Eisav Joined with Yishmael to Combat Yaakov’s Midah of Tiferes
With this understanding, the Megaleh Amukos explains Eisav’s rationale for joining forces with Yishmael. We learn from the Zohar hakadosh (Vayishlach 172b) that the midah of Yaakov Avinu—“Tiferes” from the aspect of kedushah—combines aspects of Avraham’s midah of “chesed” and Yitzchak’s midah of “gevurah.” Thus, when Eisav saw that Yaakov bested him and succeeded in taking the Berachos from him, he concluded that Yaakov’s power of kedushah was superior to his power of tumah. After all, Eisav’s power stemmed solely from the klipah of “gevurah,” whereas Yaakov’s power combined both “chesed” and “gevurah.”
Hence, Eisav devised a clever plan. He would join forces with Yishmael by marrying his daughter. So: "וילך עשו אל ישמעאל ויקח את מחלת בת ישמעאל." By doing so, he thought that they would form the klipah of “Tiferes,” which would enable them to defeat Yaakov and his “Tiferes” of kedushah. After all, Yishmael represented the klipah of “chesed”; so, by marrying his daughter, he would also possess a combination of “chesed” and “gevurah,” albeit from the aspect of the klipah.
Notwithstanding, Yaakov Avinu with his power of kedushah still prevailed over the united klipos of Eisav and Yishmael. For this reason, Yaakov sent emissaries to Eisav saying (Bereishis 32, 5): "עם לבן גרתי"—I have dwelled with Lavan. Rashi comments: The gematria of ״גרתי״ is six hundred and thirteen (“taryag”). In other words, “I dwelled with Lavan HaRasha, yet I observed the taryag mitzvos and did not learn from his evil deeds.” Thus, Yaakov informed Eisav that the union of the klipos of Yishmael and Eisav—the klipos of chesed and gevurah—did not frighten him or concern him.
In fact, he added the following (ibid. 6): "ויהי לי שור וחמור"—insinuating that he possessed the power to overcome even the union of the two forces of tumah of the ox and the donkey. On the side of kedushah, he had Yosef, of whom it was said (Devarim 33, 17): "בכור שורו הדר לו"—a firstborn, his ox, glory unto him. He also had Yissachar, of whom it was said (Bereishis 49, 14): "יששכר חמור גרם"—Yissachar is a strong-boned donkey. Thus, Yaakov informed Eisav that he possessed the powers of the ox and the donkey on the side of kedushah, which would enable him to overcome the klipos of the ox and the donkey. This is the gist of his sacred remarks.
