Parashat Tol’dot raises questions about the Torah’s attitudes about masculinity. Jacob, the shepherd, and Esau, the hunter, are favored by different parents and pursue different means to achieve their goals. This contrast leads readers to consider what the text wants us to conclude about what manhood means and represents, while also forcing us to ask the same question about our own society. America’s idea of masculinity has developed and changed over time, emphasizing different characteristics as “manly” and “American” depending on the context.
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