בראשית רבה ס״זBereshit Rabbah 67

Section 1א׳

וַיֶּחֱרַד יִצְחָק חֲרָדָה גְדֹלָה (בראשית כז, לג), כְּתִיב (משלי כט, כה): חֶרְדַּת אָדָם יִתֵּן מוֹקֵשׁ וּבוֹטֵחַ בַּה' יְשֻׂגָּב, חֲרָדָה שֶׁחָרְדָה רוּת לְבֹעַז, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (רות ג, ח): וַיֶּחֱרַד הָאִישׁ וַיִּלָּפֵת. יִתֵּן מוֹקֵשׁ, בְּדִין הָיָה לְקַלְּלָהּ, אֶלָּא וּבוֹטֵחַ בַּה' יְשֻׂגָּב, נָתַן בְּלִבּוֹ וּבֵרְכָהּ, (רות ג, י): וַיֹּאמֶר בְּרוּכָה אַתְּ לַה' בִּתִּי. חֲרָדָה שֶׁהֶחֱרִיד יַעֲקֹב לְיִצְחָק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֶּחֱרַד יִצְחָק חֲרָדָה גְדֹלָה עַד מְֹאד. יִתֵּן מוֹקֵשׁ, בְּדִין הָיָה לְקַלְּלוֹ, אֶלָּא וּבוֹטֵחַ בַּה' יְשֻׂגָּב, שֶׁבֵּרְכוֹ וְאָמַר (בראשית כז, לג): גַּם בָּרוּךְ יִהְיֶה.

“Isaac was overcome with great trembling, and he said: Who then is he who hunted game, and brought it me, and I ate from all before you came, and I blessed him? Indeed, he shall be blessed” (Genesis 27:33). “Isaac was overcome with great trembling.” It is written: “A man’s trembling sets a snare, and one who trusts the Lord will be exalted” (Proverbs 29:25) – the trembling that Ruth caused Boaz, as it is stated: “He trembled and recoiled” (Ruth 3:8), “sets a snare” – by right he should have cursed her. However, “one who trusts the Lord will be exalted” – he considered it, and blessed her: “He said: May you be blessed to the Lord, my daughter” (Ruth 3:10). The trembling that Jacob caused Isaac, as it is stated: “Isaac was overcome with great trembling,” “sets a snare” – by right he should have cursed him. However, “one who trusts the Lord will be exalted” – he blessed him and said: “Indeed, he shall be blessed.”

Section 2ב׳

וַיֶּחֱרַד יִצְחָק חֲרָדָה גְדֹלָה עַד מְאֹד (בראשית כז, לג), אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא מְאֹד, מֵחֲרָדָה שֶׁחָרַד עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. אָמַר מִי הוּא זֶה שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה סַרְסוּר בֵּינִי לְבֵין הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁיִּטֹּל יַעֲקֹב אֶת הַבְּרָכוֹת, כְּלַפֵּי רִבְקָה אֲמָרוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ שְׁנֵי בָנִים אֶחָד יוֹצֵא וְאֶחָד נִכְנַס, חָרֵיד, אֶתְמְהָא, אֶלָּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנִּכְנַס עֵשָׂו אֵצֶל אָבִיו נִכְנְסָה עִמּוֹ גֵּיהִנֹּם. רַבִּי אֲחָא אָמַר הִתְחִילוּ כָּתְלֵי הַבַּיִת מַרְתִיתִים, הֲדָא הוּא דְהוּא אָמַר (בראשית כז, לג): מִי אֵפוֹא, מִי הוּא זֶה שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לֵיאָפוֹת כָּאן אֲנִי אוֹ בְנִי יַעֲקֹב. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא אַתְּ וְלֹא בִּנְךָ, אֶלָּא (בראשית כז, לג): הוּא הַצָּד צַיִד. הוּא הַצָּד צַיִד, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר שִׁמְעוֹן צַיָּדָא הֵיךְ צָדוּךְ, פָּכוֹר תַּרְעַיָּא הֵיךְ תַּרְעָךְ פָּכוּר וּמְקֻלְקָל, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי יב, כז): לֹא יַחֲרֹךְ רְמִיָּה צֵידוֹ, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי לֹא יְאַחֵר וְלֹא יַאֲרִיךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְרַמַּאי וּלְצֵידוֹ. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר מַהוּ לֹא יַחֲרֹךְ, לֹא יַאֲרִיךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְרַמַּאי וּלְצֵידוֹ, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי כָּל אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם הָיָה עֵשָׂו צָד צְבָאִים וְכוֹפְתָן וּמַלְאָךְ בָּא וּמַתִּירָן, וְעוֹפוֹת וּמְסַכְסְכָן, וּמַלְאָךְ בָּא וּמַפְרִיחָן. וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה (משלי יב, כז): וְהוֹן אָדָם יָקָר חָרוּץ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּבוֹא יַעֲקֹב שֶׁהוּא יְקָרוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם וְיִטֹּל אֶת הַבְּרָכוֹת, שֶׁמֵּעִקַּר הָעוֹלָם חֲרוּצוֹת לוֹ. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פַּפָּא שָׁאַל אֶת רַבִּי אַחָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ מַהוּ דִּכְתִיב: הוֹן אָדָם יָקָר חָרוּץ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ חֲרוּצָה הִיא בְּיַד הַצַּדִּיקִים, שֶׁאֵינָם נוֹטְלִים מִן יְקָרָם שֶׁל עָתִיד לָבוֹא בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. (בראשית כז, לג): וָאֹכַל מִכֹּל, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר מִכָּל מַה שֶּׁנִּבְרָא בְּשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אוֹמֵר מִכָּל טוּב שֶׁהוּא מְתֻקָּן לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא. אָמַר לוֹ עִקְּרוֹ שֶׁל דְּבַר מָה הֶאֱכִילְךָ, אָמַר לוֹ אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ, אֶלָּא טוֹעֵם הָיִיתִי טַעַם פַּת, טַעַם בָּשָׂר, טַעַם דָּגִים, טַעַם חֲגָבִים, טַעַם כָּל מַעֲדַנִּים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִזְכִּיר בָּשָׂר מִיָּד בָּכָה, אָמַר אֲנִי קְעָרָה אַחַת שֶׁל עֲדָשִׁים הֶאֱכִילַנִּי וְנָטַל אֶת בְּכוֹרָתִי, אַתָּה שֶׁהֶאֱכִילְךָ בָּשָׂר עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה אָבִינוּ יִצְחָק מִתְפַּחֵד וְאוֹמֵר תֹּאמַר שֶׁלֹא עָשִׂיתִי כַּשּׁוּרָה שֶׁעָשִׂיתִי אֶת שֶׁאֵינוֹ בְּכוֹר בְּכוֹר, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר (בראשית כז, לו): אֶת בְּכֹרָתִי לָקָח, אָמַר יָאוּת בֵּרַכְתִּי. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אֵין קִיּוּם הַגֵּט אֶלָּא בְּחוֹתְמָיו, שֶׁלֹא תֹאמַר אִלּוּלֵי שֶׁרִמָּה יַעֲקֹב בְּאָבִיו לֹא נָטַל אֶת הַבְּרָכוֹת, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: גַּם בָּרוּךְ יִהְיֶה.

“Isaac was overcome with great trembling” – Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: “Great” – more than the trembling that he trembled atop the altar. He said: “Who [then], is” the one who became an intermediary between me and the Omnipresent so that Jacob would receive the blessings? He said it regarding Rebecca. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One who has two sons, one leaving and one entering, trembles? I wonder. It is, rather, that when Esau entered to his father, Gehenna entered with him. Rabbi Aḥa said: The walls of the house began seething. That is what is written: “Who then [mi efo],” who is that who is destined to be baked here, is it me, or my son Jacob? The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘It is neither you nor your son, but rather, “he who hunted game.”’ “He who hunted game” – Rabbi Elazar bar Shimon said: Hunter, how did they trap you? Conqueror of gates, how are your gates conquered and ruined? That is what is written: “The deceitful will not scorch [yaḥarokh] his prey” (Proverbs 12:27). The Rabbis say: The Holy One blessed be He does not delay [yeaḥer] and does not extend [yaarikh] for the deceitful one and his deceit. Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Yosei said: What is “will not scorch [lo yaḥarokh]”? the Holy One Blessed be He does not extend [yaarikh] for the deceitful one and his deceit, as Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: That entire day, Esau was trapping gazelles and binding them, and an angel came and untied them, [trapping] birds, and tied their wings, and an angel would come and free them. Why to that extent? “But the wealth of a worthy [yakar] man is precious” (Proverbs 12:27) – so that Jacob, who was the glory of [yekaro] the world, would come and take the blessings, as from the outset of the world they were designated [ḥarutzot] for him. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa asked Rabbi Aḥa, he said to him: ‘What is what is written: “But the wealth of a worthy [yakar] man is precious [ḥarutz]”?’ He said: ‘It is designated [ḥarutza] in the hands of the righteous, who do not receive in this world any of the glory they have coming to them in the World to Come.’ “And I ate from all [mikol]” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda says: Of everything [mikol] that was created during the six days of Creation. Rabbi Neḥemya says: Of all [mikol] the goodness that is reserved for the World to Come. He [Esau] said to him [Isaac]: ‘What was the main course that he fed you?’ He said to him: ‘I do not know, but I tasted the taste of bread, the taste of meat, the taste of fish, the taste of grasshoppers, the taste of all the delicacies of the world.’ Rabbi Berekhya said: When he [Isaac] mentioned meat, he [Esau] immediately cried. He said: ‘He fed me one bowl of lentils and took my birthright. You, to whom he fed meat, all the more so.’ Rabbi Levi said: Because our patriarch Isaac was afraid and saying: ‘Did I, perhaps, not act properly, in that I rendered one who was not firstborn, firstborn?’ When he said: “He took my birthright” (Genesis 27:36), he said: ‘I gave the blessing properly.’ Rabbi Elazar said: Ratification of a document is only by its signatories, so that you will not say that had Jacob not deceived Isaac, he would not have received the blessings. The verse states: “Indeed, he shall be blessed.”

Section 3ג׳

אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק בָּא לְקַלְּלוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הִזָּהֵר שֶׁאִם אַתְּ מְקַלְּלוֹ לְנַפְשְׁךָ אַתְּ מְקַלֵּל, דַּאֲמַרְתְּ (בראשית כז, כט): אֹרְרֶיךָ אָרוּר. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי שִׁשָּׁה דְבָרִים מְשַׁמְּשִׁין אֶת הָאָדָם, שְׁלשָׁה בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ וּשְׁלשָׁה אֵינָן בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ, הָעַיִן וְהָאֹזֶן וְחֹטֶם, שֶׁלֹא בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ, חָמֵי מַה דְּלָא בָעֵי, שְׁמַע מַה דְּלָא בָעֵי, מְרִיחַ מַה דְּלָא בָעֵי. הַפֶּה וְהַיָּד וְהָרֶגֶל, בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ, אִין בָּעֵי הוּא לָעֵי בְּאוֹרָיְיתָא, אִין בָּעֵי לִשָּׁנָא בִישָׁא, אִין בָּעֵי מְחָרֵף וּמְגַדֵּף. הַיָּד אִין בָּעֵי הוּא עָבֵיד מִצְוָתָא, אִין בָּעֵי הוּא גָנֵב, וְאִי בָּעֵי הוּא קָטֵיל. הָרֶגֶל אִי בָּעֵי הוּא אָזֵיל לְבָתֵּי טְרַטְסִיָאוֹת וּלְבָתֵּי קִרְקַסְיָאוֹת, וְאִין בָּעֵי הוּא אָזֵיל לְבָתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת. וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא זוֹכֶה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָן שֶׁבִּרְשׁוּתוֹ שֶׁלֹא בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ, הַיָּד (מלכים א יג, ד): וַתִּיבַשׁ יָדוֹ אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַח עָלָיו. הַפֶּה, (בראשית כז, לג): גַּם בָּרוּךְ יִהְיֶה. הָרֶגֶל (משלי א, טו טז): בְּנִי אַל תֵּלֵךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ אִתָּם, כִּי רַגְלֵיהֶם לָרַע יָרוּצוּ:

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: He [Isaac] sought to curse him [Jacob]. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Be careful, if you curse him, you are cursing yourself, as you said: “Cursed be one who curses you”’ (Genesis 27:29). Rabbi Levi said: Six items serve a person; three are in his control, and three are not in his control. The eye, the ear, and the nose are not in his control – he sees what he does not wish, he hears what he does not wish, and he smells what he does not wish. The mouth, the hand, and the foot are in his control – [the mouth,] if he wishes he toils in Torah; if he wishes, [he speaks] evil speech; if he wishes, he curses and blasphemes. The hand, if he wishes, he performs a mitzva; if he wishes, he steals; if he wishes, he kills. His foot, if he wishes, he goes to theaters and circuses; and if he wishes, he goes to synagogues and study halls. When he merits, the Holy One blessed be He renders the ones in his control to be not in his control. The hand – “his hand that he had extended toward him shriveled” (I Kings 13:4); the mouth, “indeed, he shall be blessed” (Genesis 27:33); the foot, “My son, do not walk on the way with them…for their feet run to evil” (Proverbs 1:15–16).