Toldos 25:23 · unit 4
Parashas Toldos · Passuk 25:23
The Complete Passuk
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה לָ֗הּ שְׁנֵ֤י (גיים) [גוֹיִם֙] בְּבִטְנֵ֔ךְ וּשְׁנֵ֣י לְאֻמִּ֔ים מִמֵּעַ֖יִךְ יִפָּרֵ֑דוּ וּלְאֹם֙ מִלְאֹ֣ם יֶֽאֱמָ֔ץ וְרַ֖ב יַעֲבֹ֥ד צָעִֽיר׃
and Hashem answered her, “Two nations are in your womb, two separate peoples shall issue from your body; one people shall be mightier than the other, and the elder shall serve the younger.”
Chabad / Judaica Press
Source Citation
Torah Temimah points to Megillah / Midrash .
TT lemma: ורב יעבד צעיר .
Sefaria
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
וְרַב יַעֲבֹד צָעִיר — אִם זָכָה יַעֲבֹד וְאִם לֹא זָכָה יֵעָבֵד.
English: “And the elder shall serve the younger” — if [the younger] merits, he will be served; if he does not merit, he will serve.
On the daf / in context: The vocalization allows either direction of service according to merit.
Type of Learning
Custom (aggadah — conditional reading of the blessing)
What Is Learned
The elder will serve the younger only if the younger merits it; otherwise the relationship is reversed.
Source pointed to by Torah Temimah. Only Chazal’s words and what they derived are presented. Ashkenazi transliteration.