“This is the legacy of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham begot Isaac” (Genesis 25:19). “This is the legacy of Isaac, Abraham’s son.” “The father of the righteous will exult with happiness [gil yagil], and the begetter of the wise will rejoice in him” (Proverbs 23:24) – happiness [gila] after happiness when the righteous one is born. “It was in the days of Aḥaz…” (Isaiah 7:1) – Rabbi Hoshaya said: The ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, woe that Aḥaz reigned.’1Ahaz was a wicked king. See II Kings 16:1–4. He said to them: ‘He is Yotam’s son. His father was righteous, and I cannot extend my hand against him.’ “And the begetter of the wise will rejoice in him” – Rabbi Levi said: From where do you say that anyone who has a son who diligently engages in Torah, that he becomes filled with mercy upon him? The verse states: “My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will rejoice” (Proverbs 23:15). Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya says: I have derived only the heart of his flesh and blood father, from where is it derived that even the Holy One blessed be He becomes filled with mercy upon him when he diligently engages in Torah? The verse states: “My heart too2The midrash is explaining that the verse says "too" as a reference to God, who rejoices with him. will rejoice.” Happiness after happiness – when he is a righteous one, son of a righteous one; “this is the legacy of Isaac, Abraham’s son.”
“The crown of elders is grandchildren” (Proverbs 17:6). The fathers are the crown of their children, and the children are the crown of their fathers. The fathers are the crown of their children, as it is stated: “And the glory of children is their fathers” (Proverbs 17:6). And the children are the crown of their fathers, as it is written: “The crown of elders is grandchildren.” Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Yitzḥak said: Abraham was rescued from the fiery furnace due only to the merit of Jacob. This is analogous to one who had a judgment before the governor, and his sentence, issued by the governor, was that he was to be burned. That governor foresaw through astrology that he [the defendant] was destined to beget a daughter and she would marry the king. He said: ‘He is worthy to be spared due to the merit of his daughter that he is destined to beget, and she will marry the king.’ So, Abraham, his sentence issued by Nimrod was that he was to be burned. The Holy One blessed be He foresaw that Jacob was destined to emerge from him. He said: ‘Abraham is worthy of being spared due to the merit of Jacob.’ That is what is written: “Therefore, so says the Lord to the house of Jacob, who redeemed Abraham…” (Isaiah 29:22).3The order of the Hebrew words allows for "who" to be interpreted as referring to Jacob. Alternatively, “the crown of elders is grandchildren” – “this is the legacy of Isaac, Abraham’s son.”
Abram was called Abraham. Isaac was called Abraham, as it is stated: “This is the legacy of Isaac, Abraham’s son; Abraham.” Jacob was called Israel, as it is written: “He said: No longer will Jacob be said to be your name, but rather, Israel” (Genesis 32:29). Isaac was called Israel, as it is written: “These are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob [et Yaakov]” (Exodus 1:1).4The midrash interprets the verse as saying that Jacob is included in “the children of Israel.” If so, Israel in this verse is Isaac. Abraham was called Israel. Rabbi Natan said: It is a profound matter. “The dwelling of the children of Israel that they dwelled in Egypt” (Exodus 12:40), in the land of Canaan, and in the land of Goshen “was four hundred and thirty years” (Exodus 12:40).5The total starts from the Covenant of the Pieces, which God made with Abraham before Isaac was born, and the Torah refers to it as: “The dwelling of the children of Israel.”
“Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebecca, daughter of Betuel the Aramean, from Padan Aram, sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife” (Genesis 25:20). “Isaac was forty years old [when he took Rebecca, daughter of Betuel the Aramean, from Padan Aram, sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife]” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: If it is to teach that she is from Aram Naharayim, and is it not already stated: “From Padan Aram,” why does the verse state “Aramean” – “daughter of Betuel the Aramean [haarami]”?6Somebody who lived in Padan Aram was called an Aramean. Why does the verse state “sister of Laban the Aramean”? Rather, it is coming to teach you: Her father was a charlatan [ramai], her brother was a charlatan, and the residents of her place were likewise so, but this righteous woman who emerged from their midst, to what is she comparable? It is to a “lily among the thorns” (Song of Songs 2:2). “He went to Padan Aram” (Genesis 28:5). Why does the verse state: “To Laban the Aramean”? (Genesis 28:5).It teaches that he included them all in deceit.
“Isaac entreated the Lord opposite his wife, because she was barren, and the Lord acceded to his entreaty, and Rebecca his wife conceived” (Genesis 25:21). “Isaac entreated [vayetar] the Lord opposite his wife” – Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Because he poured out prayers abundantly [beosher].7In Aramaic, the root ayin tav reish is parallel to the Hebrew ayin shin reish. Reish Lakish said: Because he overturned the decree. On that basis they call a pitchfork atra, as it overturns the grain. “Opposite his wife” – it teaches that Isaac was prostrated here and she was prostrated there, and he was saying: Master of the universe, all the children that You are giving me will be from this righteous woman.’ She, too, said so: ‘All the children that You are destined to give me will be from this righteous man.’ “Because she was barren” – Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Lakish: She did not have a uterus, and the Holy One blessed be He fashioned a uterus for her. “The Lord acceded [vayeater] to his entreaty” – Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to the son of kings, who was tunneling under his father in order to take a litra of gold. This one was tunneling from inside,8The king sought to enable his son to gain access to the gold. and that one was tunneling from outside, as in Arabia they call tunneling atirata.
“The children were agitated within her, and she said: If this is so, why do I exist? She went to inquire of the Lord” (Genesis 25:22). “The children were agitated [vayitrotzetzu] within her” – Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: This one ran [ratz] to kill that one and that one ran to kill this one. Reish Lakish said: This one permitted the command of [matir tzivuyo] that one, and that one permitted the command of this one.9Each of them permitted himself to do what the other deemed prohibited. Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Levi: So that you will not say that it was after he [Esau] emerged from his mother’s womb that he confronted him, but rather, while he was still in his mother’s womb, his fist [zirte] was outstretched toward him. That is what is written: “The wicked are corrupt [zoru] from the womb” (Psalms 58:4). “The children were agitated within her” – when she would stand adjacent to synagogues and study halls, Jacob would convulse to emerge. That is what is written: “Before I formed you in the belly I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5). When she would pass houses of idol worship, Esau would run and convulse to emerge. That is what is written: “The wicked are corrupt from the womb.” “The Lord said to her: Two peoples are in your womb, and two nations will be separated from your innards; one nation will prevail over the other nation, and the elder will serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23). “Her days to give birth were complete, and behold, there were twins in her womb” (Genesis 25:24). “The first emerged ruddy, all of him like a cloak of hair, and they called his name Esau” (Genesis 25:25). “Then his brother emerged, his hand grasping Esau’s heel, and he called his name Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them” (Genesis 25:26). “She said: If this is so, why do I exist [lama zeh anokhi]?” Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It teaches that our matriarch Rebecca was circulating around the entrances of women’s houses and saying to them: ‘In your days, did you experience this suffering? If this is the suffering that comes with children; had I only not conceived.’ Rav Huna said: [She said:] ‘If this is how I am destined to produce twelve tribes, would I only not conceive the numerical value of zeh.’10See the end of the paragraph. It is taught in the name of Rabbi Neḥemya: Rebecca was worthy to have twelve tribes emerge from her. That is what is written: “The Lord said to her: Two peoples are in your womb” – these are two; “and two nations” – that is four; “and one nation will prevail over the other nation” – that is six; “and the elder will serve the younger” – that is eight. “Her days to give birth were complete” – that is ten. “The first emerged ruddy” – that is eleven; “then his brother emerged” – that is twelve. There are some who derive it from this verse: “She said: If this is so, why do I exist [lama zeh anokhi]?” Zayin – seven, heh – 5, that is twelve, the numerical value of zeh. “She went to inquire of the Lord” (Genesis 25:22) – were there synagogues and study halls in those days?11Had there been, she could have gone to pray there to God; where, then, did she go? She could have prayed at home. Did she not go only to the academy of Shem and Ever? It is, rather, to teach you that anyone who enters before a Torah scholar, it is as though he enters before the Divine Presence.
“The Lord said to her” (Genesis 25:23) – Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon and Rabbi Yoḥanan in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Rabbi Shimon:: The Holy One blessed be He never deigned to speak with a woman except for that righteous woman,12Sarah, see Bereshit Rabba 48:20. and that, too, was for a reason. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: How much did He go in a roundabout manner in order to speak with her: “No, but you did laugh” (Genesis 18:15). But is it not written: “She13Hagar. called the name of the Lord who spoke to her”? (Genesis 16:13). Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Abba Ḥama bar Ḥanina: It was by means of an angel. Rabbi Elazar said: By means of Shem son of Noah. “Two peoples [goyim] are in your womb” (Genesis 25:23) – two of the proudest of peoples are in your womb. This one is proud of his world14His world that exists for the sake of Torah and leads to the World to Come. and that one is proud of his empire. Two of the proudest of peoples are in your womb – Hadrian among the idolaters and Solomon in Israel. Another matter, two of those hated by the peoples are in your womb.15The word “two” is extraneous, as unless otherwise indicated, the plural “peoples” connotes two. The word “two [shenei]” is expounded as sonei or senuei – those hated by peoples. All the idolaters hate Esau, and all the idolaters hate Israel. [Alternately] the most hated of the sons is in your womb, as it is written: “But I hated Esau” (Malachi 1:3). “And two nations will be separated from your innards” (Genesis 25:23) – from here it is derived that he was born circumcised.16They were already different while they were in the womb. Jacob was circumcised and Esau was not. “One nation will prevail over the other nation” (Genesis 25:23) – Rabbi Ḥelbo said: To this point, they would be called: “Savta, Raama, and Savtekha” (Genesis 10:7).17Small nations and families were counted. From you, Jews and Romans would arise. “The elder will serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23) – Rabbi Huna said: If he [Jacob] merits, he [Esau] will serve, but if not, he [Esau] will be served.
“Her days to give birth were complete” (Genesis 25:24) – elsewhere18When Tamar gave birth (Genesis 38:27). they19The days of pregnancy. are incomplete, and here they are complete. Elsewhere it is written: “Twins [teomim]” (Genesis 38:27) – Peretz and Zeraḥ were both righteous, but here, “tomim” – Jacob was righteous, Esau, wicked.20The regular spelling is teomim. The midrash explains that a letter missingfrom the word indicates that something is amiss. “The first emerged ruddy” (Genesis 25:25) – Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Due to the merit of: “You shall take for you on the first day” (Leviticus 23:40),21The mitzva of the four species. I reveal myself to you first, as it is stated: “I am first and I am last” (Isaiah 44:6); I will exact retribution on your behalf from the first – that is Esau, as it is written: “The first emerged”; I will build for you the first – this is the Temple, in whose regard it is written: “Throne of glory, exalted from the first, [is the place of our Temple]” (Jeremiah 17:12); and I will bring you the first, this is the messianic king, in whose regard it is written: “The first to Zion, behold, here it is” (Isaiah 41:27). Another matter, “the first emerged ruddy” – why did Esau emerge first? It was so he would emerge and his corruption would depart with him. Rabbi Abahu said: It is like that bathhouse attendant who washes the bathhouse and then bathes the king’s son. So, why did Esau emerge first? It was so he would emerge and his corruption would depart with him.22The womb would remain clean for Jacob. A noblewoman asked Rabbi Yosei ben Ḥalafta, she said to him: ‘Why did Esau emerge first?’ He said to her: ‘The first droplet23Of semen. was Jacob’s.’ He said to her: ‘This is analogous to an instance where you place two pearls into one tube, is it not the one that you placed first that will emerge last? So, the first droplet was Jacob’s.’ “Ruddy,” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: As though he were a shedder of blood. When Samuel saw that David was ruddy, as it is written: “He sent and brought him and he was ruddy” (I Samuel 16:12), he was afraid and said: ‘This is a shedder of blood like Esau.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “With beautiful eyes” (I Samuel 16:12). Esau killed at his own initiative, but this one kills at the initiative of Sanhedrin. The emperor Diocletian was a swineherd near Tiberias. When he would come to the study hall of Rabbi,24Rabbi Yehuda Nesia, grandson of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. the children would go out and strike him. Sometime later, he became emperor, and he descended and resided near the Panyas; variant reading: Pamyas, and he sent directives to Tiberias just before nightfall on Thursday: ‘I decree that the prominent leaders of the Jews shall appear before me before morning on Sunday.’ He commanded the emissary and said to him: ‘Do not deliver them [the directives] to them until sunset on Friday.’ Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman went down to bathe. He saw Rabbi standing before the great study hall, and he saw that his face was sickly. He said to him: ‘Why is your face sickly?’ ‘Such and such directives were sent to me by the empire.’ He said to him: ‘Come and bathe, as your Creator performs miracles on our behalf.’ They entered to bathe, and the demon Arginiton came, and was laughing and dancing before them. Rabbi wanted to scold him. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said to him: ‘Leave him alone, as sometimes he appears for the purpose of miracles.’ He said to him: ‘Your master is in distress and you are standing, laughing, and dancing.’ He [the demon] said to them: ‘Go eat and drink and observe a fine Shabbat, as your Master will perform miracles on your behalf, and I will have you stand before him on Sunday morning.’ At the conclusion of Shabbat, after the service, he took them and stood them outside the gates of Panyas. They [servants] entered and said to him [Diocletian]: ‘They are standing before the gates.’ He said: ‘Close the gates.’ He [the demon] took them [the Rabbis] and placed them on the city wall. They [servants] entered and told him [Diocletian]. He said: ‘I decree that they should heat the bathhouse for three days, and then they will enter, bathe, and come before me.’ They went and heated the bathhouse for three days, and one of the Arginiton demons entered and diluted it25With cold water. for them. They entered, bathed, and came before him. He said to them: ‘Because you know that your God performs miracles on your behalf, you belittle the emperor.’ They said to him: ‘We belittle Diocletian the swineherd, but we are subjugated to Diocletian the emperor.’ He said to them: ‘Even so, do not demean a young Roman, and not a low ranking soldier.’ “All of him like a cloak of [kaaderet] hair” (Genesis 25:25) – all of him is worthy of the cloak. The Rabbis of the South in the name of Rabbi Alexandri, and Raḥava in the name of Rabbi Kahana said: He came out all unkempt and scattered like an aderet – like the chaff and the straw from the threshing floor [idera]. That is what is written: “Then the iron…were pulverized, and became like the chaff from the threshing floors [idrei] of summer” (Daniel 2:35). Rabbi Hanina bar Yithak said: What caused them to be pulverized? “From the threshing floors [me’idera] of the summer” (Daniel 2:35) – it is because they extended their hands against the great [adirim].26Israel. “They called his name Esau [Esav]” (Genesis 25:25) – this is the falsehood [heh shav] that I created in My world. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: You called your swine a name, I, too, call My firstborn son a name: “So said the Lord: My son, My firstborn, is Israel” (Exodus 4:22).
“Then his brother emerged” (Genesis 25:26) – a certain officer asked one of the Sages in Beit Seloni. He said to him: ‘Who will assume the kingdom after us?’ He took a blank paper, took a quill, and wrote on it: “Then his brother emerged, his hand grasping…heel” (Genesis 25:26). They said: ‘See ancient matters from the mouth of a modern Sage, to inform you how much pain that righteous one suffered.’
“The lads grew; Esau was a man who knows hunting, a man of the field; Jacob was a simple man, a dweller in tents” (Genesis 25:27). “The lads grew” – Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to a myrtle and a thorn bush that grew adjacent to one another. When they grew and blossomed, this one produced its fragrance and that one produced its thorns. So, all thirteen years, both of them would go to school and both of them would come from school. After thirteen years, this one would go to study halls, and that one would go to houses of idol worship. Rabbi Elazar said: A person must be responsible for his son until age thirteen. From there on, he must say: ‘Blessed that He has absolved me from the punishment of this one.’ “Esau was a man who knows hunting [tzayid]” – he would ensnare [tzad] people with his mouth. You [say you] did not steal; who stole with you? You [say you] did not kill, who killed with you?27The Romans, the descendants of Esau, would ignore the denials of the accused. Rabbi Abahu said: He was a field person, a hunting person.28The verse does not say he worked the field or engaged in hunting, but rather, he was “a man of the field.” He hunted in the house and hunted in the field. In the house, [he said]: ‘How does one prepare salt?’29He asked about separating teruma and tithes from salt and straw, in an effort to create a devout impression, although he knew that there is no such obligation. In the field, [he said:] ‘How does one prepare straw?’ Rabbi Ḥiyya said: He abandoned himself like a field.30Engaging in homosexual relations. Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, is it not enough that you subjugated us to seventy nations, but even to this one, that engages in relations like a woman?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘I, too, will exact retribution against him with that expression.’ That is what is written: “The heart of the valiant of Edom will be on that day like the heart of a woman in anguish” (Jeremiah 49:22). “Jacob was a simple man, a dweller in tents” – two tents; the study hall of Shem, and the study hall of Ever. “Isaac loved Esau because of the game in his mouth, and Rebecca loved Jacob” (Genesis 25:28). “Isaac loved Esau because of the game in his mouth” – good meat for his mouth and a good cup for his mouth. “And Rebecca loved Jacob” – the more she would hear his voice, the more she would add love onto her love for him.
“Jacob cooked a stew, and Esau came from the field and he was weary” (Genesis 25:29). “Jacob cooked a stew” – he [Esau] said to him: ‘What is the nature of this stew?’ He said to him: ‘It is because that elder31Abraham. died.’ He said: ‘Did the attribute of justice strike that elder?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘If so, there is no granting of reward and no revival of the dead.’32Esau was claiming that if the righteous Abraham died at a young age relative to Adam and Noah, that proved that there was no reward for righteousness. (Etz Yosef) The Divine Spirit screams: “Do not weep for the dead, and do not be moved for him” (Jeremiah 22:10) – this is Abraham; “Weep for one who is leaving” (Jeremiah 22:10) – this is Esau.
“Esau came from the field” – Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Aivu, Rabbi Pinḥas in the name of Rabbi Levi, and the Rabbis in the name of Rabbi Simon: You find that Abraham lived one hundred and seventy-five years, and Isaac one hundred and eighty. Those five years that the Holy One blessed be He withheld from his life, it is because Esau violated two transgressions: He consorted with a betrothed young woman, as it is stated: “For he found her in the field”33This verse refers to a betrothed woman who was raped. (Deuteronomy 22:27); “and he was weary” – he killed a person, just as it says: “For my soul is wearied by the killers” (Jeremiah 4:31). Rabbi said: He stole as well, just as it says: “If thieves came for you, if plunderers of the night…” (Obadiah 1:5). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘This is what I promised to Abraham, and said to him: “You shall go to your fathers in peace; [you shall be buried at a good old age]” (Genesis 15:15) – is this “a good old age,” that he sees his grandson engaging in idol worship, engaging in forbidden sexual relations, and shedding blood? It is preferable that he leave the world [without seeing it].’ That is what is written: “For Your kindness is better than life” (Psalms 63:4). “Esau said to Jacob: Feed me now from that red, red [haadomhaadom] dish, as I am weary. Therefore, his name is called Edom” (Genesis 25:30). “Esau said to Jacob: Feed me [haliteni] now from that red” – Rabbi Ze’eira said: That wicked one opened his mouth wide like a camel. He said to him: ‘I will open my mouth and you continuously pour,’ like what we learned: One may not forcibly overfeed a camel and one may not force feed it. However, one may place food into its mouth [malitin].34Shabbat 155b. “From that red, red [ha’adom ha’adom]” – Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From him and from his Patron.35God is the Patron of Jacob. Esau sought to consume the stew, and the Temples of Jacob’s God. Reish Lakish said: From him, and from those like him [hadomin lo].36His righteous descendants, who are similar to him. He is red, his cooked food is red, his land is red, his warriors are red, his garments are red, One who is red exacts retribution against him, in red garments.37See Isaiah 63:1–2. He is red – “the first emerged ruddy” (Genesis 25:25). His cooked food is red – “feed me now from [that] red.” His land is red – “to the land of Se’ir, to the field of Edom" (Genesis 32:4). His mighty ones are red –“his warriors’ shields are reddened” (Nahum 2:4). His garments are red – “his soldiers are colored scarlet” (Nahum 2:4). One who is red exacts retribution against him – “my beloved is clear and ruddy” (Song of Songs 5:10). In red attire – “why is there red in Your attire?” (Isaiah 63:2).
“Jacob said: Sell me your birthright this day” (Genesis 25:31). “Jacob said: Sell me…this day” – he said to him: ‘Sell me one day38The one day is the length of God’s day, based on an interpretation of the verse: “One thousand years in Your eyes are like yesterday [keyom etmol]” (Psalms 90:4). of yours.’ Rabbi Aḥa said: Anyone who knows how to calculate the days of the exile will find that Jacob sat one day in tranquility in the shadow of Esau. “Esau said: Behold, I am going to die, and why do I need [lama zeh li] a birthright?” (Genesis 25:32). “Esau said: Behold, I am going to die” – Reish Lakish said: He began cursing and blaspheming. “Lama li”39That would have been enough to convey his rhetorical question: “Why do I need a birthright?” is not written here, but rather, “lama zeh li.” It teaches that he denied: “This is [zeh] my God” (Exodus 15:2). Another matter, “behold, I am going to die” – as Nimrod was seeking to kill him because of that garment that had belonged to Adam the first man. When he would don it and go out to the field, all the beasts and the birds in the world would come and gather near him. “Jacob said: Take an oath to me this day, and he took an oath to him, and he sold his birthright to Jacob” (Genesis 25:23). “[Jacob] said: Take an oath to me” – what did Jacob our patriarch see that led him to dedicate himself to acquiring the birthright? It is as we learned: until the Tabernacle was established, private altars were permitted, and service was performed by the firstborn. From the time that the Tabernacle was established, private altars were prohibited, and service was performed by the priests.40Zevaḥim 112b. He said: ‘Will this evil one stand and sacrifice?’ That is why he dedicated himself to acquiring the birthright. That is what is written: “For I will render you blood, and blood will pursue you; surely, you hated blood, and blood will pursue you” (Ezekiel 35:6). Did Esau hate blood? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: This is the blood of birthright and offerings. Rabbi Levi said: This is the blood of circumcision. The Rabbis said: You hated a person’s blood in his body. That is what is written: “He loved curses, and they will now come upon him. [He had no desire for blessing, and it will now be far from him]” (Psalms 109:17). Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Ḥama: “He had no desire for blessing” – and no desire for birthright. Rabbi Huna said: This is the blood of the offerings, as it is called blessing, just as it says: “You shall craft for Me an altar of earth…[in every place where I mention my name, I will come to you and I will bless you]” (Exodus 20:21).
“Jacob gave Esau bread and a stew of lentils; he ate, he drank, he arose, and he went, and Esau scorned the birthright” (Genesis 25:34). “Jacob gave Esau bread and a stew of lentils” – just as this lentil is shaped like a circle, so, the world is cyclical. Just as this lentil has no opening, so, it is prohibited for a mourner to speak. Just as this lentil has aspects of mourning and rejoicing, so, mourning because our patriarch Abraham died; rejoicing, because Jacob took the birthright. “He ate, he drank” – he brought a group of immoral people in with him. They said: ‘We will eat his food and mock him.’ But the Divine Spirit was saying: “Set the table” (Isaiah 21:5) – prepare the table; “set the lookout to watch [tzafo hatzafit]” (Isaiah 21:5) – prepare the candelabrum. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: There is a place where they call the candelabrum tzafita. “Arise princes” (Isaiah 21:5) – this is Mikhael and Gavriel. “Anoint a shield” (Isaiah 21:5) – write that the birthright is to Jacob. Bar Kappara said: Because they were mocking Jacob, the Holy One blessed be He agreed, and mocked them, and authorized the birthright to Jacob. From where is it derived? It is as it is written: “So said the Lord: My firstborn son is Israel” (Exodus 4:22). “He arose, and he went” – Rabbi Levi said: He departed from his world.41He lost his share in the World to Come. “Esau scorned the birthright [et habekhora]” – what did he scorn with it?42The word et is expounded as an amplification, indicating that he scorned something else as well. Rabbi Levi said: He scorned the revival of the dead with it. That is what is written: “With the coming of the wicked, comes also scorn” (Proverbs 18:3). “With the coming of the wicked” – this is Esau, as it is stated: “They will be called the region of the wicked” (Malachi 1:4). “Comes also scorn [buz]” – as his disgrace [bizyono] comes with him. “And with shame [kalon], humiliation [ḥerpa]” (Proverbs 18:3) – as the shame of famine accompanies him. Ḥerpa is nothing other than famine, just as it says: “So that you will no longer be subject to the humiliation of [ḥerpat] famine among the nations” (Ezekiel 36:30).
וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת יִצְחָק בֶּן אַבְרָהָם (בראשית כה, יט), (משלי כג, כד): גִּיל יָגִיל אֲבִי צַדִּיק וְיוֹלֵד חָכָם יִשְׂמַח בּוֹ, גִּילָה אַחַר גִּילָה, בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַצַּדִּיק נוֹלַד (ישעיה ז, א): וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אָחָז וגו', אָמַר רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָא אָמְרוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רִבּוֹן כָּל הָעוֹלָמִים וַוי שֶׁמָּלַךְ אָחָז, אָמַר לָהֶן בֶּן יוֹתָם הוּא, וְאָבִיו צַדִּיק וְאֵינִי יָכוֹל לִפְשֹׁט אֶת יָדִי בּוֹ. וְיוֹלֵד חָכָם יִשְׂמַח בּוֹ, רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר מִנַיִן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בֵּן יָגֵעַ בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁהוּא מִתְמַלֵּא עָלָיו רַחֲמִים, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (משלי כג, טו): בְּנִי אִם חָכַם לִבֶּךָ יִשְׂמַח לִבִּי גַּם אָנִי. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן מְנַסְיָא אוֹמֵר, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא לֵב אָבִיו שֶׁל בָּשָׂר וָדָם, מִנַּיִן שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְמַלֵּא רַחֲמִים עָלָיו בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא יָגֵעַ בַּתּוֹרָה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר יִשְׂמַח לִבִּי גַּם אָנִי, גִּילָה אַחַר גִּילָה בִּזְמַן שֶׁהוּא צַדִּיק בֶּן צַדִּיק, וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת יִצְחָק בֶּן אַבְרָהָם.
“This is the legacy of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham begot Isaac” (Genesis 25:19).
“This is the legacy of Isaac, Abraham’s son.” “The father of the righteous will exult with happiness [gil yagil], and the begetter of the wise will rejoice in him” (Proverbs 23:24) – happiness [gila] after happiness when the righteous one is born. “It was in the days of Aḥaz…” (Isaiah 7:1) – Rabbi Hoshaya said: The ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, woe that Aḥaz reigned.’1Ahaz was a wicked king. See II Kings 16:1–4. He said to them: ‘He is Yotam’s son. His father was righteous, and I cannot extend my hand against him.’ “And the begetter of the wise will rejoice in him” – Rabbi Levi said: From where do you say that anyone who has a son who diligently engages in Torah, that he becomes filled with mercy upon him? The verse states: “My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will rejoice” (Proverbs 23:15). Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya says: I have derived only the heart of his flesh and blood father, from where is it derived that even the Holy One blessed be He becomes filled with mercy upon him when he diligently engages in Torah? The verse states: “My heart too2The midrash is explaining that the verse says "too" as a reference to God, who rejoices with him. will rejoice.” Happiness after happiness – when he is a righteous one, son of a righteous one; “this is the legacy of Isaac, Abraham’s son.”
עֲטֶרֶת זְקֵנִים בְּנֵי בָנִים (משלי יז, ו), הָאָבוֹת עֲטָרָה לַבָּנִים, וְהַבָּנִים עֲטָרָה לָאָבוֹת. הָאָבוֹת עֲטָרָה לַבָּנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי יז, ו): וְתִפְאֶרֶת בָּנִים אֲבוֹתָם. הַבָּנִים עֲטָרָה לָאָבוֹת, דִּכְתִיב: עֲטֶרֶת זְקֵנִים בְּנֵי בָנִים. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק אָמַר אַבְרָהָם לֹא נִצֹּל מִכִּבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב, מָשָׁל לְאֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ דִּין לִפְנֵי הַשִּׁלְטוֹן וְיָצָא דִינוֹ מִלִּפְנֵי הַשִּׁלְטוֹן לִשָּׂרֵף, וְצָפָה אוֹתוֹ הַשִּׁלְטוֹן בְּאַסְטְרוֹלוֹגְיָאה שֶׁלּוֹ שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לְהוֹלִיד בַּת וְהִיא נִשַּׂאת לַמֶּלֶךְ, אָמַר כְּדַאי הוּא לְהִנָּצֵל בִּזְכוּת בִּתּוֹ שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לְהוֹלִיד וְהִיא נִשַּׂאת לַמֶּלֶךְ. כָּךְ אַבְרָהָם יָצָא דִינוֹ מִלִּפְנֵי נִמְרוֹד לִשָּׂרֵף, וְצָפָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁיַּעֲקֹב עָתִיד לַעֲמֹד מִמֶּנּוּ, אָמַר כְּדַאי הוּא אַבְרָהָם לְהִנָּצֵל בִּזְכוּתוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה כט, כב): לָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֶל בֵּית יַעֲקֹב אֲשֶׁר פָּדָה אֶת אַבְרָהָם, יַעֲקֹב פָדָה אֶת אַבְרָהָם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, עֲטֶרֶת זְקֵנִים בְּנֵי בָנִים, (בראשית כה, יט): וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת יִצְחָק בֶּן אַבְרָהָם.
“The crown of elders is grandchildren” (Proverbs 17:6). The fathers are the crown of their children, and the children are the crown of their fathers. The fathers are the crown of their children, as it is stated: “And the glory of children is their fathers” (Proverbs 17:6). And the children are the crown of their fathers, as it is written: “The crown of elders is grandchildren.” Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Yitzḥak said: Abraham was rescued from the fiery furnace due only to the merit of Jacob. This is analogous to one who had a judgment before the governor, and his sentence, issued by the governor, was that he was to be burned. That governor foresaw through astrology that he [the defendant] was destined to beget a daughter and she would marry the king. He said: ‘He is worthy to be spared due to the merit of his daughter that he is destined to beget, and she will marry the king.’ So, Abraham, his sentence issued by Nimrod was that he was to be burned. The Holy One blessed be He foresaw that Jacob was destined to emerge from him. He said: ‘Abraham is worthy of being spared due to the merit of Jacob.’ That is what is written: “Therefore, so says the Lord to the house of Jacob, who redeemed Abraham…” (Isaiah 29:22).3The order of the Hebrew words allows for "who" to be interpreted as referring to Jacob. Alternatively, “the crown of elders is grandchildren” – “this is the legacy of Isaac, Abraham’s son.”
אַבְרָם נִקְרָא אַבְרָהָם. יִצְחָק, נִקְרָא אַבְרָהָם, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית כה, יט): וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת יִצְחָק בֶּן אַבְרָהָם, אַבְרָהָם. יַעֲקֹב נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית לב, כט): לֹא יַעֲקֹב יֵאָמֵר עוֹד שִׁמְךָ כִּי אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל, יִצְחָק נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב (שמות א, א): וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה אֵת יַעֲקֹב. אַבְרָהָם נִקְרָא יִשְׂרָאֵל, רַבִּי נָתָן אָמַר מִלְּתָא עֲמִיקְתָּא הִיא (שמות יב, מ): וּמוֹשַׁב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר יָשְׁבוּ בְּמִצְרָיִם וּבְאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן וּבְאֶרֶץ גּוֹשֶׁן שְׁלשִׁים שָׁנָה וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה.
Abram was called Abraham. Isaac was called Abraham, as it is stated: “This is the legacy of Isaac, Abraham’s son; Abraham.” Jacob was called Israel, as it is written: “He said: No longer will Jacob be said to be your name, but rather, Israel” (Genesis 32:29). Isaac was called Israel, as it is written: “These are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob [et Yaakov]” (Exodus 1:1).4The midrash interprets the verse as saying that Jacob is included in “the children of Israel.” If so, Israel in this verse is Isaac. Abraham was called Israel. Rabbi Natan said: It is a profound matter. “The dwelling of the children of Israel that they dwelled in Egypt” (Exodus 12:40), in the land of Canaan, and in the land of Goshen “was four hundred and thirty years” (Exodus 12:40).5The total starts from the Covenant of the Pieces, which God made with Abraham before Isaac was born, and the Torah refers to it as: “The dwelling of the children of Israel.”
וַיְהִי יִצְחָק בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה וגו' (בראשית כה, כ), אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק אִם לְלַמֵּד שֶׁהִיא מֵאֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם וַהֲלוֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר: מִפַּדַן אֲרָם, מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר אֲרַמִּי, בַּת בְּתוּאֵל הָאֲרַמִּי, מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר אֲחוֹת לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי, אֶלָּא בָּא לְלַמֶּדְךָ אָבִיהָ רַמַּאי וְאָחִיהָ רַמַּאי וְאַף אַנְשֵׁי מְקוֹמָהּ כֵּן, וְהַצַּדֶּקֶת הַזּוֹ שֶׁהִיא יוֹצְאָה מִבֵּינֵיהֶם לְמָה הִיא דּוֹמָה, לְשׁוֹשַׁנָּה בֵּין הַחוֹחִים. רַבִּי פִּנְחָס אָמַר כְּתִיב (בראשית כח, ז): וַיֵּלֶךְ פַּדֶּנָה אֲרָם, מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (בראשית כח, ה): אֶל לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכֻּלָּן כְּלָלָן בָּרַמָּאוּת.
“Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebecca, daughter of Betuel the Aramean, from Padan Aram, sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife” (Genesis 25:20).
“Isaac was forty years old [when he took Rebecca, daughter of Betuel the Aramean, from Padan Aram, sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife]” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: If it is to teach that she is from Aram Naharayim, and is it not already stated: “From Padan Aram,” why does the verse state “Aramean” – “daughter of Betuel the Aramean [haarami]”?6Somebody who lived in Padan Aram was called an Aramean. Why does the verse state “sister of Laban the Aramean”? Rather, it is coming to teach you: Her father was a charlatan [ramai], her brother was a charlatan, and the residents of her place were likewise so, but this righteous woman who emerged from their midst, to what is she comparable? It is to a “lily among the thorns” (Song of Songs 2:2). “He went to Padan Aram” (Genesis 28:5). Why does the verse state: “To Laban the Aramean”? (Genesis 28:5).It teaches that he included them all in deceit.
וַיֶּעְתַּר יִצְחָק לַה' לְנֹכַח אִשְׁתּוֹ (בראשית כה, כא), רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר שֶׁשָּׁפַךְ תְּפִלּוֹת בְּעשֶׁר. רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר שֶׁהִפֵּךְ אֶת הַגְּזֵרָה, וּלְפוּם כֵּן קָרְיִן לֵיהּ עַתְרָא דְּאַפֵּךְ אִדְּרָא. לְנֹכַח אִשְׁתּוֹ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיָה יִצְחָק שָׁטוּחַ כָּאן, וְהִיא שְׁטוּחָה כָּאן, וְאוֹמֵר רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם כָּל בָּנִים שֶׁאַתָּה נוֹתֵן לִי יִהְיוּ מִן הַצַּדֶּקֶת הַזּוֹ, אַף הִיא אָמְרָה כֵּן, כָּל בָּנִים שֶׁאַתְּ עָתִיד לִתֵּן לִי יִהְיוּ מִן הַצַּדִּיק הַזֶּה. (בראשית כה, כא): כִּי עֲקָרָה הִוא, רַבִּי יוּדָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לָקִישׁ, עִקַּר מַטְרִין לָא הֲוָה לָהּ וְגָלַף לָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עִקַּר מַטְרִין. (בראשית כה, כא): וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ ה', רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר מָשָׁל לְבֶן מְלָכִים שֶׁהָיָה חוֹתֵר עַל אָבִיו לִטֹּל לִיטְרָא שֶׁל זָהָב, וְהָיָה זֶה חוֹתֵר מִבִּפְנִים, וְזֶה חוֹתֵר מִבַּחוּץ, שֶׁכֵּן בַּעֲרָבְיָא קוֹרִין לַחֲתִירְתָא עֲתִירְתָא.
“Isaac entreated the Lord opposite his wife, because she was barren, and the Lord acceded to his entreaty, and Rebecca his wife conceived” (Genesis 25:21).
“Isaac entreated [vayetar] the Lord opposite his wife” – Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Because he poured out prayers abundantly [beosher].7In Aramaic, the root ayin tav reish is parallel to the Hebrew ayin shin reish. Reish Lakish said: Because he overturned the decree. On that basis they call a pitchfork atra, as it overturns the grain.
“Opposite his wife” – it teaches that Isaac was prostrated here and she was prostrated there, and he was saying: Master of the universe, all the children that You are giving me will be from this righteous woman.’ She, too, said so: ‘All the children that You are destined to give me will be from this righteous man.’
“Because she was barren” – Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Lakish: She did not have a uterus, and the Holy One blessed be He fashioned a uterus for her.
“The Lord acceded [vayeater] to his entreaty” – Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to the son of kings, who was tunneling under his father in order to take a litra of gold. This one was tunneling from inside,8The king sought to enable his son to gain access to the gold. and that one was tunneling from outside, as in Arabia they call tunneling atirata.
וַיִתְרֹצֲצוּ הַבָּנִים בְּקִרְבָּהּ (בראשית כה, כב), רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר זֶה רָץ לַהֲרֹג אֶת זֶה וְזֶה רָץ לַהֲרֹג אֶת זֶה. רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר זֶה מַתִּיר צִוּוּיוֹ שֶׁל זֶה וְזֶה מַתִּיר צִוּוּיוֹ שֶׁל זֶה. רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי שֶׁלֹא תֹאמַר מִשֶּׁיָּצָא מִמְּעֵי אִמּוֹ נִזְדַּוֵּג לוֹ, אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁהוּא בִּמְעֵי אִמּוֹ זִרְתֵּהּ מְתוּחָה לְקִבְלֵיהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים נח, ד): זֹרוּ רְשָׁעִים מֵרָחֶם. וַיִּתְרֹצֲצוּ הַבָּנִים בְּקִרְבָּהּ, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיְתָה עוֹמֶדֶת עַל בָּתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת יַעֲקֹב מְפַרְכֵּס לָצֵאת, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ירמיה א, ה): בְּטֶרֶם אֶצָּרְךָ בַבֶּטֶן יְדַעְתִּיךָ, וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיְתָה עוֹבֶרֶת עַל בָּתֵּי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים עֵשָׂו רָץ וּמְפַרְכֵּס לָצֵאת, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: זֹרוּ רְשָׁעִים מֵרָחֶם. וַתֹּאמֶר אִם כֵּן לָמָּה זֶה אָנֹכִי, רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיְתָה אִמֵּנוּ רִבְקָה מְחַזֶּרֶת עַל פִּתְחֵיהֶן שֶׁל נָשִׁים וְאוֹמֶרֶת לָהֶן הִגִּיעַ לָכֶם הַצַּעַר הַזֶּה בִּימֵיכֶם, אִם כָּךְ הוּא צַעֲרוֹ שֶׁל בָּנִים וְהַלְוַאי לֹא עִבַּרְתִּי. רַבִּי הוּנָא אָמַר אִם כָּךְ אֲנִי עָתִיד לְהַעֲמִיד שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שְׁבָטִים הַלְּוַאי לֹא עִבַּרְתִּי מִנְיַן זֶה. תָּנֵי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה רְאוּיָה הָיְתָה רִבְקָה שֶׁיַּעַמְדוּ מִמֶּנָּה שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שְׁבָטִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית כה, כג): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' לָהּ שְׁנֵי גוֹיִם בְּבִטְנֵךְ, דָּא תְּרֵין, (בראשית כה, כג): וּשְׁנֵי לְאֻמִּים, הָא אַרְבָּעָה, (בראשית כה, כג): וּלְאֹם מִלְאֹם יֶאֱמָץ, הָא שִׁתָּא, (בראשית כה, כג): וְרַב יַעֲבֹד צָעִיר, הָא תְּמַנְיָא, (בראשית כה, כד): וַיִּמְלְאוּ יָמֶיהָ לָלֶדֶת, הָא עֲשָׂרָה, (בראשית כה, כה): וַיֵּצֵא הָרִאשׁוֹן אַדְמוֹנִי, הָא חַד עֲשַׂר, (בראשית כה, כו): וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יָצָא אָחִיו, הָא תְּרֵין עֲשַׂר. וְאִית דְּמַיְתִין לָהּ מִן הָדֵין קְרָא, (בראשית כה, כב): וַתֹּאמֶר אִם כֵּן לָמָּה זֶּה אָנֹכִי, ז' שִׁבְעָה, ה' חֲמִשָּׁה, הָא תְּרֵין עֲשַׂר, מִנְיַן זֶה. (בראשית כה, כב): וַתֵּלֶךְ לִדְרשׁ אֶת ה', וְכִי בָּתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת הָיוּ בְּאוֹתָן הַיָּמִים, וַהֲלוֹא לֹא הָלְכָה אֶלָּא לַמִּדְרָשׁ שֶׁל שֵׁם וְעֵבֶר, אֶלָּא לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא מַקְבִּיל פְּנֵי זָקֵן כְּמַקְבִּיל פְּנֵי שְׁכִינָה.
“The children were agitated within her, and she said: If this is so, why do I exist? She went to inquire of the Lord” (Genesis 25:22).
“The children were agitated [vayitrotzetzu] within her” – Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: This one ran [ratz] to kill that one and that one ran to kill this one. Reish Lakish said: This one permitted the command of [matir tzivuyo] that one, and that one permitted the command of this one.9Each of them permitted himself to do what the other deemed prohibited.
Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Levi: So that you will not say that it was after he [Esau] emerged from his mother’s womb that he confronted him, but rather, while he was still in his mother’s womb, his fist [zirte] was outstretched toward him. That is what is written: “The wicked are corrupt [zoru] from the womb” (Psalms 58:4).
“The children were agitated within her” – when she would stand adjacent to synagogues and study halls, Jacob would convulse to emerge. That is what is written: “Before I formed you in the belly I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5). When she would pass houses of idol worship, Esau would run and convulse to emerge. That is what is written: “The wicked are corrupt from the womb.”
“The Lord said to her: Two peoples are in your womb, and two nations will be separated from your innards; one nation will prevail over the other nation, and the elder will serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23).
“Her days to give birth were complete, and behold, there were twins in her womb” (Genesis 25:24).
“The first emerged ruddy, all of him like a cloak of hair, and they called his name Esau” (Genesis 25:25).
“Then his brother emerged, his hand grasping Esau’s heel, and he called his name Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them” (Genesis 25:26).
“She said: If this is so, why do I exist [lama zeh anokhi]?” Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It teaches that our matriarch Rebecca was circulating around the entrances of women’s houses and saying to them: ‘In your days, did you experience this suffering? If this is the suffering that comes with children; had I only not conceived.’ Rav Huna said: [She said:] ‘If this is how I am destined to produce twelve tribes, would I only not conceive the numerical value of zeh.’10See the end of the paragraph. It is taught in the name of Rabbi Neḥemya: Rebecca was worthy to have twelve tribes emerge from her. That is what is written: “The Lord said to her: Two peoples are in your womb” – these are two; “and two nations” – that is four; “and one nation will prevail over the other nation” – that is six; “and the elder will serve the younger” – that is eight. “Her days to give birth were complete” – that is ten. “The first emerged ruddy” – that is eleven; “then his brother emerged” – that is twelve. There are some who derive it from this verse: “She said: If this is so, why do I exist [lama zeh anokhi]?” Zayin – seven, heh – 5, that is twelve, the numerical value of zeh.
“She went to inquire of the Lord” (Genesis 25:22) – were there synagogues and study halls in those days?11Had there been, she could have gone to pray there to God; where, then, did she go? She could have prayed at home. Did she not go only to the academy of Shem and Ever? It is, rather, to teach you that anyone who enters before a Torah scholar, it is as though he enters before the Divine Presence.
וַיֹּאמֶר ה' לָהּ (בראשית כה, כג), רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר רַבִּי סִימוֹן וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מֵעוֹלָם לֹא נִזְקַק הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהָשִׂיחַ עִם אִשָּׁה אֶלָּא עִם אוֹתָהּ הַצַּדֶּקֶת, וְאַף הִיא עַל יְדֵי עִלָּה. רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא אוֹמֵר כַּמָּה כִּרְכּוּרִין כִּרְכֵּר בִּשְׁבִיל לְהָשִׂיחַ עִמָּהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית יח, טו): וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא כִּי צָחָקְתְּ. וְהָכְתִיב (בראשית טז, יג): וַתִּקְרָא שֵׁם ה' הַדֹּבֵר אֵלֶיהָ, רַבִּי לֵוִי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַבָּא חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא אָמַר עַל יְדֵי מַלְאָךְ. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר עַל יְדֵי שֵׁם בֶּן נֹחַ. (בראשית טז, יג): שְׁנֵי גוֹיִם בְּבִטְנֵךְ, שְׁנֵי גֵאֵי גוֹיִם בְּבִטְנֵךְ, זֶה מִתְגָּאֶה בְּעוֹלָמוֹ וְזֶה מִתְגָּאֶה בְּמַלְכוּתוֹ. שְׁנֵי גֵאֵי גוֹיִם בְּבִטְנֵךְ, אַדְרִיָּאנוֹס בְּעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, שְׁלֹמֹה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. דָּבָר אַחֵר שְׁנֵי שׂוֹנְאֵי גוֹיִם בְּבִטְנֵךְ, כָּל הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים שׂוֹנְאִים אֶת עֵשָׂו, וְכָל הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים שׂוֹנְאִים אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, סְנָאֵיהוֹן דִּבְנַיָא בְּמֵעַיִךְ, דִּכְתִיב (מלאכי א, ג): וְאֶת עֵשָׂו שָׂנֵאתִי. וּשְׁנֵי לְאֻמִּים מִמֵּעַיִךְ יִפָּרֵדוּ, אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה מִכָּאן שֶׁנּוֹלַד מָהוּל. וּלְאֹם מִלְאֹם יֶאֱמָץ, רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ אָמַר עַד כָּאן קְרָיָין (בראשית י, ז): סַבְתָּה וְרַעְמָה וְסַבְתְּכָא, מִינָךְ יְקוּמוּן יְהוּדָאִין וְאַרְמָאִין. וְרַב יַעֲבֹד צָעִיר, אָמַר רַבִּי הוּנָא אִם זָכָה יַעֲבֹד, וְאִם לָאו יֵעֲבֵד.
“The Lord said to her” (Genesis 25:23) – Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon and Rabbi Yoḥanan in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Rabbi Shimon:: The Holy One blessed be He never deigned to speak with a woman except for that righteous woman,12Sarah, see Bereshit Rabba 48:20. and that, too, was for a reason. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: How much did He go in a roundabout manner in order to speak with her: “No, but you did laugh” (Genesis 18:15). But is it not written: “She13Hagar. called the name of the Lord who spoke to her”? (Genesis 16:13). Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Abba Ḥama bar Ḥanina: It was by means of an angel. Rabbi Elazar said: By means of Shem son of Noah.
“Two peoples [goyim] are in your womb” (Genesis 25:23) – two of the proudest of peoples are in your womb. This one is proud of his world14His world that exists for the sake of Torah and leads to the World to Come. and that one is proud of his empire. Two of the proudest of peoples are in your womb – Hadrian among the idolaters and Solomon in Israel.
Another matter, two of those hated by the peoples are in your womb.15The word “two” is extraneous, as unless otherwise indicated, the plural “peoples” connotes two. The word “two [shenei]” is expounded as sonei or senuei – those hated by peoples. All the idolaters hate Esau, and all the idolaters hate Israel. [Alternately] the most hated of the sons is in your womb, as it is written: “But I hated Esau” (Malachi 1:3).
“And two nations will be separated from your innards” (Genesis 25:23) – from here it is derived that he was born circumcised.16They were already different while they were in the womb. Jacob was circumcised and Esau was not.
“One nation will prevail over the other nation” (Genesis 25:23) – Rabbi Ḥelbo said: To this point, they would be called: “Savta, Raama, and Savtekha” (Genesis 10:7).17Small nations and families were counted. From you, Jews and Romans would arise.
“The elder will serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23) – Rabbi Huna said: If he [Jacob] merits, he [Esau] will serve, but if not, he [Esau] will be served.
וַיִּמְלְאוּ יָמֶיהָ לָלֶדֶת (בראשית כה, כד), לְהַלָּן חֲסֵרִים וְכָאן מְלֵאִים, לְהַלָּן כְּתִיב (בראשית לח, כז): תְאוֹמִים, פֶּרֶץ וְזֶרַח שְׁנֵיהֶם צַדִּיקִים, וְכָאן תוֹמִם, יַעֲקֹב צַדִּיק וְעֵשָׂו רָשָׁע. (בראשית כה, כה): וַיֵּצֵא הָרִאשׁוֹן אַדְמוֹנִי, אָמַר רַבִּי חַגַּי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יִצְחָק בִּזְכוּת (ויקרא כג, מ): וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן, אֲנִי נִגְלֶה לָכֶם רִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מד, ו): אֲנִי רִאשׁוֹן וַאֲנִי אַחֲרוֹן, וּפוֹרֵעַ לָכֶם מִן הָרִאשׁוֹן, זֶה עֵשָׂו, דִּכְתִיב: וַיֵּצֵא הָרִאשׁוֹן, וּבוֹנֶה לָכֶם רִאשׁוֹן, זֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ (ירמיה יז, יב): כִּסֵּא כָבוֹד מָרוֹם מֵרִאשׁוֹן, וְאָבִיא לָכֶם רִאשׁוֹן, זֶה מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ (ישעיה מא, כז): רִאשׁוֹן לְצִיּוֹן הִנֵּה הִנָּם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיֵּצֵא הָרִאשׁוֹן אַדְמוֹנִי, לָמָה יָצָא עֵשָׂו תְּחִלָּה כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּצֵא הוּא וְתֵצֵא סַרְיוּתוֹ עִמּוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ כְּהָדֵין פָּרָבִיטָא שֶׁהוּא מְשַׁטֵּף אֶת בֵּית הַמֶּרְחָץ וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַרְחִיץ בְּנוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, כָּךְ לָמָּה יָצָא עֵשָׂו תְּחִלָּה כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּצֵא הוּא וְתֵצֵא סַרְיוּתוֹ עִמּוֹ. מַטְרוֹנָא שָׁאֲלָה אֶת רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא אָמְרָה לֵיהּ לָמָּה יָצָא עֵשָׂו תְּחִלָּה, אָמַר לָהּ, טִפָּה רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב הָיְתָה, אָמַר לָהּ מָשָׁל אִם תַּנִּיחוּ שְׁתֵּי מַרְגָּלִיּוֹת בִּשְׁפוֹפֶרֶת אַחַת, לֹא זוֹ שֶׁאַתְּ נוֹתְנָהּ רִאשׁוֹנָה יוֹצְאָה אַחֲרוֹנָה, כָּךְ טִפָּה רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב הָיְתָה. אַדְמוֹנִי, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא כְּאִלּוּ שׁוֹפֵךְ דָּמִים, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁרָאָה שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת דָּוִד אַדְמוֹנִי, דִּכְתִיב (שמואל א טז, יב): וַיִּשְׁלַח וַיְבִיאֵהוּ וְהוּא אַדְמוֹנִי, נִתְיָרֵא וְאָמַר אַף זֶה שׁוֹפֵךְ דָּמִים כְּעֵשָׂו. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (שמואל א טז, יב): עִם יְפֵה עֵינַיִם, עֵשָׂו מִדַּעַת עַצְמוֹ הוּא הוֹרֵג אֲבָל זֶה מִדַּעַת סַנְהֶדְרִין הוּא הוֹרֵג. דִּקְלִיטְיָינוֹס מַלְכָּא הֲוָה רָעֵי חֲזִירִין בַּהֲדָא טְבֶרְיָה, וְכֵיוָן דַּהֲוָה מָטֵי סִדְרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי הֲוֵי מֵינוֹקָא נָפְקִין וּמָחֲיִין לֵיהּ, לְבָתַר יוֹמִין אִיתְעֲבֵד מֶלֶךְ, נְחַת וִיתֵיב לֵיהּ בַּהֲדָא פַּנְיָיס נ"א: פַּמְיָיס, וּשְׁלַח כְּתָבִים לִטְבֶרְיָא מִפְּנֵי רַמְשָׁא דַעֲרוֹבְתָה, אֲמַר אֲנָא יָהֵיב קֵלֶווֹן דְּיֶהֱווֹן רַבְרְבָנֵי דִּיהוּדָאֵי קָיְימִין קֳדָמִי בְּצַפְרָא דְחַד בְּשַׁבָּא. פַּקְדֵּיהּ לִשְׁלִיחָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ לָא תִתֵּן יָתְהוֹן לְהוֹן אֶלָּא עִם מַטְעֲמֵי יוֹמָא דַעֲרוֹבְתָא. נְחַת רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן לְמִיסְחֵי, חַמְתֵי לְרַבִּי דַּהֲוָה קָאֵים קוֹמֵי סִדְרָא רַבָּה רָאָה פָּנָיו חוֹלָנִיּוֹת, אָמַר לוֹ לָמָּה פָנֶיךָ חוֹלָנִיּוֹת, אֲמַר כֵּן וְכֵן אִשְׁתַּדַּר לִי כְּתָבִין מִן מַלְכוּתָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִיתָא סְחֵי דְּבָרְיָיךְ עֲבֵיד לָנָא נִסִּין. עָלוֹן לְמִסְחֵי וַאֲתָא הָדֵין אַרְגִּינִיטוֹן מְגַחֵךְ וּמְרַקֵּד קֳדָמֵיהוֹן. בְּעָא רַבִּי דְּיִזְעוֹף בֵּיהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן רַבִּי שַׁבְקֵיהּ דְּזִמְנִין עַל נִסִּין הוּא מִתְחֲמָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ מָרָיךְ בְּעָקָא וְאַתְּ קָאֵים גָּחֵךְ וּמְרַקֵּד. אֲמַר לְהוֹן אֲזַלוּן וְאַכְלוּן וּשְׁתוֹן וְעַבְדוּן שַׁבָּא טָבָא דְּמָרֵיכוֹן עָבֵיד לְכוֹן נִסִּין וַאֲנָא מְקִים לְכוֹן קֳדָמוֹי בְּצַפְרָא דְחַד בְּשַׁבְּתָא. בַּאֲפוּקֵי שַׁבְּתָא בָּתַר סִידְרָא, נְסַבוֹן וַאֲקִימוֹן קֳדָם פְּיָילֵי דְּפַנְיָיס. עָלוּן וְאָמְרִין לֵיהּ הָא קָיְימִין קֳדָם פְּיָילֵי. אֲמַר סִגְרוּן פְּיָילִי. נְסַבוּהוֹן וַאֲקִימוֹן עַל מְטַכְּסָא דִּמְדִינְתָּא. עָלוּן וְאָמְרִין לֵיהּ, אֲמַר אֲנָא קֵלֶווֹן אֲנָא דְּיִתְּזוּן בֵּי בַּנֵּי תְּלָתָא יוֹמֵי וְיַעֲלוּן וְיִסְחוּן וְיֶאֱתוֹן לְגַבָּאי, אֲזַלוּן וְאִתְּזוּן בֵּי בַּנֵּי תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין וְעָאל חַד אַרְגִינִיטוֹן וּמוֹזְגָהּ קֳדָמֵיהוֹן וְעָלוּ וּסְחוּן וַאֲתוֹן לְגַבֵּיהּ. אֲמַר לְהוֹן בְּגִין דְּאַתּוּן יָדְעִין דֵּאלָהֵיכוֹן עָבֵיד לְכוֹן נִסִּין אַתּוּן מְקִילִין לְמַלְכָּא. אָמְרִין לֵיהּ לְדִיקְלֵיטְיָינוֹס רָעֵי חֲזִירִין אֲקֵילֵינַן, בְּרַם לְדִיקְלֵיטְיָינוּס מַלְכָּא אֲנַן מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים. אֲמַר לְהוֹן אֲפִלּוּ כֵּן לָא תִבְזוֹן לָא בְּרוֹמִי זְעֵיר וְלָא בְּגוּלְיָיר זְעֵיר. (בראשית כה, כה): כֻּלּוֹ כְּאַדֶּרֶת שֵׂעָר, אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָה כֻּלּוֹ רָאוּי לְאַדֶּרֶת. רַבָּנָן דָּרוֹמָאֵי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִי וְרַחֲבָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא אָמַר יָצָא כֻּלּוֹ מְפֹזָר וּמְפֹרָד כְּאַדֶּרֶת, לִזְרוֹתוֹ כְּמוֹץ וּכְקַשׁ מֵאִדְּרָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דניאל ב, לה): בֵּאדַיִן דָּקוּ כַחֲדָה פַּרְזְלָא וגו' וַהֲווֹ כְּעוּר מִן אִדְּרֵי קַיִט, רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר מִי גָרַם לָהֶם לְהֵעָשׂוֹת כְּעוּר, מִן אִדְּרֵי קַיִט, עַל שֶׁפָּשְׁטוּ יְדֵיהֶם בָּאַדִּירִים. (בראשית כה, כה): וַיִּקְרְאוּ שְׁמוֹ עֵשָׂו, הֵא שָׁוְא שֶׁבָּרָאתִי בְּעוֹלָמִי. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק אַתּוּן קְרֵיתוּן לַחֲזִירַתְכוֹן שֵׁם, אַף אֲנָא קוֹרֵא לִבְנִי בְכוֹרִי שֵׁם, (שמות ד, כב): כֹּה אָמַר ה' בְּנִי בְּכֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
“Her days to give birth were complete” (Genesis 25:24) – elsewhere18When Tamar gave birth (Genesis 38:27). they19The days of pregnancy. are incomplete, and here they are complete. Elsewhere it is written: “Twins [teomim]” (Genesis 38:27) – Peretz and Zeraḥ were both righteous, but here, “tomim” – Jacob was righteous, Esau, wicked.20The regular spelling is teomim. The midrash explains that a letter missingfrom the word indicates that something is amiss.
“The first emerged ruddy” (Genesis 25:25) – Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Due to the merit of: “You shall take for you on the first day” (Leviticus 23:40),21The mitzva of the four species. I reveal myself to you first, as it is stated: “I am first and I am last” (Isaiah 44:6); I will exact retribution on your behalf from the first – that is Esau, as it is written: “The first emerged”; I will build for you the first – this is the Temple, in whose regard it is written: “Throne of glory, exalted from the first, [is the place of our Temple]” (Jeremiah 17:12); and I will bring you the first, this is the messianic king, in whose regard it is written: “The first to Zion, behold, here it is” (Isaiah 41:27).
Another matter, “the first emerged ruddy” – why did Esau emerge first? It was so he would emerge and his corruption would depart with him. Rabbi Abahu said: It is like that bathhouse attendant who washes the bathhouse and then bathes the king’s son. So, why did Esau emerge first? It was so he would emerge and his corruption would depart with him.22The womb would remain clean for Jacob.
A noblewoman asked Rabbi Yosei ben Ḥalafta, she said to him: ‘Why did Esau emerge first?’ He said to her: ‘The first droplet23Of semen. was Jacob’s.’ He said to her: ‘This is analogous to an instance where you place two pearls into one tube, is it not the one that you placed first that will emerge last? So, the first droplet was Jacob’s.’
“Ruddy,” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: As though he were a shedder of blood. When Samuel saw that David was ruddy, as it is written: “He sent and brought him and he was ruddy” (I Samuel 16:12), he was afraid and said: ‘This is a shedder of blood like Esau.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “With beautiful eyes” (I Samuel 16:12). Esau killed at his own initiative, but this one kills at the initiative of Sanhedrin.
The emperor Diocletian was a swineherd near Tiberias. When he would come to the study hall of Rabbi,24Rabbi Yehuda Nesia, grandson of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. the children would go out and strike him. Sometime later, he became emperor, and he descended and resided near the Panyas; variant reading: Pamyas, and he sent directives to Tiberias just before nightfall on Thursday: ‘I decree that the prominent leaders of the Jews shall appear before me before morning on Sunday.’ He commanded the emissary and said to him: ‘Do not deliver them [the directives] to them until sunset on Friday.’ Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman went down to bathe. He saw Rabbi standing before the great study hall, and he saw that his face was sickly. He said to him: ‘Why is your face sickly?’ ‘Such and such directives were sent to me by the empire.’ He said to him: ‘Come and bathe, as your Creator performs miracles on our behalf.’ They entered to bathe, and the demon Arginiton came, and was laughing and dancing before them. Rabbi wanted to scold him. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said to him: ‘Leave him alone, as sometimes he appears for the purpose of miracles.’ He said to him: ‘Your master is in distress and you are standing, laughing, and dancing.’ He [the demon] said to them: ‘Go eat and drink and observe a fine Shabbat, as your Master will perform miracles on your behalf, and I will have you stand before him on Sunday morning.’ At the conclusion of Shabbat, after the service, he took them and stood them outside the gates of Panyas.
They [servants] entered and said to him [Diocletian]: ‘They are standing before the gates.’ He said: ‘Close the gates.’ He [the demon] took them [the Rabbis] and placed them on the city wall. They [servants] entered and told him [Diocletian]. He said: ‘I decree that they should heat the bathhouse for three days, and then they will enter, bathe, and come before me.’ They went and heated the bathhouse for three days, and one of the Arginiton demons entered and diluted it25With cold water. for them. They entered, bathed, and came before him. He said to them: ‘Because you know that your God performs miracles on your behalf, you belittle the emperor.’ They said to him: ‘We belittle Diocletian the swineherd, but we are subjugated to Diocletian the emperor.’ He said to them: ‘Even so, do not demean a young Roman, and not a low ranking soldier.’ “All of him like a cloak of [kaaderet] hair” (Genesis 25:25) – all of him is worthy of the cloak.
The Rabbis of the South in the name of Rabbi Alexandri, and Raḥava in the name of Rabbi Kahana said: He came out all unkempt and scattered like an aderet – like the chaff and the straw from the threshing floor [idera]. That is what is written: “Then the iron…were pulverized, and became like the chaff from the threshing floors [idrei] of summer” (Daniel 2:35). Rabbi Hanina bar Yithak said: What caused them to be pulverized? “From the threshing floors [me’idera] of the summer” (Daniel 2:35) – it is because they extended their hands against the great [adirim].26Israel.
“They called his name Esau [Esav]” (Genesis 25:25) – this is the falsehood [heh shav] that I created in My world. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: You called your swine a name, I, too, call My firstborn son a name: “So said the Lord: My son, My firstborn, is Israel” (Exodus 4:22).
וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יָצָא אָחִיו (בראשית כה, כו), הֶגְמוֹן אֶחָד שָׁאַל לְחַד מִן אִילֵין דְּבֵית סִלוֹנִי, אָמַר לוֹ מִי תּוֹפֵס הַמַּלְכוּת אַחֲרֵינוּ. הֵבִיא נְיָיר חָלָק וְנָטַל קוּלְמוֹס וְכָתַב עָלָיו וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יָצָא אָחִיו וְיָדוֹ אֹחֶזֶת בַּעֲקֵב, אָמְרוּ רְאוּ דְּבָרִים יְשָׁנִים מִפִּי זָקֵן חָדָשׁ, לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ כַּמָּה צַעַר נִצְטָעֵר אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק.
“Then his brother emerged” (Genesis 25:26) – a certain officer asked one of the Sages in Beit Seloni. He said to him: ‘Who will assume the kingdom after us?’ He took a blank paper, took a quill, and wrote on it: “Then his brother emerged, his hand grasping…heel” (Genesis 25:26). They said: ‘See ancient matters from the mouth of a modern Sage, to inform you how much pain that righteous one suffered.’
וַיִּגְדְּלוּ הַנְּעָרִים (בראשית כה, כז), רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר מָשָׁל לַהֲדַס וְעִצְבוֹנִית שֶׁהָיוּ גְּדֵלִים זֶה עַל גַּבֵּי זֶה, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהִגְדִּילוּ וְהִפְרִיחוּ זֶה נוֹתֵן רֵיחוֹ וְזֶה חוֹחוֹ, כָּךְ כָּל י"ג שָׁנָה שְׁנֵיהֶם הוֹלְכִים לְבֵית הַסֵּפֶר וּשְׁנֵיהֶם בָּאִים מִבֵּית הַסֵּפֶר, לְאַחַר י"ג שָׁנָה זֶה הָיָה הוֹלֵךְ לְבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת וְזֶה הָיָה הוֹלֵךְ לְבָתֵּי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר צָרִיךְ אָדָם לְהִטָּפֵל בִּבְנוֹ עַד י"ג שָׁנָה, מִיכָּן וָאֵילָךְ צָרִיךְ שֶׁיֹּאמַר בָּרוּךְ שֶׁפְּטָרַנִּי מֵעָנְשׁוֹ שֶׁל זֶה. (בראשית כה, כז): וַיְהִי עֵשָׂו אִישׁ יֹדֵעַ צַיִד, צָד אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת בְּפִיו, לָא גְנַבְתְּ מַאן גְּנַב עִמָּךְ, וְלָא קְטַלִית מַאן קְטַל עִמָּךְ. אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ שׂוֹדָנִי, צַיְדָנִי. צָד בַּבַּיִת, צָד בַּשָּׂדֶה. בַּבַּיִת, הֵיךְ מְתַקְנִין מִלְחָא. בַּשָּׂדֶה, הֵיךְ מְתַקְנִין תִּבְנָא. רַבִּי חִיָּא אָמַר הִפְקִיר עַצְמוֹ כַּשָּׂדֶה. אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רִבּוֹן כָּל הָעוֹלָמִים לֹא דַיֵּינוּ שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּעְבַּדְנוּ לְשִׁבְעִים אֻמּוֹת, אֶלָּא אַף לֹא זוֹ שֶׁנִּבְעֶלֶת כַּנָּשִׁים. אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אַף אֲנִי בּוֹ בַּלָּשׁוֹן אֲנִי פּוֹרֵעַ הֵימֶנּוּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ירמיה מט, כב): וְהָיָה לֵב גִּבּוֹרֵי מוֹאָב בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כְּלֵב אִשָּׁה מְצֵרָה. (בראשית כה, כז): וְיַעֲקֹב אִישׁ תָּם ישֵׁב אֹהָלִים, שְׁנֵי אֹהָלִים, בֵּית מִדְרָשׁוֹ שֶׁל שֵׁם וּבֵית מִדְרָשׁוֹ שֶׁל עֵבֶר. (בראשית כה, כח): וַיֶּאֱהַב יִצְחָק אֶת עֵשָׂו כִּי צַיִד בְּפִיו, קוֹפַּרָא טָבָא לְפוּמֵיהּ, וְכַסָּא טָבָא לְפוּמֵיהּ. (בראשית כה, כח): וְרִבְקָה אֹהֶבֶת אֶת יַעֲקֹב, כָּל שֶׁהָיְתָה שׁוֹמַעַת קוֹלוֹ הָיְתָה מוֹסֶפֶת לוֹ אַהֲבָה עַל אַהֲבָתוֹ.
“The lads grew; Esau was a man who knows hunting, a man of the field; Jacob was a simple man, a dweller in tents” (Genesis 25:27).
“The lads grew” – Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to a myrtle and a thorn bush that grew adjacent to one another. When they grew and blossomed, this one produced its fragrance and that one produced its thorns. So, all thirteen years, both of them would go to school and both of them would come from school. After thirteen years, this one would go to study halls, and that one would go to houses of idol worship. Rabbi Elazar said: A person must be responsible for his son until age thirteen. From there on, he must say: ‘Blessed that He has absolved me from the punishment of this one.’
“Esau was a man who knows hunting [tzayid]” – he would ensnare [tzad] people with his mouth. You [say you] did not steal; who stole with you? You [say you] did not kill, who killed with you?27The Romans, the descendants of Esau, would ignore the denials of the accused.
Rabbi Abahu said: He was a field person, a hunting person.28The verse does not say he worked the field or engaged in hunting, but rather, he was “a man of the field.” He hunted in the house and hunted in the field. In the house, [he said]: ‘How does one prepare salt?’29He asked about separating teruma and tithes from salt and straw, in an effort to create a devout impression, although he knew that there is no such obligation. In the field, [he said:] ‘How does one prepare straw?’
Rabbi Ḥiyya said: He abandoned himself like a field.30Engaging in homosexual relations. Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, is it not enough that you subjugated us to seventy nations, but even to this one, that engages in relations like a woman?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘I, too, will exact retribution against him with that expression.’ That is what is written: “The heart of the valiant of Edom will be on that day like the heart of a woman in anguish” (Jeremiah 49:22).
“Jacob was a simple man, a dweller in tents” – two tents; the study hall of Shem, and the study hall of Ever.
“Isaac loved Esau because of the game in his mouth, and Rebecca loved Jacob” (Genesis 25:28).
“Isaac loved Esau because of the game in his mouth” – good meat for his mouth and a good cup for his mouth.
“And Rebecca loved Jacob” – the more she would hear his voice, the more she would add love onto her love for him.
וַיָּזֶד יַעֲקֹב נָזִיד (בראשית כה, כט), אָמַר לוֹ, מַה טִּיבוֹ שֶׁל נָזִיד זֶה. אָמַר לוֹ, שֶׁמֵּת אוֹתוֹ זָקֵן. אָמַר, בְּאוֹתוֹ הַזָּקֵן פָּגְעָה מִדַּת הַדִּין, אָמַר לוֹ, הֵן. אָמַר, אִם כֵּן לֹא מַתַּן שָׂכָר וְלֹא תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים. וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ צוֹוַחַת (ירמיה כב, י): אַל תִּבְכּוּ לְמֵת וְאַל תָּנֻדוּ לוֹ, זֶה אַבְרָהָם. (ירמיה כב, יד): בְּכוּ בָכוֹ לַהֹלֵךְ, זֶה עֵשָׂו.
“Jacob cooked a stew, and Esau came from the field and he was weary” (Genesis 25:29).
“Jacob cooked a stew” – he [Esau] said to him: ‘What is the nature of this stew?’ He said to him: ‘It is because that elder31Abraham. died.’ He said: ‘Did the attribute of justice strike that elder?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘If so, there is no granting of reward and no revival of the dead.’32Esau was claiming that if the righteous Abraham died at a young age relative to Adam and Noah, that proved that there was no reward for righteousness. (Etz Yosef) The Divine Spirit screams: “Do not weep for the dead, and do not be moved for him” (Jeremiah 22:10) – this is Abraham; “Weep for one who is leaving” (Jeremiah 22:10) – this is Esau.
וַיָּבֹא עֵשָׂו מִן הַשָּׂדֶה (בראשית כה, כט), רַבִּי יוּדָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַיְּבוּ וְרַבִּי פִּינְחָס בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי וְרַבָּנָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי סִימוֹן אַתְּ מוֹצֵא אַבְרָהָם חָיָה קע"ה שָׁנָה, וְיִצְחָק ק"פ, אֶלָּא אוֹתָן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים שֶׁמָּנַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵחַיָּיו מִפְּנֵי שֶׁעָבַר עֵשָׂו שְׁתֵּי עֲבֵרוֹת, שֶׁבָּא עֵשָׂו עַל נַעֲרָה הַמְאֹרָסָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כב, כז): כִּי בַשָּׂדֶה מְצָאָהּ. (בראשית כה, כט): וְהוּא עָיֵף, שֶׁהָרַג אֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (ירמיה ד, לא): כִּי עָיְפָה נַפְשִׁי לְהֹרְגִים. רַבִּי אָמַר אַף גָּנַב, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (עובדיה א, ה): אִם גַּנָּבִים בָּאוּ לְךָ אִם שׁוֹדְדֵי לַיְלָה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כָּךְ הִבְטַחְתִּי אֶת אַבְרָהָם וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ (בראשית טו, טו): וְאַתָּה תָּבוֹא אֶל אֲבֹתֶיךָ בְּשָׁלוֹם, זוֹ הִיא שֵׂיבָה טוֹבָה וְהוּא רוֹאֶה לְבֶן בְּנוֹ עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמְגַלֶּה עֲרָיוֹת וְשׁוֹפֵךְ דָּמִים, מוּטָב לוֹ שֶׁיִּפָּטֵר בְּשָׁלוֹם, זֶה הוּא שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהלים סג, ד): כִּי טוֹב חַסְדְּךָ מֵחַיִּים. (בראשית כה, ל): וַיֹּאמֶר עֵשָׂו הַלְעִיטֵנִי נָא מִן הָאָדֹם, אָמַר רַבִּי זְעִירָא פָּעַר פִּיו אוֹתוֹ הָרָשָׁע כַּגָּמָל, אֲמַר לֵיהּ אֲנָא פָּתַח פּוּמִי תְּהֵי מְשַׁתְּדֵר וְאָזֵיל, כַּהֲדָא דִּתְנֵינַן אֵין אוֹבְסִין אֶת הַגָּמָל וְלֹא דוֹרְסִין, אֲבָל מַלְעִיטִין. (בראשית כה, ל): מִן הָאָדֹם הָאָדֹם, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר מִינֵיהּ וּמִן פַּטְרוֹנֵיהּ. רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר מִינֵיהּ וּמִן דִּכְוָתֵיהּ, הוּא אָדֹם וְתַבְשִׁילוֹ אָדֹם, אַרְצוֹ אֲדֻמָּה, גִּבּוֹרָיו אֲדֻמִּים, לְבוּשָׁיו אֲדֻמִּים, פּוֹרֵעַ מִמֶּנּוּ אָדֹם, בִּלְבוּשׁ אָדֹם. הוּא אָדֹם (בראשית כה, כה): וַיֵּצֵא הָרִאשׁוֹן אַדְמוֹנִי. תַּבְשִׁילוֹ אָדֹם: הַלְעִיטֵנִי נָא מִן הָאָדֹם. אַרְצוֹ אֲדֻמָּה, (בראשית לב, ד): אַרְצָה שֵׂעִיר שְׂדֵה אֱדוֹם. גִּבּוֹרָיו אֲדֻמִּים (נחום ב, ד): מָגֵן גִּבֹּרֵיהוּ מְאָדָּם, לְבוּשָׁיו אֲדֻמִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (נחום ב, ד): אַנְשֵׁי חַיִל מְתֻלָּעִים. פּוֹרֵעַ מִמֶּנּוּ אָדֹם, (שיר השירים ה, י): דּוֹדִי צַח וְאָדוֹם. בִּלְבוּשׁ אָדֹם (ישעיה סג, ב): מַדּוּעַ אָדֹם לִלְבוּשֶׁךָ.
“Esau came from the field” – Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Aivu, Rabbi Pinḥas in the name of Rabbi Levi, and the Rabbis in the name of Rabbi Simon: You find that Abraham lived one hundred and seventy-five years, and Isaac one hundred and eighty. Those five years that the Holy One blessed be He withheld from his life, it is because Esau violated two transgressions: He consorted with a betrothed young woman, as it is stated: “For he found her in the field”33This verse refers to a betrothed woman who was raped. (Deuteronomy 22:27); “and he was weary” – he killed a person, just as it says: “For my soul is wearied by the killers” (Jeremiah 4:31). Rabbi said: He stole as well, just as it says: “If thieves came for you, if plunderers of the night…” (Obadiah 1:5). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘This is what I promised to Abraham, and said to him: “You shall go to your fathers in peace; [you shall be buried at a good old age]” (Genesis 15:15) – is this “a good old age,” that he sees his grandson engaging in idol worship, engaging in forbidden sexual relations, and shedding blood? It is preferable that he leave the world [without seeing it].’ That is what is written: “For Your kindness is better than life” (Psalms 63:4).
“Esau said to Jacob: Feed me now from that red, red [haadom haadom] dish, as I am weary. Therefore, his name is called Edom” (Genesis 25:30).
“Esau said to Jacob: Feed me [haliteni] now from that red” – Rabbi Ze’eira said: That wicked one opened his mouth wide like a camel. He said to him: ‘I will open my mouth and you continuously pour,’ like what we learned: One may not forcibly overfeed a camel and one may not force feed it. However, one may place food into its mouth [malitin].34Shabbat 155b.
“From that red, red [ha’adom ha’adom]” – Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From him and from his Patron.35God is the Patron of Jacob. Esau sought to consume the stew, and the Temples of Jacob’s God. Reish Lakish said: From him, and from those like him [hadomin lo].36His righteous descendants, who are similar to him.
He is red, his cooked food is red, his land is red, his warriors are red, his garments are red, One who is red exacts retribution against him, in red garments.37See Isaiah 63:1–2. He is red – “the first emerged ruddy” (Genesis 25:25). His cooked food is red – “feed me now from [that] red.” His land is red – “to the land of Se’ir, to the field of Edom" (Genesis 32:4). His mighty ones are red –“his warriors’ shields are reddened” (Nahum 2:4). His garments are red – “his soldiers are colored scarlet” (Nahum 2:4). One who is red exacts retribution against him – “my beloved is clear and ruddy” (Song of Songs 5:10). In red attire – “why is there red in Your attire?” (Isaiah 63:2).
וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב מִכְרָה כַיּוֹם (בראשית כה, לא), אָמַר לוֹ זַבֵּין לִי חַד יוֹם מִן דִּידָךְ, אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא כָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא יוֹדֵעַ לְחַשֵּׁב יְמֵי הַגָּלוּת, יִמְצָא שֶׁיּוֹם אֶחָד יָשַׁב יַעֲקֹב בְּשַׁלְוָה בְּצִלּוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו. (בראשית כב, לב): וַיֹּאמֶר עֵשָׂו הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת, רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר הִתְחִיל מְחָרֵף וּמְגַדֵּף, לָמָּה לִי אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא (בראשית כב, לב): לָמָּה זֶּה לִי, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּפַר בְּזֶה אֵלִי (שמות טו, ב). דָּבָר אַחֵר, הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת, שֶׁהָיָה נִמְרוֹד מְבַקֵּשׁ לְהָמִית אוֹתוֹ בִּשְׁבִיל אוֹתוֹ הַבֶּגֶד שֶׁהָיָה לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיָה לוֹבְשׁוֹ וְיוֹצֵא לַשָּׂדֶה הָיוּ בָּאִים כָּל חַיָּה וָעוֹף שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם וּמִתְקַבְּצִין אֶצְלוֹ. (בראשית כה, לג): וַיֹּאמֶר הִשְּׁבְעָה לִי, מָה רָאָה אָבִינוּ יַעֲקֹב שֶׁנָּתַן נַפְשׁוֹ עַל הַבְּכוֹרָה, דִּתְנֵינַן עַד שֶׁלֹא הוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן הָיוּ הַבָּמוֹת מֻתָּרוֹת וַעֲבוֹדָה בַּבְּכוֹרִים, מִשֶּׁהוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן נֶאֶסְרוּ הַבָּמוֹת וַעֲבוֹדָה בַּכֹּהֲנִים, אָמַר יִהְיֶה רָשָׁע זֶה עוֹמֵד וּמַקְרִיב, לְפִיכָךְ נָתַן נַפְשׁוֹ עַל הַבְּכוֹרָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (יחזקאל לה, ו): כִּי לְדָם אֶעֶשְׂךָ וְדָם יִרְדֳּפֶךָ אִם לֹא דָם שָׂנֵאתָ וְדָם יִרְדֳּפֶךָ, וְעֵשָׂו הוּא שׂוֹנֵא אֶת הַדָּם. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר זֶה דַּם בְּכוֹרָה וְקָרְבָּנוֹת. רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר זֶה דַּם שֶׁל מִילָה. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי שָׂנֵאתָ דָּמוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם בְּגוּפוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים קט, יז): וַיֶּאֱהַב קְלָלָה וַתְּבוֹאֵהוּ. רַבִּי לֵוִי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חָמָא אָמַר לֹא חָפֵץ בִּבְרָכָה וְלֹא חָפֵץ בְּכוֹרָה. רַבִּי הוּנָא אָמַר זֶה דַּם הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת שֶׁהוּא קָרוּי בְּרָכָה, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (שמות כ, כד): מִזְבַּח אֲדָמָה תַּעֲשֶׂה לִי.
“Jacob said: Sell me your birthright this day” (Genesis 25:31).
“Jacob said: Sell me…this day” – he said to him: ‘Sell me one day38The one day is the length of God’s day, based on an interpretation of the verse: “One thousand years in Your eyes are like yesterday [keyom etmol]” (Psalms 90:4). of yours.’ Rabbi Aḥa said: Anyone who knows how to calculate the days of the exile will find that Jacob sat one day in tranquility in the shadow of Esau.
“Esau said: Behold, I am going to die, and why do I need [lama zeh li] a birthright?” (Genesis 25:32).
“Esau said: Behold, I am going to die” – Reish Lakish said: He began cursing and blaspheming. “Lama li”39That would have been enough to convey his rhetorical question: “Why do I need a birthright?” is not written here, but rather, “lama zeh li.” It teaches that he denied: “This is [zeh] my God” (Exodus 15:2).
Another matter, “behold, I am going to die” – as Nimrod was seeking to kill him because of that garment that had belonged to Adam the first man. When he would don it and go out to the field, all the beasts and the birds in the world would come and gather near him.
“Jacob said: Take an oath to me this day, and he took an oath to him, and he sold his birthright to Jacob” (Genesis 25:23).
“[Jacob] said: Take an oath to me” – what did Jacob our patriarch see that led him to dedicate himself to acquiring the birthright? It is as we learned: until the Tabernacle was established, private altars were permitted, and service was performed by the firstborn. From the time that the Tabernacle was established, private altars were prohibited, and service was performed by the priests.40Zevaḥim 112b. He said: ‘Will this evil one stand and sacrifice?’ That is why he dedicated himself to acquiring the birthright. That is what is written: “For I will render you blood, and blood will pursue you; surely, you hated blood, and blood will pursue you” (Ezekiel 35:6). Did Esau hate blood? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: This is the blood of birthright and offerings. Rabbi Levi said: This is the blood of circumcision. The Rabbis said: You hated a person’s blood in his body. That is what is written: “He loved curses, and they will now come upon him. [He had no desire for blessing, and it will now be far from him]” (Psalms 109:17). Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Ḥama: “He had no desire for blessing” – and no desire for birthright. Rabbi Huna said: This is the blood of the offerings, as it is called blessing, just as it says: “You shall craft for Me an altar of earth…[in every place where I mention my name, I will come to you and I will bless you]” (Exodus 20:21).
וְיַעֲקֹב נָתַן לְעֵשָׂו לֶחֶם וּנְזִיד עֲדָשִׁים (בראשית כה, לד), מָה עֲדָשָׁה זוֹ עֲשׂוּיָה כְגַלְגַּל, כָּךְ הָעוֹלָם עָשׂוּי כְגַלְגַּל. מָה עֲדָשָׁה זוֹ אֵין לָהּ פֶּה, כָּךְ אָבֵל אָסוּר לוֹ לְדַבֵּר. מָה עֲדָשָׁה זוֹ יֵשׁ בָּהּ אֵבֶל וְיֵשׁ בָּהּ שִׂמְחָה, כָּךְ אֵבֶל, שֶׁמֵּת אָבִינוּ אַבְרָהָם, שִׂמְחָה, שֶׁנָּטַל יַעֲקֹב אֶת הַבְּכוֹרָה. (בראשית כה, לד): וַיֹּאכַל וַיֵּשְׁתְּ, הִכְנִיס עִמּוֹ כַּתְ שֶׁל פָּרִיצִים, אָמְרִין נֵיכוֹל דִּידֵיהּ וְנֵיחוּךְ עָלָיו, וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ אוֹמֶרֶת (ישעיה כא, ה): עָרֹךְ הַשֻּׁלְחָן, סְדַר פָּתוֹרָא. (ישעיה כא, ה): צָפֹה הַצָּפִית, סְדַר מְנַרְתָּא. אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא אִית אַתְרָא דְּקָרְיִין לִמְנַרְתָּא צָפִיתָא. (ישעיה כא, ה): קוּמוּ הַשָּׂרִים, זֶה מִיכָאֵל וְגַבְרִיאֵל. (ישעיה כא, ה): מִשְׁחוּ מָגֵן, כִּתְבוּ שֶׁהַבְּכוֹרָה לְיַעֲקֹב, תָּנֵי בַּר קַפָּרָא וּלְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ כִּמְשַׂחֲקִים, הִסְכִּים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְשָׂחַק עִמָּהֶם וְקִיֵּים הַבְּכוֹרָה לְיַעֲקֹב, מִנַּיִן, דִּכְתִיב (שמות ד, כב): כֹּה אָמַר ה' בְּנִי בְּכֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל. (בראשית כה, לד): וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלַךְ, רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר מֵעוֹלָמוֹ יָצָא. (בראשית כה, לד): וַיִּבֶז עֵשָׂו אֶת הַבְּכֹרָה, וּמַה בִּזָּה עִמָּהּ, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים בִּזָּה עִמָּהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי יח, ג): בְּבוֹא רָשָׁע בָּא גַם בּוּז. בְּבוֹא רָשָׁע, זֶה עֵשָׂו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי א, ד): וְקָרְאוּ לָהֶם גְּבוּל רִשְׁעָה. בָּא גַם בּוּז, שֶׁבָּא בִּזְיוֹנוֹ עִמּוֹ. (משלי יח, ג): וְעִם קָלוֹן חֶרְפָּה, שֶׁנִּתְלַוָּה לוֹ קְלוֹנוֹ שֶׁל רָעָב, וְאֵין חֶרְפָּה אֶלָּא רָעָב, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (יחזקאל לו, ל): אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִקְחוּ עוֹד חֶרְפַּת רָעָב בַּגּוֹיִם.
“Jacob gave Esau bread and a stew of lentils; he ate, he drank, he arose, and he went, and Esau scorned the birthright” (Genesis 25:34).
“Jacob gave Esau bread and a stew of lentils” – just as this lentil is shaped like a circle, so, the world is cyclical. Just as this lentil has no opening, so, it is prohibited for a mourner to speak. Just as this lentil has aspects of mourning and rejoicing, so, mourning because our patriarch Abraham died; rejoicing, because Jacob took the birthright.
“He ate, he drank” – he brought a group of immoral people in with him. They said: ‘We will eat his food and mock him.’ But the Divine Spirit was saying: “Set the table” (Isaiah 21:5) – prepare the table; “set the lookout to watch [tzafo hatzafit]” (Isaiah 21:5) – prepare the candelabrum. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: There is a place where they call the candelabrum tzafita. “Arise princes” (Isaiah 21:5) – this is Mikhael and Gavriel. “Anoint a shield” (Isaiah 21:5) – write that the birthright is to Jacob. Bar Kappara said: Because they were mocking Jacob, the Holy One blessed be He agreed, and mocked them, and authorized the birthright to Jacob. From where is it derived? It is as it is written: “So said the Lord: My firstborn son is Israel” (Exodus 4:22).
“He arose, and he went” – Rabbi Levi said: He departed from his world.41He lost his share in the World to Come.
“Esau scorned the birthright [et habekhora]” – what did he scorn with it?42The word et is expounded as an amplification, indicating that he scorned something else as well. Rabbi Levi said: He scorned the revival of the dead with it. That is what is written: “With the coming of the wicked, comes also scorn” (Proverbs 18:3). “With the coming of the wicked” – this is Esau, as it is stated: “They will be called the region of the wicked” (Malachi 1:4). “Comes also scorn [buz]” – as his disgrace [bizyono] comes with him. “And with shame [kalon], humiliation [ḥerpa]” (Proverbs 18:3) – as the shame of famine accompanies him. Ḥerpa is nothing other than famine, just as it says: “So that you will no longer be subject to the humiliation of [ḥerpat] famine among the nations” (Ezekiel 36:30).