“Now, please take your gear, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and hunt game for me” (Genesis 27:3). “Now, please take your gear” – sharpen your hunting tools, so you will not feed me unslaughtered carcasses or mauled animals. Take your hunting tools, so you will not feed me stolen or forcibly-taken items. “Your quiver [telyekha]” – he said to him: ‘The blessings are pending [teluyot].
The one who is worthy to be blessed, he will be blessed.’ Another matter, “please take your gear [kelekha],” this is Babylon – “and he brought the vessels to the treasure house of his god” (Daniel 1:2). “Your quiver [telyekha],” this is Media – “they hanged [vayitlu] Haman on the gibbet” (Esther 7:10). “Your bow,” this is Greece [Yavan] – “for I bend Judah for Me as a bow […on your children Yavan]” (Zechariah 9:13).
“And go out to the field,” this is Edom – “to the land of Se’ir, the field of Edom” (Genesis 32:4). “Prepare for me delicacies, as I like, and bring it to me, and I will eat; so that my soul will bless you before I die” (Genesis 27:4). “Prepare for me delicacies” – Rabbi Eliezer said in the name of Rabbi Yosei bar Zimra: Three matters were stated regarding the tree from which Adam, the first man, ate: Good for eating, beautiful to the eyes, and adds wisdom.
The three of them were stated in one verse: “The woman saw that the tree was good for eating” (Genesis 3:6) – from here [we learn] that it is good for eating; “and that it was enticing to the eyes” (Genesis 3:6) – from here [we learn] that it was beautiful to the eyes; “a source of wisdom [lehaskil]” (Genesis 3:6) – from here [we learn] that it adds wisdom, just as it says: “A contemplation [maskil] by Eitan” (Psalms 89:1).
Likewise, Isaac said: “Prepare for me delicacies [matamim].” He said to him: ‘Initially, I would enjoy the sight, but now I enjoy only the taste [hataam].’ Likewise, Solomon said: “With the increase of goodness, its eaters increase; [and what use is it to its owner other than the sight of his eyes?]” (Ecclesiastes 5:10)16When someone is wealthy, his household is large and his food expenditures are great.
He enjoys only the sight of the food. – from here [we learn] that the blind are not sated. One who sees an empty basket and is hungry is unlike one who sees a full basket and is sated.17Somebody who sees an empty basket feels hungry, while somebody who sees a full basket does not feel hungry, since he knows that there will be food when he is hungry. “Rebecca heard as Isaac spoke to Esau his son. Esau went to the field to hunt game to bring” (Genesis 27:5).
“Esau went to the field to hunt game to bring” – if he finds, excellent, but if not, “to bring” – from stolen or forcibly-taken items.