God Spoke Directly to Only One Righteous Woman

“The Lord said to her” (Genesis 25:23) – Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon and Rabbi Yoḥanan in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Rabbi Shimon:: The Holy One blessed be He never deigned to speak with a woman except for that righteous woman,12Sarah, see Bereshit Rabba 48:20. and that, too, was for a reason. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: How much did He go in a roundabout manner in order to speak with her: “No, but you did laugh” (Genesis 18:15).

But is it not written: “She13Hagar. called the name of the Lord who spoke to her”? (Genesis 16:13). Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Abba Ḥama bar Ḥanina: It was by means of an angel. Rabbi Elazar said: By means of Shem son of Noah. “Two peoples [goyim] are in your womb” (Genesis 25:23) – two of the proudest of peoples are in your womb.

This one is proud of his world14His world that exists for the sake of Torah and leads to the World to Come. and that one is proud of his empire. Two of the proudest of peoples are in your womb – Hadrian among the idolaters and Solomon in Israel. Another matter, two of those hated by the peoples are in your womb.15The word “two” is extraneous, as unless otherwise indicated, the plural “peoples” connotes two.

The word “two [shenei]” is expounded as sonei or senuei – those hated by peoples. All the idolaters hate Esau, and all the idolaters hate Israel. [Alternately] the most hated of the sons is in your womb, as it is written: “But I hated Esau” (Malachi 1:3). “And two nations will be separated from your innards” (Genesis 25:23) – from here it is derived that he was born circumcised.16They were already different while they were in the womb.

Jacob was circumcised and Esau was not. “One nation will prevail over the other nation” (Genesis 25:23) – Rabbi Ḥelbo said: To this point, they would be called: “Savta, Raama, and Savtekha” (Genesis 10:7).17Small nations and families were counted. From you, Jews and Romans would arise. “The elder will serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23) – Rabbi Huna said: If he [Jacob] merits, he [Esau] will serve, but if not, he [Esau] will be served.