Commentaire sur La Genèse 25:27

ויגדלו… ויהי עשו AND THEY GREW … AND ESAU WAS — So long as they were young they could not be distinguished by what they did and no one paid much attention to their characters, but when they reached the age of thirteen, one went his way to the houses of learning and the other went his way to the idolatrous temples (Genesis Rabbah 63:10).

יודע ציד, hunting venison and retrieving the animal to serve as food.

ויגדלו הנערים, as soon as they grew up their activities diverged completely from one another, one concentrating on mundane activities, activities which showed immediate profitable results, the other concentrating on the acquisition of knowledge, wisdom, i.e. abstract matters. One was an extrovert, at home in the fields, mountains, etc, whereas the other was an introvert as reflected in the term יושב אהלים.

איש שדה, an expert farmer.

ויגדלו הנערים, “the lads grew up, etc.” According to Rashi it was not evident until they reached the age of 13 that their actions were noticeably different, one from the other. This was so in spite of the prediction that they would be distinctly different from one another already from birth, i.e.ממעיך יפרדו. To the outsider it was impossible to tell which of the two was the righteous son and which was the sinner. Rashi’s commentary is difficult in that it describes the age of 13 as the one at which it became plain that Esau was the son disloyal to his father’s teachings, as according to our Midrashim the reason that Avraham died at 175 instead of living to the age of 180, was to spare him the anguish of seeing one of his grandchildren rejecting his teachings. If Esau became delinquent at 13, Avraham would only have been 178 years old at that time. There is a Midrash according to which Yitzchok spent 2 years in Gan Eden immediately after the Akeydah, years which are not included when we combine the various periods of his life. According to such a count, Avraham would have been 162 years old at the birth of Yaakov and Esau, and when these boys reached the age of 13, Avraham would have been 175 years old, so that he would have died before becoming aware of Esau, his grandson, rejecting his spiritual heritage If we consider that on occasion, a single day in a year can be equivalent to an entire year, -such as when a King ascends the throne on the last day of the month of Adar, so that the following day is considered as part of the second year of his reign, since in Jewish law the calendar year for kings commences on the first day of Nissan, then by allowing for such an occurrence at the beginning of Yitzchok’s life, and something similar at the beginning of Avraham’s life, we would not have to resort to the Midrash which describes Yitzchok as spending 2 years in Gan Eden in a state of suspended animation from the point of view of calendar calculations.- Even this calculation involves contradictions, seeing that G’d promised the righteous את מספר ימיך אמלא, “I will make the days of your life’s year full,” i. e. no year of the life of a person such as Yitzchok or Avraham could possibly contain only a single day.

ויגדלו הנערים, “the lads grew up.” According to Bereshit Rabbah 63,10 after Esau attained the age of 13 he frequented houses of idolatry while Yaakov frequented Torah academies. Our sages in the same Midrash also said that Rivkah had experienced similar experiences during her pregnancy. Whenever she passed either one of the aforementioned institutions one of the fetuses within her seemed anxious to emerge. There is a verse in Jeremiah 1,5 בטרם אצרך בבטן ידעתיך, “even before I formed you in the womb I already appointed you (as a prophet).” From this verse we see that distinct prenatal tendencies are not mere figments of our sages’ imagination. Psalms 58,4 זרו רשעים מרחם, “the wicked are defiant even while in the womb,” confirms this piece of psychological insight.

As long as they were little... Rashi is answering the question: [Did not v. 23 teach us] that they were separated already from the womb, one to his wickedness and the other to his wholesomeness? Thus Rashi explains, “As long as they were little...” I.e., even though Eisov was doing evil, people assumed it was due to childishness and did not recognize who he was until he turned thirteen. You might object: Eisov did not fall into bad ways until he was fifteen, which is why Avraham’s life was shortened by five years, as Rashi explains on v. 30. The answer is: During those two years [between thirteen and fifteen], Eisov was secretly wicked. Later, he did so publicly.

ויגדלו וגו׳. Unsere Weisen, die nirgends Anstand nehmen, auf die kleinen und großen Irrtümer und Schwächen in der Geschichte unserer großen Väter aufmerksam und sie dadurch erst recht lehrreich für uns zu machen (siehe das zu Kap.12, 10 Bemerkte], geben auch hier durch eine Bemerkung einen Fingerzeig, wie der schneidende Gegensatz unter den Enkeln Abrahams nicht sowohl in der Anlage, als in der fehlerhaften Erziehung seinen eigentlichen Ursprung genommen haben dürfte. So lange sie klein waren, achtete man nicht auf die in ihnen schlummernde Verschiedenheit (siehe Raw Hirsch on Genesis 25: 24), ließ beiden eine ganz gleiche lehrende und erziehende Behandlung angedeihen und vergaß die große, große Erziehungslehre: חנוך לנער על פי דרכו וגוי, jedes Kind nach der in ihm schlummernden Anlage und der daraus sich für die Zukunft entwickelnden Eigentümlichkeit für das eine reine Menschliche und Jüdische zu erziehen! Die große jüdische Aufgabe ist eins und einfach nach ihrer Grundbedeutung, aber in ihrer Verwirklichung so reich und mannigfach wie die Verschiedenheit der Menschenanlagen und die dadurch bedingte Mannigfaltigkeit des Lebens.

ויגדלו הנערים, “the lads grew up;” according to Rashi and the Midrash, as long as the twins had not attained the age of 13 one could not tell their characters apart. As soon as they reached that age it became evident that they pursued totally different objectives in life. The matter can be compared to thorn bushes growing up next to myrtles. Until they have developed, they look alike and neither emits any fragrance. After a while, the fragrance emitted from the myrtle distinguishes it drastically from the thorns of the thorn bushes. You might question that according to Rashi, Esau was only thirteen years old when he already chose to worship idols, while the same Rashi claims that when Esau sold his birthright he was `15 years old on the day of Avraham’s burial, and he claims that Avraham died five years earlier than originally decreed by G–d to spare him watching his grandson become an idolater; how can these two statements be reconciled, if Esau became an idolater already at the age of thirteen? This question has actually been raised in the Jerusalem Talmud! The answer given there is that Esau hid his idolatry for two years so that during the last two years of his life, Avraham had not become aware and grieved by it. As soon as Avraham died, Esau no longer hid the fact that he had become a heretic.

ויגדלו הנערים, “the lads grew up;” Rashi comments on this statement that they had attained the age of 13 at this point. During the years prior to this they did not show signs of developing radically different from one another. Until that age they had both been tutored by their father and been trained in how to become wholesome personalities, as pointed out in B’reshit Rabbah 63,10. It is pointed out there that as of that age the father may thank the Lord that he has been relieved of the burden of raising his children. [Every father nowadays recites this blessing at his son’s bar mitzvah. Ed.] The deeper meaning of this is that from that day on a father is no longer held accountable for sins committed by his children. You might object by arguing that at the time of the sale of the birthright the children must have been at least 15 years old, seeing that our sages interpret the dish of lentils that Yaakov had cooked as having been the meal offered on the occasion of their grandfather Avraham being buried at the age of one hundred and seventy five, and they added that the reason that Avraham did not live to be one hundred and eighty, was to spare him the anguish of seeing his grandson Esau going astray spiritually. We know from the Torah that Avraham had been one hundred years of age when Yitzchok was born, so that at his death the children of Yitzchok must have been 15 years of age. The answer given by the midrash to this argument is that Esau had succeeded in keeping his wicked deeds secret or misrepresenting them as good deeds for two years.

יודע ציד A CUNNING HUNTER literally, understanding hunting — understanding how to entrap and deceive his father with his mouth. He would ask him, “Father how should salt and straw be tithed”? (Genesis Rabbah 63:10) (although he knew full well that these are not subject to the law of tithe). Consequently his father believed him to be very punctilious in observing the divine ordinances.

יושב אהלים, tending his father’s flocks as we explained already in connection with 4,20 יושב אהל ומקנה.

אהלים, the reason why the Torah wrote this word in the plural mode is because Yaakov studied with any wise man he came across. He was indiscriminating in this regard, being totally devoid of deceit or evil, wanting only to amass knowledge.

יושב אהלים, the plural mode indicates that the Torah speaks of two distinctly different kinds of tents; one is the tent used by shepherds, the other the tent described as בל-יצען described in Isaiah 33,20, (a reference to Jerusalem or the Temple). The function of that “tent” is to help people come closer to G’d and to gain insight into His ways and as a result to become holy, inspired by His glory.

Entrap and deceive his father with his mouth... [Rashi knows this] because it says יודע ציד, implying that it requires wisdom. Otherwise it would mean the same as, “A man of the field.” Furthermore, [Rashi knows this] because איש ציד is the opposite of איש תם, just as איש שדה is the opposite of יושב אוהלים. And if איש ציד meant trapping animals, it would not be the opposite of איש תם. A wholesome man could also trap animals!

Als Vater Jakob die Stämme unseres künftigen Volkes in seinen Söhnen um sein Lager erblickte, da umstanden ihn nicht nur künftige Priester und Lehrer, da stand der Levitenstamm, der Königsstamm, der Kaufmannsstamm, der Bauernstamm, der Kriegerstamm, da stand das Volk in allen seinen mannigfaltigsten Eigentümlichkeiten und Lebensentwickelungen vor seinem Geistesblick, und alle segnete er sie, und איש כברכתו ברך אותם, und jeden nach seiner Eigentümlichkeit, mit und in seiner Eigentümlichkeit segnete er sie. Denn der mit Abraham gestiftete Gottesbund will ein ganzes, frisches, volles Volksleben für Gott gewinnen, ein ganzes Volksleben mit allen seinen mannigfaltigen Lebensgestaltungen für die eine große Aufgabe gewinnen: לשמר דרך ד׳ לעשות צדקה ומשפט. Da soll die Kraft und der Mut nicht minder wie der Gedanke und das Gefühl ihre für Gott arbeitenden Träger haben, und alle in den verschiedensten Wegen des Berufs sollen die eine große Gesamtaufgabe lösen.

איש יודע ציד, “his vocation was to use trickery to achieve his ends.” Trapping and hunting wild beasts cannot be done successfully without first deceiving those beasts[, as man is physically weaker than they are]. The expression is also used by the Torah as Yitzchok, in due course, would ask Esau: הביאה לי ציד, “bring me some venison.” The Torah therefore had to tell us first that Esau had become a hunter of venison by profession.

איש שדה A MAN OF THE FIELD — Explain it literally (i.e., not in a Midrashic manner): a man without regular occupation, hunting beasts and birds with his bow.

How is salt tithed... Since these things need not be tithed even Rabbinically, [Eisov’s question implied that] he observed mitzvos meticulously. [You might ask:] Why does Rashi say that Eisov deceived Yitzckok [specifically] in the mitzvah of tithes? The answer is: Since it is written expressly that Avraham observed this mitzvah, as it says (14:20), “[Avram] gave him a tenth of everything,” it is certain that his descendants continued to keep this mitzvah. For it says so about Yitzchok (26:12): “A hundred-fold,” [which was for the purpose of tithing; see Rashi there]. And it says so about Yaakov (28:22): “I will surely give a tenth to You.” (Kitzur Mizrachi)

Eben darum aber muß jeder "על פי דרכו" nach der aus seiner Anlage voraussichtlichen Lebenszukunft auf verschiedenem Wege für das eine große Ziel erzogen werden. Einen Jakob und Esau auf derselben Schulbank, unter denselben Lebensgewöhnungen, in gleicher Weise etwa für ein studierendes, denkendes Leben unterrichten und erziehen zu wollen, hieße: mit Sicherheit den einen verderben. Ein Jakob wird mit immer steigender Lust aus der Quelle der Weisheit und Wahrheit schöpfen lernen, ein Esau aber kaum die Zeit erwarten können, wo er die alten Bücher, zugleich aber auch eine ganze Lebensbestimmung hinter den Rücken wirft, die er nur einseitig und in einer Weise kennen gelernt, für welche er in seinem ganzen Naturell keine Anlage findet.

יושב אהלים, “according to the plain meaning this means that Yaakov tended sheep i.e. slept in tents as the sheep graze where they find meadows. Compare Genesis 4,20, אבי יושב אוהל ומקנה, “the founder of nomads tending sheep and cattle.” Another reason for describing Yaakov in such terms is that he was going to make his livelihood as a shepherd while at Lavan for 20 years.

תם A PLAIN MAN — not expert in all these things: as his heart was his mouth (his thoughts and his words tallied). One who is not ingenious in deceiving people is called תם plain, simple.

Who uses his bow to hunt animals and birds. It does not mean he worked in the fields, for then it should say: “Man of the soil,” as it did for Noach (9:20). Or it should say: “Worker of the soil,” as it did for Kayin (4:2).

Hätten Isaak und Rebekka in Esau hineingeschaut und sich früh gefragt, wie kann selbst ein Esau, wie kann die Kraft und der Mut und die Gewandtheit, die in ihm schlummert, zur Betätigung im Dienste Gottes gewonnen, und der künftige גבור nicht ein גבור ציד, sondern in Wahrheit ein ׳גבור לפני ד werden: es hätten Jakob und Esau mit ihren ganz verschiedenen Anlagen doch im Geiste und im Leben Zwillingsbrüder bleiben, es hätte früh schon Esaus Schwert mit Jakobs Geist sich vermählen können, und wer weiß, welch eine andere Gestaltung dann die Gänge der Zeiten genommen hätten. So aber: ויגדלו הנערים, erst als die Knaben Männer wurden, war man überrascht, aus einem Mutterschoße, aus derselben Pflege, Erziehung und Schule so völlige Gegensätze hervorgehen zu sehen. Vergl. Jeschurun Vlll, S. 153 u. ff.

יושב אהלים DWELLING IN TENTS — the tent of Shem and the tent of Eber (Genesis Rabbah 63:10).

Sowie bei Jakob das אש תם die Gemütsart, und יושב אהלים die Berufsart bedeutet, so ist auch wohl bei Esau das איש יודע ציד: die Bezeichnung der Gemüts- art, und איש שדה: der Beruf.

Wir haben schon bei Nimrod, als dessen geistiger Erbe Esau erscheint, den Begriff צוד in seiner Verwandtschaft mit סור betrachtet. Wie סור das in sich Tragen eines verschwiegenen Planes bis zur Zeit der Ausführung bedeutet, so erhält צוד nur noch die Nuance der Schwierigkeiten überwindenden Ausführung. Der צַיָד muß es verstehen, äußerlich ganz unschuldig zu erscheinen und den Gedanken des Verderbens still im Herzen zu tragen. Es ist die vollendete Übung der Tücke, in einem anderen Gebiete: der Diplomatie. Esau verstand die Jagd, die Kunst der Selbstbeherrschung im lauernden Selbstinteresse. Die ganze oben angedeutete, seinem Naturell so widerstrebende Erziehungsweise, die ihm geworden, die sein eigentliches Naturell nur zur Zeit abwartenden Geduld zurückdrängte, konnte einer solchen Richtung nur Nahrung gewähren. Diese Sinnesart führte ihn dazu, איש שדה zu werden. Gerade dadurch, dass man ihn früher an die "Schulbank" geschmiedet hatte, war er nun jetzt aus Widerwillen ganz draußen. Dem gegenüber war Jakob אש תם, ein Mensch, der nur eine Richtung kennt und dieser sich ganz hingibt, in seinem ganzen Wesen nur eins. Er ging auf in das Streben, als Abrahams Enkel, Isaaks Sohn, seine Aufgabe zu erfüllen, und deshalb wurde er ein יושב אהלים, ein Mensch, der die höchste Aufgabe in Lösung der in Menschenkreisen zur Übung und Entfaltung kommenden Erkenntnis und Erfüllung — sowie er als Mann zuerst dort, im Menschenkreise, die höchste Offenbarung des göttlichen Waltens erkannte und lehrte — יעקב קראו בית.