NOW THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF ESAU-THE SAME IS EDOM. The Scripture does not enumerate the sons of Esau until after it has recorded the death of Isaac, whereas Jacob’s sons were enumerated long before. The reason for the distinction is this. Esau had neither portion nor inheritance nor lot in Isaac, but only Jacob and his sons. Jacob and his sons are therefore the portion of the Holy One, blessed be He, and they enter into the reckoning; but Esau, who was not of the portion of the side of true faith, made up his account, as it were, after the death of Isaac, and his portion parted and took its course to another region.
Observe that after Isaac died and Esau retired to his own side, it is written: “And Esau took his wives… and went into a land away from his brother Jacob”, that is, he relinquished to Jacob both the capital and the profit, or, in other words, the bondage of Egypt and the land, and he sold his own portion in the cave of Machpelah, and went away from the land and from the true faith, abandoning all completely.
Observe, then, how much Jacob’s portion was thus enhanced in every respect, in that Esau did not remain with him, but parted from him and went away to his own portion and lot, so that Jacob was left in possession of the heritage of his father and of his ancestors. Hence: “and he went into a land away from his brother Jacob”, the last phrase indicating that he had no desire for Jacob’s portion or inheritance or his meed of faith. Happy the portion of Jacob, of whom the Scripture says: “For the portion of the Lord is his people, Jacob the lot of his inheritance” (Ibid. 32, 9).
וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת עֵשָׂו הוּא אֱדוֹם. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּחַיֵּי יִצְחָק לָא אִתְמַנּוּן בְּנוֹי דְעֵשָׂו כְּמָה דְּאִתְמַנּוּן בְּנוֹי דְיַעֲקֹב, דְּהָא עַד לָא מִית יִצְחָק אִתְמַנּוּן. אֲבָל בְּעֵשָׂו מַה כְּתִיב וַיִּגְוַע יִצְחָק וַיָּמָת וַיֵּאָסֶף אֶל עַמָּיו זָקֵן וּשְׂבַע יָמִים וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֹתוֹ עֵשָׂו וְיַעֲקֹב בָּנָיו. בַּתְרֵיהּ מַה כְּתִיב וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת עֵשָׂו הוּא אֱדוֹם. מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּהָא בְּחוּלָקֵיהּ וּבְאַחְסַנְתֵיהּ וְעַדְבֵיהּ לָאו אִיהוּ, אֶלָּא יַעֲקֹב וּבְנוֹי. וּבְגִין כָּךְ יַעֲקֹב וּבְנוֹי אִינוּן חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְעָאלִין בְּחוּשְׁבְּנָא. אֲבָל עֵשָׂו דְּלָאו אִיהוּ בְּחוּלָקָא דְּבִסְטַר דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, עָבִיד חוּשְׁבְּנֵיהּ לְבָתַר דְּמִית יִצְחָק, וְאִתְפְּרַשׁ חוּלָקֵיהּ לְאֲתַר אָחֳרָא.
NOW THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF ESAU-THE SAME IS EDOM. The Scripture does not enumerate the sons of Esau until after it has recorded the death of Isaac, whereas Jacob’s sons were enumerated long before. The reason for the distinction is this. Esau had neither portion nor inheritance nor lot in Isaac, but only Jacob and his sons. Jacob and his sons are therefore the portion of the Holy One, blessed be He, and they enter into the reckoning; but Esau, who was not of the portion of the side of true faith, made up his account, as it were, after the death of Isaac, and his portion parted and took its course to another region.
תָּא חֲזֵי, לְבָתַר דְּמִית יִצְחָק, וְעֵשָׂו אִתְפָּרַשׁ לְסִטְרֵיהּ, מַה כְּתִיב וַיִקַּח עֵשָׂו אֶת נָשָׁיו וְגו' מִפְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב אָחִיו. דְּשָׁבַק לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב קֶרֶן וְרֶיוַח שִׁעְבּוּדָא דְמִצְרַיִם, וְאַרְעָא. וְזַבִּין לֵיהּ חוּלָקֵיהּ מִן מְעַרְתָּא דְכָפֶלְתָּא, וְאֲזַל לֵיהּ מִן אַרְעָא וּמִן מְהֵימְנוּתָא וּמֵחוּלָקֵיהּ, דְּאֲזַל לֵיהּ מִכֹּלָּא.
Observe that after Isaac died and Esau retired to his own side, it is written: “And Esau took his wives… and went into a land away from his brother Jacob”, that is, he relinquished to Jacob both the capital and the profit, or, in other words, the bondage of Egypt and the land, and he sold his own portion in the cave of Machpelah, and went away from the land and from the true faith, abandoning all completely.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּמָּה הֲוָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב טָבָא בְּכֹלָּא. בְּגִין דְּלָא אִשְׁתָּאַר עֵשָׂו בַּהֲדֵיהּ וְאִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ וְאֲזַל לֵיהּ לְחוּלָקֵיהּ וּלְעַדְבֵיהּ, וְאִשְׁתָּאַר יַעֲקֹב אָחִיד בְּאַחְסָנַת אֲבוֹי וּבְאַחְסָנַת אַבְהָתוֹי. וְעַל דָּא וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל אֶרֶץ מִפְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב אָחִיו. מַאי מִפְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב אָחִיו. דְּלָא בָּעָא חוּלָקֵיהּ וְאַחְסַנְתֵּיהּ וְעַדְבָא דִמְהֵימְנוּתָא דִילֵיהּ. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב עֲלֵיהּ כְּתִיב, (דברים ל״ב:ט׳) כִּי חֵלֶק יְיָ עַמּוֹ יַעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ:
Observe, then, how much Jacob’s portion was thus enhanced in every respect, in that Esau did not remain with him, but parted from him and went away to his own portion and lot, so that Jacob was left in possession of the heritage of his father and of his ancestors. Hence: “and he went into a land away from his brother Jacob”, the last phrase indicating that he had no desire for Jacob’s portion or inheritance or his meed of faith. Happy the portion of Jacob, of whom the Scripture says: “For the portion of the Lord is his people, Jacob the lot of his inheritance” (Ibid. 32, 9).