When hunger descended upon the land of Canaan, Yaakov encouraged his sons to travel to Egypt to buy grain. According to Rashi, they still had some food, but Yaakov said to his sons, “Why should you show yourselves before the sons of Yishmael and Eisav as though you are sated?”
Why was Yaakov concerned about the resentment of the sons of Yishmael and Eisav, who lived some distance away, and not the envy of his immediate neighbors?
Yaakov’s concern was not simply about envy. (And rightfully so, as he and his family did not actually have a long-term supply of food, and their supplies did eventually become depleted.) Rather, he was concerned about certain accusations and criticisms that would come specifically from the children of Yishmael and Eisav.
Despite their limited supply of food, Yaakov’s sons were entirely content, as though they had all the grain that they would ever need. They were confident that G‑d would provide for their needs without requiring them to relocate, or even to travel to Egypt to buy food.
2. See Bereishis 43:2.
But Yaakov was concerned that such behavior might draw unwanted attention from the sons of Yishmael and Eisav. There had been other famines in the land of Canaan that had forced Avraham and Yitzchak to move—Avraham to Egypt, and Yitzchak to Gerar. Yaakov worried that the sons of Yishmael and Eisav would ask, “Do the sons of Yaakov think that they are more worthy than our common grandparents, the saintly Avraham and Yitzchak, and that G‑d will provide for them without requiring them to relocate?”
In truth, Avraham and Yitzchak had not moved solely because of the famine; other factors had also motivated them to migrate.
Yaakov, however, knew that the children of Yishmael and Eisav might not be aware of those reasons, so he instructed his sons to travel to Egypt to restock their provisions the natural way, so as not to draw attention from their “cousins” and put their earnestness in question.
If not for this concern, Yaakov would have agreed to remain in Canaan, confident that G‑d would provide for them miraculously.
—Likkutei Sichos, vol. 30, pp. 190–194
3. See Rashi, Bereishis 12:10.
