Midrasch zu Jechezkiel 35:78

(Gen. 25:32:) AND ESAU SAID: LOOK, I AM GOING TO DIE. Abraham is dead; yet the Holy Spirit says (in Jer. 22:10): DO NOT WEEP FOR ONE WHO IS DEAD < … > WEEP BITTERLY FOR ONE WHO IS GOING AWAY. (Gen. 25:32, cont.:) SO WHAT IS THE USE OF THIS BIRTHRIGHT TO ME? Now the Holy Spirit says (in Ps. 109:17): SINCE HE LOVED A CURSE, IT HAS COME UPON HIM; SINCE HE DID NOT FIND PLEASURE IN BLESSING, IT IS FAR FROM HIM. How did the first-born sacrifice? (Zev. 14:4:) BEFORE THE TABERNACLE WAS ERECTED < … > THE SACRIFICIAL SERVICE WAS < PERFORMED > BY THE FIRST-BORN.¹⁷The complete sentence from the Mishnah is quoted in Bekh. 4b; below, 6:12; PR 5:9; Gen. R. 63:13; Numb. R. 4:8. See also PRE 8. Moreover, everyone who offered sacrifice was worthy of being blessed, as stated (in Exod. 20:21 [24]): < YOU SHALL MAKE ME > AN ALTAR OF EARTH…. < AND IN EVERY PLACE WHERE I HAVE MY NAME MENTIONED > I WILL COME UNTO YOU AND BLESS YOU. Esau said: This man wants neither to sacrifice nor to be blessed. The prophet said to him (in Ezek. 35:6): SURELY YOU HAVE HATED BLOOD; SO BLOOD SHALL PURSUE YOU. R. Levi said in the name of R. Hanina ben Hama: This is the blood of the sacrifices which he hated to sacrifice to the Holy One. But our masters say: This is the blood of circumcision, since he stretched his foreskin (to undo his circumcision). Thus it is stated (in Ps. 55:21 [20]): HE HAS PUT FORTH HIS HAND AGAINST HIS WHOLENESS AND PROFANED HIS COVENANT.

Another interpretation (of Ezek. 35:6): SURELY YOU HAVE HATED BLOOD. Now Esau hated blood. His father had blessed him through blood, and he had confidence in blood, as stated (in Gen. 27:40): YET BY YOUR SWORD YOU SHALL LIVE. Still it < actually > says to him (in Ezek. 35:6): SURELY YOU HAVE HATED BLOOD! It is simply that he hated a person's life while it was placed in his body. It is therefore stated (in Gen. 25:32, end): SO WHAT IS THE USE OF THIS BIRTHRIGHT TO ME?

"with the sword": R. Yehoshua says: He did not mutilate them, but judged them with mercy. R. Eliezer says: "with the sword": Why is this ("lefi charev") stated? To apprise us that this war was by the word ("fi" = mouth) of the Omnipotent. Others say: The following verse was fulfilled in them (Ezekiel 35:6): "Therefore, as I live, says the L rd G d, I will turn you to blood, and blood will pursue you. You have hated blood and blood will pursue you."

And his hands were steady until the going down of the sun (Exod. 17:12). Since time was calculated by means of the stars, what did Moses do? He stopped the revolution of the sun, the moon, and the coming of nightfall in their tracks, as it is said: The sun and the moon stand still in their habitation (Hab. 3:11). It is also written: The deep uttereth its voice, and lifteth up its hands on high (ibid., v. 10). And Joshua discomfited Amalek, etc. R. Joshua said: He went down and cut off the heads of their mighty men with a sword. Hence we learn that this battle was waged only at the command of the Mighty One. Others say that the following verse was fulfilled with regard to them: Therefore as I live, saith the Lord God, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee (Exod. 35:6).