Kommentar zu Bereschit 33:15

ויאמר למה זה means AND HE SAID, WHY IS IT— that thou shouldst do me a favour which I do not need?”

WHY THIS? LET ME FIND FAVOUR IN THE EYES OF MY LORD. Why this, that you should do me a favor which I do not need? Let me find favour in your eyes, and do not give me any recompense at present [for the gift which I have presented to you]. This is the language of Rashi. Now Jacob’s meaning was that he did not want them and their company at all, the more so since he intended to go another way.
Our Rabbis have further seen an advisory aspect in this entire chapter. Thus they have said:⁹⁵Bereshith Rabbah 78:18. “Before embarking on a journey to the Roman ruler, Rabbi Yanai would peruse this section of the Torah, and he never took Romans with him as an escort on the return journey. One time he did not peruse this section and he took Romans with him, and he had not yet reached Acco when he was compelled to sell his travelling cloak for bribery money.” [The significance attached to this chapter] was because of the Rabbinical tradition that this was the section of the exile. Therefore when Rabbi Yanai entered Rome, in the court of the kings of Edom, [on a mission] concerning public matters, he would peruse this section of the Torah in order to follow the advice of the wise patriarch, for it is he that the generations are to see and emulate. Thus he would not accept the company of the Romans as an escort for they draw no man near to them except for their own interest⁹⁸Aboth 2:3. and take liberties with people’s belongings.

למה זה, אמצא חן בעיניך, "Why do this? Let me find favour in my master's eyes." Jacob preferred an ongoing good relationship with Esau rather than to become the beneficiary of a one-time exaggerated display of Esau's loving concern for him and his family. Jacob hinted at the future when he said אמצא חן, "let me find favour in the future."

ויאמר למה זה אמצא חן בעיני אדוני, this is Yaakov speaking, saying to Esau that he need not bother to honour him so excessively. We find a similar verse in Ruth 2,10 מדוע מצאתי חן בעיניך להכירני, where Ruth expresses her disbelief about the kindly interest taken in her the alien, the widowed stranger, by Boaz.

Let me leave with you. For your protection and honor.

למה זה, אמצא חן בעיניך, “why do that? Let me find favour in the eyes of my lord.” Yaakov absolutely did not want the company of Esau. This too, is an aspect of מעשה אבות סימן לבנים, that the patriarchs’ mode of conduct should serve as a model for their descendants when they find themselves in similar circumstances. We are to refrain from becoming chummy with the secular authorities of the country which hosts us when we are in exile, seeing that friendliness by such rulers reflects only what they can get out of us and not what we can get out of them.

למה זה אמצא חן בעיני אדני, “why all this? Let me find favour in your eyes.” The words למה זה do not form part of the four words למה זה אמצא חן, but they are two separate statements. The first two words refer to Esau’s offer (or threat) to provide Yaakov with an escort. The second part of the verse means: “you have already done enough for me by letting me find favour in your eyes.” Yaakov implied that this was more important to him than an escort of numerous people.

Do you do this favor for me for which I have no need. Rashi is answering the question: למה זה אמצא חן seems to imply that Yaakov did not want to find favor. But did he not send a large gift in order to find favor in Eisov’s eyes? Thus Rashi explains it as, “For what do you do this favor?” Whereas “Let me find favor in your eyes” is a separate statement.

אמצא חן בעיני אדני LET ME FIND FAVOUR IN THE EYES OF MY LORD and do not give me any recompense at present for the gifts I have made you.

What for. Why should you go to the trouble and why do I need it?

Let me find favor. It will be more of a favor to me if you do not send them. Eisov understood from this that Yaakov did not really desire his company and left off speaking to him, although at that point he did not have the heart to harm him.