Why did Yitzchak love Esav? Didn’t Yitzchak know that Esav was wicked, worshipped idols, murdered, denied HaShem’s existence and more? What’s going on here? Do you ask yourself this question every Parashas Toldos?
Ok, here’s the answer. Yitzchak didn’t love Esav at all. Yitzchak knew that Esav was wicked. However, Yitzchak loved Esav’s good deeds, especially when Esav honored his father. The Medrash states that the essential offspring of the righteous are his good deeds. Esav may have been a rebellious child, but he had one virtue, which is the way he honored his father. The Gemara (Megillah 6a) states that Yitzchak desired that HaShem favor Esav, but when HaShem informed Yitzchak that Esav’s descendants (the Romans) would destroy the Bais HaMikdash, Yitzchak withdrew his vote. Yitzchak was in favor of HaShem favoring Esav for his good deeds, but destroying the Bais HaMidkash was too much for him.
This love of good deeds teaches us how we should pursue Torah study and Mitzvah observance at least as much as Esav did. Furthermore, we should ensure that in addition to performing good deeds we are, unlike Esav, intrinsically righteous and good people.
Have a Shabbos filled with Goodness and Good Deeds.
Rabbi Adler
