It’s a tale of hunger, deception, and a choice that would reverberate through generations.
The story, as pieced together in Legends of the Jews by Ginzberg, isn't just about a simple transaction. It's steeped in a deeper context. We learn that Abraham, though destined for a longer life, passed away earlier than expected—a detail attributed to Esau's wickedness. Can you imagine the weight of that? According to the narrative, on the very day of Abraham's death, Esau committed heinous acts: violating a betrothed woman, murder, denying the resurrection, scorning his birthright, and even denying God! It was too much for God to bear and, as Legends of the Jews recounts, Abraham was taken away in peace, spared from witnessing his grandson’s depravity.
One of Esau's victims was Nimrod, a mighty hunter with a legendary garment. This wasn't just any piece of clothing. This garment had the power to command animals and birds! Imagine the power that gave to Nimrod, and later, briefly, to Esau. Their rivalry stemmed from jealousy over hunting prowess, and Esau, seizing an opportunity, ambushed and killed Nimrod and his companions, stripping him of the powerful garment.
Now, picture this: Esau, weary and guilt-ridden after his misdeeds, returns home to find Jacob diligently preparing a lentil stew. The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) tells us that Jacob was cooking lentils for his father, Isaac, as a mourner's meal after Abraham's death. Lentils? What’s so special about them? Well, the round shape of the lentil symbolizes death, a constant cycle of sorrow that rolls through humanity. It's a powerful, visual reminder of mortality. Adam and Eve ate lentils after Abel's murder, and the parents of Haran also partook when he perished in a fiery furnace.
Esau, ever the pragmatist (or perhaps the cynic), scoffs at Jacob's actions. "Why bother with such rituals?" he asks, questioning the very notion of an afterlife and divine reward. According to Ginzberg's retelling, Esau challenges Jacob's beliefs, asking why the great figures of the past haven't returned if resurrection is real.
This is where the story takes its most famous turn. Jacob, sensing an opportunity, proposes a deal. "If you don't believe in the future world," he says, "why do you even care about your birthright? Sell it to me!" Jacob wasn't particularly interested in the double portion of inheritance, but rather in the priestly duties associated with the birthright – he couldn't bear the thought of his wicked brother performing sacred rituals!
Esau, famished and dismissive of the spiritual implications, readily agrees. As we find in Midrash Rabbah, Jacob isn't just after the birthright itself, but to prevent his impious brother from taking on divine service. And what a price! Jacob not only provides the lentil stew but also gives Esau the sword of Methuselah, a treasured heirloom from Abraham, passed down to Isaac and then Jacob.
To add insult to injury, Esau then brags to his friends about how easily he duped Jacob, feasting at his brother's expense. But the Lord sees all. "Thou despisest the birthright," God declares, "therefore I shall make thee despised in all generations." This divine judgment sets the stage for the future conflicts between the descendants of Jacob and Esau.
According to Legends of the Jews, Jacob, wanting to ensure the agreement was binding, made Esau swear by their father's life, knowing Esau's deep affection for Isaac. A document was also drawn up, signed by witnesses, solidifying the sale of the birthright and Esau's claim to a burial plot in the Cave of Machpelah.
Now, here’s the really interesting part. Even though Jacob's actions were, in a way, justified, the text suggests that his cunning in securing the birthright led to a consequence: the descendants of Jacob would eventually serve the descendants of Esau. A fascinating idea: that even actions taken with righteous intentions can have unforeseen repercussions.
So, what are we to make of this story? It’s more than just a tale of bartering. It's a reflection on faith, priorities, and the long-lasting impact of our choices. Esau's impulsive decision, driven by immediate gratification, contrasted sharply with Jacob's long-term vision, forever altering their destinies and the destinies of their descendants. It leaves you wondering, doesn't it? What "birthrights" are we selling off today, perhaps without even realizing their true value? What lentils are we trading for legacies?
Though Abraham reached a good old age, beyond the limit of years vouchsafed later generations, he yet died five years before his allotted time. The intention was to let him live to be one hundred and eighty years old, the same age as Isaac's at his death, but on account of Esau God brought his life to an abrupt close. For some time Esau had been pursuing his evil inclinations in secret. Finally he dropped his mask, and on the day of Abraham's death he was guilty of five crimes: he ravished a betrothed maiden, committed murder, doubted the resurrection of the dead, scorned the birthright, and denied God. Then the Lord said: "I promised Abraham that he should go to his fathers in peace. Can I now permit him to be a witness of his grandson's rebellion against God, his violation of the laws of chastity, and his shedding of blood? It is better for him to die now in peace." The men slain by Esau on this day were Nimrod and two of his adjutants. A long-standing feud had existed between Esau and Nimrod, because the mighty hunter before the Lord was jealous of Esau, who also devoted himself assiduously to the chase. Once when he was hunting it happened that Nimrod was separated from his people, only two men were with him. Esau, who lay in ambush, noticed his isolation, and waited until he should pass his covert. Then he threw himself upon Nimrod suddenly, and felled him and his two companions, who hastened to his succor. The outcries of the latter brought the attendants of Nimrod to the spot where he lay dead, but not before Esau had stripped him of his garments, and fled to the city with them. These garments of Nimrod had an extraordinary effect upon cattle, beasts, and birds. Of their own accord they would come and prostrate themselves before him who was arrayed in them. Thus Nimrod and Esau after him were able to rule over men and beasts. After slaying Nimrod, Esau hastened cityward in great fear of his victim's followers. Tired and exhausted he arrived at home to find Jacob busy preparing a dish of lentils. Numerous male and female slaves were in Isaac's household. Nevertheless Jacob was so simple and modest in his demeanor that, if he came home late from the Bet ha-Midrash, he would disturb none to prepare his meal, but would do it himself. On this occasion he was cooking lentils for his father, to serve to him as his mourner's meal after the death of Abraham. Adam and Eve had eaten lentils after the murder of Abel, and so had the parents of Haran, when he perished in the fiery furnace. The reason they are used for the mourner's meal is that the round lentil symbolizes death: as the lentil rolls, so death, sorrow, and mourning constantly roll about among men, from one to the other. Esau accosted Jacob thus, "Why art thou preparing lentils?" Jacob: "Because our grandfather passed away; they shall be a sign of my grief and mourning, that he may love me in the days to come." Esau: "Thou fool! Dost thou really think it possible that man should come to life again after he has been dead and has mouldered in the grave?" He continued to taunt Jacob. "Why dost thou give thyself so much trouble?" he said. "Lift up thine eyes, and thou wilt see that all men eat whatever comes to hand—fish, creeping and crawling creatures, swine's flesh, and all sorts of things like these, and thou vexest thyself about a dish of lentils." Jacob: "If we act like other men, what shall we do on the day of the Lord, the day on which the pious will receive their reward, when a herald will proclaim: Where is He that weigheth the deeds of men, where is He that counteth?" Esau: "Is there a future world? Or will the dead be called back to life? If it were so, why hath not Adam returned? Hast thou heard that Noah, through whom the world was raised anew, hath reappeared? Yea, Abraham, the friend of God, more beloved of Him than any man, hath he come to life again?" Jacob: "If thou art of opinion that there is no future world, and that the dead do not rise to new life, then why dost thou want thy birthright? Sell it to me, now, while it is yet possible to do so. Once the Torah is revealed, it cannot be done. Verily, there is a future world, in which the righteous receive their reward. I tell thee this, lest thou say later I deceived thee." Jacob was little concerned about the double share of the inheritance that went with the birthright. What he thought of was the priestly service, which was the prerogative of the first-born in ancient times, and Jacob was loth to have his impious brother Esau play the priest, he who despised all Divine service. The scorn manifested by Esau for the resurrection of the dead he felt also for the promise of God to give the Holy Land to the seed of Abraham. He did not believe in it, and therefore he was willing to cede his birthright and the blessing attached thereto in exchange for a mess of pottage. In addition, Jacob paid him in coin, and, besides, he gave him what was more than money, the wonderful sword of Methuselah, which Isaac had inherited from Abraham and bestowed upon Jacob. Esau made game of Jacob. He invited his associates to feast at his brother's table, saying, "Know ye what I did to this Jacob? I ate his lentils, drank his wine, amused myself at his expense, and sold my birthright to him." All that Jacob replied was, "Eat and may it do thee good!" But the Lord said, "Thou despisest the birthright, therefore I shall make thee despised in all generations." And by way of punishment for denying God and the resurrection of the dead, the descendants of Esau were cut off from the world. As naught was holy to Esau, Jacob made him swear, concerning the birthright, by the life of their father, for he knew Esau's love for Isaac, that it was strong. Nor did he fail to have a document made out, duly signed by witnesses, setting forth that Esau had sold him the birthright together with his claim upon a place in the Cave of Machpelah. Though no blame can attach to Jacob for all this, yet he secured the birthright from him by cunning, and therefore the descendants of Jacob had to serve the descendants of Esau.
