In this week’s Parsha Yitzchak and Rivka davened for children. Rivka became pregnant with twins.
The Passuk tells us that the twins were fighting inside her. Rashi explains that she went through a strange experience. When she would pass a Shul or Beis Hamedrash Yaakov would try and come out. When she would pass by a place of Avoda Zara then Eisav tried to come out. Rivka didn't understand what was happening so she went to the Yeshiva of Shem (son of Noach) to check out what was going on. There she was told with Ruach Hakodesh that she was having twins.
The commentaries on the Parsha try understanding and explaining what was going on.
Rivka had davened for a child. When she passed a Shul the child wanted to go out and when she passed a place of Avoda Zara then the child also wanted to go out. Rivka was scared that she was having a child that would try and enjoy both worlds. A child that would run to learn Torah and Avodas Hashem and at the same time also enjoy Avoda Zara and Aveiros. This disturbed Rivka because a person can't enjoy both worlds at once. When she went to the Beis Hamedrash of Shem and was told she is having twins. One child will be a Tzaddik and the other will be a Rasha. Now she understood.
Rabbi Yehoshua Rokach the Belzer Rebbe gives a different explanation on this Parsha.
Rivka must have understood that she was having twins. A child doesn't get excited by Kedusha and Tumah at the same time because it's impossible. So she must have understood that it was two different children, twins. And it wasn't such a surprise for her either. Avraham Avinu had two children Yitzchak a Tzaddik and Yishmael a Rasha. Adam Harishon had Kayin and Hevel. Rivka herself had a brother Lavan a Rasha. So why was she so surprised that she went to the Beis Hamedrash of Shem?
Rabbi She'ale Belzer (as he was fondly known as) gives the following explanation.
Had Rivka gone through a normal pregnancy then she could understand that one child took after Yitzchak's parents and one child took after her side and was like her brother. But Rivka knew that naturally she couldn't have children and only through their ongoing prayers they changed nature. She knew that she didn't daven for a son a Rasha. So how could it be that after davening for twenty years together with her husband Yitzchak that they merit to have a child that will follow in Hashem’s ways, a child that will serve Hashem properly, learn Torah, daven, do Mitzvos and sanctify Hashem’s name, how did she also end up with a child a Rasha? That's what disturbed Rivka.
So she went to the Beis Hamedrash of Shem to hear an answer. Hashem replied that she was having twins. These twins will each be a big nation and culture. Many will follow the path of Yaakov and his holy way, but many will also follow the path of Eisav and his culture.
About the question that she davened for a child a Tzaddik not for a Rasha, Hashem replied that the two cultures will challenge each other. When one is up the other is down. In order for Yaakov to reach his peak he needs the challenges of Eisav. Yaakov didn't just become great because he was learning all day and night. Yaakov became great because of his challenges. He knew that there was another option, a path of worldly pleasures, but at the same time he understood that his brother and his culture were out to ambush him in every way, waiting for his weak moments to ruin his Avodas Hashem.
Hashem told Rivka that in order for a child Yaakov to reach complete Shleimus – perfection, he needs a challenge of the other extreme. The greater the peak the greater the challenge. The greater the challenge the higher he would be able to reach.
This message is so applicable to all of us today. We have access to every area of Torah, beautiful Seforim with clear print. Every part of Torah we wish to learn we have Seforim with translations, explanations, commentaries, Shiurim on mp's, usb's, and so much more. We can call Shiur hotlines with every sort of Shiur and Magid Shiur. We have access to indexes and Seforim like never before. In prewar Europe people had to borrow a single volume of a Gemara because they were so scarce. How many people didn't even own a whole Shas, unlike today where we have a big Shas, a mini Shas and a volume with translation for the Gemara we are studying.
But for us to reach our perfection Hashem gave us the challenges of the outside world so easily accessible too. And because we have such easy access to the outside world, Hashem has given us such easy access to the Torah like never before. It goes together and that's how we grow spiritually to reach our peak.
Rabbi Shalom Schwadron used to give a Shiur. Once a boy never showed up. The next day Reb Shalom asked the boy were he had been. He answered that he had been to watch a game of soccer (football). Reb Shalom innocently asked the boy to explain and show him how the game works. After the Shiur Reb Shalom went with the boy outside. The boy proudly explained the game and told Reb Shalom the idea is to kick the ball into the goal.
Reb Shalom told the boy that he wanted to kick the ball now into the goal and get points. The boy smiled to Reb Shalom and said, "Rebbi, without a team playing against you it's not a challenge so there is no points."
Reb Shalom smiled and said, "it's not a challenge to come to a Shiur if there is no game going on outside. When there is a challenge that's when you get rewarded. And the bigger the challenge the greater the reward."
