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25:28  וַיֶּאֱהַב יִצְחָק אֶת-עֵשָׂו, כִּי-צַיִד בְּפִיו.  Rashi on the Posuk explains a Medrash (בפיו: כתרגומו בפיו של יצחק. ומדרשו בפיו של עשו שהיה צד אותו ומרמהו בדבריו) that with his “mouth” Eisav would entrap his father Yitzchok and trick him with words. How can it be that Yitzchok didn’t understand who Eisav was?

 

There is a Chazal on the Posuk in 27:1 that says, “וַתִּכְהֶיןָ עֵינָיו מֵרְאֹת” (Yitchok’s eyesight faded and he couldn’t see). This Chazal is found in Rashi on this Posuk in the Davar Acher, that “כדי שיטול יעקב את הברכות” (To enable Yaakov to receive the blessings.) In Poshut P’shat, Yaakov was only able to fool Yitzchok because he was blind. Perhaps on a deeper level, the whole incident that Yitzchok became blind was in order that Yaakov would receive the B’rachos. The B’rachos came about B’derech Mirmah in a way that B’Poiel it was a B’racha to Yaakov, however, B’kavanah, it was a B’racha to Eisav. For that reason L’doirois, Klal Yisroel has this type of a B’racha, where Kol Zman Klal Yisroel is B’Poiel doing the things they have to do, Hakodoish Boruch Hu deals with us B’Poiel. Conversely, Kol Zman Klal Yisroel Chas Vasholom doesn’t follow the correct path, so then Loi Aleinu, we are lacking the B’racha. The plan Min Hashomayim was that the B’racha should come in a certain way, and therefore, the entire episode happened, that Yitchok became blind. M’meila, Rav Pam would add, it was the along the same lines that made it a possibility that Yitchok couldn’t see Eisav for what he really was, and thought that Eisav was a Tzadik. This all happened so that Min Hashomayim the B’rachos could come about B’derech Mirmah.

 

What is beautiful about this, is that it answers what would have been an obvious problem. After Yaakov gets the B’rachos and he leaves, Eisav comes in. The Posuk says in 27:33, “וַיֶּחֱרַד יִצְחָק חֲרָדָה, גְּדֹלָה עַד-מְאֹד” (Yitchok was seized with a powerful trembling.) Why did Yitchok have this trembling?

 

Rashi explains on this Posuk, “ראה גיהנם פתוחה מתחתיו” (he saw Gehinnom open beneath him.) Eisav came into Yitchok many times, so why was it all of a sudden now that Yitchok saw Gehinnom enter with Eisav?

 

Loit what Rav Pam is saying, it is Moiradik M’duyik. All along, Eisav’s true nature was hidden from Yitchok so that the B’rachos could end up by Yaakov. V’ha Raya, the very first time that Eisav walks in after Yaakov had received the B’rachos, Yitzchok sees Gehinnom open underneath Eisav. This is one idea that Rav Pam used to mention very often.

 

28:9  וַיֵּלֶךְ עֵשָׂו, אֶל-יִשְׁמָעֵאל; וַיִּקַּח אֶת-מָחֲלַת בַּת-יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן-אַבְרָהָם אֲחוֹת נְבָיוֹת, עַל-נָשָׁיו–לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה. There are 2 versions in different Chumashim of the Nikudois under the word Mochalas (or Machalas). Rav Pam would say this is Talui in how we read the name Bosmas Bas Yishmael in Parshas Vayishlach, 36:3 (וְאֶת-בָּשְׂמַת בַּת-יִשְׁמָעֵאל, אֲחוֹת נְבָיוֹת). However, was she called Mochalas or Machalas. Why?

 

Either we learn from here that a Choson is Moichal Al Kol Avoinoisav, from Mochalas which is like Mechilah. That even a person who is steeped in Aveirois like Eisav, would be absolved of all Aveirois. Or, another P’shat is, Machlah, disease. The wives of Eisav caused much Tzar to his parents like a disease. So Mochalas is for the Moichel P’shat and Machalas is for the Machlah P’shat. Since the Aliyah happens for the Shevi’i Aliyah and the Maftir Aliyah, Rav Pam instructed the Ba’al Korei to lain it once each way to be Yoitzei both P’shotim.

 

It says in 25:34, “וַיִּבֶז עֵשָׂו, אֶת-הַבְּכֹרָה” (that Eisav scorned the birthright). It is a B’zoiyoin that Eisav sold the B’choirah for a little bit of food. However, Chazal tell us, as brought down by Rashi in 25:32, (הנה אנכי הולך למות: (מתנודדת והולכת היא הבכורה שלא תהא כל עת העבודה בבכורות כי שבט לוי יטול אותה ועוד) אמר עשו מה טיבה של עבודה זו, אמר לו כמה אזהרות ועונשין ומיתות תלוין בה, כאותה ששנינו אלו הן שבמיתה שתויי יין, ופרועי ראש. אמר אני הולך למות על ידה, אם כן מה חפץ לי בה) those performing the Avoidah who drank wine are Chayov Misah. Eisav said אני הולך למות על ידה, אם כן מה חפץ לי בה, (I will eventually die as a result of the B’choirah, if so, why should I desire it). So therefore, he sold the B’choirah. Why is that וַיִּבֶז עֵשָׂו, אֶת-הַבְּכֹרָה? He sold it because he felt unworthy of it?

 

The answer has to do with an idea, Maasim Moichichim Zeh Es Zeh. Sometimes you can judge what a person is doing, by looking at other things that he does. Like here, Eisav had just returned from doing battle with Nimroid over some B’godim so that he could have the honor of being the strongest warrior in the world. Not everyone is guaranteed to survive a battle with Nimroid. It was a great risk to do battle with him. For honor, Eisav was willing to put his life at risk. So for other things Eisav was willing to die. So he couldn’t Taina that he was unworthy of performing the Avoidah in the Beis Hamikdash because he might die.

 

Another example is found in Parshas Ki Sisa, 32:9, “וְהִנֵּה עַם-קְשֵׁה-עֹרֶף הוּא, (Posuk Yud) וְעַתָּה הַנִּיחָה לִּי, וְיִחַר-אַפִּי בָהֶם וַאֲכַלֵּם” (And behold they are a stiff necked people. Now leave me alone and my wrath will blaze against them and destroy them.) In 34:9 it says, “כִּי עַם-קְשֵׁה-עֹרֶף הוּא, וְסָלַחְתָּ לַעֲו‍ֹנֵנוּ וּלְחַטָּאתֵנוּ וּנְחַלְתָּנוּ” (although it is a stiff necked people, pardon our iniquity and our sins, and take us as your own possession). It is a P’liyah, Hashem wants to destroy us because we are an עַם-קְשֵׁה-עֹרֶף, so Moshe Rabbeinu’s Taina back to Hashem 2 Perokim later is save us because we are an עַם-קְשֵׁה-עֹרֶף?

 

Klal Yisroel uses the Midah of עַם-קְשֵׁה-עֹרֶף  for good as well as bad. So even though Hakodoish Baruch Hu was unhappy with Klal Yisroel this one time, overall, the Midah of עַם-קְשֵׁה-עֹרֶף  is a good package.

 

They say over from the Gerrer Rebbe, why is the third meal on Shabbos called Sholosh Seudos, it should be Seudas Shlishis? The Gerrer Rebbe said, every day a person eats 2 meals. So you don’t know if those 2 meals are for K’void Shabbos or not, however, when you eat the 3rd meal, that is obviously for K’void Shabbos and it is Maasim Moichichim Zeh Es Zeh that the other 2 meals were eaten for K’void Shabbos. So the whole Chashivus of Sholosh Seudas on Shabbos lies in the 3rd Seudah that a person has on Shabbos. We eat many times not for Sheim Shomayim. When it comes to Mitzvois, we really have to be careful to be Zahir not to be cheap on our eating. Many people when it comes to Sholosh Seudos are Yoitzei with Mezoinois or Peirus. Is that the way we eat when it is for our own pleasure?

 

For our own pleasure we go out of the way for the best type of foods. So when there is a Mitzvah of Hakadosh Baruch Hu to eat, we have to eat properly. Maybe that is why when it comes to being Yoitzei a K’zayis, we try to be Yoizei all the Shitois. If there is a snowstorm and a person doesn’t go to Minyan because it is hard to go out, he shouldn’t go out later to play in the snow with his kids. The idea is to be consistent. This was the failure of Eisav, Vayivez Es Habichoira.

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