וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יִצְחָק֙ אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֔ב גְּשָׁה־נָּ֥א וַאֲמֻֽשְׁךָ֖ בְּנִ֑י הַֽאַתָּ֥ה זֶ֛ה בְּנִ֥י עֵשָׂ֖ו אִם־לֹֽא׃
E Isaac dijo á Jacob: Acércate ahora, y te palparé, hijo mío, por si eres mi hijo Esaú ó no.
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
[(Gen. 27:28:) SO MAY < GOD > GIVE TO YOU.] What is written above of the matter (in Gen. 27:1, 6, 17)? NOW IT CAME TO PASS, THAT WHEN ISAAC WAS OLD < AND HIS EYES WERE TOO WEAK TO SEE >…. THEN REBEKAH SAID UNTO HER SON JACOB…. THEN SHE GAVE HIM THE DELICACIES…. R. Judah b. R. Shallum the Levite said in the name of R. Helbo: She brought him in as far as her partition, as far as she had authority to enter.55Gen. R. 65:17. She said to him: My son, I have accompanied you in this far. From here on your God will accompany you in. He entered as he said to him (to Isaac in Gen. 27:20): BECAUSE THE LORD YOUR GOD MADE IT HAPPEN FOR ME. R. Johanan said: When he said: BECAUSE THE LORD YOUR GOD MADE IT HAPPEN FOR ME,56See above, 6:10; Gen. R. 65:19. Isaac said: This language is not the language of Esau, but the language of Jacob, as stated (in vs. 22): THE VOICE IS THE VOICE OF JACOB. You know that it is so. When Jacob entered, what did he say (in vs. 19)? PLEASE ARISE; SIT UP < AND EAT >…. But when Esau entered, [what did he say to him (in vs. 31)? LET MY FATHER ARISE. Look at] what he is saying, how he speaks with difficulty: LET MY FATHER ARISE…. Isaac began saying to Jacob (in vs. 21): PLEASE COME NEARER AND LET ME TOUCH YOU, < MY SON >…. R.Joshua said: When he said (in vs. 21): PLEASE COME NEARER, his body trembled, and he hung back like wax.57Cf. Gen. R. 44:3; 65:19. What did the Holy One do? He spoke to two of the angels, to Gabriel and Michael, and they assisted him, Michael to his right and Gabriel to his left, with that one in his glory, may his name be blessed, supporting him from his rear. Then he said to him: Jacob, why are you afraid, with your body buckling over upon itself? I am God. My army58Gk.: stratia. < has come > to help you, and they are supporting you. Still, you are afraid! Thus it is stated (in Is. 41:10): FEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH YOU; BE NOT DISMAYED, FOR I AM YOUR GOD. I STRENGTHEN YOU, I ALSO HELP YOU, AND I UPHOLD YOU WITH MY VICTORIOUS RIGHT HAND. FEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH YOU. Let not your body sink down, FOR I AM WITH YOU. BE NOT DISMAYED, FOR I AM YOUR GOD. I STRENGTHEN YOU with Michael. I ALSO HELP YOU with Gabriel. AND I UPHOLD YOU WITH MY VICTORIOUS RIGHT HAND. Immediately [Isaac] said to him (in Gen. 27:22): THE VOICE IS THE VOICE OF JACOB, BUT THE HANDS ARE THE HANDS OF ESAU. Your power is stronger than his. If Esau captures anyone, see, he is in his hand; but if [that one] flees, he cannot do a thing to him. With you, however, even though someone flees from one end of the world to [the other], (in vs. 22): THE VOICE IS THE VOICE OF JACOB. You say something in the synagogue; and look, it comes to pass of its own accord.
Bereshit Rabbah
Another interpretation, “fear not Abram” – that is what is written: “But it is you, Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendants of Abraham who loved me, whom I have taken from the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 41:8–9) – from Mesopotamia and its environs. “And from its noblemen I called you” (Isaiah 41:9) – from its prominent leaders. “I called you” – I designated you. “I chose you and did not reject you” (Isaiah 41:9). “I chose you” – when you were Abram; “and did not reject you” – when you became Abraham.
“Do not fear, as I am with you; do not waver, as I am your God” (Isaiah 41:10) – Rabbi Hoshaya said: When Isaac said to Jacob: “Please approach so I may feel you, my son” (Genesis 27:21), his water spilled onto his knees4Out of fright. and his heart became soft as wax. The Holy One blessed be He appointed two angels for him, one to his right and one to his left, and they grasped him by his elbow so he would not fall. That is what is written: “Do not waver [tishta], as I am your God” – do not be like wax [tishva]. “I strengthened you, even helped you…behold, [all who provoke you] will be ashamed and humiliated” (Isaiah 41:10–11) – those who are hostile to you. “They will be like nothing, and the people who quarrel with you will perish” (Isaiah 41:11) – those who incite quarrels with you. “You will seek them…but not find them” (Isaiah 41:12) – those who contend with you. “For I am the Lord your God…who says to you: Fear not” (Isaiah 41:13), as it is stated: “Fear not, Abram.”
“Do not fear, as I am with you; do not waver, as I am your God” (Isaiah 41:10) – Rabbi Hoshaya said: When Isaac said to Jacob: “Please approach so I may feel you, my son” (Genesis 27:21), his water spilled onto his knees4Out of fright. and his heart became soft as wax. The Holy One blessed be He appointed two angels for him, one to his right and one to his left, and they grasped him by his elbow so he would not fall. That is what is written: “Do not waver [tishta], as I am your God” – do not be like wax [tishva]. “I strengthened you, even helped you…behold, [all who provoke you] will be ashamed and humiliated” (Isaiah 41:10–11) – those who are hostile to you. “They will be like nothing, and the people who quarrel with you will perish” (Isaiah 41:11) – those who incite quarrels with you. “You will seek them…but not find them” (Isaiah 41:12) – those who contend with you. “For I am the Lord your God…who says to you: Fear not” (Isaiah 41:13), as it is stated: “Fear not, Abram.”
Bereshit Rabbah
“Isaac said to his son: How is it that you were so quick to find it, my son? And he said: Because the Lord your God coordinated it before me” (Genesis 27:20).
“Isaac said to Jacob: Please approach, that I may feel you, my son, are you my son Esau or not?” (Genesis 27:21).
“Isaac said to his son: How is it that you were so quick to find it, my son?” – you were so quick to find the blessing, my son? Your father was blessed at seventy five years old,33God blessed Isaac after Abraham’s death. Abraham died at age one hundred and seventy-five. Isaac was born when Abraham was one hundred years old. and you are sixty-three years old.34See Bereshit Rabba 62:5.
“And he said: Because the Lord your God coordinated it before me” – Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish, one of them said: If for your offering, the Holy One blessed be He provided for you, as it is stated: “Abraham lifted his eyes and saw that behold, there was a ram” (Genesis 22:13); for your food, all the more so. The other said: If for your mate He provided for you, as it is stated: “Please arrange it for me today” (Genesis 24:12), and it is written: “Behold, he saw camels coming” (Genesis 24:63); for your food, all the more so.
“And he said: Because the Lord your God coordinated it before me” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: This is analogous to a raven that brought fire to its nest. When he said: “Because the Lord your God coordinated it before me,” Isaac said: ‘I know that Esau would not mention the name of the Holy One blessed be He; this one mentions. This is not Esau, but Jacob.’ When Isaac said to Jacob: “Please approach, that I may feel you, my son,” water spilled on his [Jacob's] thighs,35He urinated in fear. and his heart was as soft as wax. The Holy One blessed be He appointed two angels for him, one to his right and one to his left, and they were holding his elbow so he would not fall. That is what is written: “Do not waver [tishta], as I am your God” (Isaiah 41:10) – do not become wax [tishva].
“Isaac said to Jacob: Please approach, that I may feel you, my son, are you my son Esau or not?” (Genesis 27:21).
“Isaac said to his son: How is it that you were so quick to find it, my son?” – you were so quick to find the blessing, my son? Your father was blessed at seventy five years old,33God blessed Isaac after Abraham’s death. Abraham died at age one hundred and seventy-five. Isaac was born when Abraham was one hundred years old. and you are sixty-three years old.34See Bereshit Rabba 62:5.
“And he said: Because the Lord your God coordinated it before me” – Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish, one of them said: If for your offering, the Holy One blessed be He provided for you, as it is stated: “Abraham lifted his eyes and saw that behold, there was a ram” (Genesis 22:13); for your food, all the more so. The other said: If for your mate He provided for you, as it is stated: “Please arrange it for me today” (Genesis 24:12), and it is written: “Behold, he saw camels coming” (Genesis 24:63); for your food, all the more so.
“And he said: Because the Lord your God coordinated it before me” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: This is analogous to a raven that brought fire to its nest. When he said: “Because the Lord your God coordinated it before me,” Isaac said: ‘I know that Esau would not mention the name of the Holy One blessed be He; this one mentions. This is not Esau, but Jacob.’ When Isaac said to Jacob: “Please approach, that I may feel you, my son,” water spilled on his [Jacob's] thighs,35He urinated in fear. and his heart was as soft as wax. The Holy One blessed be He appointed two angels for him, one to his right and one to his left, and they were holding his elbow so he would not fall. That is what is written: “Do not waver [tishta], as I am your God” (Isaiah 41:10) – do not become wax [tishva].