The Marshmallow Experiment

In the late 1960’s Walter Mischel, a psychologist at Stanford University, set out to explore delayed gratification in children through a series of “Marshmallow Experiments”. Children were offered a small reward, such as a single marshmallow, which was immediately available to them. If they were to hold back from consuming this marshmallow until the researcher returned, however, they would receive a much greater reward. Dr. Mischel tracked these children over a period of years; not surprisingly, those willing to delay gratification had better life outcomes in a variety of areas.
It does not appear that Jacob or Esau would have fared well with this “Marshmallow Experiment”. The prior chapters elaborately describe Jacob’s craftiness as he acquires for himself both the birthright and his father’s blessing, both of which seemed intended for Esau. Both the birthright and the blessing, however, ultimately bestow short-term benefits. Jacob exerts extensive effort to procure the birthright, through which he will be entrusted with the political leadership of the clan, as well as his father’s blessing for agricultural bounty and political dominance.
In our chapter, as Jacob prepares to leave his father’s home, he is given an additional blessing; Birkat Avraham. Neither Jacob nor Esau seem especially desirous of this blessing; Esau watches from afar as his father transmits Birkat Avraham to his brother but does not complain. Jacob too responds with silence. This blessing is the Torah’s ultimate “Marshmallow Experiment”, a blessing of temporary homelessness leading eventually to a permanent inheritance. It is a blessing for the future for a family operating in the present. It is Jacob who is “blessed” to be Abraham’s true heir, forced to leave home and journey extensively before ultimately finding a fitting partner not only for procreation but for transmission of the covenant as well.

Josh Pernick is a fourth-year rabbinical student at YCT and a member of the Hillel Office of Innovation Fellowship for Rabbinic Entrepreneurs.

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