Take the tale of Jacob and Esau. As babies, they were basically indistinguishable, right? Like a myrtle and a thorn bush just sprouting – you can't tell them apart yet. But give them time to grow, and the myrtle's sweet fragrance will be unmistakable, just as the thorn bush’s sharp points will be.
That's how the sages of the Talmud saw it. In their early years, it was hard to tell what kind of men Jacob and Esau would become.
So what happened as they got older? Well, at thirteen, that pivotal age in Jewish tradition, their paths diverged dramatically. Jacob, our ancestor Jacob, dedicated himself to learning and spiritual growth. He went to the Bet ha Midrash (house of study) of Shem and Eber, figures known for their righteousness, as Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews beautifully describes. There, he immersed himself in Torah and sought a life dedicated to God.
Esau, on the other hand… well, let's just say he chose a different path. He embraced idolatry and, according to tradition, a life of immorality. The Midrash even casts them as two kinds of hunters: Esau hunting men to turn them away from God, and Jacob hunting them to bring them closer. Talk about a contrast!
But here's the really fascinating part. Despite his wicked ways, Esau knew how to play the game. He knew how to win his father Isaac’s affection. He was, shall we say, a master of deception.
He’d put on this facade of piety, asking Isaac seemingly devout questions. "Father," he’d ask, "what's the tithe on straw and salt?" Now, straw and salt? Those are specifically exempt from tithing! He appeared deeply concerned with religious law. But Isaac, blinded by Esau’s performance, thought his eldest son was incredibly pious.
And it gets worse. According to the tradition, Isaac was unknowingly eating forbidden food, passing it off as something acceptable. What he believed to be the flesh of young goats, was actually dog's meat.
It makes you wonder, doesn’t it? How easily we can be fooled by appearances. How important it is to look beyond the surface and truly understand the character of those around us. And perhaps, most importantly, how the choices we make, even from a young age, can define who we become.