medrash and the temples of Avodah Zarah, she had no idea there were two babies kicking, rather, she believed, it was the fight between the Yeitzer HaTov and the Yeitzer HaRa.  Sometimes the Yeitzer HaTov is wins, and unfortunately sometimes the Yeitzer HaRa will overcome the Yeitzer HaTov.  Therefore, Rivkah wanted to know: “Mah Tehei BeSofah” - what will be the end of the battle in the heart?  Which Yeitzer will be victorious in the greatest battle of man?

Throughout our lives, we are always faced with this battle between our will and inclination to do good and to do bad. We always have to look at ourselves and evaluate how we are doing in the battle.  Are we running out to do Chesed, learn Torah, or be nice to our fellow Jew?  Or are we running out to Chas VeShalom to do Aveirot, to turn somebody down when they need our help, to engage in wasting our time doing nothing constructive, or to even degrade a fellow Jew and make him feel bad?  Rivkah knew very well that morals are extremely important, and felt she had to know what kind of values her child would have.  We should always be aware of who we are and where we are standing.