Midrash sobre Provérbios 18:3

{(Gen. 26:1:) NOW THERE WAS A FAMINE. This verse is related (to Prov. 18:3): WHEN A WICKED ONE COMES, THERE IS ALSO DESPISING. Who was this < wicked > one? This was Esau the Wicked, who came upon his feet to Abbadon (i.e., to hell, the place of damnation). What is written?} ⁵As these braces indicate, Buber believed the whole paragraph to be superfluous.

(Gen. 25:34:) SO ESAU DESPISED < HIS BIRTHRIGHT >. (Prov. 18:3:) WHEN A WICKED ONE COMES, THERE IS ALSO DESPISING. This refers to Esau, about whom it is stated: SO ESAU DESPISED. (Prov. 18:3, cont.:) {AND WHEN DISGRACE COMES}, [AND WITH DISGRACE, SHAME], since the famine came in his footsteps. Thus it is stated (immediately after the verse about Esau despising his birthright, in Gen. 26:1): NOW THERE WAS A FAMINE IN THE LAND.

How did he do that? When Esau caught a deer, he would tether it and then set out to catch another deer. In the meantime Satan would release the deer that had been caught and permit it to escape. When Esau returned, he was unable to find the deer. He repeated this a second and a third time. And thus it says: A slothful man shall not catch his prey (Prov. 12:27). He was forced to roam about for hours while Jacob received the blessings. Hence, Scripture states: And Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac, his father, that Esau, his brother, came in from his hunting. When the wicked Esau entered, he called out to his father impudently: Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison (Gen. 27:31). It is of him that Scripture states: When the wicked cometh, there cometh also contempt (Prov. 18:3). The words Let my father arise sound as though he were issuing a decree. Jacob did not speak like that. He spoke gently, saying: Arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison (Gen. 27:19).

As long as the wicked exist, etc. Whom does it refer to? R. Joseph said: "It refers to the thieves." Our Rabbis were taught: With the appearance of a wicked person anger comes into the world, as it is said (Pr. 18, 3) When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with dishonorable acts disgrace. And when the wicked perish, good comes to the world, as it is said (Ib. 11, 10) And when the wicked perish there is joyful shouting. When an upright man departs this world evil comes to the world, as it is said (Is. 57, 1) The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to hart; and godly men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away before the evil. And when a righteous man comes to the world goodness comes with him, as it is said (Gen. 5, 29) This same shall comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 27:33): THEN ISAAC TREMBLED EXCEEDINGLY GREATLY. R. Levi said in the name of R. Hama bar Hanina:⁸⁸See Tanh., Gen. 6:13. One does not say: EXCEEDINGLY GREATLY unless there was another < event > before it (for it to exceed). So what were the two tremblings that Isaac had? One was on Mount Moriah when his father bound him and took up the knife to slaughter him. The Holy One appeared above the angels and opened up the firmament. When Isaac raised his eyes and saw the chambers of the chariot, he trembled and shook. But here he trembled, and his trembling was greater than the first time! There he trembled when he saw the Holy One, the chambers of the chariot, and the angels. But here, because Jacob had entered and taken the blessings, his trembling was greater than that < former > trembling. But why did he tremble? Nathan the Haver said in the name of R. Aha and R. Judah b. R. Shallum the Levite < who said > in the name of R. Johanan: When Jacob entered, the Garden of Eden entered with him, as stated (in Gen. 27:27): THEN HE SMELLED THE ODOR OF HIS GARMENTS….⁸⁹See above, 6:16; Gen. R. 65:22; Cant. R. 4:11:2. And note that he did not put on anything but clothes of goat's hair, as stated (in vs. 16): THEN SHE CLOTHED HIS ARMS < AND THE HAIRLESS PART OF HIS NECK > WITH THE SKINS OF GOAT KIDS. And you do not have a worse odor in the < whole > world than goatskins washed smooth. But what is the meaning (of vs. 27): THEN HE SMELLED THE ODOR OF HIS GARMENTS? Some interpret it to say: The Holy One blew on the clothes of Isaac the odor of the incense which was going to be used in the Temple. When Esau the Wicked entered, however, < the result was as > R. Aha and R. Johanan have said: Gehinnom entered with him. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 18:3): WHEN A WICKED ONE COMES, THERE IS ALSO DESPISING; AND WITH DISGRACE, SHAME. When Esau arrived, Isaac perceived the house becoming hot and < so > perceived Gehinnom.⁹⁰See above, 6:1, 4. He began to scream and tremble, as stated (in Gen. 27:33): THEN ISAAC TREMBLED < EXCEEDINGLY GREATLY >.