וַיִּנְהַ֣ג אֶת־כָּל־מִקְנֵ֗הוּ וְאֶת־כָּל־רְכֻשׁוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָכָ֔שׁ מִקְנֵה֙ קִנְיָנ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָכַ֖שׁ בְּפַדַּ֣ן אֲרָ֑ם לָב֛וֹא אֶל־יִצְחָ֥ק אָבִ֖יו אַ֥רְצָה כְּנָֽעַן׃
Y puso en camino todo su ganado, y toda su hacienda que había adquirido, el ganado de su ganancia que había obtenido en Padan-aram, para volverse á Isaac su padre en la tierra de Canaán.
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
Esau said: How long will I trouble my brother? He arose and went away, as stated (in Gen. 36:6): THEN ESAU TOOK HIS WIVES…. < AND WENT INTO A LAND AWAY FROM HIS BROTHER JACOB >. What did Jacob do? When his children and his flocks had crossed over into the land of Israel, he arose and sold all that he had brought with him from outside of the land. Then he made it into piles of gold. He said to Esau: You have a share with me in the cave of Machpelah. Now what do you want, to receive these piles of gold or to share < the cave > with me? Esau began by saying: What do I want with < a share > of this cave? This gold is what I want. Now where is it shown that Jacob sold all that he had brought from outside of the land and that Esau took it? Where Joseph said so (in Gen. 50:5): MY FATHER HAD ME SWEAR, SAYING: SEE, I AM DYING. IN MY GRAVE WHICH I DUG < IN THE LAND OF CANAAN, THERE YOU SHALL BURY ME >. R. Huna b. R. Abbin the Priest said: When Jacob wanted to come to the land of Israel, what is written (in Gen. 31:18)? AND HE DROVE ALL HIS LIVESTOCK < AND ALL HIS GOODS THAT HE HAD ACQUIRED … IN PADDAN-ARAM >. Now, when he wanted to go down into Egypt, what is written (in Gen. 46:6)? AND THEY TOOK ALONG THEIR LIVESTOCK AND ALL THEIR GOODS, WHICH THEY HAD ACQUIRED IN THE LAND OF CANAAN. Now, in regard to what he had brought from the land of Aram-Naharaim, where was that? You simply learn from here that Jacob had sold it and given it to Esau.46For an alternative explanation of the same tradition, see Gen. R. 100:5; Exod. R. 31:17; Rashi on Gen. 50:5. Then would you say that something was lacking? The Holy One simply filled his loss and restored everything to him immediately, as stated (in Gen. 33:18:) NOW JACOB CAME WHOLE.
Bereshit Rabbah
“Truly, all the wealth that God salvaged from our father, it is for us and for our children. And now, everything that God said to you, do” (Genesis 31:16).
“Jacob arose, and placed his sons and his wives upon the camels” (Genesis 31:17).
“Truly, all the wealth that God salvaged from our father…arose and placed his children” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “The heart of the wise inclines to his right, and the heart of a fool to his left” (Ecclesiastes 10:2). “The heart of the wise inclines to his right” – this is Jacob, as it is stated: “Jacob arose, and placed his sons” and then, “and his wives.” “And the heart of a fool to his left” – this is Esau: “Esau took his wives” (Genesis 36:6), and then, “and his sons, and his daughters” (Genesis 36:6).
“He led all his livestock, and all his property that he attained, his acquisitions that he acquired, which he attained in Padan Aram, to come to Isaac his father, to the land of Canaan” (Genesis 31:18).
“He led all his livestock, and all his property that he attained, his acquisitions that he acquired” – what he acquired from the acquisitions of Laban.
“Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole the household idols that were her father’s” (Genesis 31:19).
“Had gone to shear his sheep” – everywhere that shearing is stated, it makes an impression.14It leaves a negative impression, as was the case with Judah (Genesis 38:12), Naval (I Samuel 25:4), and Absalom (II Samuel 13:23).
“Rachel stole the household idols that were her father’s” – but her intentions were only for the sake of Heaven. She said: ‘What, am I going to go on my way and leave this elder in his corruption?’ That is why it was necessary for the verse to say: “Rachel stole the household idols that were her father’s.”15She took them for his sake, to remove idolatry from him, not because she wanted them herself.
“Jacob arose, and placed his sons and his wives upon the camels” (Genesis 31:17).
“Truly, all the wealth that God salvaged from our father…arose and placed his children” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “The heart of the wise inclines to his right, and the heart of a fool to his left” (Ecclesiastes 10:2). “The heart of the wise inclines to his right” – this is Jacob, as it is stated: “Jacob arose, and placed his sons” and then, “and his wives.” “And the heart of a fool to his left” – this is Esau: “Esau took his wives” (Genesis 36:6), and then, “and his sons, and his daughters” (Genesis 36:6).
“He led all his livestock, and all his property that he attained, his acquisitions that he acquired, which he attained in Padan Aram, to come to Isaac his father, to the land of Canaan” (Genesis 31:18).
“He led all his livestock, and all his property that he attained, his acquisitions that he acquired” – what he acquired from the acquisitions of Laban.
“Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole the household idols that were her father’s” (Genesis 31:19).
“Had gone to shear his sheep” – everywhere that shearing is stated, it makes an impression.14It leaves a negative impression, as was the case with Judah (Genesis 38:12), Naval (I Samuel 25:4), and Absalom (II Samuel 13:23).
“Rachel stole the household idols that were her father’s” – but her intentions were only for the sake of Heaven. She said: ‘What, am I going to go on my way and leave this elder in his corruption?’ That is why it was necessary for the verse to say: “Rachel stole the household idols that were her father’s.”15She took them for his sake, to remove idolatry from him, not because she wanted them herself.