“[Yitzchak] did not recognize [Yaakov] because [Yaakov’s] arms were as hairy as his brother Esav’s …” (Genesis 27:23).
The age-old question: How did Yitzchak Avinu (our Patriarch) err in thinking that Esav was worthy of a great blessing? Even if we grant that Esav fooled him into believing he was a tzaddik, how could Yitzchak Avinu not know that Yaakov Avinu was a greater tzaddik? At the very least, shouldn’t he have intentionally blessed Yaakov Avinu first?
Reb Noson writes that Yitzchak Avinu was clearly aware of his sons’ unique talents. Yaakov Avinu was more spiritual—unassuming, meditative, studious. Esav, as his name* implies, was a doer, throwing himself into any and every sort of physical/material activity with gusto. Esav’s trickery aimed to convince Yitzchak Avinu that he was interested in the true goal of life—attaining daat (God-consciousness)—and that he loved those who pursued daat.
In fact, Esav was well-suited to involvement in the material. Had he wanted, he could have been a vehicle for holiness. But there was one necessary ingredient: he had to love his brother, Yaakov. Esav was meant to support Yaakov Avinu, much like Zevulun supported Yissakhar, by toiling to bring home a livelihood to share with his brother.
This, writes Reb Noson, is the purpose of Jewish “ordinary folk”—those who aren’t fully immersed in Torah study and prayer. They should dedicate their energies to making a livelihood and supporting talmidei chakhamim (Torah scholars), so the latter can fully devote themselves to Torah and prayer.
So although Yitzchak Avinu was extremely intelligent and wise, Esav was the son of Yitzchak and Rivkah and the nephew of the maestro of chicanery, Lavan. Esav devised a plan to deceive his father. He feigned generosity in matters relating to food. As Rebbe Nachman teaches, longing for God can increase tremendously through eating—if done with proper intention—and through giving charity. When Esav provided his father with food, Yitzchak Avinu thought Esav was advancing the pursuit of daat. In reality, Esav was manipulating his father to secure material wealth.
He would have succeeded if not for our matriarch, Rivkah. She knew he was a scoundrel and persuaded Yaakov Avinu to use some trickery of his own to secure the blessings. Why was the trickery necessary? Brace yourself for the answer.
At his core, a Jew is extremely distant from material livelihood. That’s right. Had Yaakov Avinu approached as himself to request material prosperity, Yitzchak Avinu would have refused: “You shouldn’t be thinking about money at all. Focus on Torah and prayer. Others will support you.” Because of their spiritual nature, Jews can only receive material blessings if they engage in some kosher sleight of hand. What might that be? “Rivkah took Esav’s, her older son’s, clothing … and dressed her younger son Yaakov in them” (Genesis 27:15).
You see, Yitzchak Avinu was ahead of his time. He envisioned a world already operating on his level of daat—with intense awareness of God’s presence and involvement in human affairs. However, humanity had not yet freed itself from the curses of the sin of the Tree of Knowledge. Instead of loving talmidei chakhamim, Esav and his ilk hated them and sought material success solely for personal gratification.
The time will come when every Jew will be fully dedicated to Torah and prayer, and livelihood will come effortlessly. Until then, we must sometimes disguise ourselves in those hairy, scratchy clothes to honestly earn what we need to sustain our true selves.
Based on Likutey Halakhot, Areiv 3:20–23
agutn Shabbos!
Shabbat Shalom!
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*From the root aseih, meaning “do” or “make.”
