Indeed, he shall be blessed."
But what was that trembling? And why is it so significant?
Our sages, delving into the depths of the text, find layers of meaning in that tremor. Bereshit Rabbah, a classic midrashic collection, unpacks this moment, connecting it to another seemingly unrelated instance of trembling in the Book of Ruth. It all hinges on a verse from Proverbs 29:25: "A man’s trembling sets a snare, and one who trusts the Lord will be exalted."
The midrash asks us to consider the trembling that Ruth caused Boaz. Remember the story? Ruth, the Moabite widow, follows Naomi to Bethlehem and, on Naomi’s advice, approaches Boaz on the threshing floor at night. When Boaz wakes up, he’s understandably startled! The Book of Ruth says, "He trembled and recoiled" (Ruth 3:8).
Now, the midrash points out, Boaz could have reacted very differently. He could have cursed her, seeing her presence as a transgression. That trembling, Bereshit Rabbah suggests, "sets a snare" – it could have led to a negative outcome. But Boaz, trusting in God, chose a different path. He blessed Ruth, saying, "May you be blessed to the Lord, my daughter" (Ruth 3:10).
So, what does Ruth have to do with Isaac?
The midrash draws a parallel. Just as Ruth's presence caused Boaz to tremble, Jacob's deception – tricking his father into giving him the blessing meant for Esau – caused Isaac to tremble violently. "Isaac was overcome with great trembling," the Torah tells us. And just like with Boaz, that trembling "sets a snare." Isaac, rightfully feeling betrayed, could have cursed Jacob.
But here's the crucial point: "One who trusts the Lord will be exalted." Despite the deception, despite the profound shock, Isaac, ultimately trusting in a higher power, blessed Jacob. He affirmed the blessing, saying, "Indeed, he shall be blessed." Isaac, in his moment of vulnerability and betrayal, chooses blessing over curse. He recognizes, perhaps dimly, that a divine plan is unfolding, even if he doesn't fully understand it.
The Zohar, the central text of Kabbalah, offers even deeper insights into Isaac's spiritual state at this moment. It suggests that Isaac's near-blindness wasn't just a physical ailment, but a spiritual one as well. He was so focused on his preconceived notions, on his preference for Esau, that he was blind to Jacob's true potential.
This episode reminds us that even in moments of profound uncertainty and even betrayal, we have a choice. We can react with anger and resentment, or we can choose to trust, to bless, and to see the possibility of good even in the midst of confusion. It's a powerful lesson, drawn from the trembling of an old man and the wisdom of our tradition. How will we choose to react when our own world starts to shake?