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Learning & Values Parshah (Weekly Torah) Bereishit - Genesis Toldot Texts & Summaries

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First Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 25

19The following are the descendants of Isaac, son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac.		יטוְאֵ֛לֶּה תּֽוֹלְדֹ֥ת יִצְחָ֖ק בֶּן־אַבְרָהָ֑ם אַבְרָהָ֖ם הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־יִצְחָֽק:
וְאֵלֶּה תולדות יִצְחָק - The following are the descendants of Isaac - i.e., Jacob and Esau, who are mentioned later in this section.		וְאֵלֶּה תולדות יִצְחָק. יַעֲקֹב וְעֵשָׂו הָאֲמוּרִים בַּפָּרָשָׁה:
אַבְרָהָם הוֹלִיד אֶת־יִצְחָק - Abraham was the father of Isaac. Since Scripture wrote: “Isaac son of Abraham,” it was also required to say: “Abraham was the father of Isaac,” because the scoffers of the generation were saying that Sarah had become pregnant by Avimelech, for she had lived many years with Abraham and had not become pregnant by him. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do to disprove them? He made Isaac’s facial features similar to those of Abraham, and thus all could testify that Abraham was Isaac’s father. And that is what is meant by what is written here: Isaac was the son of Abraham – for there is evidence that Abraham was indeed the father of Isaac.		אַבְרָהָם הוֹלִיד אֶת־יִצְחָק. עַל יְדֵי שֶׁכָּתַב הַכָּתוּב יִצְחָק בֶּן אַבְרָהָם הֻזְקַק לוֹמַר אַבְרָהָם הוֹלִיד אֶת יִצְחָק; לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ לֵיצָנֵי הַדּוֹר אוֹמְרִים מֵאֲבִימֶלֶךְ נִתְעַבְּרָה שָׂרָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי כַּמָּה שָׁנִים שָׁהֲתָה עִם אַבְרָהָם וְלֹא נִתְעַבְּרָה הֵימֶנּוּ; מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא? צָר קְלַסְתֵּר פָּנָיו שֶׁל יִצְחָק דּוֹמֶה לְאַבְרָהָם, וְהֵעִידוּ הַכֹּל אַבְרָהָם הוֹלִיד אֶת יִצְחָק, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב כָּאן יִצְחָק בֶּן אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁהֲרֵי עֵדוּת יֵשׁ שֶׁאַבְרָהָם הוֹלִיד אֶת יִצְחָק:
20Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebecca, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Padan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean.		כוַיְהִ֤י יִצְחָק֙ בֶּן־אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּקַחְתּ֣וֹ אֶת־רִבְקָ֗ה בַּת־בְּתוּאֵל֙ הָֽאֲרַמִּ֔י מִפַּדַּ֖ן אֲרָ֑ם אֲח֛וֹת לָבָ֥ן הָֽאֲרַמִּ֖י ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה:
בֶּן־אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה - 40 years old. For when Abraham came from Mount Moriah he was informed that Rebecca, Isaac’s designated mate, was born, and Isaac was then 37 years old; for at that point Sarah died, and from the birth of Isaac until the Akedah (the “binding” of Isaac), at which time Sarah died, was 37 years – for she was 90 years old when Isaac was born and 127 years old when she died, as it says: “Sarah’s lifetime was 127 years” 1 – making Isaac then 37 years old, and at that time Rebecca was born. He waited three years until she was fit for marriage and then married her.		בֶּן־אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה. שֶׁהֲרֵי כְּשֶׁבָּא אַבְרָהָם מֵהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה נִתְבַּשֵּׂר שֶׁנּוֹלְדָה רִבְקָה, וְיִצְחָק הָיָה בֶּן ל"ז שָׁנָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי בּוֹ בַּפֶּרֶק מֵתָה שָׂרָה, וּמִשֶּׁנּוֹלַד יִצְחָק עַד הָעֲקֵדָה שֶׁמֵּתָה שָׂרָה, ל"ז שָׁנָה הָיוּ – כִּי בַּת צ' הָיְתָה כְּשֶׁנּוֹלַד יִצְחָק, וּבַת קכ"ז כְּשֶׁמֵּתָה – שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה וְגוֹ' הֲרֵי לְיִצְחָק ל"ז שָׁנִים, וּבוֹ בַפֶּרֶק נוֹלְדָה רִבְקָה; הִמְתִּין לָהּ עַד שֶׁתְּהֵא רְאוּיָה לְבִיאָה ג' שָׁנִים וּנְשָׂאָהּ:
בַּת־בְּתוּאֵל מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם אֲחוֹת לָבָן - Daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Padan Aram and sister of Laban. Was it not already written that she was Bethuel’s daughter and Laban’s sister and from Padan Aram? It is repeated here, however, to recount her praise, that she was the daughter of a wicked man, the sister of a wicked man, and her hometown was a place of evil people, yet she did not learn from their evil deeds.		בַּת־בְּתוּאֵל מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם אֲחוֹת לָבָן. וְכִי עֲדַיִן לֹא נִכְתַּב שֶׁהִיא בַּת בְּתוּאֵל וַאֲחוֹת לָבָן וּמִפַּדַּן אֲרָם? אֶלָּא לְהַגִּיד שִׁבְחָהּ, שֶׁהָיְתָה בַּת רָשָׁע וַאֲחוֹת רָשָׁע וּמְקוֹמָהּ אַנְשֵׁי רֶשַׁע וְלֹא לָמְדָה מִמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם:
מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם - Of Padan Aram. Because there were two Arams in proximity, Aram Naharayim and Aram Tzovah, the verse calls them פַּדָּן “a pair,” having the same meaning as: צֶמֶד בָּקָר, 2 which translates as: פַּדַּן תּוֹרִין “a pair of cattle.” Some explain פַּדַּן אֲרָם as meaning “the field of Aram,” for in Arabic a field is called “padan.”		מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם. עַל שֵׁם שֶׁשְּׁנֵי אֲרָם הָיוּ, אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם וַאֲרַם צוֹבָה, קוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ פַּדָּן, לְשׁוֹן צֶמֶד בָּקָר, תַּרְגּוּם פַּדָּן תּוֹרִין; וְיֵשׁ פּוֹתְרִין פַּדַּן אֲרָם כְּמוֹ שְׂדֵה אֲרָם, שֶׁבִּלְשׁוֹן יִשְׁמָעֵאל קוֹרִין לְשָׂדֶה פַדַּן:
21Isaac pleaded with God at one corner of the room while his wife did the same at the opposite corner of the room, for she was barren. God responded to Isaac’s plea. Thus, his wife Rebecca conceived.		כאוַיֶּעְתַּ֨ר יִצְחָ֤ק לַֽיהֹוָה֙ לְנֹ֣כַח אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ כִּ֥י עֲקָרָ֖ה הִ֑וא וַיֵּעָ֤תֶר לוֹ֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה וַתַּ֖הַר רִבְקָ֥ה אִשְׁתּֽוֹ:
וַיֶּעְתַּר - Pleaded - i.e., he prayed much and repeatedly.		וַיֶּעְתַּר. הִרְבָּה וְהִפְצִיר בִּתְפִלָּה:
וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ - [God] responded to his plea - i.e., He allowed Himself to be implored, appeased, and persuaded by him. I say that every use of the term עֶתֶר is an expression of persistence and increasing, and similarly we find: “with the thick (וַעֲתַר) smoke of the incense” 3 – i.e., an abundance of ascending smoke; and similarly: “and you have multiplied (וְהַעְתַּרְתֶּם) your words against Me”; 4 and similarly: “and excessive (נַעְתָּרוֹת) are the kisses of an enemy” 5 – they seem too numerous and are thus burdensome; “ancresra” in Old French.		וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ. נִתְפַּצֵּר וְנִתְפַּיֵּס וְנִתְפַּתָּה לוֹ. וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי, כָּל לְשׁוֹן עֶתֶר לְשׁוֹן הַפְצָרָה וְרִבּוּי הוּא, וְכֵן וַעֲתַר עֲנַן הַקְּטֹרֶת (יחז' ח') – מַרְבִּית עֲלִיַּת הֶעָשָׁן, וְכֵן וְהַעְתַּרְתֶּם עָלַי דִּבְרֵיכֶם (שם ל"ה), וְכֵן וְנַעְתָּרוֹת נְשִׁיקוֹת שׂוֹנֵא (משלי כ"ז) – דּוֹמוֹת לִמְרֻבּוֹת וְהִנָּם לְמַשָּׂא; אנקרי"שרא בלע"ז:
לְנֹכַח אִשְׁתּוֹ - Opposite his wife. He stood in one corner and prayed, and she stood in the other corner and prayed.		לְנֹכַח אִשְׁתּוֹ. זֶה עוֹמֵד בְּזָוִית זוֹ וּמִתְפַּלֵּל וְזוֹ עוֹמֶדֶת בְּזָוִית זוֹ וּמִתְפַּלֶּלֶת:
וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ - God responded to his plea - to his but not to hers. Since there is no comparison between the prayer of a righteous person (Isaac) who is the child of a righteous person (Abraham), and the prayer of a righteous person (Rebecca) who is the child of a wicked person (Bethuel), God therefore responded to his (Isaac’s) prayer and not to hers.		וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ. לוֹ וְלֹא לָהּ, שֶׁאֵין דּוֹמָה תְפִלַּת צַדִּיק בֶּן צַדִּיק לִתְפִלַּת צַדִּיק בֶּן רָשָׁע, לְפִיכָךְ לוֹ וְלֹא לָהּ (יבמות ס"ד):
22The children struggled within her. She said, “If the pain of pregnancy is so great, why did I pray for it?” So she went to the academy of Shem and Ever to inquire of God.		כבוַיִּתְרֹֽצֲצ֤וּ הַבָּנִים֙ בְּקִרְבָּ֔הּ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אִם־כֵּ֔ן לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה אָנֹ֑כִי וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ לִדְר֥שׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה:
וַיִּתְרֹֽצֲצוּ - [The children] struggled. This verse obviously calls for an interpretation, since it does not explain what this struggling was about, yet it writes as Rebecca’s reaction: “(lit.) If this is how it is, why did I pray for this?” Our rabbis expounded the word וַיִּתְרֹצֲצוּ as being an expression of רִיצָה “running”: When she passed by the entrances of the Torah academies of Shem and Ever, Jacob would hurry and wriggle to try and come out, and when she passed by the entrance of a place of idol-worship, Esau would wriggle to try and come out. Another explanation: They struggled with each other and fought over the inheritance of two worlds – this world and the World to Come.		וַיִּתְרֹֽצֲצוּ. עַל כָּרְחָךְ הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה אוֹמֵר דָּרְשֵׁנִי, שֶׁסָּתַם מַה הִיא רְצִיצָה זוֹ וְכָתַב אִם כֵּן לָמָּה זֶּה אָנֹכִי? רַבּוֹתֵינוּ דְּרָשׁוּהוּ לְשׁוֹן רִיצָה; כְּשֶׁהָיְתָה עוֹבֶרֶת עַל פִּתְחֵי תּוֹרָה שֶׁל שֵׁם וָעֵבֶר יַעֲקֹב רָץ וּמְפַרְכֵּס לָצֵאת, עוֹבֶרֶת עַל פֶּתַח עֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים, עֵשָׂו מְפַרְכֵּס לָצֵאת. דָּבָר אַחֵר מִתְרוֹצְצִים זֶה עִם זֶה וּמְרִיבִים בְּנַחֲלַת שְׁנֵי עוֹלָמוֹת.
וַתֹּאמֶר אִם־כֵּן - She said, (lit.) “If this is how it is” - that the pain of pregnancy is so great.		וַתֹּאמֶר אִם־כֵּן. גָּדוֹל צַעַר הָעִבּוּר.
לָמָּה זֶּה אָנֹכִי - (lit.) Why, then, did I - long and pray to become pregnant?		לָמָּה זֶּה אָנֹכִי. מִתְאַוָּה וּמִתְפַּלֶּלֶת עַל הֵרָיוֹן:
וַתֵּלֶךְ לִדְרשׁ - So she went to inquire - i.e., to the house of study (בֵּית מִדְרָשׁ) of Shem.		וַתֵּלֶךְ לִדְרשׁ. לְבֵית מִדְרָשׁוֹ שֶׁל שֵׁם:
לִדְרשׁ אֶת־ה' - To inquire of God. that He tell her what would be with her in the end.		לִדְרשׁ אֶת־ה'. שֶׁיַּגִּיד לָהּ מַה תְּהֵא בְּסוֹפָהּ:
23God told Shem to say to her, “The progenitors of two nations are in your womb. Two powers will diverge the moment they emerge from within you. Thus, the upper hand will pass from one power to the other and back again. Nonetheless, even when the elder has the upper hand, the elder and his descendants will always serve the younger and his descendants.”		כגוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה לָ֗הּ שְׁנֵ֤י גוֹיִם֙ (כתיב גיים) בְּבִטְנֵ֔ךְ וּשְׁנֵ֣י לְאֻמִּ֔ים מִמֵּעַ֖יִךְ יִפָּרֵ֑דוּ וּלְאֹם֙ מִלְאֹ֣ם יֶֽאֱמָ֔ץ וְרַ֖ב יַֽעֲבֹ֥ד צָעִֽיר:
וַיֹּאמֶר ה' לָהּ - God said to her - through a messenger. Shem was told through Divine Inspiration, and he told her.		וַיֹּאמֶר ה' לָהּ. עַל יְדֵי שָׁלִיחַ; לְשֵׁם נֶאֱמַר בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְהוּא אָמַר לָהּ (בראשית רבה):
שְׁנֵי גוים בְּבִטְנֵךְ - Two nations are in your womb. Although read as גוֹיִם “nations” it is written גֵּיִים similar to גֵאִים, meaning “aristocrats.” This alludes to Antoninus and Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, whose tables never lacked radish or lettuce, neither in summer nor in winter.		שְׁנֵי גוים בְּבִטְנֵךְ. גיים כְּתִיב; אֵלּוּ אַנְטוֹנִינוּס וְרַבִּי, שֶׁלֹּא פָסְקוּ מֵעַל שֻׁלְחָנָם לֹא צְנוֹן וְלֹא חֲזֶרֶת לֹא בִימוֹת הַחַמָּה וְלֹא בִימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים (עבודה זרה י"א):
וּשְׁנֵי לְאֻמִּים - Two powers - The word לְאֹם always denotes a kingdom.		וּשְׁנֵי לְאֻמִּים. אֵין לְאֹם אֶלָּא מַלְכוּת:
מִמֵּעַיִךְ יִפָּרֵדוּ - Will diverge (lit.) from inside your body - i.e., they will separate immediately upon emerging from the womb – one to his wickedness and the other to his guilelessness.		מִמֵּעַיִךְ יִפָּרֵדוּ. מִן הַמֵּעַיִם הֵם נִפְרָדִים זֶה לְרִשְׁעוֹ וְזֶה לְתֻמּוֹ:
מִלְאֹם יֶֽאֱמָץ - (lit.) Will be stronger than the other kingdom. They will never be equally great, for when one rises, the other will fall, and so it says: “I (Tyre) shall be filled with the one that is laid waste” 6 – i.e., Tyre of the kingdom of Esau only became powerful through the destruction of Jerusalem of the kingdom of Jacob.		מִלְאֹם יֶֽאֱמָץ. לֹא יִשְׁווּ בִּגְדֻלָּה, כְּשֶׁזֶּה קָם זֶה נוֹפֵל, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר אִמָּלְאָה הָחֳרָבָה (יחזקאל כ"ו), לֹא נִתְמַלְּאָה צוֹר אֶלָּא מֵחֻרְבָּנָהּ שֶׁל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם:
24Her pregnancy reached full term; there were twins in her womb.		כדוַיִּמְלְא֥וּ יָמֶ֖יהָ לָלֶ֑דֶת וְהִנֵּ֥ה תוֹמִ֖ם בְּבִטְנָֽהּ:
וַיִּמְלְאוּ יָמֶיהָ - Her pregnancy reached full term. These words are superfluous and only added to contrast with the case of Tamar, about whom it is written: “At the time of her giving birth (בְּעֵת לִדְתָּהּ),” 7 because she did not complete her full term of pregnancy since she gave birth to them after only seven months.		וַיִּמְלְאוּ יָמֶיהָ. אֲבָל בְּתָמָר כְּתִיב וַיְהִי בְּעֵת לִדְתָּהּ (בראשית ל״ח:כ״ז), שֶׁלֹּא מָלְאוּ יָמֶיהָ, כִּי לְז' חֳדָשִׁים יְלָדָתַם:
וְהִנֵּה תוֹמִם - There were twins. The word תוֹמִם here is written without the א and י, but in the case of Tamar the word תְּאוֹמִים is written in full, because there both twins were righteous, but here one was righteous and the other was wicked.		וְהִנֵּה תוֹמִם. חָסֵר, וּבְתָמָר תְּאוֹמִים מָלֵא, לְפִי שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶם צַדִּיקִים; אֲבָל כָּאן אֶחָד צַדִּיק וְאֶחָד רָשָׁע:
25The first one emerged ruddy and full of hair all over like a woolen cloak that is covered with hair, so everyone present at his birth called him Esau [Eisav, from asui—“completed”].		כהוַיֵּצֵ֤א הָֽרִאשׁוֹן֙ אַדְמוֹנִ֔י כֻּלּ֖וֹ כְּאַדֶּ֣רֶת שֵׂעָ֑ר וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ שְׁמ֖וֹ עֵשָֽׂו:
אַדְמוֹנִי - Ruddy. An indication that he would shed blood.		אַדְמוֹנִי. סִימָן הוּא שֶׁיְּהֵא שׁוֹפֵךְ דָּמִים (בראשית רבה):
כֻּלּוֹ כְּאַדֶּרֶת שֵׂעָר - means: he was full of hair, like a woolen garment (אַדֶּרֶת) that is completely covered with hair; “flochede” in Old French.		כֻּלּוֹ כְּאַדֶּרֶת שֵׂעָר. מָלֵא שֵׂעָר כְּטַלִּית שֶׁל צֶמֶר הַמְלֵאָה שֵׂעָר, פלוקי"דא בלע"ז:
וַיִּקְרְאוּ שְׁמוֹ עֵשָֽׂו - They named him Esau. Everyone called him so because he was fully made (עָשׂוּי) and complete with hair like one who is many years old.		וַיִּקְרְאוּ שְׁמוֹ עֵשָֽׂו. הַכֹּל קָרְאוּ לוֹ כֵן, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִגְמָר בִּשְׂעָרוֹ כְבֶן שָׁנִים הַרְבֵּה:
26His brother then emerged, and his hand was grasping Esau’s heel. God named this second son Jacob [Ya’akov, from akev—“heel”]. Isaac was in his 60th year when Rebecca gave birth to them.		כווְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֞ן יָצָ֣א אָחִ֗יו וְיָד֤וֹ אֹחֶ֨זֶת֙ בַּֽעֲקֵ֣ב עֵשָׂ֔ו וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וְיִצְחָ֛ק בֶּן־שִׁשִּׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה בְּלֶ֥דֶת אֹתָֽם:
וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵן יָצָא אָחִיו וגו' - His brother then emerged… I have heard an aggadic explanation that explains this verse in a way that concurs with its straightforward meaning: Jacob rightfully held onto Esau to hold him back. Jacob was created from the first drop of seed and Esau from the second. Go and learn this idea from a tube with only one, narrow opening. Insert two stones into it, one after the other; the one inserted first will come out last, and the one inserted last will come out first. Consequently, Esau, who was conceived last, came out first, and Jacob, who was conceived first, came out last. Jacob therefore tried to hold Esau back, so that he would be born first just as he was conceived first, and he would be the first out of his mother’s womb and claim the birthright rightfully.		וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵן יָצָא אָחִיו וגו'. שָׁמַעְתִּי מִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה הַדּוֹרְשׁוֹ לְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ, בְּדִין הָיָה אוֹחֵז בּוֹ לְעַכְּבוֹ, יַעֲקֹב נוֹצַר מִטִּפָּה רִאשׁוֹנָה וְעֵשָׂו מִן הַשְּׁנִיָּה; צֵא וּלְמַד מִשְּׁפוֹפֶרֶת שֶׁפִּיהָ קְצָרָה, תֵּן לָהּ שְׁתֵּי אֲבָנִים זוֹ אַחַר זוֹ – הַנִּכְנֶסֶת רִאשׁוֹנָה תֵּצֵא אַחֲרוֹנָה וְהַנִּכְנֶסֶת אַחֲרוֹנָה תֵּצֵא רִאשׁוֹנָה; נִמְצָא עֵשָׂו הַנּוֹצָר בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה יָצָא רִאשׁוֹן וְיַעֲקֹב שֶׁנּוֹצַר רִאשׁוֹנָה יָצָא אַחֲרוֹן, וְיַעֲקֹב בָּא לְעַכְּבוֹ, שֶׁיְּהֵא רִאשׁוֹן לְלֵדָה כְּרִאשׁוֹן לִיצִירָה, וְיִפְטֹר אֶת רַחְמָהּ וְיִטֹּל אֶת הַבְּכוֹרָה מִן הַדִּין:
בַּֽעֲקֵב עֵשָׂו - Esau’s heel. This was a sign that Esau will be unable to complete his period of sovereignty before Jacob arises and takes his power from him.		בַּֽעֲקֵב עֵשָׂו. סִימָן שֶׁאֵין זֶה מַסְפִּיק לִגְמֹר מַלְכוּתוֹ עַד שֶׁזֶּה עוֹמֵד וְנוֹטְלָהּ הֵימֶנּוּ:
וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יַֽעֲקֹב - He named him Jacob - i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He, named him so, saying, “You gave your firstborn a name; I shall also give My firstborn son a name.” That is what is meant by: “He named him Jacob.” Another explanation: It was his father who called him Jacob (יַעֲקֹב), on account of his holding on to Esau’s heel (עָקֵב).		וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יַֽעֲקֹב. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא; דָּבָר אַחֵר אָבִיו קָרָא לוֹ יַעֲקֹב עַל שֵׁם אֲחִיזַת הֶעָקֵב:
בֶּן־שִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה - In his 60th year. Ten years passed from the time he married her until she was in her 13th year and capable of childbearing, and these following 10 years he hoped and waited for her to conceive, just as his father had done for Sarah. When she did not then conceive, he knew that she was barren and he prayed for her. He did not wish to marry a bondwoman as his father had done, because he had been sanctified as an unblemished ascent-offering on Mount Moriah.		בֶּן־שִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה. י' שָׁנִים מִשֶּׁנְּשָׂאָהּ עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשֵׂית בַּת י"ג שָׁנָה וּרְאוּיָה לְהֵרָיוֹן, וְי' שָׁנִים הַלָּלוּ צָפָה וְהִִמְתִּין לָהּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁעָשָׂה אָבִיו לְשָׂרָה; כֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹּא נִתְעַבְּרָה, יָדַע שֶׁהִיא עֲקָרָה, וְהִתְפַּלֵּל עָלֶיהָ (יבמות ס"ד), וְשִׁפְחָה לֹא רָצָה לִשָּׂא, לְפִי שֶׁנִּתְקַדֵּשׁ בְּהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה לִהְיוֹת עוֹלָה תְמִימָה:
27The boys grew. Esau became an expert in ensnaring his father. He was a man who spent his time in the field. Jacob was a guileless man; he went to live in the tents of Shem and Ever to study the Torah.		כזוַיִּגְדְּלוּ֙ הַנְּעָרִ֔ים וַיְהִ֣י עֵשָׂ֗ו אִ֛ישׁ יֹדֵ֥עַ צַ֖יִד אִ֣ישׁ שָׂדֶ֑ה וְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ אִ֣ישׁ תָּ֔ם ישֵׁ֖ב אֹֽהָלִֽים:
וַיִּגְדְּלוּ … וַיְהִי עֵשָׂו - The boys grew; Esau became. As long as they were young, they were not distinguishable by their actions and no one paid much attention to their characters. However, once they reached the age of 13, this one, Jacob, went his way to the houses of study, and the other, Esau, went his way to idol worship.		וַיִּגְדְּלוּ … וַיְהִי עֵשָׂו. כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָיוּ קְטַנִּים, לֹא הָיוּ נִכָּרִים בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, וְאֵין אָדָם מְדַקְדֵּק בָּהֶם מַה טִּיבָם; כֵּיוָן שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ בְנֵי שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה, זֶה פֵּרֵשׁ לְבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת וְזֶה פֵּרֵשׁ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה:
יֹדֵעַ צַיִד - An expert in ensnaring - i.e.,: He knew how to trap (לָצוּד) and deceive his father with his mouth, asking him, “Father! How does one tithe salt and hay?” His father thus thought that he was meticulous in observing the commandments.		יֹדֵעַ צַיִד. לָצוּד וּלְרַמּוֹת אֶת אָבִיו בְּפִיו וְשׁוֹאֲלוֹ אַבָּא, הַאֵיךְ מְעַשְּׂרִין אֶת הַמֶּלַח וְאֶת הַתֶּבֶן? כַּסָּבוּר אָבִיו שֶׁהוּא מְדַקְדֵּק בְּמִצְוֹת (תנחומא):
אִישׁ שָׂדֶה - A man of the field. Explain this literally: A man without a proper occupation, who hunts beasts and birds with his bow.		אִישׁ שָׂדֶה. כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ, אָדָם בָּטֵל וְצוֹדֶה בְקַשְׁתּוֹ חַיּוֹת וְעוֹפוֹת:
תָּם - Guileless - i.e., he was not familiar with all these deceitful things; his heart and his speech were consonant. A person who is not sharp at deceiving is called תָּם “a straightforward person.”		תָּם. אֵינוֹ בָקִי בְכָל אֵלֶּה, כְּלִבּוֹ כֵּן פִּיו, מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ חָרִיף לְרַמּוֹת קָרוּי תָּם:
ישֵׁב אֹֽהָלִֽים - Living in tents - i.e., the tent of Shem and the tent of Ever.		ישֵׁב אֹֽהָלִֽים. אָהֳלוֹ שֶׁל שֵׁם וְאָהֳלוֹ שֶׁל עֵבֶר:
28Isaac loved Esau, both for the game he provided from his hunting and because he was deceived by his cunning words, while Rebecca loved Jacob.		כחוַיֶּֽאֱהַ֥ב יִצְחָ֛ק אֶת־עֵשָׂ֖ו כִּי־צַ֣יִד בְּפִ֑יו וְרִבְקָ֖ה אֹהֶ֥בֶת אֶת־יַֽעֲקֹֽב:
בְּפִיו - (lit.) In his mouth. The straightforward meaning is as Onkelos translates it: מִצֵידֵהּ הֲוָה אָכִיל “he ate what [Esau] hunted”; thus בְּפִיו means “in the mouth of Isaac.” But the Midrashic explanation is: בְּפִיו means “in the mouth of Esau,” i.e., Esau would ensnare Isaac and deceive him with his words.		בְּפִיו. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ בְּפִיו שֶׁל יִצְחָק. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ בְּפִיו שֶׁל עֵשָׂו, שֶׁהָיָה צָד אוֹתוֹ וּמְרַמֵּהוּ בִדְבָרָיו:
29Jacob was cooking a stew. Esau came in from the field, exhausted.		כטוַיָּ֥זֶד יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב נָזִ֑יד וַיָּבֹ֥א עֵשָׂ֛ו מִן־הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה וְה֥וּא עָיֵֽף:
וַיָּזֶד - An expression of cooking, as Onkelos translates it: וּבַשֵּׁיל.		וַיָּזֶד. לְשׁוֹן בִּשּׁוּל, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
וְהוּא עָיֵֽף - (lit.) And he was exhausted - from murdering, as it says in connection with murder: “For my soul is exhausted (עָיְפָה) through murderers.” 8		וְהוּא עָיֵֽף. בִּרְצִיחָה, כְּמָה דְּתֵימָא כִּי עָיְפָה נַפְשִׁי לְהֹרְגִים (ירמיהו ד') (בראשית רבה):
30Esau said to Jacob, “Now feed me a gulp of that red, red stuff, for I’m exhausted!” He was therefore given the nickname Edom [adom—“red”].		לוַיֹּ֨אמֶר עֵשָׂ֜ו אֶל־יַֽעֲקֹ֗ב הַלְעִיטֵ֤נִי נָא֙ מִן־הָֽאָדֹ֤ם הָֽאָדֹם֙ הַזֶּ֔ה כִּ֥י עָיֵ֖ף אָנֹ֑כִי עַל־כֵּ֥ן קָֽרָא־שְׁמ֖וֹ אֱדֽוֹם:
הַלְעִיטֵנִי - This word means “I will open my mouth, and you pour a lot into it,” as we have learned in the Mishnah: “One must not force-feed a camel, but one may pour food into its mouth (מַלְעִיטִין).” 9		הַלְעִיטֵנִי. אֶפְתַּח פִּי וּשְׁפֹךְ הַרְבֵּה לְתוֹכָהּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ אֵין אוֹבְסִין אֶת הַגָּמָל אֲבָל מַלְעִיטִין אוֹתוֹ:
מִן־הָֽאָדֹם הָֽאָדֹם - Of that red, red stuff. They were red lentils. On that day Abraham had died, which God had brought about so that Abraham not see his grandson Esau falling into bad ways, and then there would not have been a realization of the “good old age” that the Holy One, blessed be He, had promised him. 10 Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, shortened his life by five years – for Isaac lived 180 years, but Abraham lived only 175 years. Jacob was cooking lentils with which to feed the mourner the customary first meal. Why lentils? Because they are similar to a wheel, and the state of mourning is like a wheel that revolves in the world. Furthermore, just as lentils have no “mouth” (opening), so, too, the mourner has no mouth, for he is forbidden to speak to greet others. Therefore, the custom is to feed the mourner eggs for his first meal, because they are round and have no “mouth,” just as a mourner has no mouth; as we say in Mo’ed Katan: 11 “During the first three days a mourner does not return a greeting to anyone, and certainly does not initiate greetings; from the third to the seventh day he may return a greeting to one who mistakenly greeted him, but not initiate greetings….”		מִן־הָֽאָדֹם הָֽאָדֹם. עֲדָשִׁים אֲדֻמּוֹת, וְאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם מֵת אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁלֹּא יִרְאֶה אֶת עֵשָׂו בֶּן בְּנוֹ יוֹצֵא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה, וְאֵין זוֹ שֵׂיבָה טוֹבָה שֶׁהִבְטִיחוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא; לְפִיכָךְ קִצֵּר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא ה' שָׁנִים מִשְּׁנוֹתָיו, שֶׁיִּצְחָק חַי ק"פ שָׁנָה וְזֶה קע"ה, וּבִשֵּׁל יַעֲקֹב עֲדָשִׁים לְהַבְרוֹת אֶת הָאָבֵל. וְלָמָּה עֲדָשִׁים? שֶׁדּוֹמוֹת לְגַלְגַּל, שֶׁהָאֲבֵלוּת גַּלְגַּל הַחוֹזֵר בָּעוֹלָם (וְעוֹד מָה עֲדָשִׁים אֵין לָהֶם פֶּה, כָּךְ הָאָבֵל אֵין לוֹ פֶה, שֶׁאָסוּר לְדַבֵּר, וּלְפִיכָךְ הַמִּנְהָג לְהַבְרוֹת הָאָבֵל בִּתְחִלַּת מַאֲכָלוֹ בֵּיצִים, שֶׁהֵם עֲגֻלִּים וְאֵין לָהֶם פֶּה, כָּךְ אָבֵל אֵין לוֹ פֶה, כִּדְאָמְרִינַן בְּמוֹעֵד קָטָן (מועד קטן כא:) אָבֵל כָּל שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים אֵינוֹ מֵשִׁיב שָׁלוֹם לְכָל אָדָם וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁאֵינוֹ שׁוֹאֵל בַּתְּחִלָּה, מִג' וְעַד ז' מֵשִׁיב וְאֵינוֹ שׁוֹאֵל וְכוּ'; בְּרַשִׁ"י יָשָׁן):
31Jacob replied, “Sell me your birthright, irrevocably, so the transaction be as clear as day.”		לאוַיֹּ֖אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב מִכְרָ֥ה כַיּ֛וֹם אֶת־בְּכֹרָֽתְךָ֖ לִֽי:
מִכְרָה כַיּוֹם - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: כְּיוֹם דִּלְהֵן – “As this day”; i.e., just like the day is clear, so sell me the birthright by a clear, unequivocal sale.		מִכְרָה כַיּוֹם. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ כְּיוֹם דִּלְהֵן, כַּיּוֹם שֶׁהוּא בָרוּר, כָךְ מְכֹר לִי מְכִירָה בְרוּרָה:
בְּכֹרָֽתְךָ - Your birthright. Jacob asked him to sell it because the sacrificial service was then carried out by firstborns, and Jacob said, “This wicked man is not worthy to offer sacrifices for the Holy One, blessed be He.”		בְּכֹרָֽתְךָ. לְפִי שֶׁהָעֲבוֹדָה בַּבְּכוֹרוֹת, אָמַר יַעֲקֹב אֵין רָשָׁע זֶה כְדַאי שֶׁיַּקְרִיב לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:
32Esau said, “Look, I am going to eventually die anyway, so of what use is a birthright to me?”		לבוַיֹּ֣אמֶר עֵשָׂ֔ו הִנֵּ֛ה אָֽנֹכִ֥י הוֹלֵ֖ךְ לָמ֑וּת וְלָֽמָּה־זֶּ֥ה לִ֖י בְּכֹרָֽה:
הִנֵּה אָֽנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת - Look, I am going to die. The birthright is unstable and transitory, for the privilege of service will not be carried out by the firstborns for all time, for the tribe of Levi will later receive it. Furthermore, Esau said, “What is the nature of this service?” Jacob answered him, “Many prohibitions, punishments, and acts subject to the death penalty are associated with it,” as we have learned: These are liable for the death penalty: those who enter the holy Temple to serve having drunk a revi’it of wine or with hair grown long. 12 Esau replied, “I am going to die because of it, so what wish have I for it?”		הִנֵּה אָֽנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת. (מִתְנוֹדֶדֶת וְהוֹלֶכֶת הִיא הַבְּכוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא תְהֵא כָל עֵת הָעֲבוֹדָה בַּבְּכוֹרוֹת, כִּי שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי יִטֹּל אוֹתָהּ, וְעוֹד) אָמַר עֵשָׂו: מַה טִּיבָהּ שֶׁל עֲבוֹדָה זוֹ? אָמַר לוֹ: כַּמָּה אַזְהָרוֹת וָעֳנָשִׁין וּמִיתוֹת תְּלוּיִין בָּהּ כְּאוֹתָהּ שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ, אֵלּוּ הֵן שֶׁבְּמִיתָה: שְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן וּפְרוּעֵי רֹאשׁ; אָמַר: אֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת עַל יָדָהּ, אִם כֵּן מַה חֵפֶץ לִי בָהּ?
33Jacob said, “Make an oath to me this day,” so he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.		לגוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹ֗ב הִשָּׁ֤בְעָה לִּי֙ כַּיּ֔וֹם וַיִּשָּׁבַ֖ע ל֑וֹ וַיִּמְכֹּ֥ר אֶת־בְּכֹֽרָת֖וֹ לְיַֽעֲקֹֽב:
34Jacob then gave Esau bread and lentil stew; he ate and drank, and got up and left. Thus Esau spurned the birthright.		לדוְיַֽעֲקֹ֞ב נָתַ֣ן לְעֵשָׂ֗ו לֶ֚חֶם וּנְזִ֣יד עֲדָשִׁ֔ים וַיֹּ֣אכַל וַיֵּ֔שְׁתְּ וַיָּ֖קָם וַיֵּלַ֑ךְ וַיִּ֥בֶז עֵשָׂ֖ו אֶת־הַבְּכֹרָֽה:
וַיִּבֶז עֵשָׂו - Thus Esau spurned. Scripture testifies to his wickedness, that he despised the service of the Omnipresent.		וַיִּבֶז עֵשָׂו. הֵעִיד הַכָּתוּב עַל רִשְׁעוֹ שֶׁבִּזָּה עֲבוֹדָתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם:

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 26

1There was a famine in the land, apart from the first famine that had been in the days of Abraham, so Isaac went to dwell with Avimelech, king of the Philistines, in Gerar.		אוַיְהִ֤י רָעָב֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ מִלְּבַד֙ הָֽרָעָ֣ב הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה בִּימֵ֣י אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ יִצְחָ֛ק אֶל־אֲבִימֶ֥לֶךְ מֶֽלֶךְ־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים גְּרָֽרָה:
2God appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt. Rather, live in the part of the Holy Land of which I will tell you.		בוַיֵּרָ֤א אֵלָיו֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אַל־תֵּרֵ֣ד מִצְרָ֑יְמָה שְׁכֹ֣ן בָּאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֹמַ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ:
אַל־תֵּרֵד מִצְרָיְמָה - Do not go down to Egypt - for he was meaning to go down to Egypt, just as his father had in the time of famine. God therefore said to him, “Do not go down to Egypt, for you are an unblemished ascent-offering and to live outside the Land of Israel is not fitting for you.”		אַל־תֵּרֵד מִצְרָיְמָה. שֶׁהָיָה דַּעְתּוֹ לָרֶדֶת מִצְרַיְמָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיָּרַד אָבִיו בִּימֵי הָרָעָב; אָמַר לוֹ: אַל תֵּרֵד מִצְרָיְמָה, שֶׁאַתָּה עוֹלָה תְמִימָה, וְאֵין חוּצָה לָאָרֶץ כְּדַאי לְךָ:
3Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and bless you, for I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, and I will fulfill the oath that I made to your father Abraham:		גגּ֚וּר בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וְאֶֽהְיֶ֥ה עִמְּךָ֖ וַֽאֲבָֽרֲכֶ֑ךָּ כִּֽי־לְךָ֣ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֗ אֶתֵּן֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָֽאֲרָצֹ֣ת הָאֵ֔ל וַֽהֲקִֽמֹתִי֙ אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם אָבִֽיךָ:
הָאֵל - is the same as הָאֵלֶּה “these.”		הָאֵל. כְּמוֹ הָאֵלֶּה:
4I will make your descendants so numerous that you will not be able to count them, just as it is impossible to count the stars of the sky, and give all these lands to your descendants. All the nations of the earth will bless themselves by mentioning the names of your descendants: when someone will want to bless his children, he will say, ‘May you be like Isaac’s children.’		דוְהִרְבֵּיתִ֤י אֶת־זַרְעֲךָ֙ כְּכֽוֹכְבֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְנָתַתִּ֣י לְזַרְעֲךָ֔ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הָֽאֲרָצֹ֖ת הָאֵ֑ל וְהִתְבָּֽרֲכ֣וּ בְזַרְעֲךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ:
וְהִתְבָּֽרֲכוּ בְזַרְעֲךָ - Will bless themselves by your descendants - i.e., a man will tell his son: “May your descendants be like the descendants of Isaac,” and so is the meaning of this phrase wherever it occurs throughout Scripture. This is the classic example: “With you (בְּךָ) will the Israelites invoke blessings (יְבָרֵךְ) on their sons, saying, ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” 13 We also find this in connection with curses: “The woman will be a curse…,” 14 i.e., that one who curses his foe will say, “May you be like that woman!” Similarly: “And you will leave your name as an oath for my chosen ones,” 15 i.e., that one who swears will say, “May I be like so-and-so if I have done such and such a thing.”		וְהִתְבָּֽרֲכוּ בְזַרְעֲךָ. אָדָם אוֹמֵר לִבְנוֹ יְהֵא זַרְעֲךָ כְּזַרְעוֹ שֶׁל יִצְחָק, וְכֵן בְּכָל הַמִּקְרָא, וְזֶה אָב לְכֻלָּן בְּךָ יְבָרֵךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר יְשִׂמְךָ וְגוֹ' (בראשית מ״ח:כ׳); וְאַף לְעִנְיַן הַקְּלָלָה מָצִינוּ כֵן וְהָיְתָה הָאִשָּׁה לְאָלָה (במדבר ה'), שֶׁהַמְקַלֵּל שׂוֹנְאוֹ אוֹמֵר תְּהֵא כִּפְלוֹנִית, וְכֵן וְהִנַּחְתֶּם שִׁמְכֶם לִשְׁבוּעָה לִבְחִירַי (ישעיהו ס"ה), שֶׁהַנִּשְׁבָּע אוֹמֵר אֱהֵא כִפְלוֹנִי אִם עָשִׂיתִי כָּךְ וְכָךְ:
5I confer all these blessings upon you because your father Abraham heeded My voice and observed My restrictions, My commandments, My rules, and My instructions.”		העֵ֕קֶב אֲשֶׁר־שָׁמַ֥ע אַבְרָהָ֖ם בְּקֹלִ֑י וַיִּשְׁמֹר֙ מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֔י מִצְו‍ֹתַ֖י חֻקּוֹתַ֥י וְתֽוֹרֹתָֽי:
שָׁמַע אַבְרָהָם בקולי - Abraham heeded My voice - when I put him to the test.		שָׁמַע אַבְרָהָם בקולי. כְּשֶׁנִּסִּיתִי אוֹתוֹ:
וַיִּשְׁמֹר מִשְׁמַרְתִּי - And observed My restrictions. This refers to decrees ordained to distance a person from transgressing prohibitions written in the Torah, such as the prohibition of marriage between relatives of the “second degree,” and the Rabbinical prohibitions of doing certain acts on the Sabbath.		וַיִּשְׁמֹר מִשְׁמַרְתִּי. גְּזֵרוֹת לְהַרְחָקָה עַל הָאַזְהָרוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, כְּגוֹן שְׁנִיּוֹת לָעֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁבוּת לַשַּׁבָּת (יבמות כ"א):
מִצְו‍ֹתַי - My commandments. This refers to those matters which, even if they were not written in the Torah, would have been fitting to be given as commandments, such as the prohibition of robbery and murder.		מִצְו‍ֹתַי. דְּבָרִים שֶׁאִלּוּ לֹא נִכְתְּבוּ רְאוּיִן הֵם לְהִצְטַוּוֹת, כְּגוֹן גֶּזֶל וּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים:
חֻקּוֹתַי - My laws. This refers to those things against which the evil inclination and the nations of the world argue, such as the prohibitions of eating swine and wearing garments made of a mixture of wool and linen, for which there are no apparent reasons but the King’s decree and rules imposed upon His servants.		חֻקּוֹתַי. דְּבָרִים שֶׁיֵּצֶר הָרָע וְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם מְשִׁיבִין עֲלֵיהֶם, כְּגוֹן אֲכִילַת חֲזִיר וּלְבִישַׁת שַׁעַטְנֵז, שֶׁאֵין טַעַם בַּדָּבָר, אֶלָּא גְּזֵרַת הַמֶּלֶךְ וְחֻקּוֹתָיו עַל עֲבָדָיו:
וְתֽוֹרֹתָֽי - And My instructions. This comes to include the Oral Law – the laws given orally to Moses at Mount Sinai.		וְתֽוֹרֹתָֽי. לְהָבִיא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה הֲלָכָה לְמֹשֶׁה מִסִּינַי (בראשית רבה):

Footnotes

1 Samuel 11:7.

Shabbat 155b.

Moed Katan 21b.

Sanhedrin 22b.

Second Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 26

6So Isaac settled in Gerar.		ווַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יִצְחָ֖ק בִּגְרָֽר:
7When the local people asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister.” He purposely misled them because he was afraid to say to them, “She is my wife”—“lest,” he thought to himself, “the local people kill me on account of Rebecca, because she is of good facial complexion.”		זוַיִּשְׁאֲל֞וּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ לְאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא כִּ֤י יָרֵא֙ לֵאמֹ֣ר אִשְׁתִּ֔י פֶּן־יַֽהַרְגֻ֜נִי אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ עַל־רִבְקָ֔ה כִּֽי־טוֹבַ֥ת מַרְאֶ֖ה הִֽוא:
לְאִשְׁתּוֹ - (lit.) To his wife - means “about his wife,” as in: “say about me (לִי), ‘He is my brother.’” 1		לְאִשְׁתּוֹ. עַל אִשְׁתּוֹ, כְּמוֹ אִמְרִי לִי אָחִי הוּא (בראשית כ׳:י״ג):
8After Isaac had been there a long time, he decided that he no longer needed to be circumspect. Avimelech, king of the Philistines, looked out the window of his palace and caught sight of Isaac gladdening his wife Rebecca in the course of marital intimacy.		חוַיְהִ֗י כִּ֣י אָֽרְכוּ־ל֥וֹ שָׁם֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים וַיַּשְׁקֵ֗ף אֲבִימֶ֨לֶךְ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים בְּעַ֖ד הַֽחַלּ֑וֹן וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֤ה יִצְחָק֙ מְצַחֵ֔ק אֵ֖ת רִבְקָ֥ה אִשְׁתּֽוֹ:
כִּי אָֽרְכוּ־ - After [Isaac had been there a] long [time]. Isaac said, “I no longer need to worry, since they have not molested her until now,” and so he was not careful to be cautious in his actions.		כִּי אָֽרְכוּ־. אָמַר, מֵעַתָּה אֵין לִי לִדְאֹג, מֵאַחַר שֶׁלֹּא אֲנָסוּהָ עַד עַכְשָׁו, וְלֹא נִזְהַר לִהְיוֹת נִשְׁמָר:
וַיַּשְׁקֵף אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וגומר - Avimelech looked… He saw him having marital relations.		וַיַּשְׁקֵף אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וגומר. רָאָהוּ מְשַׁמֵּשׁ מִטָּתוֹ:
9Avimelech summoned Isaac and said, “So she is really your wife! How could you have said, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac answered him, “For I thought, ‘Lest I die because of her.’”		טוַיִּקְרָ֨א אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ לְיִצְחָ֗ק וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אַ֣ךְ הִנֵּ֤ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֙ הִ֔וא וְאֵ֥יךְ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ יִצְחָ֔ק כִּ֣י אָמַ֔רְתִּי פֶּן־אָמ֖וּת עָלֶֽיהָ:
10Avimelech then said, “What have you done to us? I, the most preeminent one among the people, could easily have had relations with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us!”		יוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ מַה־זֹּ֖את עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֑נוּ כִּ֠מְעַ֠ט שָׁכַ֞ב אַחַ֤ד הָעָם֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתֶּ֔ךָ וְהֵֽבֵאתָ֥ עָלֵ֖ינוּ אָשָֽׁם:
אַחַד הָעָם - means the outstanding one among the people, i.e., the king.		אַחַד הָעָם. הַמְיֻחָד בָּעָם, זֶה הַמֶּלֶךְ:
וְהֵֽבֵאתָ עָלֵינוּ אָשָֽׁם - And you would have brought guilt upon us. If he would have already lain with her, you would have brought guilt upon us.		וְהֵֽבֵאתָ עָלֵינוּ אָשָֽׁם. אִם שָׁכַב כְּבָר, הֵבֵאתָ עָלֵינוּ אָשָׁם:
11Avimelech issued an order of warning to all the people: “Whosoever lays a finger on this man or his wife will surely be put to death.”		יאוַיְצַ֣ו אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר הַנֹּגֵ֜עַ בָּאִ֥ישׁ הַזֶּ֛ה וּבְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת:
12Isaac sowed grain in that region and in that year. He reaped a hundredfold more than he expected, for God had blessed him.		יבוַיִּזְרַ֤ע יִצְחָק֙ בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֔וא וַיִּמְצָ֛א בַּשָּׁנָ֥ה הַהִ֖וא מֵאָ֣ה שְׁעָרִ֑ים וַיְבָֽרֲכֵ֖הוּ יְהֹוָֽה:
בָּאָרֶץ הַהִוא - In that region - even though it is not considered like the Land of Israel proper, i.e., the land of the seven nations.		בָּאָרֶץ הַהִוא. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ חֲשׁוּבָה כְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַצְמָהּ, כְּאֶרֶץ שִׁבְעָה גוֹיִם (בראשית רבה):
בַּשָּׁנָה הַהִוא - In that year - even though it was not a normal year, for it was a year of famine.		בַּשָּׁנָה הַהִוא. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָהּ כְּתִקְנָהּ, שֶׁהָיְתָה שְׁנַת רְעָבוֹן (בראשית רבה):
בָּאָרֶץ הַהִוא בַּשָּׁנָה הַהִוא - In that region… in that year. Why are both mentioned? To tell us that the land was particularly harsh and the year was likewise harsh, because the two factors mentioned above each also negatively affected the other, and yet he found: –		בָּאָרֶץ הַהִוא בַּשָּׁנָה הַהִוא. שְׁנֵיהֶם לָמָּה? לוֹמַר, שֶׁהָאָרֶץ קָשָׁה וְהַשָּׁנָה קָשָׁה:
מֵאָה שְׁעָרִים - A hundredfold more. They estimated how much it was likely to produce, and it in fact produced a hundred times as much. However, our rabbis said that this estimation took place after the produce had grown, for the purpose of separating tithes.		מֵאָה שְׁעָרִים. שֶׁאֲמָדוּהָ כַּמָּה רְאוּיָה לַעֲשׂוֹת, וְעָשְׂתָה עַל אַחַת שֶׁאֲמָדוּהָ מֵאָה. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ אֹמֶד זֶה לְמַעַשְׂרוֹת הָיָה:

Footnotes

20:13.

Third Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 26

13Thus, the man prospered, and continued to prosper until he became extremely wealthy.		יגוַיִּגְדַּ֖ל הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ הָלוֹךְ֙ וְגָדֵ֔ל עַ֥ד כִּֽי־גָדַ֖ל מְאֹֽד:
כִּֽי־גָדַל מאוד - He became extremely wealthy - to the extent that people were saying, “Better the dung of Isaac’s mules than Avimelech’s silver and gold.”		כִּֽי־גָדַל מאוד. שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים זֶבֶל פִּרְדּוֹתָיו שֶׁל יִצְחָק וְלֹא כַסְפּוֹ וּזְהָבוֹ שֶׁל אֲבִימֶלֶךְ (בראשית רבה):
14He owned flocks and herds and many business enterprises, and the Philistines envied him.		ידוַֽיְהִי־ל֤וֹ מִקְנֵה־צֹאן֙ וּמִקְנֵ֣ה בָקָ֔ר וַֽעֲבֻדָּ֖ה רַבָּ֑ה וַיְקַנְא֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים:
וַֽעֲבֻדָּה רַבָּה - means “much work” - in Old French “ouvrene.” The word עֲבוֹדָה refers to one piece of work, whereas עֲבֻדָּה is a collective noun that means many activities.		וַֽעֲבֻדָּה רַבָּה. פְּעֻלָּה רַבָּה בִּלְשׁוֹן לע"ז אוברי"נא, עֲבוֹדָה מַשְׁמָע עֲבוֹדָה אַחַת; עֲבֻדָּה מַשְׁמָע פְּעֻלָּה רַבָּה:
15The Philistines blocked up all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the days of his father Abraham, and filled them with earth.		טווְכָל־הַבְּאֵרֹ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָֽפְרוּ֙ עַבְדֵ֣י אָבִ֔יו בִּימֵ֖י אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֑יו סִתְּמ֣וּם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַיְמַלְא֖וּם עָפָֽר:
סִתְּמוּם פְּלִשְׁתִּים - The Philistines blocked up - for they said, “They are an impediment to us, because of invading troops that may attack us.” Onkelos translates these words as: טַמּוֹנִין פְּלִשְׁתָּאֵי, which is an expression of “stopping up,” and so it is used in Talmudic language: “stops up (מְטַמְטֵם) the heart.” 1		סִתְּמוּם פְּלִשְׁתִּים. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָמְרוּ תַּקָּלָה הֵם לָנוּ מִפְּנֵי הַגְּיָסוֹת הַבָּאוֹת עָלֵינוּ, טַמּוֹנוּן פְּלִשְׁתָּאֵי לְשׁוֹן סְתִימָה, וּבִלְשׁוֹן הַתַּלְמוּד מְטַמְטֵם אֶת הַלֵּב:
16Avimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you have become much more powerful than we are.”		טזוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ אֶל־יִצְחָ֑ק לֵ֚ךְ מֵֽעִמָּ֔נוּ כִּֽי־עָצַ֥מְתָּ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מְאֹֽד:
17Isaac went away from there and camped in the Gerar Valley, and settled there.		יזוַיֵּ֥לֶךְ מִשָּׁ֖ם יִצְחָ֑ק וַיִּ֥חַן בְּנַֽחַל־גְּרָ֖ר וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב שָֽׁם:
בְּנַֽחַל־גְּרָר - In the Gerar Valley - far away from the city.		בְּנַֽחַל־גְּרָר. רָחוֹק מִן הָעִיר:
18Isaac redug the other wells of water that had been dug in the days of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had blocked up after Abraham’s death, and gave them the same names that his father had given them.		יחוַיָּ֨שָׁב יִצְחָ֜ק וַיַּחְפֹּ֣ר \| אֶת־בְּאֵרֹ֣ת הַמַּ֗יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָֽפְרוּ֙ בִּימֵי֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֔יו וַיְסַתְּמ֣וּם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אַֽחֲרֵ֖י מ֣וֹת אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֤א לָהֶן֙ שֵׁמ֔וֹת כַּשֵּׁמֹ֕ת אֲשֶׁר־קָרָ֥א לָהֶ֖ן אָבִֽיו:
וַיָּשָׁב וַיַּחְפֹּר - Isaac redug. The wells that had been dug in the days of his father Abraham and the Philistines had blocked up – before Isaac journeyed away from Gerar, he redug them.		וַיָּשָׁב וַיַּחְפֹּר. הַבְּאֵרוֹת אֲשֶׁר חָפְרוּ בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִיו וּפְלִשְׁתִּים סִתְּמוּם, מִקֹּדֶם שֶׁנָּסַע יִצְחָק מִגְּרָר, חָזַר וַחֲפָרָן:
19Isaac’s servants then dug elsewhere in the Gerar valley, and found a well of fresh spring water there.		יטוַיַּחְפְּר֥וּ עַבְדֵֽי־יִצְחָ֖ק בַּנָּ֑חַל וַיִּ֨מְצְאוּ־שָׁ֔ם בְּאֵ֖ר מַ֥יִם חַיִּֽים:
20The shepherds of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s shepherds, saying, “Since we use this land to pasture our flocks, the water you have discovered is ours.” Isaac named the well Esek [“contention”], because they had contended with him.		כוַיָּרִ֜יבוּ רֹעֵ֣י גְרָ֗ר עִם־רֹעֵ֥י יִצְחָ֛ק לֵאמֹ֖ר לָ֣נוּ הַמָּ֑יִם וַיִּקְרָ֤א שֵֽׁם־הַבְּאֵר֙ עֵ֔שֶׂק כִּ֥י הִתְעַשְּׂק֖וּ עִמּֽוֹ:
עֵשֶׂק - Esek (lit., “affair”). here means “dispute.”		עֵשֶׂק. עִרְעוּר:
כִּי הִתְעַשְּׂקוּ עִמּֽוֹ - means: the Philistines had engaged him in strife and dispute over it.		כִּי הִתְעַשְּׂקוּ עִמּֽוֹ. נִתְעַשְּׂקוּ עִמּוֹ עָלֶיהָ בִּמְרִיבָה וְעִרְעוּר:
21They dug another well, and they quarreled over that one, too, so Isaac named it Sitnah [“harassment”].		כאוַיַּחְפְּרוּ֙ בְּאֵ֣ר אַחֶ֔רֶת וַיָּרִ֖יבוּ גַּם־עָלֶ֑יהָ וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמָ֖הּ שִׂטְנָֽה:
שִׂטְנָֽה - Sitnah - “nuisement” in Old French (“harassment”).		שִׂטְנָֽה. נושימנ"ט:
22He moved on from there and dug yet another well, and they did not quarrel over it, so he named it Rechovot [“open spaces”], saying, “For now God has granted us ample space to expand, and we will flourish materially in the land.”		כבוַיַּעְתֵּ֣ק מִשָּׁ֗ם וַיַּחְפֹּר֙ בְּאֵ֣ר אַחֶ֔רֶת וְלֹ֥א רָב֖וּ עָלֶ֑יהָ וַיִּקְרָ֤א שְׁמָהּ֙ רְחֹב֔וֹת וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כִּ֣י עַתָּ֞ה הִרְחִ֧יב יְהֹוָ֛ה לָ֖נוּ וּפָרִ֥ינוּ בָאָֽרֶץ:
וּפָרִינוּ בָאָֽרֶץ - Although the verb פרה usually refers to having children, here its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: וְנִיפוּשׁ בְּאַרְעָא “and we shall expand in the land.”		וּפָרִינוּ בָאָֽרֶץ. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וְנֵיפוּשׁ בְּאַרְעָא:

Footnotes

Pesachim 42a.

Fourth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 26

23From there, he went up to Beersheba.		כגוַיַּ֥עַל מִשָּׁ֖ם בְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע:
24God appeared to him that night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid because of all this contention, for I am with you. I will bless you and make your descendants numerous on account of My servant Abraham.”		כדוַיֵּרָ֨א אֵלָ֤יו יְהֹוָה֙ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֔וּא וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָֽנֹכִ֕י אֱלֹהֵ֖י אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֑יךָ אַל־תִּירָא֙ כִּֽי־אִתְּךָ֣ אָנֹ֔כִי וּבֵֽרַכְתִּ֨יךָ֙ וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֣י אֶת־זַרְעֲךָ֔ בַּֽעֲב֖וּר אַבְרָהָ֥ם עַבְדִּֽי:
25Isaac built an altar there and invoked God. He pitched his tent there, and there Isaac’s servants dug yet another well, but did not discover water immediately.		כהוַיִּ֧בֶן שָׁ֣ם מִזְבֵּ֗חַ וַיִּקְרָא֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיֶּט־שָׁ֖ם אָֽהֳל֑וֹ וַיִּכְרוּ־שָׁ֥ם עַבְדֵֽי־יִצְחָ֖ק בְּאֵֽר:
26In the meantime, Avimelech came to him from Gerar, together with a group of some of his friends and Pichol, chief of his troops.		כווַֽאֲבִימֶ֕לֶךְ הָלַ֥ךְ אֵלָ֖יו מִגְּרָ֑ר וַֽאֲחֻזַּת֙ מֵֽרֵעֵ֔הוּ וּפִיכֹ֖ל שַׂר־צְבָאֽוֹ:
וַֽאֲחֻזַּת מֵֽרֵעֵהוּ - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: וְסִיעַת מֵרַחֲמוֹהִי – “With a group of some of his friends.” There are some, however, who explain מֵרֵעֵהוּ with the מ being an integral part of the word – as in the “thirty friends (מֵרֵעִים)” of Samson 1 – so that the word וַאֲחֻזַּת should express a construct form, i.e., the group of his friends. It would not, however, be proper to speak of royalty in this way, to say “the group of his friends,” for if so, this would imply that the whole group of his friends he took with him and that he had only one group of friends! One should therefore explain it the first way. Do not wonder about the ת of וַאֲחֻזַּת, even though it does not express a construct form, for there are similar examples in Scripture: “a help (עֶזְרָת) from the adversary”; 2 “and drunk (שְׁכֻרַת) but not from wine.” 3		וַֽאֲחֻזַּת מֵֽרֵעֵהוּ. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וְסִיעַת מֵרַחֲמוֹהִי, סִיעַת מֵאוֹהֲבָיו. וְיֵשׁ פּוֹתְרִין מֵרֵעֵהוּ מ' מִיסוֹד הַתֵּבָה, כְּמוֹ שְׁלֹשִׁים מֵרֵעִים דְּשִׁמְשׁוֹן, כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה תֵּבַת וַאֲחֻזַּת דְּבוּקָה; אֲבָל אֵין דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ לְדַבֵּר עַל הַמַּלְכוּת כֵּן, סִיעַת אוֹהֲבָיו, שֶׁאִם כֵּן, כָּל סִיעַת אוֹהֲבָיו הוֹלִיךְ עִמּוֹ, וְלֹא הָיָה לוֹ אֶלָּא סִיעָה אַחַת שֶׁל אוֹהֲבִים – לָכֵן יֵשׁ לְפָתְרוֹ בַּלָּשׁוֹן הָרִאשׁוֹן; וְאַל תִּתְמַהּ עַל תָּי"ו שֶׁל אֲחֻזַּת וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין תֵּבָה סְמוּכָה, יֵשׁ דֻּגְמָתָהּ בַּמִּקְרָא עֶזְרָת מִצָּר (תהילים ס'), וּשְׁכֻרַת וְלֹא מִיָּיִן (ישעיהו נ"א):
אֲחֻזַּת - means an association or group of people, so called because they are held (נֶאֱחָזִין) together.		אֲחֻזַּת. לְשׁוֹן קְבִיצָה וַאֲגֻדָּה שֶׁנֶּאֱחָזִין יַחַד:
27Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and therefore sent me away from you?”		כזוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ יִצְחָ֔ק מַדּ֖וּעַ בָּאתֶ֣ם אֵלָ֑י וְאַתֶּם֙ שְׂנֵאתֶ֣ם אֹתִ֔י וַתְּשַׁלְּח֖וּנִי מֵֽאִתְּכֶֽם:
28They replied, “We have seen about your father and seen regarding you, too, that God has been with you, so we said: Let the solemn oath made between us and your father now continue to be in force between us and you, and let us make a covenant with you		כחוַֽיֹּאמְר֗וּ רָא֣וֹ רָאִ֘ינוּ֘ כִּֽי־הָיָ֣ה יְהֹוָ֣ה \| עִמָּךְ֒ וַנֹּ֗אמֶר תְּהִ֨י נָ֥א אָלָ֛ה בֵּֽינוֹתֵ֖ינוּ בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ וְנִכְרְתָ֥ה בְרִ֖ית עִמָּֽךְ:
רָאוֹ רָאִינוּ - We have seen. In the original, the verb is doubled to indicate the meaning: “we have seen it with your father and we have seen it with you.”		רָאוֹ רָאִינוּ. רָאִינוּ בְאָבִיךָ, רָאִינוּ בְךָ:
תְּהִי נָא אָלָה בֵּֽינוֹתֵינוּ וגו' - Let the solemn oath (lit.) between us now be…. i.e., the solemn oath that exists between both of us (בֵּינוֹתֵינוּ) since the days of your father – may it now also be between us and you (בֵּינֵינוּ וּבֵינֶךָ).		תְּהִי נָא אָלָה בֵּֽינוֹתֵינוּ וגו'. הָאָלָה אֲשֶׁר בֵּינוֹתֵינוּ מִימֵי אָבִיךָ תְּהִי גַּם עַתָּה בינינו וביניך:
29that you will do us no evil, just as we did you no harm when we asked you to leave, and just as we treated you only with kindness and sent you off in peace. Now, please treat us in the same manner, you who are blessed by God.”		כטאִם־תַּֽעֲשֵׂ֨ה עִמָּ֜נוּ רָעָ֗ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א נְגַֽעֲנ֔וּךָ וְכַֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשִׂ֤ינוּ עִמְּךָ֙ רַק־ט֔וֹב וַנְּשַׁלֵּֽחֲךָ֖ בְּשָׁל֑וֹם אַתָּ֥ה עַתָּ֖ה בְּר֥וּךְ יְהֹוָֽה:
לֹא נְגַֽעֲנוּךָ - We did you no harm– - when we told you, “Go away from us.” 4		לֹא נְגַֽעֲנוּךָ. כְּשֶׁאָמַרְנוּ לְךָ לֵךְ מֵעִמָּנוּ:
אַתָּה - You - i.e., you, too, act with us likewise.		אַתָּה. גַּם אַתָּה עֲשֵׂה לָנוּ כְּמוֹ כֵן:

Footnotes

Fifth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 26

30Isaac agreed to their proposal. He prepared them a feast and they ate and drank.		לוַיַּ֤עַשׂ לָהֶם֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה וַיֹּֽאכְל֖וּ וַיִּשְׁתּֽוּ:
31They got up early in the morning and made an oath to each other. Isaac then sent them on their way, and they departed from him in peace.		לאוַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיִּשָּֽׁבְע֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ לְאָחִ֑יו וַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֣ם יִצְחָ֔ק וַיֵּֽלְכ֥וּ מֵֽאִתּ֖וֹ בְּשָׁלֽוֹם:
32On that very day, Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well they had dug, and they said to him, “We have found water!”		לבוַיְהִ֣י \| בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא וַיָּבֹ֨אוּ֙ עַבְדֵ֣י יִצְחָ֔ק וַיַּגִּ֣דוּ ל֔וֹ עַל־אֹד֥וֹת הַבְּאֵ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָפָ֑רוּ וַיֹּ֥אמְרוּ ל֖וֹ מָצָ֥אנוּ מָֽיִם:
33He named the well Shiv’ah [from shevu’ah—“oath”]. The name of the city was therefore re-designated as Beersheba [“Well of the Oath”], and this remains its name to this very day.		לגוַיִּקְרָ֥א אֹתָ֖הּ שִׁבְעָ֑ה עַל־כֵּ֤ן שֵֽׁם־הָעִיר֙ בְּאֵ֣ר שֶׁ֔בַע עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה:
שִׁבְעָה - Shiv’ah. It was so called on account of the aforementioned treaty.		שִׁבְעָה. עַל שֵׁם הַבְּרִית:
34When Esau was 40 years old, he married Judith the daughter of Be’eri the Hittite, and Basemat the daughter of Eilon the Hittite.		לדוַיְהִ֤י עֵשָׂו֙ בֶּן־אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה וַיִּקַּ֤ח אִשָּׁה֙ אֶת־יְהוּדִ֔ית בַּת־בְּאֵרִ֖י הַֽחִתִּ֑י וְאֶת־בָּ֣שְׂמַ֔ת בַּת־אֵילֹ֖ן הַֽחִתִּֽי:
בֶּן־אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה - 40 years old. Esau was compared to a swine, as it says about his offspring: “A swine of the forest ravages Israel.” 1 When a swine lies down, it stretches out its split hooves as if to say, “See, I am a spiritually undefiled animal.” Similarly, these descendants of Esau rob and extort, yet show themselves off as reputable. For 40 years Esau would abduct wives from their husbands and abuse them, yet when he was 40 years old he said, “My father married when he was 40; I will do the same.”		בֶּן־אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה. עֵשָׂו הָיָה נִמְשָׁל לַחֲזִיר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר יְכַרְסְמֶנָּה חֲזִיר מִיָּעַר (תהילים פ'), הַחֲזִיר הַזֶּה כְּשֶׁהוּא שׁוֹכֵב, פּוֹשֵׁט טְלָפָיו, לוֹמַר רְאוּ שֶׁאֲנִי טָהוֹר; כָּךְ אֵלּוּ גּוֹזְלִים וְחוֹמְסִים וּמַרְאִים עַצְמָם כְּשֵׁרִים; כָּל מ' שָׁנָה הָיָה עֵשָׂו צָד נָשִׁים מִתַּחַת בַּעֲלֵיהֶן וּמְעַנֶּה אוֹתָם, כְּשֶׁהָיָה בֶּן מ' אָמַר אַבָּא בֶּן מ' שָׁנָה נָשָׂא אִשָּׁה, אַף אֲנִי כֵן:
35These wives were spiritually rebellious toward Isaac and Rebecca.		להוַתִּֽהְיֶ֖יןָ מֹ֣רַת ר֑וּחַ לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּלְרִבְקָֽה:
מֹרַת רוּחַ - This is an expression of rebelliousness, as in: “You have been rebelling (מַמְרִים).” All their actions served to provoke and cause anguish.		מֹרַת רוּחַ. לְשׁוֹן הַמְרָאוֹת רוּחַ, כְּמוֹ מַמְרִים הֱיִיתֶם, כָּל מַעֲשֵׂיהֶן הָיוּ לְהַכְעִיס וּלְעִצָּבוֹן:
לְיִצְחָק וּלְרִבְקָֽה - to Isaac and Rebecca. because they worshipped idols.		לְיִצְחָק וּלְרִבְקָֽה. שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹבְדוֹת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה (בראשית רבה):

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 27

1Isaac had grown old. His eyesight had become dim. He summoned his elder son Esau and said to him, “My son,” and he answered him, “Here I am.”		אוַֽיְהִי֙ כִּֽי־זָקֵ֣ן יִצְחָ֔ק וַתִּכְהֶ֥יןָ עֵינָ֖יו מֵֽרְאֹ֑ת וַיִּקְרָ֞א אֶת־עֵשָׂ֣ו \| בְּנ֣וֹ הַגָּדֹ֗ל וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ בְּנִ֔י וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו הִנֵּֽנִי:
וַתִּכְהֶיןָ - [His eyesight] had become dim - from the smoke of the idolatrous incense offered by these women, Esau’s wives. Another explanation: When he was bound on the altar and his father wished to slaughter him, at that moment the heavens opened and the ministering angels saw what was happening and were weeping, and their tears dripped and fell into his eyes. Thus, his eyesight was dimmed. Another explanation: His eyesight became dim in order to enable Jacob to receive the blessings.		וַתִּכְהֶיןָ. בַּעֲשָׁנָן שֶׁל אֵלּוּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר כְּשֶׁנֶּעֱקַד עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְהָיָה אָבִיו רוֹצֶה לְשָׁחֳטוֹ, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה נִפְתְּחוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְרָאוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת וְהָיוּ בוֹכִים, וְיָרְדוּ דִמְעוֹתֵיהֶם וְנָפְלוּ עַל עֵינָיו, לְפִיכָךְ כָּהוּ עֵינָיו. דָּבָר אַחֵר כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּטֹּל יַעֲקֹב אֶת הַבְּרָכוֹת:
2Isaac said, “See, I have now grown old; I do not know the day of my death.		בוַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּה־נָ֖א זָקַ֑נְתִּי לֹ֥א יָדַ֖עְתִּי י֥וֹם מוֹתִֽי:
לֹא יָדַעְתִּי יוֹם מוֹתִֽי - I do not know the day of my death. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korchah said: If a person approaches the age at which his parents died, he should worry for five years before that age and for five years after. Isaac was 123 years old and he said, “Perhaps I will only reach my mother’s age, and she died at 127, and I am now within five years of her age. Therefore – “I do not know the day of my death” – maybe I will only reach my mother’s age, or maybe I will reach my father’s age.”		לֹא יָדַעְתִּי יוֹם מוֹתִֽי. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה אִם מַגִּיעַ אָדָם לְפֶרֶק אֲבוֹתָיו יִדְאַג חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים לִפְנֵיהֶן וְחָמֵשׁ לְאַחַר כֵּן; וְיִצְחָק הָיָה בֶּן קכ"ג, אָמַר שֶׁמָּא לְפֶרֶק אִמִּי אֲנִי מַגִּיעַ וְהִיא מֵתָה בַּת קכ"ז וַהֲרֵינִי בֶן ה' שָׁנִים סָמוּךְ לְפִרְקָהּ; לְפִיכָךְ לא ידעתי יום מותי, שֶׁמָּא לְפֶרֶק אִמִּי, שֶׁמָּא לְפֶרֶק אַבָּא:
3So therefore, now, please, sharpen your weapons—your sword and the arrows for your bow—and go out to the field and trap me some ownerless game.		גוְעַתָּה֙ שָׂא־נָ֣א כֵלֶ֔יךָ תֶּלְיְךָ֖ וְקַשְׁתֶּ֑ךָ וְצֵא֙ הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה וְצ֥וּדָה לִּ֖י צָֽיִד (כתיב צידה) :
תֶּלְיְךָ - means “your sword.” It is so called because it is usually hung (תָּלוּי) at one’s side.		תֶּלְיְךָ. חַרְבְּךָ שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ לִתְלוֹתָהּ:
שָׂא־נָא - שָׂא is a term for sharpening, like that which we have learned: “One may not sharpen a knife with a stone on Yom Tov, but one may sharpen it (מַשִּׂיאָהּ) on another knife.” 2 Isaac was thus reminding Esau: “Sharpen your knife and slaughter the animal well, so that you not feed me a non-kosher carcass (נְבֵלָה).”		שָׂא־נָא. לְשׁוֹן הַשְׁחָזָה, כְּאוֹתָהּ שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ אֵין מַשְׁחִיזִין אֶת הַסַּכִּין, אֲבָל מַשִּׂיאָהּ עַל גַּבֵּי חֲבֶרְתָּהּ (ביצה כ"ח), חַדֵּד סַכִּינְךָ וּשְׁחֹט יָפֶה, שֶׁלֹּא תַאֲכִילֵנִי נְבֵלָה (בראשית רבה):
וְצוּדָה לִּי - And trap me [some game] - i.e., from animals that are ownerless, and not from stolen property.		וְצוּדָה לִּי. מִן הַהֶפְקֵר וְלֹא מִן הַגֶּזֶל:
4Then prepare me some delicacies to my liking, and bring them to me so that I may eat, so that I may grant you my soul’s blessing before I die.”		דוַֽעֲשֵׂה־לִ֨י מַטְעַמִּ֜ים כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָהַ֛בְתִּי וְהָבִ֥יאָה לִּ֖י וְאֹכֵ֑לָה בַּֽעֲב֛וּר תְּבָֽרֶכְךָ֥ נַפְשִׁ֖י בְּטֶ֥רֶם אָמֽוּת:
5Rebecca had been listening while Isaac was speaking to his son Esau. Esau went out to the field to trap some game to bring home.		הוְרִבְקָ֣ה שֹׁמַ֔עַת בְּדַבֵּ֣ר יִצְחָ֔ק אֶל־עֵשָׂ֖ו בְּנ֑וֹ וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ עֵשָׂו֙ הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה לָצ֥וּד צַ֖יִד לְהָבִֽיא:
לָצוּד צַיִד לְהָבִֽיא - To trap some game to bring. What is the meaning of the extra phrase “to bring”? Esau’s intention was that if he did not find ownerless game, he would “bring” from stolen property anyway.		לָצוּד צַיִד לְהָבִֽיא. מַהוּ לְהָבִיא? אִם לֹא יִמְצָא צַיִד יָבִיא מִן הַגֶּזֶל:
6When Esau left, Rebecca said to her son Jacob, “I just heard your father speaking to your brother Esau, saying,		ווְרִבְקָה֙ אָ֣מְרָ֔ה אֶל־יַֽעֲקֹ֥ב בְּנָ֖הּ לֵאמֹ֑ר הִנֵּ֤ה שָׁמַ֨עְתִּי֙ אֶת־אָבִ֔יךָ מְדַבֵּ֛ר אֶל־עֵשָׂ֥ו אָחִ֖יךָ לֵאמֹֽר:
7‘Bring me some game and prepare me delicacies, so that I may eat and bless you in God’s presence and with His approval before I die.’		זהָבִ֨יאָה לִּ֥י צַ֛יִד וַֽעֲשֵׂה־לִ֥י מַטְעַמִּ֖ים וְאֹכֵ֑לָה וַֽאֲבָֽרֶכְכָ֛ה לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י מוֹתִֽי:
לִפְנֵי ה' - In God’s presence - means here: with His permission, that He will agree to what I do.		לִפְנֵי ה'. בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ, שֶׁיַּסְכִּים עַל יָדִי:
8So now, my son, heed my words in regard to what I command you.		חוְעַתָּ֥ה בְנִ֖י שְׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹלִ֑י לַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י מְצַוָּ֥ה אֹתָֽךְ:
9Go to the flock and bring me from there two choice kid-goats. I will make delicacies of them, such as your father likes.		טלֶךְ־נָא֙ אֶל־הַצֹּ֔אן וְקַח־לִ֣י מִשָּׁ֗ם שְׁנֵ֛י גְּדָיֵ֥י עִזִּ֖ים טֹבִ֑ים וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂ֨ה אֹתָ֧ם מַטְעַמִּ֛ים לְאָבִ֖יךָ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָהֵֽב:
וְקַח־לִי - And bring me. The kid-goats are mine (שֶׁלִּי) and are not stolen, for so Isaac had written for her in her marriage contract (ketubah) that she could take two kid-goats every day. Bereshit Rabbah. 3		וְקַח־לִי. מִשֶּׁלִּי הֵם וְאֵינָם גֶּזֶל, שֶׁכָּךְ כָּתַב לָהּ יִצְחָק בִּכְתֻבָּתָהּ לִטֹּל שְׁנֵי גְּדָיֵי עִזִּים בְּכָל יוֹם (בראשית רבה):
שְׁנֵי גְּדָיֵי עִזִּים - Two kid-goats. Was Isaac’s regular meal two whole kid-goats?! Rather, since it was Passover, Jacob offered one as his Passover sacrifice and from the other he prepared delicacies. This is stated in Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer. 4		שְׁנֵי גְּדָיֵי עִזִּים. וְכִי שְׁנֵי גְּדָיֵי עִזִּים הָיָה מַאֲכָל שֶׁל יִצְחָק? אֶלָּא הָאֶחָד הִקְרִיב לְפִסְחוֹ וְהָאֶחָד עָשָׂה מַטְעַמִּים; בְּפִרְקֵי רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר:
כַּֽאֲשֶׁר אָהֵֽב - Such as he likes - for the taste of a kid-goat is similar to that of deer.		כַּֽאֲשֶׁר אָהֵֽב. כִּי טַעַם הַגְּדִי כְּטַעַם הַצְּבִי:
10You will then bring them to your father and he will eat, so that he will bless you before he dies.”		יוְהֵֽבֵאתָ֥ לְאָבִ֖יךָ וְאָכָ֑ל בַּֽעֲבֻ֛ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְבָֽרֶכְךָ֖ לִפְנֵ֥י מוֹתֽוֹ:
11Jacob said to his mother Rebecca, “But my brother Esau is a hairy man, while I am a smooth-skinned man.		יאוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב אֶל־רִבְקָ֖ה אִמּ֑וֹ הֵ֣ן עֵשָׂ֤ו אָחִי֙ אִ֣ישׁ שָׂעִ֔ר וְאָֽנֹכִ֖י אִ֥ישׁ חָלָֽק:
אִישׁ שעיר - means “a hairy man.”		אִישׁ שעיר. בַּעַל שֵׂעָר:
12Perhaps my father will touch me, and then he will regard me as an impostor, and I will bring a curse upon myself, not a blessing!”		יבאוּלַ֤י יְמֻשֵּׁ֨נִי֙ אָבִ֔י וְהָיִ֥יתִי בְעֵינָ֖יו כִּמְתַעְתֵּ֑עַ וְהֵֽבֵאתִ֥י עָלַ֛י קְלָלָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א בְרָכָֽה:
יְמֻשֵּׁנִי - He will touch me. This word is of the same root as: “You will grope (מְמַשֵּׁשׁ) at midday.” 5		יְמֻשֵּׁנִי. כְּמוֹ מְמַשֵּׁשׁ בַּצָּהֳרַיִם:
13His mother said to him, “Let your curse be upon me, my son. Just heed my words and go and bring them to me.”		יגוַתֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ אִמּ֔וֹ עָלַ֥י קִלְלָֽתְךָ֖ בְּנִ֑י אַ֛ךְ שְׁמַ֥ע בְּקֹלִ֖י וְלֵ֥ךְ קַח־לִֽי:
14He went and got them and brought them to his mother, and his mother prepared delicacies to his father’s liking.		ידוַיֵּ֨לֶךְ֙ וַיִּקַּ֔ח וַיָּבֵ֖א לְאִמּ֑וֹ וַתַּ֤עַשׂ אִמּוֹ֙ מַטְעַמִּ֔ים כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר אָהֵ֥ב אָבִֽיו:
15Rebecca then took her older son Esau’s clean clothes. These clothes were with her in the house. She put them on her younger son Jacob,		טווַתִּקַּ֣ח רִ֠בְקָ֠ה אֶת־בִּגְדֵ֨י עֵשָׂ֜ו בְּנָ֤הּ הַגָּדֹל֙ הַֽחֲמֻדֹ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתָּ֖הּ בַּבָּ֑יִת וַתַּלְבֵּ֥שׁ אֶת־יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב בְּנָ֥הּ הַקָּטָֽן:
הַֽחֲמֻדֹת - means here “the clean,” as Onkelos translates it: דָּכְיָתָא “clean.” Another explanation: They were so called because he had coveted (חָמַד) them from Nimrod.		הַֽחֲמֻדֹת. הַנְּקִיּוֹת, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ דָּכְיָתָא, דָּבָר אַחֵר שֶׁחָמַד אוֹתָן מִן נִמְרוֹד:
אֲשֶׁר אִתָּהּ בַּבָּיִת - That were with her in the house. Did he not have several wives, yet he entrusted them with his mother?! However, the reason for this was because he was familiar with their thieving practices and was therefore suspicious of them.		אֲשֶׁר אִתָּהּ בַּבָּיִת. וַהֲלֹא כַמָּה נָשִׁים הָיוּ לוֹ, וְהוּא מַפְקִיד אֵצֶל אִמּוֹ? אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה בָקִי בְמַעֲשֵׂיהֶן וְחוֹשְׁדָן:
16and placed the kid-goat skins on his arms and on the smooth part of his neck.		טזוְאֵ֗ת עֹרֹת֙ גְּדָיֵ֣י הָֽעִזִּ֔ים הִלְבִּ֖ישָׁה עַל־יָדָ֑יו וְעַ֖ל חֶלְקַ֥ת צַוָּארָֽיו:
17She then handed to her son Jacob the delicacies and the bread she had prepared.		יזוַתִּתֵּ֧ן אֶת־הַמַּטְעַמִּ֛ים וְאֶת־הַלֶּ֖חֶם אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑תָה בְּיַ֖ד יַֽעֲקֹ֥ב בְּנָֽהּ:
18He came to his father and said, “Father,” and he replied, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?”		יחוַיָּבֹ֥א אֶל־אָבִ֖יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אָבִ֑י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הִנֶּ֔נִּי מִ֥י אַתָּ֖ה בְּנִֽי:
19Jacob answered his father, “[It is] I; Esau [is] your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please arise and be seated at the table, and partake of my game, so that you may grant me your soul’s blessing.”		יטוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹ֜ב אֶל־אָבִ֗יו אָֽנֹכִי֙ עֵשָׂ֣ו בְּכֹרֶ֔ךָ עָשִׂ֕יתִי כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ אֵלָ֑י קֽוּם־נָ֣א שְׁבָ֗ה וְאָכְלָה֙ מִצֵּידִ֔י בַּֽעֲב֖וּר תְּבָֽרֲכַ֥נִּי נַפְשֶֽׁךָ:
אָֽנֹכִי עֵשָׂו בכורך - It is I; Esau, your firstborn. I am the one who is bringing you food – and Esau is your firstborn.		אָֽנֹכִי עֵשָׂו בכורך. אָנֹכִי הַמֵּבִיא לְךָ וְעֵשָׂו הוּא בְּכוֹרֶךָ:
עָשִׂיתִי - I have done - many things at different times “as you told me.”		עָשִׂיתִי. כַמָּה דְבָרִים כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ אֵלַי:
שְׁבָה - Be seated - here has the meaning of sitting at the table for a meal (מֵסֵב), and therefore it is translated by Onkelos as אִסְתְּחַר “to sit around the table.”		שְׁבָה. לְשׁוֹן מֵסֵב עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן, לְכָךְ מְתֻרְגָּם אִסְתָּחַר:
20Isaac asked his son, “How did you find it so quickly, my son?” He replied, “Because God, your God, arranged it to happen this way for me.”		כוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יִצְחָק֙ אֶל־בְּנ֔וֹ מַה־זֶּ֛ה מִהַ֥רְתָּ לִמְצֹ֖א בְּנִ֑י וַיֹּ֕אמֶר כִּ֥י הִקְרָ֛ה יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לְפָנָֽי:
21Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come close and let me touch you, my son. Are you really my son Esau?”		כאוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יִצְחָק֙ אֶל־יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב גְּשָׁה־נָּ֥א וַֽאֲמֻֽשְׁךָ֖ בְּנִ֑י הַֽאַתָּ֥ה זֶ֛ה בְּנִ֥י עֵשָׂ֖ו אִם־לֹֽא:
גְּשָׁה־נָּא וַֽאֲמֻֽשְׁךָ - Please come close and let me touch you. Isaac said to himself: “It is not Esau’s practice to mention the Name of Heaven (God) so readily, yet this one says, ‘God, your God, arranged it.’ 6”		גְּשָׁה־נָּא וַֽאֲמֻֽשְׁךָ. אָמַר יִצְחָק בְּלִבּוֹ אֵין דֶּרֶךְ עֵשָׂו לִהְיוֹת שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם שָׁגוּר בְּפִיו, וְזֶה אָמַר כִּי הִקְרָה ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ:
22So Jacob drew close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.”		כבוַיִּגַּ֧שׁ יַֽעֲקֹ֛ב אֶל־יִצְחָ֥ק אָבִ֖יו וַיְמֻשֵּׁ֑הוּ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הַקֹּל֙ ק֣וֹל יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְהַיָּדַ֖יִם יְדֵ֥י עֵשָֽׂו:
קוֹל יַֽעֲקֹב - The voice of Jacob - for he speaks in a polite manner: “Please arise.” 7 But Esau spoke in a discourteous way: “Let my father arise.” 8		קוֹל יַֽעֲקֹב. שֶׁמְּדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן תַּחֲנוּנִים קוּם נָא, אֲבָל עֵשָׂו קִנְטוּרְיָא דִּבֵּר יָקֻם אָבִי:
23He did not recognize him, because his arms were hairy like the arms of his brother Esau, so he proceeded to prepare to bless him.		כגוְלֹ֣א הִכִּיר֔וֹ כִּֽי־הָי֣וּ יָדָ֗יו כִּידֵ֛י עֵשָׂ֥ו אָחִ֖יו שְׂעִרֹ֑ת וַיְבָֽרֲכֵֽהוּ:
24He said, “So you really are my son Esau,” and he replied, “[It is] I.”		כדוַיֹּ֕אמֶר אַתָּ֥ה זֶ֖ה בְּנִ֣י עֵשָׂ֑ו וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אָֽנִי:
וַיֹּאמֶר אָֽנִי - And he replied, “I.”. He did not say, “I am Esau,” but, “I,” intending to mean “It is I,” but which can also be understood as “I am.”		וַיֹּאמֶר אָֽנִי. לֹא אָמַר אֲנִי עֵשָׂו אֶלָּא אָנִי:
25Then Isaac said, “Serve me so that I may partake of my son’s game, so that I may grant you my soul’s blessing.” Jacob served him and he ate, and he brought him wine and he drank.		כהוַיֹּ֗אמֶר הַגִּ֤שָׁה לִּי֙ וְאֹֽכְלָה֙ מִצֵּ֣יד בְּנִ֔י לְמַ֥עַן תְּבָֽרֶכְךָ֖ נַפְשִׁ֑י וַיַּגֶּשׁ־לוֹ֙ וַיֹּאכַ֔ל וַיָּ֧בֵא ל֦וֹ יַ֖יִן וַיֵּֽשְׁתְּ:
26His father Isaac said to him, “Please come close and kiss me, my son.”		כווַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו יִצְחָ֣ק אָבִ֑יו גְּשָׁה־נָּ֥א וּֽשֲׁקָה־לִּ֖י בְּנִֽי:
27He came close and kissed him, and Isaac smelled the fragrance of his garments. Isaac blessed him: He said, “See, my son’s fragrance is already like the fragrance of a field that God has blessed.		כזוַיִּגַּשׁ֙ וַיִּשַּׁק־ל֔וֹ וַיָּ֛רַח אֶת־רֵ֥יחַ בְּגָדָ֖יו וַיְבָֽרֲכֵ֑הוּ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר רְאֵה֙ רֵ֣יחַ בְּנִ֔י כְּרֵ֣יחַ שָׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בֵּֽרֲכ֖וֹ יְהֹוָֽה:
וַיָּרַח וגו' - And [Isaac] smelled… But surely there is no worse smell than that of goats’ hair! It teaches us, however, that the fragrance of the Garden of Eden entered with Jacob.		וַיָּרַח וגו'. וַהֲלֹא אֵין רֵיחַ רַע יוֹתֵר מִשֶּׁטֶף הָעִזִּים? אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנִּכְנְסָה עִמּוֹ רֵיחַ גַּן עֵדֶן;
כְּרֵיחַ שָׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר בֵּֽרֲכוֹ ה' - Is like the fragrance of a field that God has blessed - i.e., to which He has given a good scent, and that is a field of apples. So our rabbis of blessed memory explained it. 9		כְּרֵיחַ שָׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר בֵּֽרֲכוֹ ה'. שֶׁנָּתַן בּוֹ רֵיחַ טוֹב וְזֶהוּ שְׂדֵה תַּפּוּחִים, כָּךְ דָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה:

Footnotes

Psalms 80:14.

Beitzah 28a.

Bereshit Rabbah 65:14.

Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer ch. 32.

Ta’anit 29b.

Sixth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 27

28May God grant you of the dew of heaven and the fat—i.e., the choicest fruits—of the land, and an abundance of grain and wine.		כחוְיִתֶּן־לְךָ֙ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים מִטַּ֨ל הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּמִשְׁמַנֵּ֖י הָאָ֑רֶץ וְרֹ֥ב דָּגָ֖ן וְתִירֽשׁ:
וְיִתֶּן־לְךָ - (lit.) And may God grant you. The ו of וְיִתֶּן indicates an addition, and therefore its meaning is: May He give and give again. But according to its straightforward meaning, the ו continues the previous topic: “See, My son’s fragrance, which the Holy One, blessed be He, has given to him, is like the fragrance of a field…, and may God also grant you of the dew of heaven…”		וְיִתֶּן־לְךָ. יִתֵּן וְיַחֲזֹר וְיִתֵּן (בראשית רבה). וּלְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ מוּסָב לְעִנְיָן הָרִאשׁוֹן: רְאֵה רֵיחַ בְּנִי שֶׁנָּתַן לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּרֵיחַ שָׂדֶה וְגוֹ' וְעוֹד יִתֵּן לְךָ מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם וְגוֹ':
מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם - Of the dew of heaven. Understand this literally, but there are also aggadic explanations giving many different interpretations. What is the significance of הָאֱלֹהִים (God’s Name associated with the attribute of justice)? It signifies that the blessings will be given with justice. If you deserve it, God will give it to you, but if not, He will not give it to you. To Esau, however, Isaac said, “Your dwelling place will be blessed with the fat of the land”; 1 whether you are righteous or wicked, God will give it to you. And from him King Solomon, upon building the holy Temple, learned how to compose his prayer: An Israelite, who possesses faith and accepts the fairness of Divine Judgment, will not complain to You; therefore: “may You grant each person according to all his ways, for You know what is in his heart.” 2 However, regarding a gentile who lacks faith, Solomon therefore said, “May You hear in Heaven… and do everything for which the gentile prays to You.” 3 Whether or not he is deserving, grant him his request so that he will not complain to You.		מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם. כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ; וּמִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה יֵשׁ לְהַרְבֵּה פָנִים: (דָבָר אַחֵר, מַהוּ הָאֱלֹהִים? בַּדִּין; אִם רָאוּי לְךָ יִתֵּן לְךָ וְאִם לָאו לֹא יִתֵּן לְךָ, אֲבָל לְעֵשָׂו אָמַר מִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ יִהְיֶה מוֹשָׁבֶךָ, בֵּין צַדִּיק בֵּין רָשָׁע יִתֵּן לְךָ; וּמִמֶּנּוּ לָמַד שְׁלֹמֹה, כְּשֶׁעָשָׂה הַבַּיִת סִדֵּר תְּפִלָּתוֹ. יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהוּא בַעַל אֱמוּנָה וּמַצְדִּיק עָלָיו אֶת הַדִּין לֹא יִקְרָא עָלֶיךָ תִּגָּר, לְפִיכָךְ וְנָתַתָּ לָאִישׁ בְכָל דְּרָכָיו אֲשֶׁר תֵּדַע אֶת לְבָבוֹ (מלכים א, ח'), אֲבָל נָכְרִי מְחֻסַּר אֲמָנָה, לְפִיכָךְ אָמַר אַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְעָשִׂיתָ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא אֵלֶיךָ הַנָּכְרִי (שם), בֵּין רָאוּי בֵּין שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי תֵּן לוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִקְרָא עָלֶיךָ תִּגָּר, ברש"י ישן מדיק:)
29May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be master over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons prostrate themselves before you. Those who curse you will be cursed, and those who bless you will be blessed.”		כטיַֽעַבְד֣וּךָ עַמִּ֗ים וְיִשְׁתַּֽחֲו֤וּ (כתיב וישתחו) לְךָ֙ לְאֻמִּ֔ים הֱוֵ֤ה גְבִיר֙ לְאַחֶ֔יךָ וְיִשְׁתַּֽחֲו֥וּ לְ֖ךָ בְּנֵ֣י אִמֶּ֑ךָ אֹֽרֲרֶ֣יךָ אָר֔וּר וּמְבָֽרֲכֶ֖יךָ בָּרֽוּךְ:
בְּנֵי אִמֶּךָ - Your mother’s sons. But Jacob said to Judah, “your father’s sons will bow down to you.” 4 This was because Jacob had sons from several mothers, whereas here, since Isaac had married only one wife, he said, “your mother’s sons.”		בְּנֵי אִמֶּךָ. וְיַעֲקֹב אָמַר לִיהוּדָה בְּנֵי אָבִיךָ, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ בָנִים מִכַּמָּה אִמָּהוֹת, וְכָאן, שֶׁלֹּא נָשָׂא אֶלָּא אִשָּׁה אַחַת, אוֹמֵר בְּנֵי אִמֶּךָ (בראשית רבה):
אֹֽרֲרֶיךָ אָרוּר וּמְבָֽרֲכֶיךָ בָּרֽוּךְ - Those who curse you will be cursed, and those who bless you will be blessed. But in the case of Balaam it changes the order and says, “those who bless you will be blessed and those who curse you will be cursed.” 5 The difference is that the righteous first endure suffering and eventually gain tranquility, and those who curse and afflict them precede those who bless them; therefore Isaac mentioned the curse of those who curse before the blessings of those who bless. Wicked people, however, first enjoy tranquility and later endure suffering; therefore Balaam mentioned blessing before curse.		אֹֽרֲרֶיךָ אָרוּר וּמְבָֽרֲכֶיךָ בָּרֽוּךְ. וּבְבִלְעָם הוּא אוֹמֵר מְבָרְכֶיךָ בָרוּךְ וְאֹרְרֶיךָ אָרוּר? הַצַּדִּיקִים תְּחִלָּתָם יִסּוּרִים וְסוֹפָן שַׁלְוָה וְאוֹרְרֵיהֶם וּמְצָעֲרֵיהֶם קוֹדְמִים לִמְבָרְכֵיהֶם, לְפִיכָךְ יִצְחָק הִקְדִּים קִלְלַת אוֹרְרִים לְבִרְכַת מְבָרְכִים; הָרְשָׁעִים תְּחִלָּתָן שַׁלְוָה וְסוֹפָן יִסּוּרִין, לְפִיכָךְ בִּלְעָם הִקְדִּים בְּרָכָה לִקְלָלָה (בראשית רבה):
30It was just then, when Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and when Jacob had scarcely left his father Isaac’s presence, that his brother Esau came back from his hunt.		לוַיְהִ֗י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר כִּלָּ֣ה יִצְחָק֘ לְבָרֵ֣ךְ אֶת־יַֽעֲקֹב֒ וַיְהִ֗י אַ֣ךְ יָצֹ֤א יָצָא֙ יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב מֵאֵ֥ת פְּנֵ֖י יִצְחָ֣ק אָבִ֑יו וְעֵשָׂ֣ו אָחִ֔יו בָּ֖א מִצֵּידֽוֹ:
יָצֹא יָצָא - Had scarcely left. As one left, the other entered.		יָצֹא יָצָא. זֶה יוֹצֵא וְזֶה בָא:
31He, too, had prepared delicacies and brought them to his father. He said to his father, “Let my father arise and partake of his son’s game, so that you may give me your soul’s blessing.”		לאוַיַּ֤עַשׂ גַּם־הוּא֙ מַטְעַמִּ֔ים וַיָּבֵ֖א לְאָבִ֑יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְאָבִ֗יו יָקֻ֤ם אָבִי֙ וְיֹאכַל֙ מִצֵּ֣יד בְּנ֔וֹ בַּֽעֲבֻ֖ר תְּבָֽרֲכַ֥נִּי נַפְשֶֽׁךָ:
32His father Isaac asked him, “Who are you?” and he replied, “I am your firstborn son, Esau.”		לבוַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֛וֹ יִצְחָ֥ק אָבִ֖יו מִי־אָ֑תָּה וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֲנִ֛י בִּנְךָ֥ בְכֹֽרְךָ֖ עֵשָֽׂו:
33Isaac shuddered in great bewilderment. He asked, “Then who was it—and where is he—who trapped game and brought it to me, and I partook of it all before your arrival, and I blessed him? He will indeed be blessed.”		לגוַיֶּֽחֱרַ֨ד יִצְחָ֣ק חֲרָדָה֘ גְּדֹלָ֣ה עַד־מְאֹד֒ וַיֹּ֡אמֶר מִֽי־אֵפ֡וֹא ה֣וּא הַצָּֽד־צַ֩יִד֩ וַיָּ֨בֵא לִ֜י וָֽאֹכַ֥ל מִכֹּ֛ל בְּטֶ֥רֶם תָּב֖וֹא וָֽאֲבָֽרֲכֵ֑הוּ גַּם־בָּר֖וּךְ יִֽהְיֶֽה:
וַיֶּֽחֱרַד - [Isaac] shuddered. Its meaning here is as Onkelos translates it: וּתְוַהּ – an expression of wonder. But its Midrashic explanation is: He saw Purgatory open beneath Esau.		וַיֶּֽחֱרַד. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וּתְוַהּ, לְשׁוֹן תְּמִיהָ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ רָאָה גֵּיהִנֹּם פְּתוּחָה מִתַּחְתָּיו:
מִֽי־אֵפוֹא - Then who. אֵפוֹא is an independent expression which has various different usages. Here its meaning is אֵיפֹה, which is a combination of אַיֵּה פֹה “where here.” Thus מִי אֵפוֹא means “who was it (מִי הוּא) and where is he (וְאֵיפֹה הוּא) who trapped game?”		מִֽי־אֵפוֹא. לָשׁוֹן לְעַצְמוֹ מְשַׁמֵּשׁ עִם כַּמָּה דְבָרִים; אֵיפֹה – אַיֵּה פֹה, מִי הוּא וְאֵיפֹה הוּא הַצָּד צַיִד?
וָֽאֹכַל מִכֹּל - And I partook of it all - i.e., any flavor that I desired to taste, I tasted in that food.		וָֽאֹכַל מִכֹּל. מִכָּל טְעָמִים שֶׁבִּקַּשְׁתִּי לִטְעֹם, טָעַמְתִּי בוֹ (בראשית רבה):
גַּם־בָּרוּךְ יִֽהְיֶֽה - He will indeed be blessed. So that you not say, “If Jacob had not deceived his father he would not have received the blessings,” Isaac now consciously agreed to bless him.		גַּם־בָּרוּךְ יִֽהְיֶֽה. שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר אִלּוּלֵי שֶׁרִמָּה יַעֲקֹב לְאָבִיו לֹא נָטַל אֶת הַבְּרָכוֹת, לְכָךְ הִסְכִּים וּבֵרְכוֹ מִדַּעְתּוֹ (בראשית רבה):
34When Esau heard his father’s words, he let out an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, too, my father!”		לדכִּשְׁמֹ֤עַ עֵשָׂו֙ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֣י אָבִ֔יו וַיִּצְעַ֣ק צְעָקָ֔ה גְּדֹלָ֥ה וּמָרָ֖ה עַד־מְאֹ֑ד וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְאָבִ֔יו בָּֽרֲכֵ֥נִי גַם־אָ֖נִי אָבִֽי:
35He replied, “Your brother came with guile and took your blessing.”		להוַיֹּ֕אמֶר בָּ֥א אָחִ֖יךָ בְּמִרְמָ֑ה וַיִּקַּ֖ח בִּרְכָתֶֽךָ:
בְּמִרְמָה - (lit.) With guile - means here: “Astutely.”		בְּמִרְמָה. בְּחָכְמָה:
36Esau said, “Is that why he was named Jacob [Ya’akov, from akov—‘ensnare’], foretelling that he would someday ensnare me twice?! He took away my birthright, and now look, he has also taken my blessing!” He then asked Isaac, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?”		לווַיֹּ֡אמֶר הֲכִי֩ קָרָ֨א שְׁמ֜וֹ יַֽעֲקֹ֗ב וַיַּעְקְבֵ֨נִי֙ זֶ֣ה פַעֲמַ֔יִם אֶת־בְּכֹֽרָתִ֣י לָקָ֔ח וְהִנֵּ֥ה עַתָּ֖ה לָקַ֣ח בִּרְכָתִ֑י וַיֹּאמַ֕ר הֲלֹֽא־אָצַ֥לְתָּ לִּ֖י בְּרָכָֽה:
הֲכִי קָרָא שְׁמוֹ - Is that why he was named- הֲכִי is a question, as in: “Just (הֲכִי) because you are my brother…? 6 “Maybe for that reason he was named Jacob (יַעֲקֹב), on account of his later actions, that he was destined to ensnare me (לְעָקְבֵנִי)?!” In Midrash Tanchuma 7 it says: Why did Isaac tremble? He said to himself: Maybe I committed a sin in that I blessed the younger one before the older one and differed from the order of lineage? But Esau then began to cry out, “He has ensnared me twice!” His father asked him, “What did he do to you?” He replied, “He took away my birthright.” Thereupon Isaac said: “About this I was distressed and afraid that maybe I had not done the proper thing, but now that I have in fact blessed the firstborn – “he will indeed be blessed.”		הֲכִי קָרָא שְׁמוֹ. לְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ הוּא, כְּמוֹ הֲכִי אָחִי אַתָּה, שֶׁמָּא לְכָךְ נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יַעֲקֹב עַל שֵׁם סוֹפוֹ שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לְעָקְבֵנִי? תַּנְחוּמָא. לָמָּה חָרַד יִצְחָק? אָמַר שֶׁמָּא עָוֹן יֵשׁ בִּי שֶׁבֵּרַכְתִּי קָטָן לִפְנֵי גָּדוֹל וְשִׁנִּיתִי סֵדֶר הַיַּחַס, הִתְחִיל עֵשָׂו מְצָעֵק וַיַּעְקְבֵנִי זֶה פַעֲמַיִם, אָמַר לוֹ אָבִיו מֶה עָשָׂה לְךָ? אָמַר לוֹ אֶת בְּכֹרָתִי לָקָח, אָמַר בְּכָךְ הָיִיתִי מֵצֵר וְחָרֵד שֶׁמָּא עָבַרְתִּי עַל שׁוּרַת הַדִּין, עַכְשָׁו לַבְּכוֹר בֵּרַכְתִּי, גַּם בָּרוּךְ יִהְיֶה:
וַיַּעְקְבֵנִי - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: וּכְמַנִי – “He has ambushed me.” וְאָרַב 8 is translated by Onkelos as וְכָמַן “and he lies in wait.” Some have the reading of Onkelos’ translation here as: וְחַכְמַנִי, meaning: “he outwitted me.”		וַיַּעְקְבֵנִי. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וּכְמַנִי – אֲרָבַנִי; וְאָרַב – וּכְמַן. וְיֵשׁ מְתַרְגְּמִין וְחַכְּמַנִי, נִתְחַכֵּם לִי:
אָצַלְתָּ - You reserved. This is an expression of setting aside, as in: “He elevated (וַיָּאצֶל).” 9		אָצַלְתָּ. לְשׁוֹן הַפְרָשָׁה כְּמוֹ וַיָּאצֶל:
37Isaac answered, saying to Esau, “I have made him master over you, and have given him all his brothers as servants. I have sustained him with grain and wine, so what, then, is there left that I can do for you, my son?”		לזוַיַּ֨עַן יִצְחָ֜ק וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְעֵשָׂ֗ו הֵ֣ן גְּבִ֞יר שַׂמְתִּ֥יו לָךְ֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־אֶחָ֗יו נָתַ֤תִּי לוֹ֙ לַֽעֲבָדִ֔ים וְדָגָ֥ן וְתִיר֖שׁ סְמַכְתִּ֑יו וּלְכָ֣ה אֵפ֔וֹא מָ֥ה אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֖ה בְּנִֽי:
הֵן גְּבִיר - [I have made him] master [over you]. This blessing is the seventh of those with which Isaac blessed Jacob, yet he places it first! The reason for this was that he was in fact telling him: “What benefit will you have from a blessing? If you acquire possessions, they will belong to him, for ‘I have made him master over you’ and whatever a servant acquires automatically belongs to his master.”		הֵן גְּבִיר. בְּרָכָה זוֹ שְׁבִיעִית הִיא, וְהוּא עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָהּ רִאשׁוֹנָה? אֶלָּא אָמַר לוֹ מַה תּוֹעֶלֶת לְךָ בַּבְּרָכָה? אִם תִּקְנֶה נְכָסִים, שֶׁלּוֹ הֵם, שֶׁהֲרֵי גְּבִיר שַׂמְתִּיו לָךְ, וּמַה שֶּׁקָּנָה עֶבֶד קָנָה רַבּוֹ:
וּלְכָה אפא מָה אֶֽעֱשֶׂה - means “where, therefore, can I seek something to do for you?”		וּלְכָה אפא מָה אֶֽעֱשֶׂה. אַיֵּה אֵיפֹא אֲבַקֵּשׁ מַה לַּעֲשׂוֹת לְךָ:
38Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Father, bless me too!” And Esau burst out crying.		לחוַיֹּ֨אמֶר עֵשָׂ֜ו אֶל־אָבִ֗יו הַֽבֲרָכָ֨ה אַחַ֤ת הִֽוא־לְךָ֙ אָבִ֔י בָּֽרֲכֵ֥נִי גַם־אָ֖נִי אָבִ֑י וַיִּשָּׂ֥א עֵשָׂ֛ו קֹל֖וֹ וַיֵּֽבְךְּ:
הַֽבֲרָכָה אַחַת - (lit.) Is [there only] one blessing [with you]. The ה prefixed to הַבְרָכָה is an interrogative prefix, as in: הַבְּמַחֲנִים “are they in open cities…?”; 10 הַשְּׁמֵנָה “is it rich…?”; 11 הַכְּמוֹת נָבָל “Should he die the death of a scoundrel?” 12		הַֽבֲרָכָה אַחַת. הֵ"א זוֹ מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת לְשׁוֹן תְּמִיהָ, כְּמוֹ הַבְּמַחֲנִים? הַשְּׁמֵנָה הִיא? הַכְּמוֹת נָבָל?
39His father Isaac then replied and said to him, “Your dwelling will be blessed with the fat of the land and with the dew of the heavens above.		לטוַיַּ֛עַן יִצְחָ֥ק אָבִ֖יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֑יו הִנֵּ֞ה מִשְׁמַנֵּ֤י הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה מֽוֹשָׁבֶ֔ךָ וּמִטַּ֥ל הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם מֵעָֽל:
מִשְׁמַנֵּי ארץ וגו' - With the fat of the land… This refers to Italy of Yavan (Greece).		מִשְׁמַנֵּי ארץ וגו'. זוֹ אִיטָלִיאָה שֶׁל יָוָן:
40You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. But when you see Jacob or his descendants sinning, and are therefore rightly aggrieved that they were the primary recipients of the blessings, you will be permitted to throw his yoke off your neck.”		מוְעַל־חַרְבְּךָ֣ תִֽחְיֶ֔ה וְאֶת־אָחִ֖יךָ תַּֽעֲבֹ֑ד וְהָיָה֙ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר תָּרִ֔יד וּפָֽרַקְתָּ֥ עֻלּ֖וֹ מֵעַ֥ל צַוָּארֶֽךָ:
וְעַל־חַרְבְּךָ - (lit.) On your sword. This is the equivalent of בְּחַרְבְּךָ “by your sword.” Sometimes עַל takes the place of the prefix ב, as in: “You stood by your sword (עַל חַרְבְּכֶם),” 13 the equivalent of בְּחַרְבְּכֶם; “by their hosts (עַל צִבְאֹתָם),” 14 the equivalent of בְּצִבְאֹתָם.		וְעַל־חַרְבְּךָ. כְּמוֹ בְּחַרְבְּךָ, יֵשׁ עַל בִּמְקוֹם בְּ', כְּמוֹ עֲמַדְתֶּם עַל חַרְבְּכֶם – בְּחַרְבְּכֶם; עַל צִבְאֹתָם – בְּצִבְאֹתָם:
תָּרִיד - The word תָּרִיד is an expression of pain, as in: “I will grieve (אָרִיד) in my lament.” 15 Its meaning therefore is: When the Israelites transgress the Torah, and you then have a reason to feel aggrieved about the blessings that he took, “you will be permitted to throw off his yoke…”		תָּרִיד. לְשׁוֹן צַעַר כְּמוֹ אָרִיד בְּשִׂיחִי, כְּלוֹמַר, כְּשֶׁיַּעַבְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְיִהְיֶה לְךָ פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְהִצְטַעֵר עַל הַבְּרָכוֹת שֶׁנָּטַל, ופרקת עלו וגומר:
41Esau harbored hatred toward his brother Jacob because of the inferior blessing with which his father had blessed him. Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father will soon be here; I will wait until after his death and then kill my brother Jacob.”		מאוַיִּשְׂטֹ֤ם עֵשָׂו֙ אֶת־יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב עַל־הַ֨בְּרָכָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בֵּֽרֲכ֖וֹ אָבִ֑יו וַיֹּ֨אמֶר עֵשָׂ֜ו בְּלִבּ֗וֹ יִקְרְבוּ֙ יְמֵי֙ אֵ֣בֶל אָבִ֔י וְאַֽהַרְגָ֖ה אֶת־יַֽעֲקֹ֥ב אָחִֽי:
יִקְרְבוּ יְמֵי אֵבֶל אָבִי - The days of mourning for my father will soon be here. Explain this according to its plain meaning: I will wait until then so that I not cause my father pain. There are also aggadic explanations that give various interpretations.		יִקְרְבוּ יְמֵי אֵבֶל אָבִי. כְּמִשְׁמָעוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא אֲצָעֵר אֶת אַבָּא, וּמִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה לְכַמָּה פָנִים יֵשׁ:
42Rebecca was told through Divine inspiration what her older son, Esau, had said to himself. She sent word and summoned her younger son, Jacob, and said to him, “Your brother Esau is consoling himself over the appropriation of the blessings he feels were meant for him by planning to kill you.		מבוַיֻּגַּ֣ד לְרִבְקָ֔ה אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י עֵשָׂ֖ו בְּנָ֣הּ הַגָּדֹ֑ל וַתִּשְׁלַ֞ח וַתִּקְרָ֤א לְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ בְּנָ֣הּ הַקָּטָ֔ן וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו הִנֵּה֙ עֵשָׂ֣ו אָחִ֔יךָ מִתְנַחֵ֥ם לְךָ֖ לְהָרְגֶֽךָ:
וַיֻּגַּד לְרִבְקָה - Rebecca was told. She was told through Divine Inspiration what Esau was thinking to himself.		וַיֻּגַּד לְרִבְקָה. בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ הֻגַּד לָהּ מַה שֶּׁעֵשָׂו מְהַרְהֵר בְּלִבּוֹ:
מִתְנַחֵם לְךָ - This means: He regrets (נִחַם) sharing brotherly status with you and has decided to adopt a different outlook toward you, to act as a stranger towards you and kill you. But the aggadic explanation is: You are already dead in his eyes, and he has already drunk the cup of consolation (תַּנְחוּמִים) for you. And according to the straightforward meaning it may also be understood as an expression of consolation: He is consoling himself over the loss of the blessings through his plans of killing you.		מִתְנַחֵם לְךָ. נִחָם עַל הָאַחְוָה לַחֲשֹׁב מַחֲשָׁבָה אַחֶרֶת לְהִתְנַכֵּר לְךָ וּלְהָרְגְּךָ. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה כְּבָר אַתָּה מֵת בְּעֵינָיו וְשָׁתָה עָלֶיךָ כּוֹס שֶׁל תַּנְחוּמִים. וּלְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ לְשׁוֹן תַּנְחוּמִים, מִתְנַחֵם הוּא עַל הַבְּרָכוֹת בַּהֲרִיגָתְךָ:
43So now, my son, listen to my words: arise and flee to my brother Laban in Charan.		מגוְעַתָּ֥ה בְנִ֖י שְׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹלִ֑י וְק֧וּם בְּרַח־לְךָ֛ אֶל־לָבָ֥ן אָחִ֖י חָרָֽנָה:
44Remain with him a while until your brother’s anger has subsided,		מדוְיָֽשַׁבְתָּ֥ עִמּ֖וֹ יָמִ֣ים אֲחָדִ֑ים עַ֥ד אֲשֶׁר־תָּשׁ֖וּב חֲמַ֥ת אָחִֽיךָ:
אֲחָדִים - means “a few.”		אֲחָדִים. מֻעָטִים:
45until your brother’s rage against you has abated and he has forgotten what you did to him. I will then send word and bring you from there. Why should I be bereaved of both of you in one day?”		מהעַד־שׁ֨וּב אַף־אָחִ֜יךָ מִמְּךָ֗ וְשָׁכַח֙ אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֣יתָ לּ֔וֹ וְשָֽׁלַחְתִּ֖י וּלְקַחְתִּ֣יךָ מִשָּׁ֑ם לָמָ֥ה אֶשְׁכַּ֛ל גַּם־שְׁנֵיכֶ֖ם י֥וֹם אֶחָֽד:
לָמָה אֶשְׁכַּל - means “Why should I be bereaved of both of you?” A parent who buries his children is called שָׁכוּל; and so we find with Jacob, that he said: “just as I have been bereaved (שָׁכֹלְתִּי), so will I be bereaved (שָׁכָלְתִּי).” 16		לָמָה אֶשְׁכַּל. אֶהְיֶה שַׁכּוּלָה מִשְּׁנֵיכֶם. הַקּוֹבֵר אֶת בָּנָיו קָרוּי שַׁכּוּל, וְכֵן בְּיַעֲקֹב אָמַר כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁכֹלְתִּי שָׁכָלְתִּי:
גַּם־שְׁנֵיכֶם - Of both of you. She said, “If he attacks you and you kill him, his children will arise and kill you.” She was infused with Divine Inspiration and prophesied that they would die on the same day, as is explained in Chapter HaMekane leIshto. 17		גַּם־שְׁנֵיכֶם. אִם יָקוּם עָלֶיךָ וְאַתָּה תַּהַרְגֶנּוּ יַעַמְדוּ בָנָיו וְיַהַרְגוּךָ; וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ נִזְרְקָה בָהּ וְנִתְנַבְּאָה שֶׁבְּיוֹם א' יָמוּתוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בְּפֶרֶק הַמְקַנֵּא לְאִשְׁתּוֹ:
46Rebecca then said to Isaac, “I am disgusted with my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries a Hittite girl like these that Esau married, one of the local girls, why should I go on living?”		מווַתֹּ֤אמֶר רִבְקָה֙ אֶל־יִצְחָ֔ק קַ֣צְתִּי בְחַיַּ֔י מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנ֣וֹת חֵ֑ת אִם־לֹקֵ֣חַ יַֽ֠עֲקֹ֠ב אִשָּׁ֨ה מִבְּנֽוֹת־חֵ֤ת כָּאֵ֨לֶּה֙ מִבְּנ֣וֹת הָאָ֔רֶץ לָ֥מָּה לִּ֖י חַיִּֽים:
קַצְתִּי בְחַיַּי - means “I am disgusted with my life.”		קַצְתִּי בְחַיַּי. מָאַסְתִּי בְחַיַּי:

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 28

1So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him as follows. He instructed him, saying to him, “Do not take a wife from among the Canaanite girls.		אוַיִּקְרָ֥א יִצְחָ֛ק אֶל־יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֹת֑וֹ וַיְצַוֵּ֨הוּ֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ לֹֽא־תִקַּ֥ח אִשָּׁ֖ה מִבְּנ֥וֹת כְּנָֽעַן:
2Arise and set out for Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel, your mother’s father, and take yourself a wife from there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.		בק֥וּם לֵךְ֙ פַּדֶּ֣נָֽה אֲרָ֔ם בֵּ֥יתָה בְתוּאֵ֖ל אֲבִ֣י אִמֶּ֑ךָ וְקַח־לְךָ֤ מִשָּׁם֙ אִשָּׁ֔ה מִבְּנ֥וֹת לָבָ֖ן אֲחִ֥י אִמֶּֽךָ:
פַּדֶּנָֽה - is the equivalent of לְפַדָּן – “to Padan.”		פַּדֶּנָֽה. כְּמוֹ לְפַדָּן:
בֵּיתָה בְתוּאֵל - is the same as לְבֵית בְּתוּאֵל – “to the house of Bethuel.” Regarding every word that requires a ל as a prefix, one can instead put a ה as a suffix.		בֵּיתָה בְתוּאֵל. לְבֵית בְּתוּאֵל, כָּל תֵּבָה שֶׁצְּרִיכָה לָמֶ"ד בִּתְחִלָּתָהּ הֵטִיל לָהּ הֵ"א בְּסוֹפָהּ (יבמות י"ג):
3And may God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and numerous, so that your descendants become a community of peoples.		גוְאֵ֤ל שַׁדַּי֨ יְבָרֵ֣ךְ אֹֽתְךָ֔ וְיַפְרְךָ֖ וְיַרְבֶּ֑ךָ וְהָיִ֖יתָ לִקְהַ֥ל עַמִּֽים:
וְאֵל שַׁדַּי - means He whose blessings are wholly sufficient (שֶׁדַּי) for those who are blessed by Him – “May He bless you.”		וְאֵל שַׁדַּי. מִי שֶׁדַּי בְּבִרְכוֹתָיו לַמִּתְבָּרְכִין מִפִּיו, יברך אותך:
4May God bestow upon you the same blessing that He gave to my father Abraham—for yourself and for your descendants with you—because you will take possession of the land in which you have been sojourning, which God gave to Abraham.”		דוְיִתֶּן־לְךָ֙ אֶת־בִּרְכַּ֣ת אַבְרָהָ֔ם לְךָ֖ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֣ אִתָּ֑ךְ לְרִשְׁתְּךָ֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ מְגֻרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן אֱלֹהִ֖ים לְאַבְרָהָֽם:
אֶת־בִּרְכַּת אַבְרָהָם - The blessing of Abraham. This refers to that which God had told Abraham when He told him to set out on his journey: “I will make you into a great nation,” 18 and “all the nations of the world will be blessed through your descendants.” 19 Let those above-mentioned blessings be fulfilled with you – that from you that great nation and those blessed descendants will emanate.		אֶת־בִּרְכַּת אַבְרָהָם. שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ וְאֶעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל וְהִתְבָּרְכוּ בְזַרְעֲךָ יִהְיוּ אוֹתָן בְּרָכוֹת אֲמוּרוֹת בִּשְׁבִילְךָ – מִמְּךָ יֵצֵא אוֹתוֹ הַגּוֹי וְאוֹתוֹ הַזֶּרַע הַמְבֹרָךְ:

Footnotes

Genesis 27:39.

1 Kings 8:39.

1 Kings 843.

Tanchuma Yashan 23.

2 Samuel 3:33.

Sotah 13a.

Seventh Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 28

5Isaac then sent Jacob on his way and he set out for Padan Aram, to the house of Laban, son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebecca, mother of Jacob and Esau.		הוַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יִצְחָק֙ אֶת־יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ פַּדֶּ֣נָֽה אֲרָ֑ם אֶל־לָבָ֤ן בֶּן־בְּתוּאֵל֙ הָֽאֲרַמִּ֔י אֲחִ֣י רִבְקָ֔ה אֵ֥ם יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב וְעֵשָֽׂו:
אֵם יַֽעֲקֹב וְעֵשָֽׂו - Mother of Jacob and Esau. I do not know what this teaches us.		אֵם יַֽעֲקֹב וְעֵשָֽׂו. אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה מְּלַמְּדֵנוּ:
6When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and had sent him to Padan Aram to take himself a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he had commanded him, saying, “Do not take a wife from among the Canaanite girls,”		ווַיַּ֣רְא עֵשָׂ֗ו כִּֽי־בֵרַ֣ךְ יִצְחָק֘ אֶת־יַֽעֲקֹב֒ וְשִׁלַּ֤ח אֹתוֹ֙ פַּדֶּ֣נָֽה אֲרָ֔ם לָקַֽחַת־ל֥וֹ מִשָּׁ֖ם אִשָּׁ֑ה בְּבָֽרֲכ֣וֹ אֹת֔וֹ וַיְצַ֤ו עָלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹֽא־תִקַּ֥ח אִשָּׁ֖ה מִבְּנ֥וֹת כְּנָֽעַן:
7and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother, and had gone to Padan Aram,		זוַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב אֶל־אָבִ֖יו וְאֶל־אִמּ֑וֹ וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ פַּדֶּ֣נָֽה אֲרָֽם:
וַיִּשְׁמַע יַֽעֲקֹב - Jacob had obeyed. This is connected to the preceding statement: “Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob…” and that he had sent him to Padan Aram, and that Jacob had obeyed his father and gone to Padan Aram, and Esau understood from all this that the Canaanite girls were evil in Isaac’s eyes – so he also went to his family, to Ishmael, to take for himself a wife.		וַיִּשְׁמַע יַֽעֲקֹב. מְחֻבָּר לָעִנְיָן שֶׁל מַעְלָה, וַיַּרְא עֵשָׂו כִּי בֵרַךְ יִצְחָק וְגוֹ' וְכִי שִׁלַּח אוֹתוֹ פַּדֶּנָה אֲרָם, וְכִי שָׁמַע יַעֲקֹב אֶל אָבִיו וְהָלַךְ פַּדֶּנָה אֲרָם, וְכִי רָעוֹת בְּנוֹת כְּנַעַן, וְהָלַךְ גַּם הוּא אֶל יִשְׁמָעֵאל:
8Esau understood that the Canaanite girls were evil in the eyes of his father Isaac.		חוַיַּ֣רְא עֵשָׂ֔ו כִּ֥י רָע֖וֹת בְּנ֣וֹת כְּנָ֑עַן בְּעֵינֵ֖י יִצְחָ֥ק אָבִֽיו:
9So Esau went to his uncle Ishmael, and married his cousin Machalat, daughter of Abraham’s son Ishmael, the sister of Nevayot. Esau married her in addition to his other wives.		טוַיֵּ֥לֶךְ עֵשָׂ֖ו אֶל־יִשְׁמָעֵ֑אל וַיִּקַּ֡ח אֶת־מָֽחֲלַ֣ת \| בַּת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֨אל בֶּן־אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֲח֧וֹת נְבָי֛וֹת עַל־נָשָׁ֖יו ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה:
אֲחוֹת נְבָיוֹת - The sister of Nevayot. By inference from what it says, “daughter of Ishmael,” do I not know that she was the sister of Nevayot? Rather, these additional words teach us that Ishmael died after having betrothed her to Esau, before her marriage, and therefore Nevayot, her brother, gave her in marriage. We can infer that Jacob was 63 years old at that time, for Ishmael was 74 years old when Jacob was born – for Ishmael was 14 years older than Isaac, and “Isaac was in his 60th year when Rebecca gave birth to Jacob and Esau,” 1 totaling 74 years – and he lived 137 years, as it says: “These are the years of Ishmael’s life….” 2 Thus, Jacob was 63 years old when Ishmael died. We learn from here that Jacob was hidden in the study-house of Ever for 14 years and only afterwards went to Charan – for he was in Laban’s house for only 14 years before the birth of Joseph, as it says: “I worked for you 14 years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks,” 3 and he started to receive flocks as wages only after Joseph was born, as it says: “When Rachel gave birth to Joseph…”; 4 and Joseph was 30 years old when he became ruler of Egypt, and from then until Jacob descended to Egypt was nine years – seven years of plenty and two of famine – and at that time Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my sojourning have been 130.” 5 Make the reckoning of 14 years before Joseph’s birth, 30 years of Joseph, and 9 after he became ruler until Jacob arrived, and you have 53 years, and when Jacob left his father he was 63 years old, which makes only 116 years, yet he said to Pharaoh “130 years.” Thus 14 years are missing, from which you learn that after receiving the blessings he was hidden in the study-house of Ever for 14 years. However, he was not punished for those years, in the merit of the Torah that he studied there. For Joseph was separated from his father for only 22 years – from age 17 until 39 – corresponding to the 22 years that Jacob was separated from his father and did not fulfill his obligation to honor him; and they were the 20 years he spent in Laban’s house and the two years he tarried on the journey home – as it says: “he built himself houses and made shelters for his livestock,” 6 and our rabbis of blessed memory 7 inferred from this verse that he stayed 18 months on the way – for a house is for the rainy season and shelters are for the sunny season – plus another six months in Bethel. Yet according to the calculation of the verses that we made before, from the time he left his father until he came to Egypt, when he was 130 years old, we find an additional 14 years! It must be, however, that he was concealed in the study-house of Ever on his way to Laban’s house, in order to learn Torah from Ever, but in the merit of the Torah he was not punished for those years, and Joseph was only separated from him for 22 years – measure for measure.		אֲחוֹת נְבָיוֹת. מִמַּשְׁמָע שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהִיא אֲחוֹת נְבָיוֹת? אֶלָּא לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁמֵּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל מִשֶּׁיְּעָדָהּ לְעֵשָׂו קֹדֶם נִשּׂוּאֶיהָ וְהִשִּׂיאָהּ נְבָיוֹת אָחִיהָ, וְלָמַדְנוּ שֶׁהָיָה יַעֲקֹב בְּאוֹתוֹ הַפֶּרֶק בֶּן ס"ג שָׁנִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן ע"ד שָׁנִים הָיָה כְּשֶׁנּוֹלַד יַעֲקֹב, י"ד שָׁנָה הָיָה גָדוֹל יִשְׁמָעֵאל מִיִּצְחָק, וְיִצְחָק בֶּן ס' שָׁנָה בְּלֶדֶת אוֹתָם הֲרֵי ע"ד, וּשְׁנוֹתָיו הָיוּ קל"ז, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאֵלֶּה שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְגוֹ', נִמְצָא יַעֲקֹב כְּשֶׁמֵּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן ס"ג שָׁנִים הָיָה, וְלָמַדְנוּ מִכָּאן שֶׁנִּטְמַן בְּבֵית עֵבֶר י"ד שָׁנָה וְאַחַר כָּךְ הָלַךְ לְחָרָן, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא שָׁהָה בְּבֵית לָבָן לִפְנֵי לֵדָתוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף אֶלָּא י"ד שָׁנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עֲבַדְתִּיךָ אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה בִּשְׁתֵּי בְנֹתֶיךָ וְשֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים בְּצֹאנֶךָ, וּשְׂכַר הַצֹּאן מִשֶּׁנּוֹלַד יוֹסֵף הָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה רָחֵל אֶת יוֹסֵף וְגוֹ'; וְיוֹסֵף בֶּן ל' שָׁנָה הָיָה כְּשֶׁמָּלַךְ, וּמִשָּׁם עַד שֶׁיָּרַד יַעֲקֹב לְמִצְרַיִם ט' שָׁנִים, ז' שֶׁל שָׂבָע וּב' שֶׁל רָעָב, וְיַעֲקֹב אָמַר לְפַרְעֹה יְמֵי שְׁנֵי מְגוּרַי שְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה – צֵא וַחֲשֹׁב י"ד שֶׁלִּפְנֵי לֵדַת יוֹסֵף וּשְׁלֹשִׁים שֶׁל יוֹסֵף וְתֵשַׁע מִשֶּׁמָּלַךְ עַד שֶׁבָּא יַעֲקֹב, הֲרֵי נ"ג, וּכְשֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ מֵאָבִיו הָיָה בֶּן ס"ג, הֲרֵי קי"ו, וְהוּא אוֹמֵר שְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה, הֲרֵי חֲסֵרִים י"ד שָׁנִים, הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁקִּבֵּל הַבְּרָכוֹת נִטְמַן בְּבֵית עֵבֶר י"ד שָׁנִים, אֲבָל לֹא נֶעֱנַשׁ בִּזְכוּת הַתּוֹרָה; שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא פֵּרֵשׁ יוֹסֵף מֵאָבִיו אֶלָּא כ"ב שָׁנָה, דְּהַיְנוּ מִי"ז עַד ל"ט, כְּנֶגֶד כ"ב שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ יַעֲקֹב מֵאָבִיו וְלֹא כִבְּדוֹ, וְהֵם כ' שָׁנִים בְּבֵית לָבָן וּשְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים שֶׁשָּׁהָה בַדֶּרֶךְ, כְּדִכְתִיב וַיִּבֶן לוֹ בָּיִת וּלְמִקְנֵהוּ עָשָׂה סֻכֹּת, וּפֵר' רבותינו זִכָּרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה מִזֶּה הַפָּסוּק שֶׁשָּׁהָה י"ח חֳדָשִׁים בַּדֶּרֶךְ – דְּבַיִת הֲוָה בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים וְסֻכֹּת הֲווּ בִּימוֹת הַחַמָּה – וּלְחֶשְׁבּוֹן הַפְּסוּקִים שֶׁחָשַׁבְנוּ לְעֵיל מִשֶּׁפֵּרֵשׁ מֵאָבִיו עַד שֶׁיָּרַד לְמִצְרַיִם שֶׁהָיָה בֶּן ק"ל שָׁנִים, שֶׁשָּׁם אָנוּ מוֹצְאִים עוֹד י"ד שָׁנִים – אֶלָּא וַדַּאי נִטְמַן בְּבֵית עֵבֶר בַּהֲלִיכָתוֹ לְבֵית לָבָן לִלְמֹד תּוֹרָה מִמֶּנּוּ, וּבִשְׁבִיל זְכוּת הַתּוֹרָה לֹא נֶעֱנַשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ יוֹסֵף מִמֶּנּוּ אֶלָּא כ"ב שָׁנָה – מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה – עַד כָּאן בְּרַשִׁ"י יָשָׁן:
עַל־נָשָׁיו - In addition to his other wives. He added an evil act to his previous evil act by not divorcing his first wives, which made it clear that he had not in fact repented and his new marriage was also an act of hypocrisy.		עַל־נָשָׁיו. הוֹסִיף רִשְׁעָה עַל רִשְׁעָתוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא גֵרֵשׁ אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת:

Footnotes

Megilah 17a.

Maftir Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 28

7and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother, and had gone to Padan Aram,		זוַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב אֶל־אָבִ֖יו וְאֶל־אִמּ֑וֹ וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ פַּדֶּ֣נָֽה אֲרָֽם:
וַיִּשְׁמַע יַֽעֲקֹב - Jacob had obeyed. This is connected to the preceding statement: “Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob…” and that he had sent him to Padan Aram, and that Jacob had obeyed his father and gone to Padan Aram, and Esau understood from all this that the Canaanite girls were evil in Isaac’s eyes – so he also went to his family, to Ishmael, to take for himself a wife.		וַיִּשְׁמַע יַֽעֲקֹב. מְחֻבָּר לָעִנְיָן שֶׁל מַעְלָה, וַיַּרְא עֵשָׂו כִּי בֵרַךְ יִצְחָק וְגוֹ' וְכִי שִׁלַּח אוֹתוֹ פַּדֶּנָה אֲרָם, וְכִי שָׁמַע יַעֲקֹב אֶל אָבִיו וְהָלַךְ פַּדֶּנָה אֲרָם, וְכִי רָעוֹת בְּנוֹת כְּנַעַן, וְהָלַךְ גַּם הוּא אֶל יִשְׁמָעֵאל:
8Esau understood that the Canaanite girls were evil in the eyes of his father Isaac.		חוַיַּ֣רְא עֵשָׂ֔ו כִּ֥י רָע֖וֹת בְּנ֣וֹת כְּנָ֑עַן בְּעֵינֵ֖י יִצְחָ֥ק אָבִֽיו:
9So Esau went to his uncle Ishmael, and married his cousin Machalat, daughter of Abraham’s son Ishmael, the sister of Nevayot. Esau married her in addition to his other wives.		טוַיֵּ֥לֶךְ עֵשָׂ֖ו אֶל־יִשְׁמָעֵ֑אל וַיִּקַּ֡ח אֶת־מָֽחֲלַ֣ת \| בַּת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֨אל בֶּן־אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֲח֧וֹת נְבָי֛וֹת עַל־נָשָׁ֖יו ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה:
אֲחוֹת נְבָיוֹת - The sister of Nevayot. By inference from what it says, “daughter of Ishmael,” do I not know that she was the sister of Nevayot? Rather, these additional words teach us that Ishmael died after having betrothed her to Esau, before her marriage, and therefore Nevayot, her brother, gave her in marriage. We can infer that Jacob was 63 years old at that time, for Ishmael was 74 years old when Jacob was born – for Ishmael was 14 years older than Isaac, and “Isaac was in his 60th year when Rebecca gave birth to Jacob and Esau,” 1 totaling 74 years – and he lived 137 years, as it says: “These are the years of Ishmael’s life….” 2 Thus, Jacob was 63 years old when Ishmael died. We learn from here that Jacob was hidden in the study-house of Ever for 14 years and only afterwards went to Charan – for he was in Laban’s house for only 14 years before the birth of Joseph, as it says: “I worked for you 14 years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks,” 3 and he started to receive flocks as wages only after Joseph was born, as it says: “When Rachel gave birth to Joseph…”; 4 and Joseph was 30 years old when he became ruler of Egypt, and from then until Jacob descended to Egypt was nine years – seven years of plenty and two of famine – and at that time Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my sojourning have been 130.” 5 Make the reckoning of 14 years before Joseph’s birth, 30 years of Joseph, and 9 after he became ruler until Jacob arrived, and you have 53 years, and when Jacob left his father he was 63 years old, which makes only 116 years, yet he said to Pharaoh “130 years.” Thus 14 years are missing, from which you learn that after receiving the blessings he was hidden in the study-house of Ever for 14 years. However, he was not punished for those years, in the merit of the Torah that he studied there. For Joseph was separated from his father for only 22 years – from age 17 until 39 – corresponding to the 22 years that Jacob was separated from his father and did not fulfill his obligation to honor him; and they were the 20 years he spent in Laban’s house and the two years he tarried on the journey home – as it says: “he built himself houses and made shelters for his livestock,” 6 and our rabbis of blessed memory 7 inferred from this verse that he stayed 18 months on the way – for a house is for the rainy season and shelters are for the sunny season – plus another six months in Bethel. Yet according to the calculation of the verses that we made before, from the time he left his father until he came to Egypt, when he was 130 years old, we find an additional 14 years! It must be, however, that he was concealed in the study-house of Ever on his way to Laban’s house, in order to learn Torah from Ever, but in the merit of the Torah he was not punished for those years, and Joseph was only separated from him for 22 years – measure for measure.		אֲחוֹת נְבָיוֹת. מִמַּשְׁמָע שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהִיא אֲחוֹת נְבָיוֹת? אֶלָּא לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁמֵּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל מִשֶּׁיְּעָדָהּ לְעֵשָׂו קֹדֶם נִשּׂוּאֶיהָ וְהִשִּׂיאָהּ נְבָיוֹת אָחִיהָ, וְלָמַדְנוּ שֶׁהָיָה יַעֲקֹב בְּאוֹתוֹ הַפֶּרֶק בֶּן ס"ג שָׁנִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן ע"ד שָׁנִים הָיָה כְּשֶׁנּוֹלַד יַעֲקֹב, י"ד שָׁנָה הָיָה גָדוֹל יִשְׁמָעֵאל מִיִּצְחָק, וְיִצְחָק בֶּן ס' שָׁנָה בְּלֶדֶת אוֹתָם הֲרֵי ע"ד, וּשְׁנוֹתָיו הָיוּ קל"ז, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאֵלֶּה שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְגוֹ', נִמְצָא יַעֲקֹב כְּשֶׁמֵּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן ס"ג שָׁנִים הָיָה, וְלָמַדְנוּ מִכָּאן שֶׁנִּטְמַן בְּבֵית עֵבֶר י"ד שָׁנָה וְאַחַר כָּךְ הָלַךְ לְחָרָן, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא שָׁהָה בְּבֵית לָבָן לִפְנֵי לֵדָתוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף אֶלָּא י"ד שָׁנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עֲבַדְתִּיךָ אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה בִּשְׁתֵּי בְנֹתֶיךָ וְשֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים בְּצֹאנֶךָ, וּשְׂכַר הַצֹּאן מִשֶּׁנּוֹלַד יוֹסֵף הָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה רָחֵל אֶת יוֹסֵף וְגוֹ'; וְיוֹסֵף בֶּן ל' שָׁנָה הָיָה כְּשֶׁמָּלַךְ, וּמִשָּׁם עַד שֶׁיָּרַד יַעֲקֹב לְמִצְרַיִם ט' שָׁנִים, ז' שֶׁל שָׂבָע וּב' שֶׁל רָעָב, וְיַעֲקֹב אָמַר לְפַרְעֹה יְמֵי שְׁנֵי מְגוּרַי שְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה – צֵא וַחֲשֹׁב י"ד שֶׁלִּפְנֵי לֵדַת יוֹסֵף וּשְׁלֹשִׁים שֶׁל יוֹסֵף וְתֵשַׁע מִשֶּׁמָּלַךְ עַד שֶׁבָּא יַעֲקֹב, הֲרֵי נ"ג, וּכְשֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ מֵאָבִיו הָיָה בֶּן ס"ג, הֲרֵי קי"ו, וְהוּא אוֹמֵר שְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה, הֲרֵי חֲסֵרִים י"ד שָׁנִים, הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁקִּבֵּל הַבְּרָכוֹת נִטְמַן בְּבֵית עֵבֶר י"ד שָׁנִים, אֲבָל לֹא נֶעֱנַשׁ בִּזְכוּת הַתּוֹרָה; שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא פֵּרֵשׁ יוֹסֵף מֵאָבִיו אֶלָּא כ"ב שָׁנָה, דְּהַיְנוּ מִי"ז עַד ל"ט, כְּנֶגֶד כ"ב שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ יַעֲקֹב מֵאָבִיו וְלֹא כִבְּדוֹ, וְהֵם כ' שָׁנִים בְּבֵית לָבָן וּשְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים שֶׁשָּׁהָה בַדֶּרֶךְ, כְּדִכְתִיב וַיִּבֶן לוֹ בָּיִת וּלְמִקְנֵהוּ עָשָׂה סֻכֹּת, וּפֵר' רבותינו זִכָּרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה מִזֶּה הַפָּסוּק שֶׁשָּׁהָה י"ח חֳדָשִׁים בַּדֶּרֶךְ – דְּבַיִת הֲוָה בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים וְסֻכֹּת הֲווּ בִּימוֹת הַחַמָּה – וּלְחֶשְׁבּוֹן הַפְּסוּקִים שֶׁחָשַׁבְנוּ לְעֵיל מִשֶּׁפֵּרֵשׁ מֵאָבִיו עַד שֶׁיָּרַד לְמִצְרַיִם שֶׁהָיָה בֶּן ק"ל שָׁנִים, שֶׁשָּׁם אָנוּ מוֹצְאִים עוֹד י"ד שָׁנִים – אֶלָּא וַדַּאי נִטְמַן בְּבֵית עֵבֶר בַּהֲלִיכָתוֹ לְבֵית לָבָן לִלְמֹד תּוֹרָה מִמֶּנּוּ, וּבִשְׁבִיל זְכוּת הַתּוֹרָה לֹא נֶעֱנַשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ יוֹסֵף מִמֶּנּוּ אֶלָּא כ"ב שָׁנָה – מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה – עַד כָּאן בְּרַשִׁ"י יָשָׁן:
עַל־נָשָׁיו - In addition to his other wives. He added an evil act to his previous evil act by not divorcing his first wives, which made it clear that he had not in fact repented and his new marriage was also an act of hypocrisy.		עַל־נָשָׁיו. הוֹסִיף רִשְׁעָה עַל רִשְׁעָתוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא גֵרֵשׁ אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת:

Footnotes

Megilah 17a.

Haftarah

Malachi Chapter 1

1The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel in the hand of Malachi.		א מַשָּׂ֥א דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּיַ֖ד מַלְאָכִֽי:
The burden of the word of the Lord. Porport in Old French, burden. A word delivered to Malachi to bear to the children of Israel.		משא דבר ה'. פורפור"ט בלע"ז דבר הנמסר למלאכי לשאת אותו אל בני ישראל:
in the hand of Malachi. It was already delivered into his hand for many days. From here, our Sages expounded in a baraitha of Mechilta that all the prophets stood on Mount Sinai and there the prophecies were delivered to them, and so [Isaiah (48:16)] says: “From the time it was, there was I, and now, the Lord God has sent me, [and His spirit].”		ביד מלאכי. כבר היה מסור בידו זה ימים רבים מכאן דרשו רבותינו בברייתא דמכילתא שכל הנביאים עמדו על הר סיני ושם נמסרו להם הנבואות וכן (ישעיהו מ״ח:ט״ז) אומר מעת היותה שם אני ועתה ה' אלהים שלחני:
2I loved you, said the Lord, and you said, "How have You loved us?" Was not Esau a brother to Jacob? says the Lord. And I loved Jacob.		באָהַ֚בְתִּי אֶתְכֶם֙ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה וַֽאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם בַּמָּ֣ה אֲהַבְתָּ֑נוּ הֲלוֹא־אָ֨ח עֵשָׂ֚ו לְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה וָֽאֹהַ֖ב אֶת־יַֽעֲקֹֽב:
And I loved Jacob. And I gave him (Jer. 3:19) “a desirable land, an inheritance of the desire of hosts of nations;” a land that all the hosts of nations desire.		ואוהב את יעקב. לתת לו את ארץ חמדה צבי צבאות גוים (ירמיהו ג׳:י״ט) ארץ שצבין כל צבאות העכו"ם בה:
3And I hated Esau, and I made his mountains desolate and his heritage into [a habitat for] the jackals of the desert.		גוְאֶת־עֵשָׂ֖ו שָׂנֵ֑אתִי וָֽאָשִׂ֚ים אֶת־הָרָיו֙ שְׁמָמָ֔ה וְאֶת־נַֽחֲלָת֖וֹ לְתַנּ֥וֹת מִדְבָּֽר:
And I hated Esau. to push him off to a land because of Jacob, his brother. Now it is customary in the world that, if one has two sons, he selects a beautiful portion for the firstborn.		ואת עשו שנאתי. לדוחפו אל ארץ שעיר מפני יעקב אחיו ומנהג שבעולם מי שיש לו שני בנים לבכור הוא בורר לו מנה יפה:
and I made his mountains desolate. They do not compare to the mountains of Israel.		ואשים את הריו שממה. אינן דומין להרי ישראל:
for the jackals of the desert. A den of jackals.		לתנות מדבר. מעון תנים:
4Should Edom say, "We were poor, but we will return and build the ruins"? So said the Lord of Hosts: They shall build, but I will demolish; and they shall be called the border of wickedness and the people whom the Lord has damned forever.		דכִּֽי־תֹאמַ֨ר אֱד֜וֹם רֻשַּׁ֗שְׁנוּ וְנָשׁוּב֙ וְנִבְנֶ֣ה חֳרָב֔וֹת כֹּ֚ה אָמַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת הֵ֥מָּה יִבְנ֖וּ וַֽאֲנִ֣י אֶֽהֱר֑וֹס וְקָרְא֚וּ לָהֶם֙ גְּב֣וּל רִשְׁעָ֔ה וְהָעָ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־זָעַ֥ם יְהֹוָ֖ה עַד־עוֹלָֽם:
Should Edom say, “We were poor”. And if Edom says, “At first we were poor, but from now on we will be rich from the spoils of Jerusalem.”		כי תאמר אדום רוששנו. ואם יאמ' מחריבי המקדש' מתחלתינו רשים היינו אבל מעתה שהעשרנו מביזת ירושלים:
but we will return and build the ruins. Our ruins, so said the Lord, etc.		נשוב ונבנה חרבות. שלנו, כה אמר ה' וגו':
5And your eyes shall see, and you shall say, "The Lord is great beyond the border of Israel."		הוְעֵֽינֵיכֶ֖ם תִּרְאֶ֑ינָה וְאַתֶּ֚ם תֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ יִגְדַּ֣ל יְהֹוָ֔ה מֵעַ֖ל לִגְב֥וּל יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
“The Lord is great beyond the border of Israel.”. He will show His greatness over our border, to make known that we are His people. And Jonathan rendered: May the glory of the Lord be magnified, and He has widened the border of Israel.		יגדל ה' מעל לגבול ישראל. יראה גדולתו מעל לגבולינו להודיע כי אנחנו עמו וי"ת יסגא יקרא דה' ואפתי ית תחו' ארעא דישראל:
6A son honors a father, and a slave his master. Now if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My fear? says the Lord of Hosts to you, the priests, who despise My name. But you said, "How have we despised Your Name?"		ובֵּ֛ן יְכַבֵּ֥ד אָ֖ב וְעֶ֣בֶד אֲדֹנָ֑יו וְאִם־אָ֣ב אָ֣נִי אַיֵּ֣ה כְבוֹדִ֡י וְאִם־אֲדוֹנִ֣ים אָנִי֩ אַיֵּ֨ה מֽוֹרָאִ֜י אָמַ֣ר \| יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֗וֹת לָכֶם֙ הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ בּוֹזֵ֣י שְׁמִ֔י וַֽאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם בַּמֶּ֥ה בָזִ֖ינוּ אֶת־שְׁמֶֽךָ:
A son. is required to honor his father, and so a slave his master and you are called sons and slaves. Now, if I am your father, where is My honor?		בן. יש עליו לכבד אב וכן עבד אדוניו ואתם קרויין בנים ועבדים ועתה אם אב אני לכם איה כבודי:
says the Lord of Hosts to you. You, the priests who despise My Name.		אמר ה' צבאות לכם. אתם הכהנים הבוזים את שמי:
But you said, “How have we despised”. I knew that you would say, “How have we despised?” This is the contempt [as follows:]		ואמרתם במה בזינו. כלומר ידעתי שתאמרו לי במה בזינו הרי הבזיון:
7You offer on My altar defiled food, yet you say, "How have we defiled You?" By your saying, "God's table is contemptible."		זמַגִּישִׁ֚ים עַל־מִזְבְּחִי֙ לֶ֣חֶם מְגֹאָ֔ל וַֽאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם בַּמֶּ֣ה גֵֽאַלְנ֑וּךָ בֶּֽאֱמָרְכֶ֕ם שֻׁלְחַ֥ן יְהֹוָ֖ה נִבְזֶ֥ה הֽוּא:
You offer on My altar, etc., yet you say. And if you say.		מגישים על מזבחי וגו': ואמרתם. כלומר ואם תאמרון:
“How have we defiled You?”. How have we defiled for You the bread of Your altar? I reply to you that, in this manner you have defiled Me.		במה גאלנוך. גאלנו לך את לחם מזבחך אני משיב לכם כי בזאת גאלתם אותי:
By your saying, “God’s table is contemptible.”. They would look with contempt on sharing equally the meal offerings and the hallowed foods, and they would say, “Since we may not share a meal offering for a meal offering, or a sacrifice for a sacrifice, it is too much bother and toil to divide each meal offering for the olive-sized piece or the bean-sized piece that is apportioned to each one.”		באמרכם שלחן ה' נבזה הוא. בוזים היו לחלוק איש באחיו במנחות ובקדשים ואומר מאחר שהוא אסור לנו לחלוק מנחה כנגד מנחה וזבח כנגד זבח וטורח ועמל הוא לחלוק כל מנחה ומנחה בשביל כזית או כפול המגיע לכל אחד ואחד:
8When you offer a blind [animal] for a sacrifice, is there nothing wrong? And when you offer a lame or a sick one, is there nothing wrong? Were you to offer it to your governor, would he accept you or would he favor you? says the Lord of Hosts.		חוְכִֽי־תַגִּשׁ֨וּן עִוֵּ֚ר לִזְבֹּ֙חַ֙ אֵ֣ין רָ֔ע וְכִ֥י תַגִּ֛ישׁוּ פִּסֵּ֥חַ וְחֹלֶ֖ה אֵ֣ין רָ֑ע הַקְרִיבֵ֨הוּ נָ֜א לְפֶֽחָתֶ֗ךָ הֲיִרְצְךָ֙ אוֹ הֲיִשָּׂ֣א פָנֶ֔יךָ אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת:
is there nothing wrong?. Is this thing not bad?		אין רע. וכי אין דבר זה רע:
9And now, will you pray before the Lord that He be gracious to us? This has come from your hand. Will He favor any of you? says the Lord of Hosts.		טוְעַתָּ֛ה חַלּוּ־נָ֥א פְנֵי־אֵ֖ל וִֽיחָנֵּ֑נוּ מִיֶּדְכֶם֙ הָ֣יְתָה זֹּ֔את הֲיִשָּׂ֚א מִכֶּם֙ פָּנִ֔ים אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת:
And now, will you pray before the Lord?. And now, you priests, who commit this evil, how does it enter your mind that you can be the messengers of Israel, to supplicate God to have compassion on them? Lo, this evil has come from your hand.		ועתה חלו נא פני. ועתה אתם הכהנים העושים הרע הזאת איך יעלה בלבבכם להיות שלוחי ישראל לבקש עליהם רחמים הרי מידכם היתה זאת הרעה:
Will He favor any of you. to hearken to a prayer from your mouth, and to favor those who sent you?		הישא. את פניכם לשמוע תפלה מפיכם ולחון את שולחיכם:
10O that there were even one among you that would close the doors [of the Temple] and that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain! I have no desire in you, says the Lord of Hosts. Neither will I accept an offering from your hand.		ימִ֚י גַם־בָּכֶם֙ וְיִסְגֹּ֣ר דְּלָתַ֔יִם וְלֹֽא־תָאִ֥ירוּ מִזְבְּחִ֖י חִנָּ֑ם אֵֽין־לִ֨י חֵ֜פֶץ בָּכֶ֗ם אָמַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וּמִנְחָ֖ה לֹֽא־אֶרְצֶ֥ה מִיֶּדְכֶֽם:
O that there were even one among you that would close the doors. If only a good man would arise among you who would close the doors of My sanctuary so as not to allow this abominable sacrifice there.		מי גם בכם ויסגור דלתים. הלואי ויקום איש טוב בכם שיסגור דלתי מקדשי לבלתי הביא שם קרבן מתועבה הזאת:
and that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain. with fire offerings with which I am not placated, for I have no desire in you. And our Sages expounded in Torath Kohanim (7:154): If a person says to his friend, “Close this door for me,” he does not demand compensation for it; [or if he says,] “Light this candle for me,” he does not request compensation for it. But you - who is there among you who closed My doors, gratis? Neither did you kindle fire on My altar gratis. Surely, things that are customarily done for compensation you did not do gratis. Therefore, I have no desire in you.		ולא תאירו מזבחי חנם. באישים שאיני מתרצה בהם שהרי אין לי חפץ בכם ורבותינו דרשו בתורת כהנים אדם אומר לחבירו הגף לי את הדלת הזו אין תובע עליה שכר הדליק לי את הנר הזה אין שואל עליה שכר ואתם מי בכם שסגר דלתי חנם ולא הארתם מזבחי חנם ק"ו שלא עשיתם חנם דברים שדרכן לעשותן בשכר לפיכך אין לי חפץ בכם:
11For, from the rising of the sun until its setting, My Name is great among the nations, and everywhere offerings are burnt and offered up to My Name; yea, a pure oblation, for My Name is great among the nations, says the Lord of Hosts.		יאכִּ֣י מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁ֜מֶשׁ וְעַד־מְבוֹא֗וֹ גָּד֚וֹל שְׁמִי֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם וּבְכָל־מָק֗וֹם מֻקְטָ֥ר מֻגָּ֛שׁ לִשְׁמִ֖י וּמִנְחָ֣ה טְהוֹרָ֑ה כִּֽי־גָד֚וֹל שְׁמִי֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת:
My Name is great among the nations. Our Sages stated (Men. 110a): For they call Him the God of the gods. Even one who has an idol knows that He is the God Who is over all of them - and everywhere they donate in My Name. Our Sages, however, explained: These are the Torah scholars who are engaged in the laws of the Temple service everywhere, and likewise, every prayer of Israel that they pray anywhere is to Me as a pure oblation. And so did Jonathan paraphrase: And every time that you do My will, I accept your prayer, and My great Name is sanctified through you, and your prayer is like a pure offering before Me. This is the explanation of the verse: Now why do you profane My Name? Is it not great among the nations? As for Me, My love and My affection are upon you wherever you pray before Me, and even in exile, [offerings are] burnt and offered up to My Name.		גדול שמי בגוים. אמרו רבותינו דקרו לי' אלהא דאלהיא אפילו מי שיש לו עכו"ם יודע (שיש אלוה) שהוא על כולם ובכל מקום מתנדבים לשמי אף העכו"ם ורבותינו פירשו אלו תלמידי חכמים העוסקים בהלכות עבודה בכל מקום וכן כל תפלות ישראל שמתפללין בכל מקום הרי הן לי כמנחה טהורה וכן תרגם יונתן וכל עידן דאתון עבדין רעותי אני מקבל צלותכון ושמי רבא מתקדש על ידיכון וצלותכן כקרבן דכי קדמי וכן פירש המקרא ולמה אתם מחללין שמי והלא גדול הוא בגוים ואני אהבתי וחיבתי עליכם שבכל מקום שאתם מתפללין לפני ואף בגולה מוקטר ומוגש הוא לשמי:
yea, a pure oblation. it is to Me, for through you My Name is feared among the nations. Yet you profane Me and My Name.		ומנחה טהורה. הוא לי כי על ידכם שמי נורא בגוים ואתם מחללין אותי ואת שמי:
12But you are profaning it by your saying, "The Lord's table is defiled"; and its expression is "Its food is contemptible."		יבוְאַתֶּ֖ם מְחַלְּלִ֣ים אֹת֑וֹ בֶּֽאֱמָרְכֶ֗ם שֻׁלְחַ֚ן אֲדֹנָי֙ מְגֹאָ֣ל ה֔וּא וְנִיב֖וֹ נִבְזֶ֥ה אָכְלֽוֹ:
and its expression is “Its food is contemptible.”. The expression of the altar that is fluent on your lips is always, “Its food is contemptible”; that [is all] you say about it. You have already spread this slander, and you have strongly attached this expression to My altar.		וניבו נבזה אכלו. ניבו של מזבח השגור בשפתותיכ' זהו תמיד נבזה אכלו אתם אומרי' עליו כלומ' כבר הוצאת' עליו דבה זו וניב זה החזקתם למזבחי:
its food. its food.		אכלו. מאכלו:
13And you say, "Here is a weary one," and you cause it pain, says the Lord of Hosts. And you brought that which was taken by violence, and the lame and the sick. And you bring an offering-will I accept it from your hand? says the Lord.		יגוַֽאֲמַרְתֶּם֩ הִנֵּ֨ה מַתְּלָאָ֜ה וְהִפַּחְתֶּ֣ם אוֹת֗וֹ אָמַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וַֽהֲבֵאתֶ֣ם גָּז֗וּל וְאֶת־הַפִּסֵּ֙חַ֙ וְאֶת־הַ֣חוֹלֶ֔ה וַֽהֲבֵאתֶ֖ם אֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֑ה הַֽאֶרְצֶ֥ה אוֹתָ֛הּ מִיֶּדְכֶ֖ם אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה:
And you say, “Here is a weary one”. An emaciated animal, and we are poor and cannot afford the choicest for [our] vows. So did Jonathan render: This is what we have brought from our toil.		ואמרתם הנה מתלאה. בהמה כחושה ואנו עניים ואין יכולת להשיג למבחר נדרים וכן ת"י הא דאייתינא מליאותנא:
and you cause it pain. This is one of the eighteen words [in all of Scripture known as] the emendations of the scribes.		והפחתם אותו. זו אחת מי"ח תיבות של תיקון סופרי':
and you cause it pain. should have been written: אוֹתִי, and you cause Me pain. Scripture, however, euphemized, writing אוֹתוֹ it. and you cause pain, an expression of despair (Job 11:20).		והפחתם אותו. אותי נכתב אלא שכינה הכתוב וכתבו אותו. והפחתם והדאבת' לשון מפח נפש (איוב י"א):
it. My table.		אותי. ואת שולחני:
14And cursed is he who deals craftily; although there is a ram in his flock, he vows and sacrifices a blemished one. For I am a great King, says the Lord of Hosts, and My Name is feared among the nations.		ידוְאָר֣וּר נוֹכֵ֗ל וְיֵ֚שׁ בְּעֶדְרוֹ֙ זָכָ֔ר וְנֹדֵ֛ר וְזֹבֵ֥חַ מָשְׁחָ֖ת לַֽאדֹנָ֑י כִּי֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ גָּד֜וֹל אָ֗נִי אָמַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וּשְׁמִ֖י נוֹרָ֥א בַגּוֹיִֽם:
he who deals craftily. Plots deceitfully, with guile, before Me, saying, “I have none better than this. ”		נוכל. מתנכל במרמה בדברי שקר לפני לאמר אין לי טובה מזו:
a ram. a ram fit for a burnt offering; and he vows and sacrifices.		ויש בעדרו זכר. איל ההגון לעולה והוא נודר זבח:
a blemished one. as in (Lev. 22:25), “their corruption is in them; a blemish is in them.”		משחת. בעל מום כמו (ויקרא כ"ב) משחתם בהם:

Malachi Chapter 2

1And now, to you is this commandment, O priests.		אוְעַתָּ֗ה אֲלֵיכֶ֛ם הַמִּצְוָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את הַכֹּֽהֲנִֽים:
to you, etc., O priests. I charge you with this commandment, that you shall not sacrifice these on My altar.		אליכם. הכהנים אני מצוה המצוה הזאת שלא תקריבו אלה על מזבחי:
2If you do not heed, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My Name, says the Lord of Hosts, I will send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Indeed I have [already] cursed it, for you do not take it to heart.		באִם־לֹ֣א תִשְׁמְע֡וּ וְאִם־לֹא֩ תָשִׂ֨ימוּ עַל־לֵ֜ב לָתֵ֧ת כָּב֣וֹד לִשְׁמִ֗י אָמַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֚י בָכֶם֙ אֶת־הַמְּאֵרָ֔ה וְאָֽרוֹתִ֖י אֶת־בִּרְכֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וְגַם֙ אָרוֹתִ֔יהָ כִּ֥י אֵֽינְכֶ֖ם שָׂמִ֥ים עַל־לֵֽב:
and I will curse. And I will curse your blessings; how I should bless the grain, the wine, and the oil for you.		וארותי. וקללתי את ברכותיכם מה שצריך לברך לכם הדגן והתירוש והיצהר:
Indeed I have [already] cursed it. Indeed, it is unnecessary to have the matter depend on the condition upon which I made it depend: if they do not obey. For I know that you will not obey. Therefore, I have already cursed it - from now.		וגם ארותיה. ובאמת אין לתלות הדבר על תנאי שתליתי באם לא ישמע כי ידעתי שלא תשמעו לפיכך אני מעתה ארותיה:
3Behold! I rebuke the seed because of you, and I will scatter dung upon your face-the dung of your festive sacrifices, and it shall take you to itself.		גהִֽנְנִ֨י גֹעֵ֚ר לָכֶם֙ אֶת־הַזֶּ֔רַע וְזֵרִ֚יתִי פֶ֙רֶשׁ֙ עַל־פְּנֵיכֶ֔ם פֶּ֖רֶשׁ חַגֵּיכֶ֑ם וְנָשָׂ֥א אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֵלָֽיו:
and I will scatter dung. of the animals of your festive sacrifices; that is to say, you will not receive reward from Me, but [you will receive a curse] for harm and shame. And I will rebuke the seed of the field because of you.		וזריתי פרש. של בהמות חגיכם על פניכם כלומ' לא תקבלו שכר מאתי כי אם לרעה לבושת ואגעור לכם את זרע השדה:
and it shall take you to itself. The dung of your sacrificial animals will take you to itself to [make you] cheap and despised, as it is.		ונשא אתכם אליו. פרש בהמות קרבנותיכם ישאו אתכם אליו להיות זוללים ונבזים כמוהו:
4And you shall know that I have sent you this commandment, that My covenant be with Levi, says the Lord of Hosts.		דוִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּי שִׁלַּ֣חְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את לִֽהְי֚וֹת בְּרִיתִי֙ אֶת־לֵוִ֔י אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת:
that My covenant be with Levi. for I wish that you will exist with Me with the covenant that I formed for the tribe of Levi.		להיות בריתי את לוי. שאני חפץ שתתקיימו (אתי) בברי' שכרתי לשבט לוי:
5My covenant was with him, life and peace, and I gave them to him [with] fear; and he feared Me, and because of My Name, he was over-awed.		הבְּרִיתִ֣י \| הָֽיְתָ֣ה אִתּ֗וֹ הַֽחַיִּים֙ וְהַשָּׁל֔וֹם וָֽאֶתְּנֵם־ל֥וֹ מוֹרָ֖א וַיִּֽירָאֵ֑נִי וּמִפְּנֵ֥י שְׁמִ֖י נִחַ֥ת הֽוּא:
life and peace. As it was said to Phinehas (Num. 25:12): “My covenant of peace;” and it was promised to him and to his seed after him, thus indicating that his seed will be alive.		החיים והשלום. שנאמר לפנחס את בריתי שלום (במדב' כ"ה) והובטח לו ולזרעו אחריו הרי שיהא זרעו בחיים:
and I gave them to him. that he accept them with fear, and so he did, and he feared Me.		ואתנם לו. שיקבלם במורא וכן עשה וייראני:
he was over-awed. an expression of חִתַּת, fear; he was afraid.		נחת. לשון חתת נתירא:
6True teaching was in his mouth, and injustice was not found on his lips. In peace and equity he went with Me, and he brought back many from iniquity.		ותּוֹרַ֚ת אֱמֶת֙ הָֽיְתָ֣ה בְּפִ֔יהוּ וְעַוְלָ֖ה לֹֽא־נִמְצָ֣א בִשְׂפָתָ֑יו בְּשָׁל֚וֹם וּבְמִישׁוֹר֙ הָלַ֣ךְ אִתִּ֔י וְרַבִּ֖ים הֵשִׁ֥יב מֵֽעָו‍ֹֽן:
In peace and equity he went with Me. Aaron, Eleazar, and Phinehas and so in the episode of the calf, they brought back all their tribe from iniquity, as it is said (Ex. 32:26), “all the children of Levi gathered to him.”		בשלום ובמישור הלך אתי. אהרן ואלעזר ופנחס וכן במעשה העגל השיבו כל שבטיהם מעון שנאמר ויאספו אליו כל בני לוי (שמות ל״ב:כ״ו):
7For a priest's lips shall guard knowledge, and teaching should be sought from his mouth, for he is a messenger of the Lord of Hosts.		זכִּֽי־שִׂפְתֵ֚י כֹהֵן֙ יִשְׁמְרוּ־דַ֔עַת וְתוֹרָ֖ה יְבַקְשׁ֣וּ מִפִּ֑יהוּ כִּ֛י מַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהֹוָֽה־צְבָא֖וֹת הֽוּא:
For a priest’s lips. It is incumbent upon them to guard knowledge. Why? Because…		כי שפתי כהן. עליהם מוטל לשמור דעת למה שהרי :
teaching should be sought from his mouth. This matter has already (Deut. 33:10) been delivered to them.“They shall teach Your judgments to Jacob.”		תורה יבקשו מפיהו. שכבר דבר זה מסור להם יורו משפטיך ליעקב (דברים ל״ג:י׳):
for he is a messenger. the agent of the Holy One, blessed be He; like the ministering angels, to serve Him and to enter into His compartment. [I.e., into the place where God’s presence is manifest.]		כי מלאך. שלוחו של הקב"ה כמלאכי השרת לשרת לפניו וליכנס לפנים במחיצתו:

Translation of Chumash and Rashi courtesy Chabad House Publications’ forthcoming English Chumash with an annotated translation of Rashi based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, published by Kehot Publications Society. Translated and adapted by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky, Editor-in-Chief. Rabbi Chaim N. Cunin, Director and General Editor.

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