“When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out, a very great and bitter cry, and he said to his father: Bless me too, my father” (Genesis 27:34). “When Esau heard the words of his father” – Rabbi Ḥanina said: Anyone who says that the Holy One blessed be He is lax, may his intestines become lax. Rather, He shows patience and collects His due. Jacob caused Esau to cry out one cry, as it is written: “When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out.”
Where did He punish him [Jacob]? It was in the Shushan citadel, as it is stated: “[When Mordekhai learned what had happened…] and cried out an exceedingly loud and bitter cry” (Esther 4:1). “He said: Your brother came in cunning, and he took your blessing” (Genesis 27:35). “Your brother came in cunning [bemirma]” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: He came with the wisdom of his Torah.3This is expounded from the fact that the Torah used the word mirma, not sheker, rama’ut, or honaa.
Cunning [mirma] is not necessarily negative. “He said: It is for this that his name was called Jacob [Yaakov], as he deceived me these two times; he took my birthright and, behold, now he took my blessing. And he said: Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” (Genesis 27:36). “He said: It is for this [hakhi] that his name was called Jacob [Yaakov], as he deceived me [vayakveni]” – Reish Lakish said: He began clearing his throat, like one who clears his throat [meḥakekh] and expectorates from his mouth.
“He said: Hakhi.”4Hakhi which literally means "is it for this" is expounded as though it should be read ḥiki – as in the word meḥakekh. “He deceived me…he took my birthright” – and I said nothing to him. “Behold, now he took my blessing” – shall I say nothing to him? “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” – from the inferior ones.5A less important blessing.