The one people shall be stronger than the other people (Gen. 25:23)
As Rashi comments, "When one rises, the other shall fall." Jacob and Esau are symbolic of the struggle between the G-dly soul and the animal soul. When a Jew's G-dly soul is strengthened and "rises up," he does not have to fight his Evil Inclination in a direct manner. Rather, the animal soul automatically "falls" in its presence, in the same way that darkness is automatically dispelled in the presence of light. (Sefer HaMaamarim)
And Isaac loved Esau...but Rivka loved Jacob (Gen. 25:25)
Isaac was a "perfect offering," whose "style" of Divine service was somewhat removed from the material world and its concealments. Rivka, by contrast, had grown up in household surrounded by devious people. When Esau asked his father how to "tithe salt," it was beyond Isaac's imagination that his son was being deceitful. Rivka, however, with her experience in the ways of the world, recognized that it was only a scheme to impress his father, and "loved Jacob" for his quality of truthfulness. (Der Torah Kval)
Reprinted from the Parshat Toldot 5761/2000 edition of L’Chaim.
