AND HE CALLED ESAU, HIS ELDER SON, who was derived from his own side of severe judgement, AND HE SAID: BEHOLD NOW, I AM OLD, I KNOW NOT THE DAY OF MY DEATH. R. Eleazar discoursed on the verse: Happy is the man whose strength is in thee, etc. (Ps. 84, 6). ‘Happy is the man’, he said, ‘who holds fast to the Holy One and places his strength in Him.
Like whom, for instance? Shall we say, like Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, when they boldly said to the King of Babylon: “Behold, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of thine hand” (Dan. 3, 17)? Not so; for if God had not stood by them to deliver them, His name would not have been acclaimed holy as they declared it to be. But they themselves realized their mistake, and so they corrected themselves and said: “But if not, be it known unto thee, O King, etc.” (Ibid. I8), that is, whether our God deliver us or not, be it known unto thee that we will not serve thy gods, etc. Tradition tells us that Ezekiel said something to them which opened their eyes, namely, that God would not stand by them if they expected reward. It was then that they began all over again, saying: “But if not, be it known unto thee, O King, etc.”
A man, therefore, should not confidently affirm: “God will deliver me or will do for me this or that”; but he should endeavour to fulfil the precepts of the Law and to walk in the path of truth, and then put his full trust in Him that He will help him thereto. For assuredly whenever a man sets out to purify himself he is helped thereto from on high. A man should thus put his trust in God and not anywhere else. Hence the expression “whose strength is in thee”. The next words, “in whose heart are paths”, indicate that a man should purge his heart of all strange thoughts, so as to make it like a path that leads straight to the desired destination.
According to another interpretation, the word “strength” alludes to the Torah, of which we read: “The Lord gives strength unto his people” (Ps. 29, 11). It is thus here indicated that a man should study the Torah in single-hearted devotion to the Almighty, and whoever labours in the Torah from worldly motives had better not have been born. The word mesilloth also may be translated not “highways” but “extollings” (cf. the verse “Extol (solu) him that rideth upon the skies” (Ps. 68, 5)). It thus alludes to the man who labours in the Torah with the object of extolling God and making Him the only object of devotion in the world.
Observe that Jacob performed all his actions for the sake of God, and therefore God was always with him and did not ever remove His Presence from him. We know this from the fact that although Jacob was not present when Isaac called Esau his son, the Shekinah told Rebekah, who in her turn told Jacob.’
R. Jose said: ‘Observe that had Esau, God forbid, been blessed there and then, Jacob would never have been able to assert himself; but all was directed by Providence, and everything fell into its right place.’ AND REBEKAH LOVED JACOB , and so she sent for him and said to him: BEHOLD, I HEARD THY FATHER SPEAK UNTO ESAU THY BROTHER, SAYING…
NOW THEREFORE, MY SON, HEARKEN TO MY VOICE, ETC. It was then the eve of Passover, a time when the evil tempter had to be removed, so as to restore to power the moon, to symbolise the true object of faith. Rebekah therefore prepared two dishes.
R. Judah said: ‘Herein were foreshadowed the two he-goats which the children of Jacob were in the future to offer, one for the Lord and the other for Azazel on the Day of Atonement. We see thus Rebekah offering “two kids of the goats”, one for the supernal grade and the other with the object of subduing the grade of Esau, so as to deprive him of any power over Jacob. Hence “two kids of the goats”, both of which Isaac tasted and ate of.
Similarly, when it says “And he brought him wine, and he drank”, the word “brought” intimates that the wine was fetched from a distant region, namely, from the region of Esau. R. Eleazar said: ‘There is an allusion here to that wine in which is all kind of exhilaration, since Isaac and his side required to be exhilarated.’
(בראשית כ״ז:א׳) וַיִּקְרָא אֶת עֵשָׂו בְּנוֹ הַגָּדוֹל, דְּאִתְכְּלַּל מִסִּטְרֵיהּ דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא (שם) וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה נָא זָקַנְתִּי לא יָדַעְתִּי יוֹם מוֹתִי. רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (תהילים פ״ד:ו׳) אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם עוֹז לוֹ בָךְ וְגו', זַכָּאָה בַּר נָשׁ דְּאִתְתַּקַּף בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְיַשְׁוֵי תוֹקְפֵיהּ בֵּיהּ.
AND HE CALLED ESAU, HIS ELDER SON, who was derived from his own side of severe judgement, AND HE SAID: BEHOLD NOW, I AM OLD, I KNOW NOT THE DAY OF MY DEATH. R. Eleazar discoursed on the verse: Happy is the man whose strength is in thee, etc. (Ps. 84, 6). ‘Happy is the man’, he said, ‘who holds fast to the Holy One and places his strength in Him.
יָכוֹל כַּחֲנַנְיָה מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה דְּאִתְתַּקָּפוּ וְאָמְרוּ, (דניאל ג׳:י״ז) הֵן אִיתַי אֱלָהָנָא דִי אֲנַחְנָא פָלְחִין יָכוֹל לְשֵׁיזָבוּתַנָא מִגּוֹ אַתּוּן נוּרָא יָקִידְתָּא וּמִן יְדָךָ מַלְכָּא יְשֵׁזִיב. תָּא חֲזֵי, דְּאִי לָא יְשֵׁזִיב וְלָא אִתְקְיַּים עֲלַיְיהוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אִשְׁתַּכַּח שְׁמֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּלָא יִתְקַדַּשׁ בְּעֵינַיְיהוּ דְּכֹלָּא כְּמָה דְּאָמְרוּ. אֶלָּא, כֵּיוָן דְּיָדְעוּ דְּלָא אָמְרוּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, אַהֲדָרוּ וְאָמְרוּ, (דניאל ג׳:י״ח) וְהֵן לָא יְדִיעַ לֶהֱוֵי לָךְ מַלְכָּא וְגו'. בֵּין יְשֵׁזִיב, בֵּין לָא יְשֵׁזִיב, יְדִיעַ לֶהוֵי לָךְ מַלְכָּא וְגו'. וְתָנִינָן דְּמִלָּה אוֹדַע לְהוּ יְחֶזְקֵאל, וְשָׁמְעוּ וְקַבִּילוּ מִנֵּיהּ, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא אִתְקְיַּים עֲלַיְיהוּ, בְּגִין דִּיקַבְּלוּן אַגְרָא. וּכְדֵין אַהֲדָרוּ וְאָמְרוּ, וְהֵן לָא יְדִיעַ לֶהֱוֵי לָךְ מַלְכָּא וְגו'.
Like whom, for instance? Shall we say, like Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, when they boldly said to the King of Babylon: “Behold, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of thine hand” (Dan. 3, 17)? Not so; for if God had not stood by them to deliver them, His name would not have been acclaimed holy as they declared it to be. But they themselves realized their mistake, and so they corrected themselves and said: “But if not, be it known unto thee, O King, etc.” (Ibid. I8), that is, whether our God deliver us or not, be it known unto thee that we will not serve thy gods, etc. Tradition tells us that Ezekiel said something to them which opened their eyes, namely, that God would not stand by them if they expected reward. It was then that they began all over again, saying: “But if not, be it known unto thee, O King, etc.”
אֶלָּא לָא יִתְתַּקַּף בַּר נָשׁ דְּיֵימָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יְשֵׁזְבִינַנִי, אוֹ אִיהוּ עָבִיד לִי כָּךְ וְכָךְ, אֲבָל יְשַׁוֵּי תּוּקְפֵיהּ בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דִּיסַיֵּיעַ לֵיהּ, כַּד אִיהוּ אִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאִינוּן פִּקּוּדִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וּלְמֵיהַךְ בְּאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט. דְּכֵיוָן דְּאָתֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִתְדַּכָּאָה, מְסַיְיעִין לֵיהּ וַדַּאי, וּבְדָא יִתְתַּקַּף בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּאִיהוּ יְסַיֵּיעַ לֵיהּ, וְיִתְתַּקַּף בֵּיהּ, דְּלָא יַשְׁוֵי תּוּקְפֵיהּ בְּאָחֳרָא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ עוֹז לוֹ בָךְ. מְסִלּוֹת בִּלְבָבָם, דְּיַעֲבִיד לִבֵּיהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת בְּלָא הִרְהוּרָא אָחֳרָא, אֶלָּא כְּהַאי מְסִלָּה דְּאִיהִי מִתְיַישְׁבָא לְאַעֲבָרָא בְּכָל אֲתַר דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ, הָכִי נָמֵי.
A man, therefore, should not confidently affirm: “God will deliver me or will do for me this or that”; but he should endeavour to fulfil the precepts of the Law and to walk in the path of truth, and then put his full trust in Him that He will help him thereto. For assuredly whenever a man sets out to purify himself he is helped thereto from on high. A man should thus put his trust in God and not anywhere else. Hence the expression “whose strength is in thee”. The next words, “in whose heart are paths”, indicate that a man should purge his heart of all strange thoughts, so as to make it like a path that leads straight to the desired destination.
דָבָר אַחֵר אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם עוֹז לוֹ בָךְ, עֹז, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (תהילים כ״ט:י״א) יְיָ עֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן, בְּגִין דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְבַּר נָשׁ דְּיִתְעַסָּק בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא לִשְׁמֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִתְעַסָּק בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וְלָא אִשְׁתַּדַּל לִשְׁמָהּ, טַב לֵיהּ דְּלָא אִתְבְּרֵי. מְסִלּוֹת בִּלְבָבָם, מַאי מְסִלּוֹת בִּלְבָבָם, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (תהילים ס״ח:ה׳) סוֹלוּ לָרוֹכֵב בָּעֲרָבוֹת בְּיָהּ שְׁמוֹ. דָּא הַהִיא אוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּאִיהוּ אִשְׁתַּדַּל בָּהּ לְאֲרָמָא לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּלְמֶעְבַּד לֵיהּ חֲטִיבָא בְּעַלְמָא.
According to another interpretation, the word “strength” alludes to the Torah, of which we read: “The Lord gives strength unto his people” (Ps. 29, 11). It is thus here indicated that a man should study the Torah in single-hearted devotion to the Almighty, and whoever labours in the Torah from worldly motives had better not have been born. The word mesilloth also may be translated not “highways” but “extollings” (cf. the verse “Extol (solu) him that rideth upon the skies” (Ps. 68, 5)). It thus alludes to the man who labours in the Torah with the object of extolling God and making Him the only object of devotion in the world.
תָּא חֲזֵי, יַעֲקֹב כָּל עוֹבָדוֹי הֲווּ לִשְׁמָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה עִמֵּיהּ תָּדִיר, דְּלָא אַעֲדֵי מִנֵּיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא. דְּהָא בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּקָרָא לֵיהּ יִצְחָק לְעֵשָׂו בְּרֵיהּ, יַעֲקֹב לָא הֲוָה תַמָּן, וּשְׁכִינְתָּא אוֹדָעַת לָהּ לְרִבְקָה, וְרִבְקָה אוֹדָעַת לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב.
Observe that Jacob performed all his actions for the sake of God, and therefore God was always with him and did not ever remove His Presence from him. We know this from the fact that although Jacob was not present when Isaac called Esau his son, the Shekinah told Rebekah, who in her turn told Jacob.’
רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, תָּא חֲזֵי, אִי חַס וְשָׁלוֹם בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא יִתְבָּרַךְ עֵשָׂו, לָא שְׁלוֹט יַעֲקֹב לְעָלְמִין. אֶלָּא מֵעִם קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה, וְכֹלָּא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ אֲתָא כְּדְקָא חָזֵי. תָּא חֲזֵי, (בראשית כ״ה:כ״ח) וְרִבְקָה אוֹהֶבֶת אֶת יַעֲקֹב כְּתִיב, וְהָא אִתְּמָר. וּבְגִין כָּךְ שַׁדְרַת בְּגִינֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב, (בראשית כ״ז:ו׳) הִנֵּה שָׁמַעְתִּי אֶת אָבִיךָ מְדַבֵּר אֶל עֵשָׂו אָחִיךָ לֵאמֹר.
R. Jose said: ‘Observe that had Esau, God forbid, been blessed there and then, Jacob would never have been able to assert himself; but all was directed by Providence, and everything fell into its right place.’ AND REBEKAH LOVED JACOB , and so she sent for him and said to him: BEHOLD, I HEARD THY FATHER SPEAK UNTO ESAU THY BROTHER, SAYING…
וְעַתָּה בְּנִי שְׁמַע בְּקוֹלִי וְגו'. בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, עֶרֶב פֶּסַח הֲוָה, וּבָעֵי יֵצֶר הָרָע לְאִתְבָּעֲרָא, וּלְשַׁלְּטָאָה סִיהֲרָא, רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא. וְעַל דָּא עָבְדַת תְּרֵי תַּבְשִׁילִין.
NOW THEREFORE, MY SON, HEARKEN TO MY VOICE, ETC. It was then the eve of Passover, a time when the evil tempter had to be removed, so as to restore to power the moon, to symbolise the true object of faith. Rebekah therefore prepared two dishes.
רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר, רָמַז הָכָא דְּזַמִּינִין בְּנוֹי דְיַעֲקֹב לְקָרְבָא שְׁנֵי שְׂעִירִים, חַד לַיְיָ, וְחַד לַעֲזָאזֵל בְּיוֹמָא דְכִפּוּרֵי. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, קָרִיבַת שְׁנֵי גְדָיֵי עִזִּים, (קמ"ה ע"ב) חַד בְּגִין דַּרְגָּא דִלְעֵילָא, וְחַד בְּגִין לְכַפְיָיא דַרְגֵּיהּ דְּעֵשָׂו דְּלָא יִשְׁלוֹט עֲלֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב, וְעַל דָּא שְׁנִי גְדָיֵי עִזִּים, וּמִתַּרְוַיְיהוּ טָעִים יִצְחָק וְאָכִיל.
R. Judah said: ‘Herein were foreshadowed the two he-goats which the children of Jacob were in the future to offer, one for the Lord and the other for Azazel on the Day of Atonement. We see thus Rebekah offering “two kids of the goats”, one for the supernal grade and the other with the object of subduing the grade of Esau, so as to deprive him of any power over Jacob. Hence “two kids of the goats”, both of which Isaac tasted and ate of.
(בראשית כ״ז:כ״ה) וַיָּבֵא לוֹ יַיִן וַיֵּשְׁתְּ, וַיָּבֵא לוֹ יַיִן, רֶמֶז רָמִיז, מֵאֲתַר רָחִיק קָרִיב לֵיהּ מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר (דעשו). רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר, רֶמֶז מֵהַהוּא יַיִן דְּכָל חֲדוּ אִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ, בְּגִין לְחַדְתָּא לֵיהּ לְיִצְחָק, דְּבָעֵי חֶדְוָה, כְּדְקָא בָּעְיָין חֶדְוָה לְחַדְתָּא סִטְרָא (דליואי) דִילֵיהּ, וְעַל דָּא וַיָּבֵא לוֹ יַיִן וַיֵּשְׁתְּ.
Similarly, when it says “And he brought him wine, and he drank”, the word “brought” intimates that the wine was fetched from a distant region, namely, from the region of Esau. R. Eleazar said: ‘There is an allusion here to that wine in which is all kind of exhilaration, since Isaac and his side required to be exhilarated.’