זוהר, מצורע ט״וZohar, Metzora 15

Segment 1א׳

כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ בְּעֵשָׂו, (בראשית כ״ה:כ״ה) וַיֵצֵא הָרִאשׁוֹן אַדְמוֹנִי. וַיֵּצֵא הָרִאשׁוֹן, אִי תֵּימָא, דְּיַעֲקֹב טִפָּה קַדְמָאָה הֲוָה, לָאו הָכֵי, דְּהָא כְּתִיב, וַיֵּצֵא הָרִאשׁוֹן, וְלָא כְּתִיב, וַיֵּצֵא רִאשׁוֹן. וּבְגִין דְּיִצְחָק אָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, נָפַק עֵשָׂו אַדְמוֹנִי, סוּמָקָא. דְּאִי יַעֲקֹב הֲוָה בּוּכְרָא, הַהִיא טִפָּה קַדְמָאָה נָפְקָא הָכִי סוּמָקָא. אֲבָל טִפָּה תִּנְיָינָא הֲוָה, וּבְגִין כַּךְ לָא נָפְקָא הָכֵי, דְּהָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּרַחֲמֵי הֲוַת הַהִיא טִפָּה, מֵהַאי גִּיסָא וּמֵהַאי גִּיסָא.

It is written of Esau, “And the first came forth red” (Gen. 25, 25). Though Esau came forth first, he was not really the elder, since at the time of procreation Isaac’s thoughts were first centred on mercy, represented by Jacob, and afterwards on judgement, represented by Esau. Hence Jacob was really created first.

Segment 2ב׳

וְטִפָּה דְּעֵשָׂו לָא הֲוַת כְּטִפָּה דְּיַעֲקֹב, דְּדָא שְׁלִים וְדָא לָא שְׁלִים. וּבְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא, יִצְחָק הֲוָה מְכַוִּון בְּסִיוּמָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, דְּאַפִּיק בְּסִטְרוֹי, בִּגְלִיפוֹי טְהִירִין בְּשַׁיְיפוֹי, וּבְגִין כַּךְ עֵשָׂו, זוּהֲמָא דְּאִתְהַתִּיךְ מִדַּהֲבָא.

And the drop of Esau was not like the drop of Jacob, for the one was whole and the other was not whole. And in that hour Isaac was directing his mind upon the end of harsh judgement, which he brought forth in his sides, in his gleaming engravings, in his limbs. And therefore Esau is the dross that was smelted off from gold.

Segment 3ג׳

וְעַל דָּא תָּנֵינָן, דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְכַוְּונָא בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא, בִּרְעוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּיִפּוּק בְּנִין קַדִּישִׁין לְעָלְמָא. וְאִי תֵּימָא, יִצְחָק לָא אִתְכַּוָּון. לָאו הָכֵי, אֶלָּא אִתְכַּוָּון בִּקְדוּשָּׁה, וְאִתְכַּוָּון בְּסִיוּמָא דְּהַהוּא אֲתַר, וְאִשְׁתְּכַח כַּד נָפַק הַהִיא טִפָּה קַדְמָאָה, בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר מַמָּשׁ, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, כֻּלּוֹ כְּאַדֶּרֶת שֵׂעָר.

And therefore, as we have learnt, a man must set his mind in that hour upon the will of his Master, so that holy children may come forth into the world. And if you say that Isaac did not set his mind so — it is not so; rather, he set it in holiness, and he set it upon the end of that place; and so it was found, when that first drop came forth, in that very place. And therefore it is written, “All of him like a hairy mantle.”