While Esau and Jacob were little, their characters could not be judged
properly. They were like the myrtle and the thorn-bush, which look
alike in the early stages of their growth. After they have attained
full size, the myrtle is known by its fragrance, and the thorn-bush by
its thorns.
In their childhood, both brothers went to school, but when they reached
their thirteenth year, and were of age, their ways parted. Jacob
continued his studies in the Bet ha Midrash of Shem and Eber, and Esau
abandoned himself to idolatry and an immoral life.[29] Both were
hunters of men, Esau tried to capture them in order to turn them away
from God, and Jacob, to turn them toward God.[30] In spite of his
impious deeds, Esau possessed the art of winning his father's love. His
hypocritical conduct made Isaac believe that his first-born son was
extremely pious. "Father," he would ask Isaac, "what is the tithe on
straw and salt?" The question made him appear God-fearing in the eyes
of his father, because these two products are the very ones that are
exempt from tithing.[31] Isaac failed to notice, too, that his older
son gave him forbidden food to eat. What he took for the flesh of young
goats was dog's meat.[32]
Rebekah was more clear-sighted. She knew her sons as they really were,
and therefore her love for Jacob was exceeding great. The oftener she
heard his voice, the deeper grew her affection for him.[33] Abraham
agreed with her. He also loved his grandson Jacob, for he knew that in
him his name and his seed would be called. And he said unto Rebekah,
"My daughter, watch over my son Jacob, for he shall be in my stead on
the earth and for a blessing in the midst of the children of men, and
for the glory of the whole seed of Shem." Having admonished Rebekah
thus to keep guard over Jacob, who was destined to be the bearer of the
blessing given to Abraham by God, he called for his grandson, and in
the presence of Rebekah he blessed him, and said: "Jacob, my beloved
son, whom my soul loveth, may God bless thee from above the firmament,
and may He give thee all the blessing wherewith He blessed Adam, and
Enoch, and Noah, and Shem, and all the things of which He told me, and
all the things which He promised to give me may He cause to cleave to
thee and to thy seed forever, according to the days of the heavens
above the earth. And the spirit of Mastema shall not rule over thee or
over thy seed, to turn thee from the Lord, who is thy God from
henceforth and forever. And may the Lord God be a father to thee, and
mayest thou be His first-born son, and may He be a father to thy people
always. Go in peace, my son."[34]
And Abraham had good reason to be particularly fond of Jacob, for it
was due to the merits of his grandson that he had been rescued from the
fiery furnace.[35]
Isaac and Rebekah, knowing of Abraham's love for their young son, sent
their father a meal by Jacob on the last Feast of Pentecost which
Abraham was permitted to celebrate on earth, that he might eat and
bless the Creator of all things before he died. Abraham knew that his
end was approaching, and he thanked the Lord for all the good He had
granted him during the days of his life, and blessed Jacob and bade him
walk in the ways of the Lord, and especially he was not to marry a
daughter of the Canaanites. Then Abraham prepared for death. He placed
two of Jacob's fingers upon his eyes, and thus holding them closed he
fell into his eternal sleep, while Jacob lay beside him on the bed. The
lad did not know of his grandfather's death, until he called him, on
awakening next morning, "Father, father," and received no answer.[36]