וַיָּ֖קָם יַעֲקֹ֑ב וַיִּשָּׂ֛א אֶת־בָּנָ֥יו וְאֶת־נָשָׁ֖יו עַל־הַגְּמַלִּֽים׃
야곱이 일어나 자식들과 아내들을 약대들에게 태우고
Kohelet Rabbah
“The heart of the wise is to his right, and the heart of a fool is to his left” (Ecclesiastes 10:2).
“The heart of the wise is to his right…” – Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: [This is analogous] to two people who had two kor, one of wheat and one of barley. One of them said to the other: ‘If yours is of barley mine is of wheat, and if mine is of wheat yours is of barley. In any case, I am taking the one of wheat.’ So, Abraham said to Lot: “If to the left, I will go to the right, and if to the right, I will go to the left [asme’ila]” (Genesis 13:9). Rabbi Ḥanina ben Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is not written here “esmola,” but rather “asme’ila.”5Esmola means, “I will go to the left.” Asme’ila can mean, “I will cause to go to the left.” Even if you are impertinent, I will cause you to go to the left.6Abraham told Lot: Ultimately, I will go to the right, the direction of the wise, and you will go to the left, which is the direction of the fool. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi], when a person would enter for judgment before him, if [the party that lost the case] would obey the ruling that would be fine, and if not, [Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi] would say to a member of his household: ‘Cause him to go left’;7Cause him to understand that he is wrong. and he would signal and show him that he should strike him from the other side.
Another matter: “The heart of the wise is to his right” – this is Jacob, as it is stated: “Jacob arose and placed his sons and his wives [upon the camels]” (Genesis 31:17).8Jacob understood that the main objective of marriage is producing the next generation. Therefore, he tended first to his sons and then to his wives. “And the heart of a fool is to his left” – this is the wicked Esau, as it is stated: “Esau took his wives, his sons, [and his daughters]” (Genesis 36:6).9Esau prioritized his own pleasure; therefore he tended to his wives and then to his sons. It was not because he was concerned with his wives’ safety that he tended to them first, as he tended to his daughters, who were even more vulnerable, last.
“The heart of the wise is to his right…” – Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: [This is analogous] to two people who had two kor, one of wheat and one of barley. One of them said to the other: ‘If yours is of barley mine is of wheat, and if mine is of wheat yours is of barley. In any case, I am taking the one of wheat.’ So, Abraham said to Lot: “If to the left, I will go to the right, and if to the right, I will go to the left [asme’ila]” (Genesis 13:9). Rabbi Ḥanina ben Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is not written here “esmola,” but rather “asme’ila.”5Esmola means, “I will go to the left.” Asme’ila can mean, “I will cause to go to the left.” Even if you are impertinent, I will cause you to go to the left.6Abraham told Lot: Ultimately, I will go to the right, the direction of the wise, and you will go to the left, which is the direction of the fool. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi], when a person would enter for judgment before him, if [the party that lost the case] would obey the ruling that would be fine, and if not, [Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi] would say to a member of his household: ‘Cause him to go left’;7Cause him to understand that he is wrong. and he would signal and show him that he should strike him from the other side.
Another matter: “The heart of the wise is to his right” – this is Jacob, as it is stated: “Jacob arose and placed his sons and his wives [upon the camels]” (Genesis 31:17).8Jacob understood that the main objective of marriage is producing the next generation. Therefore, he tended first to his sons and then to his wives. “And the heart of a fool is to his left” – this is the wicked Esau, as it is stated: “Esau took his wives, his sons, [and his daughters]” (Genesis 36:6).9Esau prioritized his own pleasure; therefore he tended to his wives and then to his sons. It was not because he was concerned with his wives’ safety that he tended to them first, as he tended to his daughters, who were even more vulnerable, last.
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.
Bereshit Rabbah
“Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the members of his household, and his livestock, and all his animals, and all his possessions that he acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to a land, due to his brother Jacob” (Genesis 36:6).
“Esau took his wives” – “the heart of the wise inclines to his right, and the heart of a fool inclines to his left” (Ecclesiastes 10:2). “The heart of the wise inclines to his right” – this is Jacob, as it is written: “Jacob arose and lifted his children” (Genesis 31:17), and then “his wives” (Genesis 31:17). “The heart of a fool inclines to his left” – this is Esau, as it is stated: “Esau took his wives” and then “his sons.”
“And went to a land, due to his brother Jacob” – Rabbi Eliezer said: Due to a promissory note – “That your descendants will be strangers” (Genesis 15:13).41Esau understood that the descendants of Abraham who would inherit the Land of Israel would first suffer great persecution. He did not want to suffer, and was willing to forego the opportunity to inherit the Land of Israel. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Due to the shame.42He was ashamed because he sold the birthright to Jacob.
“Esau took his wives” – “the heart of the wise inclines to his right, and the heart of a fool inclines to his left” (Ecclesiastes 10:2). “The heart of the wise inclines to his right” – this is Jacob, as it is written: “Jacob arose and lifted his children” (Genesis 31:17), and then “his wives” (Genesis 31:17). “The heart of a fool inclines to his left” – this is Esau, as it is stated: “Esau took his wives” and then “his sons.”
“And went to a land, due to his brother Jacob” – Rabbi Eliezer said: Due to a promissory note – “That your descendants will be strangers” (Genesis 15:13).41Esau understood that the descendants of Abraham who would inherit the Land of Israel would first suffer great persecution. He did not want to suffer, and was willing to forego the opportunity to inherit the Land of Israel. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Due to the shame.42He was ashamed because he sold the birthright to Jacob.