Toldot 5785: Brothers in Balance

What do Yitzchak’s blessings teach us about the balance of power between Yaakov and Esav?

In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield is joined by Rabbi Dr. Elisha Ancselovits to unpack the intricate dynamics between Yaakov and Esav in Parshat Toldot. They explore the meaning behind Yitzchak’s blessings, the cycles of conflict and cooperation, and what these interactions reveal about power, resource sharing, and mutual dependence. Together, they challenge conventional interpretations of good versus evil and examine how this narrative offers timeless wisdom for navigating complex relationships and changing realities.

Featuring:
Rabbi Dr. Elisha Ancselovits – Pardes Faculty
Zvi Hirschfield – Pardes Faculty and Host of Pardes from Jerusalem

Elisha S. Ancselovits

Rabbi Dr. Elisha S. Ancselovits teaches Halakha as Practical Philosophy at Pardes and at Yeshivat Maale Gilboa, and has taught at a range of Orthodox, secular, Israeli and European institutions. He holds rabbinic and judicial ordination (Yoreh Yoreh and Yadin Yadin), a Ph.D. in the history of Jewish law, and an M.A. in Modern Jewish Studies, in addition to graduate studies in Medieval Jewish History.

Elisha has served as a researcher and lecturer in Jewish studies and legal theory at universities across several continents, and is currently a fellow at Emory University’s Center for the Study of Law and Religion. His teaching spans halakha, Biblical and Second Temple law, critical Talmud, critical Zohar, and modern philosophy. Elisha founded Bet Midrash Hukkim Hakhamim, a kollel program mentoring women and men who are emerging rabbis and dayanim.

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