"Take, please, my blessing that is brought to you" (Genesis 33:11). He said to him: I had so much toil and so much trouble until it would come to me, but now it comes to you of itself, as it is said "that is brought" [huvat]. It is not written here "that I brought" [heveti], but rather "that is brought to you." "And he urged him, and he took it" (Genesis 33:11). Resh Lakish went to ask after the welfare of our teacher. He said to him: pray for me, for this wicked kingdom oppresses much. He said to him: do not take anything from any man and you will not have to give anything. As he was sitting, a certain woman came bearing him a tray, and in it was a knife. He rose, took the knife, and returned the tray to her. A royal courier came, saw the knife, coveted it, and took it. In the evening twilight Resh Lakish came up to ask after his welfare and found him sitting and laughing. He said to him: that knife you coveted, a courier came and coveted it and took it. He said to him: did I not say to you, do not take anything from any man and do not give anything? All twelve months that he was with him, Esau honored him every day. Jacob said: "for the bribe blinds the clear-sighted" (Exodus 23:8), all the more so the wicked.
The Gift That Came by Itself and the Sage Who Took Nothing
Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 133:15
(בראשית לג יא) קַח נָא אֶת בִּרְכָתִי אֲשֶׁר הֻבָאת לָךְ, אָמַר לוֹ, אֲנִי כַּמָּה יְגִיעַ כַּמָּה צַעַר הָיָה לִי עַד שֶׁלֹּא תָּבֹא אֶצְלִי, עַתָּה מֵאֵלֶיהָ הִיא בָּאָה אֶצְלָךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֲשֶׁר הֻבָאת אֲשֶׁר הֵבֵאתִי אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא אֲשֶׁר הֻבָאת לָךְ. וַיִּפְצַר בּוֹ וַיִּקָּח, מִתְחָמֵי חָזַר וְיָדֵיהּ פְּשׁוּטָה רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָזַל לְמִשְׁאַל בִּשְׁלָמֵיהּ דְרַבֵּנוּ אָמַר לֵיהּ, צָלִי עָלַי, דַּהֲדֵין מַלְכוּתָא בִּישָׁא סָגִין אָמַר לֵיהּ, לֹא תִּסַּב מִן בַּר נַשׁ כְּלוּם וְלֵית אַתְּ יָהִיב כְּלוּם מִן דְּיָתִיב אָתָא חֲדָא אִתְּתָא טְעִינָא לֵיהּ דִּסְקְרָא חַד וַחֲדָא סַכִּינָא בְּגַוֵּהּ קָם נָסִיב סַכִּינָא וְאַהֲדַר לָהּ דִּסְקְרָא אָתָא בַּלְדָר מִמַלְכוּתָא חֲמִיתֵיהּ חָמְדָהּ וְנָסְבָהּ בִּפְתֵי רַמְשָׁא סָלִיק רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ לְמִשְׁאַל בִּשְׁלֹמֵיהּ וַחֲמִיתֵא יָתִיב וְשָׂחִיק אָמַר לֵיהּ, הַהוּא סַכִּינָא דַּחֲמִידִית אָתָא חַד בַּלְדָר וְחָמְדָהּ וְנָסְבָהּ אָמַר לֵיהּ, וְלֹא כֵן אָמְרִית לָךְ לֹא תִּסַּב מִבַּר נַשׁ כְּלוּם וְלֹא אַתְּ יָהִיב כְּלוּם. כָּל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶש שֶׁהָיָה אֶצְלוֹ מְכַבְּדוֹ בְּכָל יוֹם, אָמַר יַעֲקֹב, (שמות כג, ח) "כִּי הַשֹּׁחַד יְעַוֵּר פִּקְחִים" קַל וָחוֹמֶר לָרְשָׁעִים.