Info Center > Scripture Lesson >
Chabad.org Chapter 27
5But Rebecca overheard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son, and Esau went to the field to hunt game, to bring [it].   הוְרִבְקָ֣ה שֹׁמַ֔עַת בְּדַבֵּ֣ר יִצְחָ֔ק אֶל־עֵשָׂ֖ו בְּנ֑וֹ וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ עֵשָׂו֙ הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה לָצ֥וּד צַ֖יִד לְהָבִֽיא:
to hunt game, to bring: What is the meaning of“to bring” ? If he would not find game, he intended to bring [meat] from stolen [animals]. - [from Gen. Rabbah 65:13]   לצוד ציד להביא: ×ž×”ו להביא, אם לא ימצא ציד יביא מן הגזל:
6And Rebecca said to Jacob her son, saying, "Behold I have heard your father speaking to Esau your brother, saying,   ווְרִבְקָה֙ אָ֣מְרָ֔ה אֶל־יַֽעֲקֹ֥ב בְּנָ֖הּ לֵאמֹ֑ר הִנֵּ֤ה שָׁמַ֨עְתִּי֙ אֶת־אָבִ֔יךָ מְדַבֵּ֛ר אֶל־עֵשָׂ֥ו אָחִ֖יךָ לֵאמֹֽר:
7'Bring me game and make me tasty foods, and I will eat, and I will bless you before the Lord before my death.'   זהָבִ֨יאָה לִּ֥י צַ֛יִד וַֽעֲשֵׂה־לִ֥י מַטְעַמִּ֖ים וְאֹכֵ֑לָה וַֽאֲבָֽרֶכְכָ֛ה לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י מוֹתִֽי:
before the Lord: with His consent, that He will approve of what I do.   לפני ×”': ×‘רשותו שיסכים על ידי:
8And now my son, hearken to my voice, to what I am commanding you.   חוְעַתָּ֥ה בְנִ֖י שְׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹלִ֑י לַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י מְצַוָּ֥ה אֹתָֽךְ:
9Go now to the flock, and take for me from there two choice kids, and I will make them tasty foods for your father, as he likes.   טלֶךְ־נָא֙ אֶל־הַצֹּ֔אן וְקַח־לִ֣י מִשָּׁ֗ם שְׁנֵ֛י גְּדָיֵ֥י עִזִּ֖ים טֹבִ֑ים וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂ֨ה אֹתָ֧ם מַטְעַמִּ֛ים לְאָבִ֖יךָ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָהֵֽב:
and take for me: [“לִי” indicates that] they are mine, and they are not stolen, because so had Isaac written for her in her marriage contract, that she might take two kids every day (Gen. Rabbah 65:14).   וקח לי: ×ž×©×œ×™ הם ואינם גזל, שכך כתב לה יצחק בכתובתה ליטול שני גדיי עזים בכל יום:
two choice kids: Now did Isaac’s menu consist of two kids? But [the explanation is that] he sacrificed one as a Paschal offering, and one he made into tasty foods. [This is found] in Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer (ch. 32).   שני גדיי עזים: ×•×›×™ שני גדיי עזים ×”×™×” מאכלו של יצחק, אלא האחד הקריב לפסחו והאחד עשה מטעמים. בפרקי דרבי אליעזר (פרק לב):
as he likes: for the taste of a kid is like the taste of a deer.   כאשר אהב: ×›×™ טעם הגדי כטעם הצבי:

10And you shall bring [them] to your father that he may eat, in order that he bless you before his death."

 

  

יוְהֵֽבֵאתָ֥ לְאָבִ֖יךָ וְאָכָ֑ל בַּֽעֲבֻ֛ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְבָֽרֶכְךָ֖ לִפְנֵ֥י מוֹתֽוֹ:

 

 

 

18And he came to his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am. Who are you, my son?"

 

יחוַיָּבֹ֥א אֶל־אָבִ֖יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אָבִ֑י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הִנֶּ֔נִּי מִ֥י אַתָּ֖ה בְּנִֽי:

19And Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you have spoken to me. Please rise, sit down and eat of my game, so that your soul will bless me."

 

יטוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹ֜ב אֶל־אָבִ֗יו אָֽנֹכִי֙ עֵשָׂ֣ו בְּכֹרֶ֔ךָ עָשִׂ֕יתִי כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ אֵלָ֑י קֽוּם־נָ֣א שְׁבָ֗ה וְאָכְלָה֙ מִצֵּידִ֔י בַּֽעֲב֖וּר תְּבָֽרֲכַ֥נִּי נַפְשֶֽׁךָ:

I am…Esau…your firstborn: [He meant]: I am the one who is bringing you [food] and Esau is your firstborn. [From Tanchuma Buber]

 

אנכי עשו בכורך: אנכי המביא לך, ועשו הוא בכורך:

I have done: many things, as you have spoken to me.

 

עשיתי: כמה דברים כאשר דברת אלי:

sit down: Heb. שְׁבָה, an expression of sitting around the table [at a meal]. Therefore, it is rendered [by Onkelos] אִסְתְּחַר.

 

שבה: לשון מיסב על השלחן, לכך מתורגם אסתחר:

20And Isaac said to his son, "How is it that you have found [it] so quickly, my son?" And he said, "Because the Lord your God prepared it before me."

 

כוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יִצְחָק֙ אֶל־בְּנ֔וֹ מַה־זֶּ֛ה מִהַ֥רְתָּ לִמְצֹ֖א בְּנִ֑י וַיֹּ֕אמֶר כִּ֥י הִקְרָ֛ה יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לְפָנָֽי:

21And Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come closer, so that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not."

 

כאוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יִצְחָק֙ אֶל־יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב גְּשָׁה־נָּ֥א וַֽאֲמֻֽשְׁךָ֖ בְּנִ֑י הַֽאַתָּ֥ה זֶ֛ה בְּנִ֥י עֵשָׂ֖ו אִם־לֹֽא:

Please come closer, so that I may feel you: Isaac said to himself, “Esau does not usually mention the name of Heaven with frequency, but this one said: ‘Because the Lord your God prepared it….’” [from Gen. Rabbah 65:19]

 

גשה נא ואמשך: אמר יצחק בלבו אין דרך עשו להיות שם שמים שגור בפיו, וזה אמר (פסוק כ) כי הקרה ה' אלהיך:

22So Jacob drew near to Isaac his father, and he felt him, and he 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:

the voice of Jacob: who speaks entreatingly: “Please rise,” but Esau spoke harshly, “Let my father arise!” [From Tanchuma Buber, Toledoth 15]

 

קול יעקב: שמדבר בלשון תחנונים (פסוק יט) קום נא, אבל עשו בלשון קנטוריא דבר (פסוק לא) יקום אבי:

23And he did not recognize him because his hands were hairy like the hands of his brother Esau, and he blessed him.

 

כגוְלֹ֣א הִכִּיר֔וֹ כִּֽי־הָי֣וּ יָדָ֗יו כִּידֵ֛י עֵשָׂ֥ו אָחִ֖יו שְׂעִרֹ֑ת וַיְבָֽרֲכֵֽהוּ:

24And he said, "Are you [indeed] my son Esau?" And he said, "I am."

 

כדוַיֹּ֕אמֶר אַתָּ֥ה זֶ֖ה בְּנִ֣י עֵשָׂ֑ו וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אָֽנִי:

And he said, “I am.”: He did not say, “I am Esau,” but “I am.” [From Num. Rabbah 10:6]

 

ויאמר אני: לא אמר אני עשו אלא אני:

25And he said, "Serve [it] to me that I may eat of the game of my son, so that my soul will bless you." And he 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:

26And his father Isaac said to him, "Please come closer and kiss me, my son."

 

כווַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו יִצְחָ֣ק אָבִ֑יו גְּשָׁה־נָּ֥א וּֽשֲׁקָה־לִּ֖י בְּנִֽי:

27And he came closer, and he kissed him, and he smelled the fragrance of his garments, and he blessed him, and he said, "Behold, the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field, which the Lord has blessed!

 

כזוַיִּגַּשׁ֙ וַיִּשַּׁק־ל֔וֹ וַיָּ֛רַח אֶת־רֵ֥יחַ בְּגָדָ֖יו וַיְבָֽרֲכֵ֑הוּ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר רְאֵה֙ רֵ֣יחַ בְּנִ֔י כְּרֵ֣יחַ שָׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בֵּֽרֲכ֖וֹ יְהֹוָֽה:

and he smelled, etc.: Is it not so that there is no odor more offensive than that of washed goat skins? But this teaches us that the fragrance of the Garden of Eden entered with him. [From Tanchuma Buber 16]

 

וירח וגו': והלא אין ריח רע יותר משטף העזים, אלא מלמד שנכנסה עמו ריח גן עדן:

is like the fragrance of a field, which the Lord has blessed: for He gave it a pleasant fragrance, and this is a field of apples. So did our Sages explain it. [From Ta’anith 29b]

 

כריח שדה אשר ברכו ה': שנתן בו ריח טוב, וזה שדה תפוחים, כן דרשו רבותינו ז"ל:

28And may the Lord give you of the dew of the heavens and [of] the fatness of the earth and an abundance of grain and wine.

 

כחוְיִתֶּן־לְךָ֙ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים מִטַּ֨ל הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּמִשְׁמַנֵּ֖י הָאָ֑רֶץ וְרֹ֥ב דָּגָ֖ן וְתִירֽשׁ:

And may the Lord give you: May He give and repeatedly give (444 Gen. Rabbah 66:3). According to its simple meaning, it refers back to the previous topic: “Look, the fragrance of my son” which God has given him, “is like the fragrance of a field, etc.,” and furthermore,“May He give you of the dew of the heavens, etc.”

 

ויתן לך: יתן ויחזור ויתן. ולפי פשוטו מוסב לענין הראשון ראה ריח בני, שנתן לו הקב"ה, כריח שדה וגו' ועוד יתן לך מטל השמים וגו':

of the dew of the heavens: [It is to be interpreted] according to its simple meaning, and there are Midrashic interpretations of many kinds. (Another explanation: What is the meaning of הָאֱלֹהִים [I.e., why is the Divine Name which signifies God’s attribute of Justice used here? To teach that He will treat you] with justice. If you deserve it, He will give to you, and if not, He will not give to you. But to Esau he said, “The fat places of the earth shall be your dwelling place.” Whether righteous or wicked, He will give to you. And from him [Isaac], Solomon learned; when he built the Temple, he arranged his prayer, [saying that] an Israelite, who has faith and justifies the Divine decree upon himself, will not complain about You; therefore (I Kings 8:39): “and give to every man [Israelite] according to his ways,” for You know what is in his heart. But a gentile lacks faith; therefore [Solomon] said (ibid. verse 43): “You shall hear in heaven, etc., and do according to all that the stranger calls upon You for,” i.e., whether he is deserving or undeserving, give to him, so that he should not complain about You. [This is found] in an old and correct edition of Rashi .) [From Tanchuma Buber, Toledoth 14]

 

מטל השמים: כמשמעו, ומדרש אגדה יש להרבה פנים:

29Nations shall serve you and kingdoms shall bow down to you; you shall be a master over your brothers, and your mother's sons shall bow down to you. Those who curse you shall be cursed, and those who bless you shall be blessed."

 

כטיַֽעַבְד֣וּךָ עַמִּ֗ים וְיִשְׁתַּֽחֲו֤וּ (כתיב וישתחו) לְךָ֙ לְאֻמִּ֔ים הֱוֵ֤ה גְבִיר֙ לְאַחֶ֔יךָ וְיִשְׁתַּֽחֲו֥וּ לְ֖ךָ בְּנֵ֣י אִמֶּ֑ךָ אֹֽרֲרֶ֣יךָ אָר֔וּר וּמְבָֽרֲכֶ֖יךָ בָּרֽוּךְ:

your mother’s sons: But Jacob said to Judah, “your father’s sons” because he [Jacob] had sons from many mothers, but here, since he [Isaac] had married only one wife, he said, “your mother’s sons” (Gen. Rabbah 66:4).

 

בני אמך: ויעקב אמר ליהודה (להלן מט ח) בני אביך, לפי שהיו לו בנים מכמה אמהות, וכאן שלא נשא אלא אשה אחת אמר בני אמך:

Those who curse you shall be cursed, and those who bless you shall be blessed: But concerning Balaam, Scripture says (Num. 24:9):“Those who bless you shall be blessed, and those who curse you shall be cursed” (Gen. Rabbah ibid.). [The reason for this is that, for] the righteous-their beginning is suffering and their end is tranquillity; and thus, those who curse them and cause them pain precede those who bless them. Isaac therefore mentioned the curse of those who curse before the blessing of those who bless. As for the wicked, however, their beginning is tranquillity, and their end is suffering; Balaam, therefore, mentioned the blessing before the curse. [From Gen. Rabbah 66:4]

 

ארריך ארור ומברכיך ברוך: ובבלעם הוא אומר (במדבר כד ט) מברכיך ברוך ואורריך ארור. הצדיקים תחלתם יסורים וסופן שלוה, ואורריהם ומצעריהם קודמים למברכיהם, לפיכך יצחק הקדים קללת אוררים לברכת מברכים. והרשעים תחלתן שלוה וסופן יסורין, לפיכך בלעם הקדים ברכה לקללה:

30And it came to pass, when Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and it came to pass Jacob had just left his father Isaac's presence, that his brother Esau came from his hunt.

 

לוַיְהִ֗י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר כִּלָּ֣ה יִצְחָק֘ לְבָרֵ֣ךְ אֶת־יַֽעֲקֹב֒ וַיְהִ֗י אַ֣ךְ יָצֹ֤א יָצָא֙ יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב מֵאֵ֥ת פְּנֵ֖י יִצְחָ֣ק אָבִ֑יו וְעֵשָׂ֣ו אָחִ֔יו בָּ֖א מִצֵּידֽוֹ: