Esau Was Great in His Parents Eyes but Small Before God

"And he called Esau his elder [literally, great] son" (Genesis 27:1). This is like a province that was enrolling recruits for the king, and there was a certain woman there who had a dwarf son, and she would call him Tall-Stride. She said to them: My son is Tall-Stride, and you do not enroll him? They said to her: If in your eyes he is Tall-Stride, in our eyes he is a dwarf. So too, his father called him great: "And he called Esau his great son." His mother called him great: "And Rebekah took the garments of Esau her great son" (Genesis 27:15). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In your eyes he is great; in My eyes he is small, as it is said, "Behold, I have made you small among the nations; you are greatly despised" (Obadiah 1:2). Rabbi Berechiah said: Like an ox set for slaughter; this is what is written, "For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Edom" (Isaiah 34:6). "And he said to him, My son; and he said to him, Here I am" (Genesis 27:18). This is what is written, "When he speaks graciously, do not trust him, for there are seven abominations in his heart" (Proverbs 26:25). You find one abomination written in the Torah, and ten things written concerning it: "There shall not be found among you one who passes his son or daughter through fire," and so forth. Here it is written "seven"; how much more so. So, "seven abominations in his heart." "Behold now, I am old, I do not know the day of my death" (Genesis 27:2). Rabbi Yehoshua said: If a man reaches the age at which his forebears died, five years before he should worry about death. For so Isaac said: If I am to reach my father's years, until now I am still being sought; and if my mother's years, behold now I am old, I do not know the day of my death. It is taught: seven things are hidden from human beings, and these are they. The day of death, as it is said, "For man does not know his time" (Ecclesiastes 9:12). The day of consolation: "I am the LORD; in its time I will hasten it." The depth of judgment, as it is said, "For the judgment is God's" (Deuteronomy 1:17). And a man does not know by what he will profit, as it is written, "It is the gift of God" (Ecclesiastes 5:18). And a man does not know what is in his fellow's heart: "I the LORD search the heart." And a man does not know what is in a woman's womb, as it is written, "Like the bones in the womb of her who is full" (Ecclesiastes 11:5). And when the fourth kingdom will fall, as it is written, "For the day of vengeance is in My heart" (Isaiah 63:4). "And now take up your weapons" (Genesis 27:3). Sharpen your hunting tools, that you may not feed me carrion or torn beasts. Take your gear, that you may not feed me what is stolen or seized by violence. "Your quiver": he said to him, behold, blessings hang ready; the one whom He loves is the one to be blessed.