Toldos 27:22 · unit 2

TT #34 · Parashas Toldos · Passuk 27:22

The Complete Passuk

וַיִּגַּ֧שׁ יַעֲקֹ֛ב אֶל־יִצְחָ֥ק אָבִ֖יו וַיְמֻשֵּׁ֑הוּ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הַקֹּל֙ ק֣וֹל יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְהַיָּדַ֖יִם יְדֵ֥י עֵשָֽׂו׃

So Yaakov drew close to his father Yitzchak, who felt him and wondered, “The voice is the voice of Yaakov, yet the hands are the hands of Esav.”

Torah Temimah points to Gittin 57b. E-Daf · Sefaria — Gittin 57b

TT lemma: הקול קול יעקב.

הַקּוֹל קוֹל יַעֲקֹב — אֵין קוֹל אֶלָּא תְּפִלָּה; וְהַיָּדַיִם יְדֵי עֵשָׂו — אֵין יָדַיִם אֶלָּא מִלְחָמָה.

“The voice is the voice of Yaakov” — there is no voice but prayer; “and the hands are the hands of Esav” — there are no hands but war.

On the daf / in context: Israel’s strength is in prayer (voice), Esav’s in military force (hands).

Custom (Bavli — prayer of Yaakov vs. power of Esav)

Israel’s victories come through prayer; Esav’s power is expressed through the hand of war.