In Parashah “Toldos,” the Torah states that when Rivkah was pregnant with Yaakov and Eisav: “And the children struggled together within her.”(Bereshit 25:22)
Rivkah had a very difficult and painful pregnancy, she felt like a war was going inside of her and she didn’t understand why.
When she passed by the Torah study halls of Shem and Ever, she felt the baby wanted to come out. When she passed by places of idol worship, she felt the baby wanted to come out.
So she went to seek advice from Shem, through prophesy he said to her that within her there were two Nations who would be opposite one to the other.
We understand why Eisav wanted to go to the place of idol worship, but Yaakov was being taught the whole Torah by an angel in his mother’s womb, why would he want to get out and leave such a wonderful teacher?
Rabbi Chayim Soloveitchik teaches that from here we learn that if one has to be with an evil person like Eisav, it is preferable to give up even the opportunity to study with an angel.
Like they say in Colombia “mejor estar sólo que mal acompañado” (it is better to be alone than in bad company).
It is very important to surround ourselves with good people, who will not only help us be better but at the same time won’t influence us to be bad.
Some excerpts from “Growth Through Torah”by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin
www.liveslittlehigher.com
