Toldos 28:9 · unit 2

Parashas Toldos · Passuk 28:9

The Complete Passuk

וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ עֵשָׂ֖ו אֶל־יִשְׁמָעֵ֑אל וַיִּקַּ֡ח אֶֽת־מָחֲלַ֣ת בַּת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֨אל בֶּן־אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֲח֧וֹת נְבָי֛וֹת עַל־נָשָׁ֖יו ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃

So Esav went to Yishmael and took to wife, in addition to the wives he had, Machalat the daughter of Yishmael son of Avraham, sister of Nevayot.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Yerushalmi / related.

TT lemma: ויקח את מחלת.

Sefaria

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְכִי מַחֲלַת שְׁמָהּ וְהַלֹּא בָּשְׂמַת שְׁמָהּ, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנִּמְחֲלוּ לוֹ כָּל עֲוֹנוֹתָיו, מִכָּאן לְחָתָן שֶׁמּוֹחֲלִין לוֹ עֲוֹנוֹתָיו.

English: Was her name really Machalat? Was it not Basemat? Rather, this teaches that all his sins were forgiven him; from here [we learn] that a bridegroom’s sins are forgiven him.

On the daf / in context: The name Machalat (from the root of forgiveness) is read as a signal that marriage brings atonement for the groom; the change of name from Basemat is the midrashic trigger.

Type of Learning

Custom (aggadah — bridegroom’s sins are forgiven)

What Is Learned

A bridegroom’s sins are forgiven him; the name Machalat (forgiveness) applied to Esav’s new wife is the source of the principle.