Parshat Toldot has always been special to me. It’s my Bar Mitzvah parsha, the first Torah portion I have ever read. I’ve always been drawn to the story of Yaakov and Esav, two brothers who couldn’t be more different, yet are forever connected by family, blessing, and destiny.

Esav is the older one: outdoorsy, passionate, a man of action. Yaakov is quieter, more reflective, and spends his time learning. Their story is filled with tension, from the sale of the birthright to the blessing from their father. But beneath all the drama, the parsha is really about what gets passed down, the idea of continuing something meaningful even when the path isn’t easy.

That theme really hits home for me. My older brother Daniel is my Esav, not in a negative sense, but in the way that he came first, led first, and carved the path that I would one day walk. Growing up, I always looked up to him. Whether it was school, sports, or leadership, he went ahead, and I followed, learning from his example.

When Daniel completed his term as Godol of our chapter and moved up to Regional Board, he passed the gavel to me. There’s a photo of that moment, and to me, it mirrors the deeper message of Toldot. Just as Yaakov and Esav’s story is about what’s handed down, the blessing, the responsibility, and the legacy, that moment between brothers captured what it means to receive something meaningful and make it your own.

It wasn’t just about leadership in a chapter or a position. It was about trust, about transition, about how one person can hand off something they’ve built and how the next person can carry it forward with their own purpose and strength. That’s what Toldot teaches me: that growth doesn’t erase what came before, it builds upon it.

Yaakov and Esav’s story reminds me that stepping into someone else’s shoes doesn’t mean becoming them. It means finding your own way while honoring what they began. Daniel showed me what leadership looks like, and now it’s on me to continue that legacy in my own way.

When I think about Toldot now, I don’t just see rivalry. I see a story of connection, inheritance, and trust, of brothers linked by something larger than themselves. The passing of the gavel wasn’t only a moment of leadership; it was a symbol of faith, responsibility, and love between brothers.

Each of us, in our own lives, has something to carry forward, a mission, a blessing, or a legacy. What matters most is how we choose to live it and make it even greater.

‍

Fraternally submitted with an undying love for Simchat Haderech BBYO #5401, Gold Coast Region #51, but above all, the Grand Order of the Aleph Zadik Aleph. I forever remain Aleph Jonathan Reinstein.

Shabbat Shalom