Everyone knows that Esav was a rasha, a wicked person. The question is, why? There is no one on Earth who is completely righteous and doesn’t sin. Why is it that Esav is considered so bad and wicked?
The answer is that when Esav spurned his birthright, he didn’t care. After he sold it, he was able to sit and eat and drink. Only one whose conscience is clear can do such a thing.
He stood and departed on his way, mocking Yaakov for the purchase of something worthless. He had no pangs of guilt or remorse. This is why he is considered so wicked.
As a famous Chasidic Rebbe said, “When a Jew sins, he may give in to his desires, but he feels bad about it. He knows he has harmed the relationship between himself and G-d and this guilt is a chance for a positive move towards repentance.
Not so Esav. He sinned and was glad about it. That’s the point of no return so we criticize this behavior and use Esav as the paradigm for wickedness – when one doesn’t serve Hashem, and he is happy about it.
– Based on a speech by R’ Dovid Goldwasser on TorahAnytime.com
