Toldos
It is an interesting contrast to note that the opening of this week’s parsha, Toldos, appropriately begins with "V'aileh Toldos,” while parshas Noach opens with precisely the same words but the name of the parsha is Noach. Why the difference?
Perhaps the discrepancy comes from the fact that Noach had no mesorah, no family traditions, to pass on to his children. We do not find Noach embracing the idea of passing on a spiritual heritage over to his children. In fact, Noach is famously criticized by chazal for inspiring himself to be faithful but accomplishing little to inspire his generation and apparently even his children. Therefore the name of the parsha is simply "Noach" because that was the extent of his spiritual reach.
Yitzchak, however, received a strong heritage and Torah from his father Avraham, and Yitzchak was dedicated and committed to extending the family mesorah on to his own progeny, and from generation to generation after. Hence, the name of the parsha, "Toldos" (generations) is most fitting when describing the life and descendants of Yitzchak.
Rav Moshe Feinstein, ZT'L, similarly comments on the opening pasuk as to why the verse repeats the fact that Avraham gave birth to Yitzchak, by answering that the repetition is informing us that Avraham was not only the biological father of Yitzchak but, additionally, the Torah is testifying that Yitzchak was the spiritual heir to Avraham's legacy, that Avraham took efforts to model, teach, and inspire his son to walk in the ways of the Torah.
I sometimes joke, not so jokingly, that the word "parent" is not only a noun but also a verb. Children have parents but the role we have is to actually parent our children. This is certainly not always the easiest of tasks but we must understand that Hashem has granted us the privilege to be a special link which began with Avraham Avinu. This means that in addition to being a deduction on our tax return, we have the duty to be role models of ethics and a commitment to Torah values. We can create legacies and traditions for our children about how we daven, what songs we sing, what our Shabbos and yom tov table are like, and what our priorities are.
The parsha name, Toldos, is therefore itself instructive to enable us to remember that we have the ability to create strong, spiritual bonds with our children and grandchildren.
