창세기 32:6 해설: Tze'enah Ure'enah, Rashi, Chizkuni & Ramban

“I have acquired cattle, asses, sheep and slaves” [32:6]. Jacob said to Esau: the blessing of my father was “of the dew of heaven and the fat of the earth” [27:28]. This means, the dew of heaven and the fat of the earth. That which I have is not from heaven nor is it from the earth, but is an ox, an ass, and sheep and goats.⁷Rashi, Genesis, 32:6.

Bahya writes here. Why did the verse here write oxen and asses first, and then sheep? The Torah would first write the sheep, since they are the most important of all the animals, as we find with Abraham, “I acquired sheep and cattle” [Genesis, 12:16], and concerning Jacob, “he had many sheep, goats and cattle” [30:43]. The explanation is that Jacob did not want to mention sheep and goats, since he thought: I took the blessing from Esau through sheep and goats. I took a young goat from the pen and I slaughtered it and made food for my father. I put the fur on my hands and my throat, so that Isaac should not recognize me. That is why Jacob did not want to mention “I have sheep,” but he first mentioned, “I have oxen and asses.” This is also why later in the Torah portion, when Esau appeared to Jacob and Jacob saw that Esau was at peace with him, Jacob first mentioned sheep, and afterwards oxen and asses. The Midrash writes that he first mentioned oxen and asses. This shows us that Joseph was called ox and he was the adversary of Esau. That is to say, Jacob showed Esau that he was not afraid, since he had the help of Joseph.⁸Bahya, Genesis, 32:6.

ויהי לי שור וחמור AND I HAVE OXEN AND ASSES — Our father promised me, (27:28) “[God will give thee] of the dew of heaven and of the fat places of the earth” — these are neither of the heaven nor of the earth