AVROHOM YAAKOV
While Yaakov prepared the mourner’s meal for his parents, Esav was working hard at his favourite activities – hunting animals, murdering people and abducting and molesting women.
Tired from a day of vigorous activity, Esav returns and is famished. He asks his brother for food who agrees to feed him only if Esav sells his firstborn birthright to his brother.
Esav responds (25:32), "Here I am about to die, what [good] is this birthright to me."
Commentators explain the meaning behind Esav’s words.
As Esav was a hunter and involved in a dangerous profession, in all likelihood he would die young. As the birthright is only activated on the passing of his father, Esav didn’t believe that he would outlive his father.
Taking Esav’s words in the narrow sense, the Chofetz Chaim notes that if someone is about to die, a more normal response would be to put one’s affairs in order, examine one’s deeds and prepare oneself for the next phase of existence.
And yet Esav used his impending demise for justification of his perverted behaviour.
If you had only one day left, how would you spend it?
