And sometimes, the answers lie hidden in the stories we tell. to a passage from Midrash Tehillim, a collection of interpretations on the Book of Psalms. This particular midrash, number 14, shines a light on Nabal, a figure often associated with foolishness and wickedness, and uses him to explore the duplicity of Esau.

The midrash paints a picture of Esau as a master of deception. Nabal observes that Esau, that complicated brother of Jacob, was two-faced. In his heart, he plotted, thinking "Behold, now I am old, I know not the day of my death," as we read in Genesis 27:41. But with his mouth? Ah, that's where the performance began. He said to his father Isaac (Genesis 27:1), "Behold, I am here."

Can you see the hypocrisy?

The midrash suggests that God Himself saw through Esau’s charade. God essentially says, "You flatter your father with your words!" And isn't that the heart of the matter? Empty flattery, words devoid of genuine feeling. It's like Esau pleading in Genesis 27:34, "Bless me, even me also, O my father." The midrash uses a verse from Proverbs (26:25) to really drive the point home: "When he speaketh fair, believe him not; for there are seven abominations in his heart." Seven! A number signifying completeness, a totality of wickedness.

What are these abominations, you ask? Well, Proverbs 6:16-19 gives us a glimpse: "These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him." The passage lists things like a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood... a whole catalog of moral failings. According to Nabal, Esau embodies all of these.

But the midrash doesn't stop there. It delves deeper into Nabal's internal monologue, his perception of divine justice. Nabal believed that Esau thought he could get away with his wickedness, believing that God wouldn't punish him for his thoughts. "You think in your heart, so I will not punish you," Nabal muses. But the midrash assures us that justice will prevail. Psalm 37:15 warns, "Their sword shall enter into their own heart."

In essence, the very wickedness they harbor will be their undoing.

So, what's the takeaway here? Perhaps it's a reminder that true character isn't about what we say, but what we do and, even more subtly, what we think. The Midrash Tehillim, through the lens of Nabal's observations on Esau, urges us to examine the depths of our own hearts, to ensure that our inner selves align with the values we profess. Otherwise, we might just find that the sword we sharpen for others ends up piercing our own hearts.