Midrasch zu Jeschijahu 22:16

(Gen. 27:23:) SO HE DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM BECAUSE HIS HANDS WERE < HAIRY LIKE THE HANDS OF HIS BROTHER ESAU >. He (Isaac) foresaw that the wicked ones were going to arise from him; and he did not want to bless him {since he foresaw Jakum.⁴³I.e., Jakum of Seroroth. See Gen. R. 65:22; cf. M. Ps. 11:7. When Jerusalem was conquered, the world said: They are afraid to enter into the Temple. What did he do? He entered and brought < out > the menorah. When < Isaac > saw him, he did not want to bless Jacob on his account. SO HE DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM}. When he foresaw that he would repent, there immediately follows (in vs. 27): THEN HE SMELLED THE ODOR OF HIS CLOTHES AND BLESSED HIM…. When Jacob entered, the Garden of Eden (i.e., Paradise) entered with him, as stated (ibid., cont.): LIKE THE ODOR OF A FIELD WHICH THE LORD HAS BLESSED. When Esau entered, Gehinnom entered with him. Thus it is stated (in vs. 33): WHO IS EPHO?⁴⁴The natural translation is: WHO THEN? Now EPHO can only be Gehinnom, since it is stated (in Is. 22:16): THAT YOU HAVE HEWN A TOMB HERE (poh) FOR YOURSELF.

Three words in this one verse are expressions of pleading, humility, and meekness. The wicked one, however, said merely: Let my father arise, and eat. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jacob: Inasmuch as you said Arise, I pray thee, your descendant Moses will say to Me: Rise up, O Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered (Num. 10:35). Inasmuch as you said sit (shevah), your descendants will say: Return (shuvah), O Lord, unto the tens of thousands (ibid., v. 36). However, because Esau said Let my father arise, I will exact retribution from him through that very expression, as it is said: Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered (Ps. 68:2). Let my father arise. At that moment Isaac recognized his voice and began to tremble. Who art thou? (Gen. 27:32), he asked. When Jacob entered the room, a fragrance from the Garden of Eden accompanied him; a fragrance so pleasant that the righteous one’s mind was set at ease, as is said: See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed (ibid., v. 27). However, when Esau entered, Gehenna was revealed to him. Hence, it says: Isaac trembled very exceedingly (ibid., v. 33). Isaac was astonished and cried out: I see Gehenna and Esau is causing the flames to rise.