Accidentally woke up at 5am
This worked in my favor because I FORGOT TODAY IS FIRST SATURDAY so I actually had time to say morning prayers
Psalm 24 hits different now after this Genesis 25+ Bible study
I think the BIG message God is giving me through this unexpected Scripture study focus is that I AM BOTH JACOB AND ESAU.
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Hebrews 12:16 snips.
https://biblehub.com/commentaries/hebrews/12-16.htm
‼️ "Esau is mentioned as a type of “the profane,” who care not for divine things, but only for the gains and pleasures of this world."
⭐‼️‼️‼️"Where persons fail of having the true grace of God, corruption will prevail and break forth; beware lest any unmortified lust in the heart, which seems to be dead, should spring up, to trouble and disturb the whole body. Falling away from Christ is the fruit of preferring the delights of the flesh, to the blessing of God, and the heavenly inheritance, as Esau did. But sinners will not always have such mean thoughts of the Divine blessing and inheritance as they now have. It agrees with the profane man's disposition, to desire the blessing, yet to despise the means whereby the blessing is to be gained. But God will neither sever the means from the blessing, nor join the blessing with the satisfying of man's lusts. God's mercy and blessing were never sought carefully and not obtained."
‼️‼️‼️ ""Lest there be any fornicator"... Allusion is made to Esau as an example, who, himself a corrupt and profane man, for a trifle threw away the highest honor which as a son he could have. Many have regarded the word used here as referring to idolatry, or defection from the true religion to a false one..."
‼️‼️ "The word "profane" here refers to one who... treats religion with contempt, or has no reverence for what is sacred. This may be shown by words [and by conduct]; by the manner; by a sneer; by neglect of religion; or by openly renouncing the privileges which might be connected with our salvation. The allusion here is to one who should openly cast off all the hopes of religion for indulgence in temporary pleasure, as Esau gave up his birthright for a trifling gratification. In a similar manner, the young, for temporary (worldly) gratification, neglect or despise all the privileges and hopes resulting from their being born in the bosom of the church; from being baptized and consecrated to God (as "firstborn"!) and from being trained up in the lap of piety (to fit that role)"
‼️‼️‼️ "It is clearly implied here that Esau sustained the character of a fornicator and a profane person. The former appellation is probably given to him to denote his licentiousness shown by his marrying many wives, and particularly foreigners..."
⭐⭐‼️‼️‼️ "The birth-right, in his circumstances, was a high honor. The Promise respecting the inheritance of the land of Canaan, the coming of the Messiah, and the preservation of the true religion, had been given to Abraham and Isaac, and was to be transmitted by them. As the oldest son, all the honor connected with this, and which is now associated with the name Jacob, would have properly appertained to Esau. But he undervalued it. He lived a licentious life. He followed his corrupt propensities, and gave the reins to indulgence. In a time of temporary distress, also, he showed how little he really valued all this, by bartering it away for a single meal of victuals. Rather than bear the evils of hunger for a short period, and evidently in a manner implying a great undervaluing of the honor which he held as the first-born son in a pious line, he agreed to surrender all the privileges connected with his birth. It was this which made the appellation [of a "profane" man] appropriate to him; and this will make the appellation appropriate in any similar instance."
⭐ "The birth-right seems to have implied the first place or rank in the family; the privilege of offering sacrifice and conducting worship in the absence or death of the father; a double share of the inheritance, and in this instance, the honor of being in the line of the patriarchs, and transmitting the promises made to Abraham and Isaac. What Esau parted with, we can easily understand by reflecting on the honors which have clustered around the name of Jacob."
‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️ "Fornication is nearly akin to gluttony, Esau's sin. He profanely cast away his spiritual privilege for the gratification of his palate... The smallness of the inducement only aggravates the guilt of casting away eternity for such a trifle, so far is it from being a claim for mercy (compare Ge 3:6). One single act has often the greatest power either for good or for evil."
⭐‼️‼️‼️""his birthright" —Greek, "his own (so the oldest manuscripts read, intensifying the suicidal folly and sin of the act) rights of primogeniture," involving the high spiritual privilege of being ancestor of the promised Seed, and heir of the promises in Him. The Hebrews whom Paul addressed, had, as Christians, the spiritual rights of primogeniture: he intimates that they must exercise holy self-control, if they wish not, like Esau, to forfeit them... An example well fitted to strike needful horror into the Hebrews, whosoever of them, like Esau, were only sons of Isaac according to the flesh."
‼️❓""uncleanness", Greek pornov, is not to be taken so strictly, as only to note "fornication" as uncleanness committed by unmarried persons, but all sorts of pollution and filthiness..."
‼️‼️""bebhlov" imports one who had a bitter frame of spirit against the first table (of the Law); one of an impure mind towards God, opposite to godliness, who neglects and spurns at holy things, rolling itself in its own pleasures, riches, & honours, with a despising of God, His grace, and His glory."
‼️‼️"Esau... was most notoriously profane, who irreligiously undervalued and despised the blessing of the birthright, to which was entailed by God the double portion, the priesthood and dominion over the family, the blessings of the covenant, and the being a type of Christ; he basely and impiously gave it away to his younger brother, slighting it, and freely and fully making it over to him, and all for one eating, the base gratifying of his sensual appetite but once."
‼️‼️‼️‼️ "Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ... They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth... those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and despise authority... who are abandoned to sensuality-- craving, as they do, for polluted things, and scorning control. Fool-hardy and self-willed... They aren't afraid to insult the [Lord's] glory... These men are like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They blaspheme in matters they do not understand, and like such creatures, they too will be destroyed... Their destruction is their reward for the harm they have done. They love to indulge in evil pleasures in broad daylight. They are a disgrace and a stain among you. They delight in deception even as they eat with you in your fellowship meals... They proudly brag out loud about their stupid but high-sounding nonsense. And by being vulgar and crude, using sinful cravings of the flesh, they entice and trap people who have barely escaped from living the wrong kind of life... They promise these people freedom, but they themselves are slaves to corruption, depravity, and destructive habits. A person is a slave to whatever he gives in & succumbs to, and thus allows to defeat and conquer him... for a person is brought into bondage and controlled by whatever overcomes and masters him."
‼️‼️‼️ "[A "profane" man] is a transgressor of the first table of the law; who is an idolater, a swearer, a despiser of public worship and ordinances, and who behaves irreverently in divine service, and mocks at the future state, as Esau... a mind as does not give God his due honour."
"The birthright was reckoned sacred; it was typical of the primogeniture of Christ; of the adoption of saints, and of the heavenly inheritance belonging thereunto; all which were despised by Esau: and so the Jewish paraphrases interpret the contempt of his birthright [as] a despising of his part in the world to come, and a denial of the resurrection of the dead: and his contempt of it was shown in his selling it; and this was aggravated by his selling it for "one morsel of meat"... and apply to him the passage in Proverbs 28:21 "for a piece of bread that man will transgress" (Also Ezekiel 13:19?)."
‼️‼️‼️‼️ "Esau lightly parting with his religious privileges and his patrimony for a present gratification is an appropriate warning to those who day by day were tempted to win comfort and escape suffering by parting with their hope in Christ. The warning is pointed by the fate of Esau... his bargain was irrevocable... some time after the sale of the birthright Esau sought the blessing with tears but found his act was unalterable. The lesson written on Esau’s life as on that of all who miss opportunities is that the past is irreparable, and however much they may desire to recall and alter it, that cannot be... If now, through any temptation or pressure, you let go the benefits you have in Christ, you are committing yourselves to an act you cannot recall."
‼️‼️‼️"...the writer is probably alluding to the Jewish Hagadah, with which he was evidently familiar. There Esau is represented in the blackest colours, as a man utterly sensual, intemperate, and vile, which is also the view of Philo... Philo explained the word “hairy” to mean that he was sensuous and lustful... “intemperate and libidinous”... A man of coarse and unspiritual mind"... Lust and intemperance in eating are closely connected."
‼️""profane" denotes one outside the sphere of sanctity, and so debarred from sacred privileges."
‼️‼️‼️ "Esau... lost irrecoverably the privileges which in his profaneness he had scorned... The essential moral of his history is this: being the firstborn of Israel, and so the primary inheritor of the promises made to Abraham, he set no store by the privilege, and so lost it irretrievably. In early life he so lightly esteemed his birthright as the eldest born (carrying with it, as is supposed, in the patriarchal age, the priesthood of the family, and in his case, as might be presumed, the custody and transmission of the promises) that he parted with it for the gratification of a passing appetite. His words on that occasion expressed the limit of his aims and interests: "Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?" Later in life he nevertheless presented himself to claim the blessing of the firstborn from his dying father, but found that he had been forestalled. It does not appear that he had meanwhile changed his mode of life or made amends for his former carelessness; still, he felt now that he had lost something worth having, and was grieved exceedingly. But not even his "great and exceeding bitter cry" availed then to recover what was forfeited. And so neither he nor his seed had part or lot in the Abrahamic promises: the time of opportunity was gone forever."
‼️‼️"...the "great and exceeding bitter cry" to which allusion is made was, not because he could not himself repent, but because he could not get the blessing."
‼️‼️‼️"..."When he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place of repentance [i.e. of change of mind in the bestower of the blessing], though he sought it [i.e. such change of mind] with tears;" or, "When he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected (for he found no place of repentance), though he sought it [i.e. the blessing] with tears." If, the latter rendering being adopted, Esau's own repentance be intended, the idea maybe, either that there was no place left in which even a real repentance could avail, or that of a real repentance he had become incapable; for his tears might be those only of vexation and remorse, not expressing any more appreciation than before of the birthright in its religious aspect... his views of life had [not] risen above thoughts of worldly prosperity. We observe, further, that nothing is implied one way or the other as to Esau's own salvation; it is only the privilege of being the patriarch of the chosen seed that he is said to have thus irrecoverably forfeited."
⭐‼️ "...sacred privileges, if persistently slighted, may be lost beyond recovery. [Yet] the 'possible inefficacy' of a true repentance, however late... is not therefore necessarily implied of Christians with respect to their personal salvation; or that, if it is implied of them, it is not till their probation in this life is over that a "place of repentance" in this sense can for them be found no more..."
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https://biblehub.com/commentaries/hebrews/12-17.htm
‼️‼️‼️‼️ ""After the blessing had been bestowed on Jacob" = This afterward was probably not less than forty or fifty years after; for he sold his birthright when he was young, and now, when he wished to recover the blessing, Isaac was about one hundred and forty years old: so long, it seems, he lived in his sin, without any proper sense of it, or repentance for it. Things went prosperously with him in the world, and he did not consider what he had done, or what would be the end of it. But falling now into a new distress, he was filled with perplexity. And so it is with all secure sinners: while things go prosperously with them they can continue without remorse, but sooner or later their iniquity will find them out."
"When he would have inherited the blessing — The patriarchal blessing, of which he esteemed himself the presumptive heir, and which he knew not that he had virtually renounced BY selling his birthright. For the apostle here distinguishes between the birthright and the blessing: he sold his birthright, but would have inherited the blessing. And herein he was a type of the unbelieving Jews at that time; for they adhered to the outward things of the blessing, to the rejection of Him who was the whole life, soul, and power of it."
"...when he would have obtained what had been given to his younger brother, he was rejected — Namely, by his father; for he... Could by no means induce his father to alter his mind; though he sought [either] the blessing, or the repentance of his father... with tears— For, instead of repenting, his father confirmed the blessing of Jacob."
‼️‼️‼️‼️"Esau had discovered a great readiness to part with his birthright, and all that was annexed to it by divine institution; not considering, it seems, what it was significant of as to matters spiritual and heavenly. Hence he put so little value upon it, as to give it up for one morsel of meat. And afterward, regardless of what he had done, after the power of his present temptation was over, it is said he did eat and drink, and rose up and went his way, as a man utterly unconcerned about what had taken place; whereon the Holy Ghost adds that censure, "THUS Esau despised his birthright." He did not only sell it, but despised it. But he is represented on this occasion as being under great amazement, as if he had little thought to fall into such a condition. And thus, at one time or other, it will happen to all profane persons who refuse the mercy and privileges of the gospel; they shall, sooner or later, fall into a state of dreadful surprise. THEN shall they see and feel the horrible consequence of that conduct, and of those sins, which before they made nothing of."
⭐⭐‼️‼️‼️ "The "blessing" here referred to was not that of the birth-right, which he knew he could not regain; but that [blessing specially] pronounced by the father Isaac on him whom he regarded as his first-born son. This Jacob obtained by fraud, when Isaac really "meant" to bestow it on Esau. Isaac appears to have been ignorant wholly of the bargain which Jacob and Esau had made in regard to the birth-right, and Jacob and his mother contrived in this way to have that confirmed which Jacob had obtained of Esau by contract. The sanction of the father, it seems, was necessary, before it could be made sure, and Rebecca and Jacob understood that the dying blessing of the aged patriarch would establish it all. It was obtained by dishonesty on the part of Jacob; but so far as Esau was concerned, it was an act of righteous retribution for the little regard he had shown for the honor of his birth."
⭐⭐⭐‼️"...once the blessing had passed the lips of his father, he found it impossible to change it. Isaac firmly declared that he had "pronounced" the blessing, and though it had been obtained by fraud, yet as it was of the nature of a divine prediction, it could not now be changed. He had not indeed intended that it should be thus. He had pronounced a blessing on another which had been designed for him. But still, the benediction had been given. The prophetic words had been pronounced. By divine direction the truth had been spoken, and how could it be changed? It was impossible now to reverse the divine purposes in the case, and hence, the "blessing" must stand as it had been spoken."
"The decision of God on the human character and destiny will soon be pronounced. That decision will be according to truth, and cannot be changed. If we should despise our privileges as Esau did his birth-right, and renounce our religion, it would be impossible to recover what we had lost. There would be no possibility of changing the divine decision in the case, for it would be determined forever. This passage, therefore... should be used to keep us from disregarding our privileges, from turning away from the true religion, from slighting the favors of the gospel, and from neglecting religion until death comes; because when God has once pronounced a sentence excluding us from his favor, no tears, or pleading, or effort of our own can change Him. The sentence which he pronounces on the scoffer, the impenitent, the hypocrite, and the apostate, is one that will abide forever without change. This passage, therefore, is in accordance with the doctrine more than once stated before in this Epistle, that if a Christian should really apostatize, it would be impossible that he should be saved."
He despised his birthright, accordingly also he was despised and rejected when he wished to have the blessing. As in the believer's case, so in the unbeliever's, there is an "afterwards" coming, when the believer shall look on his past griefs, and the unbeliever on his past joys, in a very different light from that in which they were respectively viewed at the time." ..."He that will not when he may, when he will, shall have nay"."
Proverbs 1:24-31 ERV
[24] “I tried to help, but you refused to listen. I offered my hand, but you turned away from me. [25] You ignored my advice and refused to be corrected. [26] So I will laugh at your troubles and make fun of you when what you fear happens. [27] Disasters will strike you like a storm. Problems will pound you like a strong wind. Trouble and misery will weigh you down. [28] “Fools will call for me, but I will not answer. They will look for me, but they will not find me. [29] That is because they hated knowledge. They refused to fear and respect the Lord. [30] They ignored my advice and refused to be corrected. [31] They filled their lives with what they wanted. They went their own way, so they will get what they deserve."
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I'm actually going to quit the Jewish commentary because although its interesting, it's NOT Christ-oriented, and it is consistently full of theories and questions as a result.
However if I come across something convicting or relevant to my life as a Christian, I will paste it here for edification's sake.
I will clean up and comment on it later, if and when I have time. Today I am too rushed for time. But for now I at least want all the data together in one coherent place.
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Lots of contextual datalogging after this point
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https://goodquestionblog.com/2014/03/27/why-couldnt-god-defeat-jacob-in-a-wrestling-match/
(A quick revisit of Genesis 32 while I'm on this site!)
⭐⭐⭐❤ "So what was God trying to demonstrate in this wrestling match by limiting himself to human powers? When he blesses and renames Jacob he says, “You have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” So he had probably been giving Jacob an opportunity to demonstrate, in a dramatic way on a single occasion, the tenacity and endurance God had seen him develop throughout 20 difficult years in exile. Those years had transformed Jacob from a conniving and grasping young man to the mature leader of a large clan who was now willing to face the brother he’d cheated and make things right with him... God considers it “an excellent thing” for the character qualities Jacob has developed to become known, and so He arranges (personally!) for a demonstration of them, in the form of this wrestling match. (We might similarly see some of our struggles in life as an opportunity that God is giving us to demonstrate the character we have been developing.)
⭐⭐⭐‼️‼️❤ "[God told Jacob ] “You have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” How can a person “overcome” God? ...I think it means that Jacob, in a desire to get back home from exile (something only God could make possible), determinedly worked through everything in his life that would have KEPT God from LETTING him to go back. When he was finally heading home, he testified to Laban about the honesty and integrity he had developed: “I bore the loss myself,” he said, if any of Laban’s flocks were torn by wild beasts or stolen. So we might say that Jacob was “wrestling” with God all those 20 years in exile, striving to become the kind of person God could safely send back to Canaan to continue the line of covenant promise. The wrestling match just before he got back home was a dramatic demonstration of what had been going on all along. God took on human form and limited powers in order to make that demonstration."
(I NEED TO COMMENT ON THIS ASAP. IT IS EXACTLY MY SITUATION.)
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https://drelisblog.com/blessing-stolen-and-returned
we argue that Jacob returned the firstborn blessing to Esau, establishing himself as a repentant man worthy of becoming the father of God’s people, Israel.
Jacob got a taste of his own medicine. He too was savagely tricked.
"Despite the hardships Jacob faced in Paddan Aram, it would be a mistake to assume the stolen blessing was without effect. The power of the stolen blessing transformed Jacob’s limited resources into tremendous wealth and passive income... Even though the blessing was not Jacob’s, it possessed a power that no human faults could hinder."
"The blessing of Abraham, which Isaac had passed to Jacob, was powerfully at work. God spoke to Jacob: “I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land” (Gen 31:13).
Laban was unwilling to let Jacob go, forcing him to flee, just as he had once fled from Esau. Now he had to run in the opposite direction. It is important to understand that the original and intended readers of the Book of Genesis were ancient Israelites who had recently escaped slavery in Egypt. Jacob’s servitude to Laban resonated with them because they also knew how hard it was to escape their master."
When Jacob confronted Laban, he boldly recounted the suffering he endured...
Jacob’s trials did not end with this confrontation... Here again deceit plays a central role.
Jacob humbly referred to himself as Esau’s slave. The modern word “servant” is correct but obscures the original meaning to some degree. Jacob acknowledges his brother’s authority and dominion over him.
Fear gripped Jacob, convinced that Esau was coming to kill him in revenge for his treachery twenty years earlier... Jacob called upon the God of his grandfather Abraham and father Isaac, boldly asking Him to fulfill His promise to make his descendants as numerous as the sand of the sea. In an act of repentance, Jacob sought to return the stolen blessing by selecting generous gifts of livestock for Esau. The proportions of the animals were carefully chosen to ensure Esau’s herds would prosper exponentially, both physically and symbolically returning the stolen blessing of the firstborn."
"Even though Jacob feared for his life and the lives of his loved ones, his trust in God’s promise ultimately prevailed. But NOT UNTIL Jacob wrestled with a mysterious figure who blessed him and changed his name to Israel. This encounter was a rare divine intervention to ensure that Jacob, the father of God’s people Israel, would not change his mind about meeting Esau. HAD he done so, he would have REMAINED a supplanter of his brother, a thief. God’s special messenger declared to Jacob/Israel that, having wrestled with God, he would from now on overcome people. Despite his fear, Jacob persevered and continued his journey towards the promised land..."
⭐⭐⭐ "Jacob’s approach reflected his [new] priorities. Rather than hiding, Jacob went ahead, bowing seven times to acknowledge Esau’s full and rightful claim to the blessing of the firstborn he had stolen. What followed left Jacob speechless: Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. Then they wept together."
(PRODIGAL SON VIBES????)
⭐⭐⭐‼️‼️‼️ "The translation obscures several more Hebrew insights. Esau said, “I already have plenty/abundance (rav), my brother. Keep what you have for yourself”. Esau seems to have deliberately used the Hebrew word (rav), meaning “much” or “abundance,” invoking the word of the Lord spoken to their mother Rebekah many years ago: “And the older ("abundant") will serve the younger ("little")/ or vice versa". Perhaps most significantly, Jacob used two distinct Hebrew terms to describe his animal gifts to Esau: 1. ‘If I have found favor in your eyes, accept my gift (minchati)…’ The root of (minchah) is related to a gift, offering, or tribute given to someone, often in a religious or ceremonial context. 2. ‘Please accept my blessing (birchati) that was brought to you…’ Jacob first asks Esau to accept his gift (minchati), but then shifts to “my blessing” (birchati), explicitly acknowledging the stolen blessing he is now returning. Unfortunately, many translations fail to capture the distinction between gift and blessing, using words like “present” or “gift” instead. Others accurately use the word “blessing.” By doing so, the first group of translations neglects to recognize that Jacob is offering back to Esau the blessing of the firstborn, which he had previously taken from him."
⭐⭐⭐"Jacob’s journey unveils a timeless truth: God’s grace transforms even our gravest mistakes into pathways of redemption. The blessing he stole from Esau, driven by youthful ambition and his mother’s misguided counsel, did not deliver the prosperity or dominance he sought. Instead, it brought trials that tested his spirit and reshaped his heart. Through these struggles, Jacob learned that true blessings flow not from human schemes but from God’s unshakable promises. The blessing of Abraham— God’s presence, a multitude of descendants, and a promised land— became Jacob’s anchor, guiding him through deception, hardship, and loss. In his courageous act of returning the stolen birthright to Esau, marked by genuine repentance, Jacob shed the weight of his past and stepped into his divine calling as Israel, the father of God’s people. Jacob’s story inspires us to let go of selfish ambitions and embrace God’s faithful promises. It beckons us to walk humbly, trusting in a God Who redeems our failures, heals our wounds, and leads us into a future filled with hope, purpose, and abundant life.
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https://lighthousefellowship.co.uk/esau-the-man-who-sold-his-birthright/
"Esau looked at the fact that he was hungry and decided that a meal today was better than a blessing tomorrow. Why should he have to wait for his father to die when it could take years for it to happen, when he could have a filling meal now? So he gave away his future for a bowl of soup."
"As the oldest son Esau would have inherited the bulk of Isaac’s wealth. This would have included, cattle, sheep, monies, as well as servants. His younger brother would have been expected to follow him. He would have been acknowledged as the head of the house with all the rights and privileges that went with the position. Remember their grandfather Abraham had been a very wealthy man... Isaac who would inherit all his wealth... would have been a very wealthy young man at the death of his father, then went on and increased his wealth even more..."
(This knew knowledge really highlights the starkly ludicrous contrast of real value between Esau's two choices, and the equally astonishing foolishness of his decision!)
‼️‼️ "Esau’s despising of his birthright showed his poor reasoning, which would show up again when the time came for him to marry. Instead of seeking his father’s help in choosing a wife, as Abraham had done when choosing Isaac’s wife Rebekah, Esau went and picked his own wives."
(The "poor reasoning" is here tied to SELFRELIANCE. "Lean NOT on your own understanding"!! He DIDN'T SEEK WISDOM, which is SPIRITUAL. He was perhaps TOO PROUD to "ask for help", or advice, or guidance, or even permission!! So he inevitably made "poor" decisions– true wealth is "wisdom," and wisdom begins with the fear of the LORD. Esau apparently did not have that... and his marriage PROVES it. He "picked his OWN wives" = he "chose his OWN religion"!! Remember how inextricable marriage and covenant are as symbols! Esau did NOT honor GOD'S "engagement" to His chosen people, to Abraham’s family line! He effectively decided to "marry a prostitute" in comparison!)
(This is also a VITAL symbolic warning to today's culture, in which families LET their children choose BOTH their OWN "wives" AND religion. The parents often DON'T GIVE any wisdom in those respects, because they DON'T HAVE ANY. They live a relativistic life. They LACK and may even REJECT any true sense of spiritual legacy or direction or calling or purpose. So their children are simply left to make their own equally impoverished decisions.)
⭐⭐‼️‼️ "Jacob learnt and understood the value of the birthright and held that knowledge against the day that it could be used... The kingdom that Esau could have built was destroyed because of his lack of knowledge."
(THIS IS WHY I DO SO MUCH OF THIS STUDYING & RESEARCH.)
⭐‼️‼️❓"Jacob was called "the trickster" [by Esau,] yet what is shown is that he was a smart man who sought after knowledge, and learnt how to use what he learnt to his benefit. Jacob knew that the birthright on its own would mean much without the blessing, but rather than give up, he sought [out the opportunity to own] both blessing and birthright, leading him to gain everything... his ability to understand the value of things would aid him in later life when dealing with his uncle Laban and even dealing with Esau. Jacob had knowledge and vision and used both to his advantage... while Jacobs manner [of doing so was indeed] deceitful, it was done based on his knowledge and vision [of the blessing's value], both of which were lacking with Esau."
⭐⭐‼️‼️‼️ "God has given every man a gift. The question is: will you despise it like Esau, or desire it like Jacob?
When Esau lost his blessing to Jacob, he would finally understand what he had lost– and yet, even then, he would seek to blame his brother rather than his own short-sightedness."
⭐⭐⭐‼️‼️‼️ "...whatever skill, talent, or ability that God has blessed you with… do not despise it. Use it to His glory, and see what He will do with it. If you are not sure what to do, then do what James says [and ASK GOD for wisdom to choose according to HIS will for you]. Don’t be like Esau. Don’t lose the blessing that God has FOR you because you despise the gift He HAS given you."
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https://hope4israel.org/toldot-tashpa/
(THIS SITE IS GOOD TO USE AS IT CONNECTS JEWISH CONTEXT WITH CHRISTIAN TRUTHS)
"God alone chooses who will continue the lineage of redemption; He decides through whom His Seed of Promise will come!"
⭐⭐‼️ "I believe Jacob’s name, “Ya’akov” holds significance and can shed light on why God chose him and loved him. The root word for Yaakov in Hebrew is (akev), which is heel, from which the name (Ya’akov/Jacob) is derived. This is yet one more amazing hint of the “seed” that would be the source of redemption, which continues through Jacob’s lineage. The name here is not coincidental, as it reminds us of Genesis 3:15, where the LORD says that He will put enmity between the serpent’s seed and the woman’s seed, and that her seed will “bruise [the serpent’s] head” while the serpent will “bruise [the woman’s seed’s] heel”. The second point related to his name is that it can also mean, “to follow”. I believe that the “following” here is two-fold: first, it refers to following the lineage of the blessing. Secondly, it also speaks to Jacob’s role in following after God, which is a command that continued on to the children of Israel, who were Jacob’s direct descendants."
(Remembering the "rearguard" from the other day= the ARMY at large is GOD??? And Israel is "close at His Heels," not becoming distant or separated, while still staying "behind Him" (through humility) as He advances, to "protect the Promise (the Seed) from the world"???) Israel doesn't "see His Face" OR lead the charge; she is entirely subject to her General, to her Lord, Who is invincible as God yet vulnerable as Man. So she, as a nation and people, is the "line of defense" for the Messiah, the "protective force" for His entire lineage, even if she does get very "bruised" in the battle? BUT she WILL NOT DIE, because God WILL protect her as His beloved Child– the prophets emphasize this! Even if she suffers great loss of "parts", she has not lost her "whole" purpose: God has PROMISED to deliver His People, and to crush the serpent's army THROUGH the Seed she exists to safeguard! She is HOLY and SACRED and so God will NOT suffer her to fall prey to the enemy.)
⭐⭐‼️‼️ "Esau did not choose to follow God... Instead of hating Esau, it is entirely possible that God simply changed the right of the first-born and did not choose Esau to fulfill this role, but instead chose Jacob to receive and honor the inheritance... God’s will is always supreme to anything else; it takes precedence over cultural norms, our human sense of justice and fairness, and even family relationships. While we may not be able to understand why God does things a certain way, we can choose if we will submit to His will or rebel against it. The choice is yours… will you follow Jacob’s footsteps, choosing to follow and work for God, or will you follow Esau’s footsteps?"
(To frame a contrast here = in NOT choosing to follow God, Esau "chose" to follow the "only other candidate": the evil trifecta of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Even unaware of that horrid power, Esau was nevertheless "working for them," when he prioritized his hunger over his responsibility, when he valued the immediate more than the promised, when he disdained the spiritual to pursue the physical.)
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https://outorah.org/p/183/
‼️‼️‼️‼️ "...the birthright was essentially the right to the priesthood. Esav was not interested in this position... Esav recognized that the priesthood includes various restrictions. Violation of these restrictions is, in some instances, punished with death. Esav was not interested in this burden... As firstborn, Esav had the right to the priesthood. He simply was not interested in rising to an essentially spiritual position."
‼️‼️‼️‼️ "Esav tells Yaakov he will sell him the birthright. He explains that he is destined to die. Therefore, the birthright will not provide him any benefit... Esav lived a dangerous life. He constantly sought thrills and placed himself in dangerous situations. This was the root of Esav's keen interest in hunting. Esav's personal goal was to maximize the intensity of pleasure and excitement in his life. He did not expect to live a long life. In fact, Esav did not expect to outlive his father, Yitzchak... the birthright would only become significant with Yitzchak's death. The right gave the firstborn preference as an heir. Therefore, Esav did not expect to ever benefit from the birthright. Esav sold it to Yaakov because it was of little value to him."
‼️‼️‼️‼️ "...in selling the birthright, Esav rejected the concept of the afterlife and the resurrection of the dead... Esav sold his birthright because he was completely focused on his material and temporal existence. He wanted to maximize his thrills in this world. He was not at all concerned with eternal existence. He did not consider the impact of his behavior upon his soul or the afterlife. Implicit in his decision to sell the birthright were a rejection of the afterlife and the resurrection of the dead."
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https://www.alexisrael.org/toldot-birth-rights
"The Hebrew word for the birthright - bechora - appears in only one place outside the Jacob-Esau story. It appears in connection with children’s inheritance rights. In Jewish law, the firstborn receives an inheritance double the size of his brothers. This is standard practice as recorded in Deuteronomy 21:17... This source anchors the birthright in the financial sphere. The birthright designates the firstborn as the major beneficiary of the father’s will. And following this line of argument, it would seem that this story is about Yaakov buying future inheritance rights from Esav..."
"And as for the logic of his statement : I AM AT THE POINT OF DEATH (lit. walking towards death) : Every day, when hunting, Esav put his life in danger, there being animals who might kill him. It was a clear possibility that he might die before his father.”
Esav tells Yaakov that there is no point in his holding on to the birthright as he is “going to die”. Esav does not expect to see the money of his father’s inheritance. He expects to die in the course of his life’s career as a hunter. In that case, he might as well cash in his future options now."
"...the following commentaries see the contradiction in Esav’s response a sign of his inconsistency, his fickle nature, his opportunism and living for the moment... ESAV SPURNED THE BIRTHRIGHT: We need to be told this detail here because, as we see later on, Esav later expresses regret at the sale of his birthright: ‘He stole my birthright’ . Thus the Torah tells us of his inconsistency and stupidity: Now, when he wants to eat he sells it and he regrets it afterwards... When his father became old and Esav realised that Isaac will die and he (Esav) might outlive him, he regretted the sale and began to see the entire incident as a trick.”
"It would seem that Yaakov shows little regard for material possessions. RASHI views the concept of a birthright not so much in terms of financial rights and benefits. He understands the birthright as a spiritual legacy and a position of religious responsibility. The firstborn of each family would be the religious representative of that family, offering the family sacrifices and performing sacred ritual. He explains the exchange of the birthright in the following way: "SELL ME YOUR BIRTHRIGHT: Because religious worship was performed by the firstborn. Yaakov said to himself, ‘this man of evil deed is not fit to bring offerings to the Lord’."
In this reading, the birthright imposes not material nor any other remuneration for the firstborn. The birthright implies obligation and responsibility; even danger; for the firstborn are meant to act as priests serving God as representative of their family. Esav rejects the responsibility of the Divine Service. In a fascinating reading of the text, Rashi translates Esav’s statement “Hinei anochi holech lamut” as a statement that the strict priestly laws with their death penalty . (Improper Temple service could result in death eg. Lev. 10:1,2.) might lead him to his death. Why then, bother with the priesthood? It has no particular advantages! It would also seem apparent that Esav does not particularly value this form of activity as a life’s career.
the Torah stresses Esav’s desire for freedom, especially from this sacred role as opposed to Yaakov’s desire for duty and holiness.
According to this reading, there is no pressure, no extortion. Yaakov welcomes the opportunity to play a part in the Divine Service whereas Esav is keen to be rid of it.
It is unclear why Esav regrets the sale later, but we may suggest that as he feels the increasing rivalry of Yaakov, he resents any encroachment of Yaakov on his “territory”, no matter what.
the firstborn was to assume the father’s position as head of the family, with the requisite honour of his younger brothers. This is why he said to Isaac, ‘I am Esav your firstborn’, to say that he was the firstborn, fitting to be blessed.”
...Yaakov wants to know who will be the heir to the legacy of Abraham. This is a tradition described by God when he spoke about Abraham - “For I have singled him out, that he may instruct his children and his family line to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is just and upright” (18:19) - of religion and ethical standard. Yaakov wants to be the heir to this tradition. He wants to be the father of the nation that will inherit the Land of Canaan. He feels that he can do this better than Esav who seems to show little family commitment... Yaakov concerned with one thing. Yaakov knows that there is a promise that has been made to Abraham. He is to father a nation that is to transmit certain messages to the world. The vehicle for this is the Nation of Israel in the Land of Israel. Yaakov wants to ensure that this spiritual destiny is left in safe hands.
Yaakov was constantly concerning himself with the needs of the family home. Esav would eat daily at home but spent his days hunting - not enough to fill the family needs but he would occasionally provide a tasty joint of meat - but the traditional family trade was sheep farming and Esav gave no assistance in this area.” He describes Yaakov’s feelings of resentment to his brother who took from the family but wished not to contribute.
Esav lives in the here and now, hand to mouth world of the hunter, who scoffs at the long-term view and enjoys the moment. The quick-fire verbs of eat-drink-stand-leave gives a sense of certain hurry, maybe coarseness, but certainly not a person who wishes to live the examined and contemplative life.
Yaakov’s position as responsible in some way for the business of the home and his obsessive interest in a “virtual” commodity such as a birthright demonstrates his far-sightedness and his deep concern for the future of the leadership of the family and the entire faith legacy of Beit Avraham.
As we have seen in this story, however we define the Bechora; whether the bechora is an expression of inheritance rights, or religious priestly duty, or family leadership and responsibility, these rights CAN be transferred.
This Parsha comes NOT to emphasise the role of the firstborn and the status of the birthright but rather to lower its importance. The Torah tells us that it is good deeds and a God-fearing heart which will achieve success and honour. Birth confers no automatic rights for man. It is the actions of man which will lead him to the greatest heights.
In pesukim 27:46-28:9 we read about Yaakov being sent to Padan Aram to Abraham’s homestead to find a wife. Yaakov is acting in typical patriarchal fashion, finding his wife in the “old country” amongst the “land, birthplace, and father’s house” that Abraham left! Esav gets the message. He realizes that he didn’t merit the Berachot because he did not act in time honoured covenantal tradition. Esav responds by marrying again. This time he marries “in the family.” It is striking that this topic forms the framework, or the “bookends” for the “blessings” narrative. By doing this, the Torah virtually indicates explicitly at the very outset that Esav was unsuitable! He was not a covenantal candidate!
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https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/2372639/jewish/Esau-Sells-His-Birthright-for-a-Mess-of-Pottage.htm
"Why did Jacob want the birthright? Originally, the firstborn were intended to serve G‑d in the Tabernacle and later in the Holy Temple, so Jacob wanted to gain that privilege, feeling that Esau’s wickedness made him unworthy of performing this service."
""Here I am going to die, so why do I need the birthright?” ... If Jacob wanted the birthright because of the attendant privilege of serving in the Temple, then Esau was observing that failure to perform this service properly is punishable by immediate death, and that therefore he’d prefer to forgo it... Esau was the type of person who expected to “live fast and die young,” since he was constantly exposing himself to danger in his hunting activities. Therefore he assumed his father’s estate was no concern of his."
"...the birthright was actually not worth much in monetary terms, so that bread and lentil stew was a fair exchange for it."
"“He got up and left, and Esau mocked the birthright.” With this phrase the Torah disabuses us of any notion that "poor Esau had been forced" into selling a prized possession for some food to still his hunger. We see that that he entered into the deal wholeheartedly, and that he treated his birthright with contempt. In keeping with the explanation above that the birthright meant the right to serve G‑d in the Holy Temple, this mockery amounted to rejection of the Creator and disdain for serving Him.
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https://thelehrhaus.com/tanakh/navigating-uncertainty-revisiting-blessings-and-deceit-in-parashat-toledot/
Isaac and Rebecca pray for a child together and their prayers are answered when Rebecca conceives. Rebecca receives a divine message that she is expecting twins and that these twin brothers will be in perpetual conflict. The relationship of these sons will be defined by a zero-sum game in which the success of one will be at the expense of the other. Rather than being partners in the world they will inhabit, they will be in an indefinite struggle, with one brother subservient to the other. However, as noted by both Radak and Netziv, the divine message was ambiguous as to which brother would be the patriarch of the nation of Abraham — Would the elder serve the younger (ve-rav ya’avod et ha-tza’ir), or the younger serve the elder (ve-et ha-rav ya’avod ha’tza’ir)? As such, neither Rebecca nor Isaac is certain as to which of the twins isto be the chosen son. The options for interpretation of this divine message were meant to convey that either option was conceivably possible and that human intervention would determine which of these options would be realized. Rather than divulging the future, God left Isaac and Rebecca with the challenge of navigating through the uncertainty of who would be the future progenitor of the chosen people.
As the boys grew, Isaac admired the vigor, daring, and cunning of his older son, and thought he was the likely candidate for leadership, while Rebecca believed the qualities of leadership were more appropriately found in the mild-mannered and spiritually sensitive younger son, Jacob.
Isaac may have begun to question Esau’s suitability for leadership when, as per Hizkuni, he learned of Esau’s public renunciation of his birthright for short-term gain. Prudence and sound judgment are prerequisites for effective leadership, and Esau’s shortsighted behavior lacked both. Yet, it was upon Esau’s choice of the women he married that Isaac became certain of Esau’s disqualification. Isaac remembered the efforts his own father had put into finding him an appropriate spouse and the importance of marrying the right partner, and he saw that Esau had chosen wholly inappropriate wives who brought great grief to him and Rebecca (26:35). It was self-evident that Esau could not be the chosen son to lead the children of Abraham, especially with Yehudit and Basmat, the Canaanite Hittites, as potential matriarchs. Isaac understood all too well that Esau could never be the recipient of a blessing which would subordinate his brother Jacob.
Despite this, Isaac had doubts about Jacob’s ability to lead the Jewish people. The children of Abraham were destined to live in a hostile, foreign land where they would be enslaved and oppressed (14:13), and their leaders would need to possess a fighting and indefatigable spirit, as well as cunning and guile, to survive the vicissitudes of a long exile. While Isaac knew of Jacob’s cleverness in purchasing the birthright, he remained doubtful as to whether the gentle tent dweller possessed the daring and guile necessary for leadership. Rebecca may have shared these concerns.
Isaac and Rebecca, therefore, decide to put Jacob to the test by preparing a ruse that requires him to be manipulative, dishonest, and deceitful. It involves Jacob overcoming his fear of being exposed to the wrath of his father and having to face the inevitable deadly fury of his brother. The test entails Jacob (thinking he is) tricking his blind father into believing he is Esau. To execute this, Esau is sent on a prolonged hunting expedition. When the moment arrives, as Isaac sends Esau off to hunt, Rebecca would pressure and embolden Jacob to take the initiative and steal what he believes to be Esau’s blessing. Isaac would grill Jacob with questions such as “who are you?”; “how did you find prey so quickly?”; “let me touch you; are you really Esau?”; “but are you really my son Esau?”; “the voice is the voice of Jacob but the hands are the hands of Esau”; “come closer and kiss me” — to all of which Jacob must lie and say, “I am Esau your first born” and “I am [ truly Esau, your son],” all the while outstretching his camouflaged arms to his father and dreadfully fearful that Esau will suddenly appear with his own prepared meal.
Isaac had always known the gentle side of his younger son, and he had therefore suspected until now that Jacob lacked the worldly skills that he so admired in Esau. The ruse, designed by Isaac and Rebecca to prove Isaac wrong, did just that. Jacob, exhibiting cunning, courage, and deceit during his test, exposes Isaac to a side of Jacob that he had not previously witnessed. He learns that the yosheiv ohalim, the tent dweller, possesses the resourcefulness and wiles of the tzad tzayid, the hunter. According to this reading, the verse“Ve-lo hikiro, ki hayu yadav kiydei Eisav ahiv se’irot” (27:23) is to be understood as “The one who stood before him was not the Jacob he had previously recognized, in that this son exhibited the hairy masculinity, cunning, and resourcefulness of his hunter brother, Esau.”[3] This was exactly what Isaac had sought to discover through the test, a Jacob possessing the attributes of both the soft-spoken tent dweller and the cunning wiles of the powerful, rugged hunter of the fields (the voice of Jacob and the hands of Esau, 27:22). Isaac was now prepared to bless Jacob: va-yevarekheihu (27:23).
Isaac’s blessing takes hold and is legally binding, as he knows exactly whom he is blessing. Isaac learns that his blessings have received divine approval when he senses the fragrance of godliness on Jacob: Behold, my son’s fragrance is like the scent of a field blessed by God” (27:27)...
When explaining to Esau how the blessing was ‘inadvertently’ given to Jacob, Isaac uses a clever play on words: “Ba ahikha be-mirmah, vayikah birkhatekha” (27:35). To Esau, the meaning is a straightforward alibi; your brother took, through trickery, your blessing. To Isaac, it means something entirely different: your brother demonstrated guile and cunning and therefore received the blessing which I had thought, long ago, would be yours.
...In this final meeting of father and son, Isaac makes no mention of having been exploited by Jacob, as, on the contrary, it is Isaac, together with Rebecca, who has capitalized on his own disability in order to devise and execute his test of Jacob...
When sending Jacob off to a foreign land, Isaac and Rebecca were undoubtedly filled with concern for his well-being. Divine justice would inevitably exact a toll for Jacob’s participation in a deception that had inflicted bitter anguish upon his brother Esau. They could not have known, at the time, about Laban’s switching of the daughters or about Jacob’s own children tricking him into believing that Joseph had been killed. Nonetheless, they understood that, in accordance with the heavenly principle of ‘measure for measure,’ Jacob would have to pay a price for his involvement in the ruse they had prepared...
Yet, Isaac and Rebecca had confidence that the qualities which Jacob had demonstrated in the ruse they had prepared for him would serve him and his progeny well. They now knew that he possessed the strength, resourcefulness, and determination that would allow him to thrive in his new surroundings, and the courage to overcome the challenges that awaited him. They were assured that they had properly navigated the uncertain waters of raising their sons, and believed that Jacob would eventually be able to return to the land of Abraham in order to fulfill the role he was now destined to play.
While Isaac and Rebecca assuredly wrestled with their intended scheme, being aware of the resultant painful consequences for their son Jacob, they nevertheless understood that the essence of authentic leadership frequently necessitates making sacrifices and enduring the ramifications of challenging circumstances and choices."
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https://jewishlink.news/bechora-or-bracha-or-bechira/
"...consider the following: David himself was not the firstborn; he was—in fact—the youngest of Yishai’s sons... birth does not confer leadership. Leaders must be those who care about the nation more than the self; those who would weigh the opinions of others but then decide firmly and those who recognize their own limitations and admit their own mistakes... caring individuals whose concern for others outweighs their interest in themselves. And that is what allows them to rise to leadership. They do not become leaders merely through birth."
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https://tanach.org/breishit/toldot/toldots1.htm
Bechira
We use the name bechira (selection) to describe God's blessing of "zera v'aretz" to the Avot, i.e. being chosen to become the forefathers of His special nation. Bechira implies that only one son is chosen, and that all other children are rejected. As we explained above, this process began with God's choice of Avraham Avinu and continued with His choice of Yitzchak over Yishmael. It is not clear, however, when this bechira process will end.
Bracha
We will use the name bracha to describe a blessing of personal destiny (e.g. prosperity, power), given by a father to his sons. For example, Noach bestows a bracha on each of his three sons (9:24-27). He does not choose one son to become a special nation. Rather, he blesses (or curses) each son based on his potential. The classic example of bracha (as opposed to bechira) is found in Parshat Vaychi when Yaakov Avinu, prior to his death, blesses each of his twelve sons (see 49:1-28). In those blessings, Yaakov is not choosing which of his children will become God's special nation. Rather, he bestows a blessing of personal destiny on each son, according to his understanding of each son's character and potential (see 49:28).
Thus, according to these definitions, bracha is typically bestowed by the father, while bechira is bestowed by God.
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https://tanach.org/breishit/toldot/toldots1.htm
Considering that the reason for God's "bechira" (selection) of Avraham was in order that his offspring become a nation (see 12:1-2), this 'filtering' process of choosing only one son over others could not continue forever. Should only one 'favorite son' be chosen in each generation, a nation could obviously never develop. Sooner or later, this 'filtering process' must end, and an entire family must be chosen...
there is no apparent reason for Yitzchak to assume that only one son is to be chosen and the other rejected. Unlike Yitzchak and Yishmael who come from different mothers, both Yaakov and Esav are born from the same mother. In fact, they are twins! Therefore, it is only logical for us to presume that Yitzchak assumes that both Yaakov and Esav are chosen.
Furthermore, even if there is some divine reason to choose only one son, it should be God's choice and not Yitzchak's! After all, up until this point, God alone had been involved in this bechira process. He had chosen Avraham, and He alone had chosen Yitzchak over Avraham's other offspring...
As we explained above, one could suggest that Yitzchak expects that both his children will become 'Am Yisrael' [or, to be more precise, 'Am Yitzchak']. However, realizing that he is aging, and understanding that in order for his children to become a nation they must have political leadership, Yitzchak must appoint one of his sons as the family leader.
For this job, Esav - the "ish sadeh" [a man of the world (see 25:27)] - is obviously the most suitable candidate. [You need to have a "macher" to run a country. Furthermore, realistically speaking, Yaakov & Esav are over sixty years old, Esav is married with children, has a job, and can take of himself and others; while Yaakov is still single, and 'living at home.' Hence, Yitzchak choice of Esav to become the family provider and leader is quite logical.]
Undoubtedly, Yitzchak has a blessing in store for Yaakov as well - most probably a blessing of spiritual leadership. Yaakov - the "ish tam yoshev ohalim," a man of the book (see 25:27) - can provide the family with spiritual guidance. [This 'theoretical blessing' for Yaakov is quite similar to the ultimate duty of shevet Levi (see Devarim 33:10).] However, without first setting up a nation (via Esav), there would be no one around for Yaakov to guide.
[The fact that Yitzchak had called upon Esav, his eldest, to receive his blessing first, does not rule out the possibility that he may have intended to bless Yaakov afterward. Note in Parshat Va'ychi how Yaakov first blesses Yosef, and only afterward blesses his twelve children.]
Rivka knows something that Yitzchak doesn't! Recall that when she was pregnant with Yaakov and Esav, Rivka senses a struggle, and seeks God for an explanation (see 25:22).
God's answer to her (and not to Yitzchak!) already alludes to the fact that the bechira process has not yet ended... Because of this prophecy, Rivka knows something that Yitzchak does not - that her twins are destined to become two nations, and hence, only one of them can be chosen. Realizing this, and knowing from that same prophecy that it must be the younger brother (see 25:23, "v'rav ya'avod tza'ir"), Rivka knows that Yaakov is destined to receive bechira, and not Esav.
Yitzchak, however, is unaware of this prophecy. [Note 25:23: "va'yomer Hashem lah" - to her, and not to him!]
It is not clear why Rivka never informs Yitzchak of this prophecy. She may assume that Yitzchak also knows, and only later realizes that he doesn't (see Ramban 27:4). Alternately, she may understand that it is God's intention for only her to know, and not Yitzchak. Whatever the reason may be, as the children grow up, each parent has a different perception of their destiny. Yitzchak assumes that both Yaakov and Esav are chosen, while Rivka knows that it will only be Yaakov...
Rivka has limited time to act, yet feels responsible to the prophecy which she had received, and hence obligated to rectify the situation. In her eyes, this may have been the original reason why God had originally granted her this knowledge. Unfortunately, however, Rivka must resort to trickery to make sure that Yaakov will receive the blessing instead.
After Yitzchak grants Yaakov (thinking that he is Esav) a bracha of prosperity and leadership, the real Esav arrives and begs his father for another blessing (see 27:34,36). Yitzchak's first response is that the special blessing which he intended for Esav (prosperity and power) had already been given to Yaakov (27:35,37). There is no other bracha for Esav, for he is obviously not suitable to receive the bracha of spirituality, intended for Yaakov. However, since Yitzchak still assumes that both sons are chosen, in the end he is able to grant Esav another bracha instead.
[This extra blessing ("tal ha'shamayim u'shmaney ha'aretz"/ see 27:38-39) includes prosperity, for this can be shared by both brothers. However, since the blessing of political leadership ("hvei gvir l'achicha..." /see 27:29) can only be given to one son, Yitzchak tells Esav that he will be able to obtain this blessing only should Yaakov fall."
Yitzchak is not granting Yaakov the bechira. He is blessing Yaakov that God should grant him the bechira..
"this entire episode may carry an important message concerning how to relate to the nature of our physical world and leadership.
Indeed, to become a nation, there are times that the 'aggressive' qualities of an "ish sadeh" are needed. However, there is a popular notion that these physical responsibilities should be delegated to the "ish sadeh" and to one who is only an "ish sadeh", leaving the spiritual realm alone to the delicate "ish tam". Yitzchak's original intention to bless Esav may reflect this notion. After all, Yaakov, the "ish tam" was not yet fit to receive the blessing of prosperity and leadership.
Therefore, to secure that blessing, it was necessary for Yaakov to first don the 'hands of Esav.' To establish God's special nation, there are times when it is necessary for the "ish tam" to take on the responsibilities of the "ish sadeh". Separating these responsibilities between two sons reflects the notion that spirituality cannot be found in the physical world of establishing a nation.
At the time of these "brachot", Yaakov himself is not yet ready to become an "ish sadeh". But sooner or later he will need to be able to blend these qualities. Later in his life, before he returns to Eretz Yisrael, Yaakov must finally confront the 'angel of Esav,' this time without trickery, to prove that he is indeed worthy of that leadership task. Nonetheless, it is significant that the primal character of Am Yisrael is that of Yaakov, the "ish tam."
Even though many situations in our history will arise when we must don the 'hands of Esav' - when we must act as an "ish sadeh" - our dominant trait must always remain that of an "ish tam." For when Am Yisrael enjoys prosperity and political leadership, it is only for them to provide mankind with spiritual guidance.
Throughout our history, even though we must periodically 'don the hands of Esav,' our voice must always remain 'the voice of Yaakov!'"
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https://catholicexchange.com/becorah-hebrew-birthright-explained
"The Hebrew word for “birthright” is becorah and belongs by custom to the firstborn male who opens the womb. The becorah legally entitles the first born to a double portion of the father’s inheritance. The Hebrew word is itself related to the verb for “bear new fruit.” Since Esau was the firstborn the “birthright” was legally his... The blessing or beracah includes within it the notion of the birthright but also more generally a prophetic wish from father to son of long life, fertility, & prosperity. Sometimes the beracah was actually a litany of curses and hardship for ill-favored children. Usually the blessing would serve as a "last will and testament" and was given to the children by the father near his death. The firstborn would receive his blessing first, and would usually receive the best blessing. Then other lesser blessings might follow... The point of the whole story [of Esau & Jacob] is that the firstborn has been passed over and so has forfeited both the birthright and the blessing that might have been his. St. Paul sees in this an [ironic!!] allegory for Israel, who is GOD’s firstborn, who in rejecting her Messiah, rejected her firstborn status and saw her blessings go to the “younger” Gentile nation."
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https://goodquestionblog.com/2023/06/03/why-didnt-isaac-confront-jacob-about-stealing-esaus-blessing/
"...from the perspective of many contemporary cultures, Isaac should have confronted his son about his deception and theft and corrected him. Beyond that, many contemporary readers will wonder in the first place why, when Isaac realized what had happened (“Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing.,” he told Esau), he did not retract the blessing that Jacob had obtained fraudulently. Was it really the norm in this culture for people to be bound by their word, even if they had been led to give it under false circumstances? Apparently so. There is a comparable account in the book of Judges of how the Gibeonites, a tribe living in the land of Canaan, deceived the Israelites into swearing an oath of peace with them by pretending to be a group that lived far from Canaan. The Israelites were supposed to destroy all of the Canaanite tribes, but when they finally learned who the Gibeonites really were, they said, “We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now.” As I said, this may seem strange to many contemporary readers. We do not consider people to be bound by their word if they have made a statement under compromised circumstances... What readers of the Bible may wonder most is how God could consider people to be bound by their word under such circumstances. Isn’t God fair? Why would God hold people to statements they would not have made if they had not been deceived? I think the answer, as we see often in the Bible, is that God chooses to work within the conventions of human cultures to pursue his redemptive purposes. The Bible clearly disallows many cultural practices that are destructive of human flourishing. But in general... God works out His plan through the free choices, good and bad, of human moral agents, accommodating human cultures in the process. Rather than completely setting aside the cultures humans have built, which are often for the most part positive creative achievements, God looks at a situation and says, “I can work with that.” [So] I would say that Isaac did not confront Jacob about stealing Esau’s blessing because Isaac considered it a “done deal” according to his cultural norms and there was nothing he could do about it."
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https://goodquestionblog.com/2023/04/08/did-jacob-receiving-the-birthright-have-more-advantages-than-disadvantages/
"Esau, for his part, does not seem to have been interested in the birthright, so Jacob didn’t necessarily have to take advantage of Esau’s venality and impulsiveness, bringing out the worst in him, to get it.
Ideally, the two of them could also have spoken directly, with Jacob suggesting, “Look, I’m interested in this, while you’re interested in that, why don’t we both do what we’re interested in?”
If things had happened that way, I don’t think we would see many disadvantages in Jacob having the birthright. He was God’s choice to carry on the covenant line, and he ultimately proved to be a man of faith and character."
"But as God works out his plan through the free choices, good and bad, of human moral agents, things are rarely as neat as they could be if people always made the best choices and brought out the best in one another. I am not so much disturbed by the way Jacob [still] receives the birthright despite his cheating and deception as I am amazed at the way God is [always] able to carry His purposes forward even as people act in immature and sinful ways... it would still have been better if everyone in the family had acted consistently in a godly and mature way. But to see what God WAS able to do even as all of them needed to learn and grow has advantages of its own. It certainly gives the rest of us hope that despite the brokenness and frailty of which we are only too aware, God CAN still bring the stories of our lives to beautiful conclusions."
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