Isaac Blesses Jacob with Eden's Wine and the Fragrance of the Righteous

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Toldot 16:4

Isaac said to him (Genesis 27:24): "Are you really my son Esau?" He said to him: "I am." He said to him (Genesis 27:25): "Bring it near to me that I may eat," and so forth. From where did he have wine? Behold, we find that his mother did not give him wine, but rather (Genesis 27:17): "And she gave the delicacies," and so forth. So who brought him wine? Michael brought him wine from the Garden of Eden. Our Rabbis said: You do not find wine of blessing except this one, and that of Abraham, as it is said (Genesis 14:18): "And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine," and so forth. And here too, once he drank, he blessed him. He said to him (Genesis 27:26): "Come near now and kiss me, my son," and "he came near and kissed him," and so forth. [It should have said: "He saw the fragrance of his garments and blessed him." Rather, he said: "See, the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field."] And it should have said: "See, the fragrance of my son's garments." Rather, he said to him: "See, the fragrance of my son." This teaches that the fragrance of the righteous is like that of the World to Come. What is "like the fragrance of a field," and so forth? That they were the garments of Adam the first man, and they took on a fragrance from the Garden of Eden. Immediately he said to him (Genesis 27:28): "And may God give you of the dew of heaven" — this is Torah, as it is said (Deuteronomy 32:2): "May my speech drip like the dew." "And of the fat of the earth" — these are the Prophets. "And abundance of grain" — this is Talmud. "And new wine" — these are the Midrashim. Another interpretation: "Of the dew of heaven" — this is the manna, as it is said (Numbers 11:9): "And when the dew descended," and so forth. "And of the fat of the earth" — this is the well.

Themes

Biblical References