זוהר, תולדות ט׳Zohar, Toldot 9

Segment 1א׳

(בראשית כ״ה:כ״ז) וַיִּגְדְּלוּ הַנְּעָרִים. סִטְרָא דְאַבְרָהָם גָּרִים לוֹן לְאִתְגַּדָּלָא וּזְכוּתֵיהּ סִיַּיע לוֹן, הוּא הֲוָה מְחַנֵּךְ לוֹן בְּמִצְוֹת, דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית י״ח:י״ט) כִּי יְדַעְתִּיו לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה אֶת בָּנָיו וְגו', לְאַסְגָּאָה יַעֲקֹב וְעֵשָׂו. (בראשית כ״ה:כ״ז) וַיִּגְדְּלוּ הַנְּעָרִים וַיְהִי עֵשָׂו אִישׁ יוֹדֵעַ צַיִד וְגו'. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, כָּל חַד וְחַד אִתְפְּרַשׁ לְאָרְחֵיהּ, דָּא לְסִטְרָא דִמְהֵימְנוּתָא וְדָא לְסִטְרָא דְּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה.

AND THE BOYS GREW. It was the side of Abraham which gave them their vitality, and his merit was their support. He trained them in observing the precepts, for so we read: “For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children etc.” (Gen. 18, 19). R. Eleazar said: ‘Each one of them took his own way, that pottage in virtue of his clear discernment of the side to which Esau adhered.

Segment 2ב׳

וְכֵן הֲוָה בְּמֵעוֹי דְרִבְקָה, דְּתַמָּן כָּל חַד אָזִיל לְסִטְרֵיהּ. דְּכַד אִיהִי אִשְׁתַּדְּלַת בְּעוֹבָדִין דְּכָשְׁרָן אוֹ עֲבָרַת סְמִיךְ לְאֲתַר טַב לְמֶעְבַּד פִּקּוּדֵי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא, הֲוָה יַעֲקֹב חָדֵי וְדָחִיק לְנָפְקָא, וְכַד הֲוַות אָזְלָא סְמִיךְ לְאֲתַר עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, הַהוּא רָשָׁע בָּטַשׁ לְנָפְקָא, וְאוּקְמוּהָ. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, כַּד אִתְבְּרִיאוּ וּנְפָקוּ לְעַלְמָא, כָּל חַד אִתְפְּרַשׁ וְאָזִיל וְאִתְמְשַׁךְ בְּדוּכְתֵּיהּ דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לֵיהּ, וְעַל דָּא, (בראשית כ״ה:כ״ז) וַיִּגְדְּלוּ הַנְּעָרִים וַיְהִי עֵשָׂו אִישׁ יוֹדֵעַ צַיִד וְגו'.

So it was. While still in Rivkah's womb, each went toward his own side. When she was performing good deeds or passing near a place that is favorable to the precepts of Torah, Jacob was glad and struggled to come out. And when she walked past a place of idolatry, the wicked one struggled to come out. This has already been explained. For that reason, when they were born into the world, each was drawn to the place he deserved. Therefore it is written, "And the boys grew, and Esau was a cunning hunter...".

Segment 3ג׳

(בראשית כ״ה:כ״ח) וַיֶּאֱהַב יִצְחָק אֶת עֵשָׂו כִּי צַיִד בְּפִיו, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, (כמה) דִּכְתִיב, אִישׁ יוֹדֵעַ צַיִד אִישׁ שָׂדֶה. וּכְתִיב הָתָם, (בראשית י׳:ט׳) הוּא הָיָה גִבּוֹר צַיִד (ד"א ל"ג מאי) אִישׁ שָׂדֶה, לְקַפְּחָא לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא וּלְקָטְלָא לוֹן, וְאִיהוּ אָמַר דְּעֲבִיד צְלוֹתָא וְצַיִּיד לֵיהּ בְּפוּמֵיהּ. אִישׁ שָׂדֶה, בְּגִין דְּחוּלַק עַדְבֵיהּ לַאו אִיהִי בְּיִשּׁוּבָא, אֶלָּא בְּאֲתַר חָרוּב. בְּמַדְבְּרָא, בְּחַקְלָא, וְעַל דָּא אִישׁ שָׂדֶה.

Lentils form a red pottage which is cooling to hot blood. Hence Jacob purposely chose such a dish as a means of weakening the strength and power of Esau, and the effect was that Esau sold himself to Jacob as a slave and sold him his birthright. At that moment Jacob divined that for the sake of one he-goat that his descendants would bring as a sacrifice to Esau’s grade, the latter would consent to be a slave to them and desist from attacking them.’