AND ESAU RAN TO MEET HIM, AND EMBRACED HIM, AND FELL ON HIS NECK AND KISSED HIM; AND THEY WEPT. The word zavaro (his neck) is used here instead of the more usual zavorav; while dots are placed over the letters of the word vayishoqehu (and he kissed him). Said R. Isaac: ‘Many are the methods by which the Scripture conveys recondite allusions, yet with a common purpose.
It is written: “But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt” (Is. 57, 20). This verse may be applied to Esau, all of whose actions were wicked and sinful. His approaches to Jacob on this occasion were insincere, as is shown by the signs mentioned above. The “neck” here is an allusion to Jerusalem, which is indeed the neck of the universe, and the singular form zavaro is used instead of the regular dual form zavorav as a hint that the seed of Esau would one day fall upon and destroy one of the two Temples.
Again, the dots above the word vayishaqehu (and he kissed him) indicate that he kissed him reluctantly. The verse: “but the kisses of an enemy are importunate” (Prov. 27, 6) has been applied by our teachers to Balaam, who, although he blessed Israel, did it against his will; but Esau provides another illustration.’
R. Jose said: ‘It is written: “For thou hast smitten all my enemies upon the cheek, thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked” (Ps. 3, 8), and there is a tradition which reads here shirbabtha (thou hast lengthened) instead of shibbartha (thou hast broken), to indicate that Esau’s teeth were suddenly lengthened to prevent him from biting.’ We read further: AND THEY WEPT ; both the one and the other with good cause, as the companions have expounded.
For Esau was so evilly disposed to Jacob that even at that very time he was planning how to afflict him and bring accusations against him in the distant future. Hence they wept: Jacob for fear lest he might not escape from his brother’s onslaught, and Esau to think that his father was still alive, so that he was unable to do any harm to Jacob.’
R. Abba said: ‘Assuredly Esau’s wrath was allayed at the moment he beheld Jacob, since his chieftain had confirmed Jacob’s claims, and therefore it would have been vain for Esau to vent his wrath. For all the affairs of this world depend on what is done above, and whatever is agreed upon above is accepted below, and no power can be exercised below until power is granted above. Thus one world depends always on the other.’
וַיָּרָץ עֵשָׂו לִקְרָאתוֹ וַיְחַבְּקֵהוּ וַיִּפֹּל עַל צַוָּארָו. צַוָּארוֹ כְּתִיב חָסֵר. וַיִּשָּׁקֵהוּ וַיִּבְכּוּ. רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר (ישעיהו נ״ז:כ׳) וְהָרְשָׁעִים כַּיָּם נִגְרָשׁ כִּי הַשְׁקֵט לֹא יוּכַל וַיִּגְרְשׁוּ מֵימָיו רֶפֶשׁ וָטִיט, הַאי קְרָא אִתְּמָר. וּמִלֵּי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא, כַּמָּה רָזִין עִלָּאִין אִית בְּהוּ מְשַׁנְיָין דָּא מִן דָּא, וְכֹלָּא חַד.
AND ESAU RAN TO MEET HIM, AND EMBRACED HIM, AND FELL ON HIS NECK AND KISSED HIM; AND THEY WEPT. The word zavaro (his neck) is used here instead of the more usual zavorav; while dots are placed over the letters of the word vayishoqehu (and he kissed him). Said R. Isaac: ‘Many are the methods by which the Scripture conveys recondite allusions, yet with a common purpose.
וְהָרְשָׁעִים כַּיָּם נִגְרָשׁ כִּי הַשְׁקֵט לא יוּכָל, דָּא עֵשָׂו דְּכָל עוֹבָדוֹי בִּרְשִׁיעוּ וּבְחִיּוּבָא, דְהָא כַּד אֲתָא לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב, עוֹבָדוֹי לָא הֲווּ בִּשְׁלָם, וַיִּפּוֹל עַל צַוָּארָו, חַד. צַוָּארוֹ דָּא יְרוּשָׁלַ ם דְּאִיהוּ צַוָּארוֹ דְּכָל עָלְמָא. וַיִּפֹּל עַל צַוָּארוֹ, וְלא עַל צַוָּארָיו. בְּגִין דִּתְרֵין זִמְנִין אִתְחָרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא. חַד מִבָּבֶל, וְחַד מִזַּרְעֵיהּ דְּעֵשָׂו, דְּאַפִּיל גַּרְמֵיהּ עֲלֵיהּ זִמְנָא חָדָא וְחָרִיב לֵיהּ. וְעַל דָּא וַיִּפֹּל עַל צַוָּארוֹ חַד.
It is written: “But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt” (Is. 57, 20). This verse may be applied to Esau, all of whose actions were wicked and sinful. His approaches to Jacob on this occasion were insincere, as is shown by the signs mentioned above. The “neck” here is an allusion to Jerusalem, which is indeed the neck of the universe, and the singular form zavaro is used instead of the regular dual form zavorav as a hint that the seed of Esau would one day fall upon and destroy one of the two Temples.
וַיִּשָּׁ"קֵהוּ, נָקוּד לְעֵיל, דְּלָא נָשְׁקֵיהּ בִּרְעוּתֵיהּ. וּתְנַן מַאי דִכְתִיב, (משלי כ״ז:ו׳) וְנְעְתָּרוֹת נְשִׁיקוֹת שׂוֹנֵא, דָּא בִּלְעָם כַּד בָּרִיךְ לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. דְהָא לָא בָּרִיךְ לוֹן בִּרְעוּתָא דְלִבָּא. אוּף הָכָא נֶעְתָּרוֹת נְשִׁיקוֹת שׂוֹנֵא, דָּא עֵשָׂו.
Again, the dots above the word vayishaqehu (and he kissed him) indicate that he kissed him reluctantly. The verse: “but the kisses of an enemy are importunate” (Prov. 27, 6) has been applied by our teachers to Balaam, who, although he blessed Israel, did it against his will; but Esau provides another illustration.’
אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, כְּתִיב (תהילים ג׳:ח׳) קוּמָה יְיָ הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי אֱלֹהַי כִּי הִכִּיתָ אֶת כָּל אוֹיְבַי לֶחִי שִׁנֵּי רְשָׁעִים שִׁבַּרְתָּ. וּתְנַן אַל תִּקְרֵי שִׁבַּרְתָּ אֶלָּא שִׁרְבַּבְתָּ. דְּהָא אַסְגִּיאוּ שִׁינוֹי וְחָשִׁיב לְנָשְׁכָא לֵיהּ וְכוּ'. וְעַל דָּא וַיִּבְכּוּ, דָּא בָּכֵי וְדָא בָּכֵי, וְאוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָיא.
R. Jose said: ‘It is written: “For thou hast smitten all my enemies upon the cheek, thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked” (Ps. 3, 8), and there is a tradition which reads here shirbabtha (thou hast lengthened) instead of shibbartha (thou hast broken), to indicate that Esau’s teeth were suddenly lengthened to prevent him from biting.’ We read further: AND THEY WEPT ; both the one and the other with good cause, as the companions have expounded.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּמָּה הֲוָה לִבֵּיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ דְּעֵשָׂו לְגַבֵּי דְיַעֲקֹב, דְּהָא אֲפִילּוּ בְּהַהוּא שַׁעְתָּא חָשִׁיב לְאֹרֶךְ זִמְנִין (ס"א לאורכא דיומין) לְמֶעְבַּד לֵיהּ בִּישִׁין וּלְקַטְרְגָא לֵיהּ, וְעַל דָּא וַיִּבְכּוּ. דָּא הֲוָה בָּכֵי, דְּלָא הֲוָה חָשִׁיב לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא מִן יְדוֹי. וְדָא הֲוָה בָּכֵי, בְּגִין דְּאֲבוֹי הֲוָה קַיָּים וְלָא יָכִיל לֵיהּ.
For Esau was so evilly disposed to Jacob that even at that very time he was planning how to afflict him and bring accusations against him in the distant future. Hence they wept: Jacob for fear lest he might not escape from his brother’s onslaught, and Esau to think that his father was still alive, so that he was unable to do any harm to Jacob.’
אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא וַדַּאי אִתְחַלַּשׁ רוּגְזֵיהּ דְּעֵשָׂו בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְחָמָא לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב. מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּהָא אִסְתַּכַּם בַּהֲדֵיהּ הַהוּא מְמַנָּא דְעֵשָׂו. וְעַל דָא לָא יָכִיל עֵשָׂו לְשַׁלְטָאָה בְּרוּגְזֵיהּ, דְּהָכִי כָּל מִלִּין דְּהַאי עַלְמָא תַּלְיָין לְעֵילָא. וְכַד אִסְתַּכְּמוּ לְעֵילָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא אִסְתַּכְּמוּ לְתַתָּא. שָׁלְטָנוּתָא לָאו אִיהוּ לְתַתָּא עַד דְּאִיתְיָהִיב שָׁלְטָנוּתָא לְעֵילָא, וְכֹלָּא דָּא בְּדָא תַלְיָא:
R. Abba said: ‘Assuredly Esau’s wrath was allayed at the moment he beheld Jacob, since his chieftain had confirmed Jacob’s claims, and therefore it would have been vain for Esau to vent his wrath. For all the affairs of this world depend on what is done above, and whatever is agreed upon above is accepted below, and no power can be exercised below until power is granted above. Thus one world depends always on the other.’