Our story comes from Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Genesis. Specifically, we're diving into chapter 65, which grapples with the character of Esau. You remember Esau. Jacob's twin brother, the one who traded his birthright for a bowl of lentil stew.

The passage opens with the line: “He summoned Esau his elder son.” Rabbi Elazar bar Shimon offers a fascinating analogy to explain this. It's like a province compiling a list of mighty warriors for the king's army. There's this one woman who has a rather… underwhelming son. But she insists on calling him "Tall and Quick." "Why aren't you conscripting my son?" she demands. The officials reply, "If you think he's tall and quick, well, to us, he’s the puniest of the puny!"

Now, how does this relate to Esau? His father called him gadol, great, as we see in Genesis 27:1: “He called Esau, his elder [hagadol] son.” And his mother, Rebekah, also referred to him as hagadol, great, in Genesis 27:15: “The garments of Esau, her elder [hagadol] son.” So, those closest to him saw him as someone of importance.

But then, God steps in. "If, in your eyes, he is great," God says, "in My eyes, he is insignificant." And the proof text? Obadiah 1:2: “Behold, I rendered you insignificant among the nations, you are greatly despised.” Keep in mind that this prophecy refers to Edom, the nation descended from Esau.

Rabbi Berekhya adds another layer. He connects Esau to the image of a bull being slaughtered. Esau is called great, he suggests, because his slaughterer – God Himself – is great. This is supported by Isaiah 34:6: “There is a sacrifice for the Lord in Botzra and a great [gadol] slaughter in the land of Edom.” It’s a powerful and somewhat unsettling image.

The passage then pivots to Esau's deceptive nature. When Isaac says, "My son," and Esau replies, "Here I am," it triggers a warning. “When he ingratiates with his voice, do not trust him…” (Proverbs 26:25).

Ḥizkiyahu the translator takes this further, quoting the rest of that verse: “As there are seven abominations in his heart” (Proverbs 26:25). The rabbis launch into a bit of numerological interpretation here. If one "abomination" written in the Torah implies ten sins, as demonstrated by the list in Deuteronomy 18:10–12 (which details various forms of divination considered abominable), then "seven abominations" must mean seventy abominations! It's a striking way to emphasize the depth of Esau's inner corruption.

What does this all mean? The rabbis, through this rich tapestry of stories and verses, are painting a complex portrait of Esau. He's a figure seen differently by different eyes. His parents perceive greatness, while God sees insignificance. And beneath a veneer of charm, lies a heart filled with, well, seventy abominations.

It makes you wonder, doesn't it? How do we see ourselves? And how does that compare to how we're seen by others... and by something greater than ourselves? And perhaps most importantly, what "abominations" might be lurking in our own hearts, hidden beneath a carefully constructed facade? It's a question worth pondering.