Statement: “Yaakov gave Eisav bread and lentil soup.”
Question: Why did Yaakov give Eisav bread in addition to the red lentil soup, if all he had asked for was the soup?
Answer: One answer is that when Eisav came from the field he was terribly hungry, and it would not have been right of Yaakov to take advantage of the situation and tell Eisav that if he did not sell him the Bechora (birthright), he would let him die from hunger. Yaakov knew that his brother Eisav would claim that he was under duress at the time of the sale, and thus, the sale of the birthright would be null and void.
Wanting to make sure that Eisav would not have any regret about the sale, he first gave him enough bread to stave off his hunger. When Eisav was no longer hungry, Yaakov then asked him if he still wanted the lentil soup in exchange for the birthright. It was when Eisav was satiated that he sold his birthright for a pot of lentil soup with his free will.
Question II: In addition to this question, a student of mine asked why Yaakov chose this specific moment to buy the Firstborn Birthright from Eisov. Eisov was surely ready to dispose of this spiritual privilege earlier. So why wait till now?
Answer: One could suggest the following answer. Up until that time, Eisov’s paternal grandfather, Avraham, was still alive. We know that Yitzchok loved Eisov and perhaps overlooked the evil that lurked within. Avraham, Eisov’s grandfather, was more cognizant and aware of the potential evil that Eisov possessed. And since Avraham was still alive, he could still have had some effect on him through educating him or as a living example. This is true, as a child is more malleable to change before the age of 13. Perhaps there was still hope of changing Eisov's behavior.
Based on the Zohar the Yetzer HaTov (Good Inclination) enters a person. As it says, “And when does man seek purity? On his thirteenth birthday, man joins with the Good Inclination on the right and the Evil Inclination on the left.”
Once Eisov turned 13, it was clear to all as to what type of individual he was, since now both of his Yetzers were active. This occurred at the moment when his grandfather, the Tzaddik Avraham, had passed away. We know this from the fact that Yaakov was making a mourner's meal for his father Yitzchok. When Yaakov saw that Eisov was not affected by the passing Avraham, but rather showed complete disregard and contempt through his actions of murder during that time, he realized that Eisov could no longer be influenced towards good through the living role model of Avraham. Therefore, Eisov would be unlikely to curb his innate tendencies for evil without this guidance. Thus, it was at this precise moment in time when Yaakov took appropriate action and realized that the taking of the birthright had to be put into action.
Lesson: Although the prospects of Teshuva exist as long as one is alive, if leadership opportunities are available to someone whose blemished nature hinders this special role from being fulfilled as needed, a person whose spiritual character excels among his or her peers, should seize the moment to act in their stead. As the Mishnah says: “In a place where there are no men, try to be a man.” (Pirkei Avos 2:5) That is, where there are no good or worthy people a person should strive to be one.
See below for a detailed related discussion on the topic of the Passing of Tzaddikim.
