Rashi on TanakhGenesis 27

His eyesight faded. Because of the smoke of these [women] who would burn incense for idol worship. Another explanation: When he was bound on the altar and his father intended to slaughter him, at that moment the heavens opened and the ministering angels saw and cried. Their tears descended and fell upon his eyes. As a result his eyesight dimmed. Another explanation: To enable Yaakov to receive the blessings.

I do not know the day of my death. R. Yehoshua b. Korcho said, when a person nears the age [of the death] of his parents, he should be concerned five years before and five afterwards. Yitzchok was [now] one hundred and twenty-three and he said, “Perhaps I will reach my mother’s age and she died at one hundred and twenty-seven and I am thus within five years of her age. Therefore, “I do not know the day of my death—” perhaps at the age of my mother, perhaps at the age of my father.

Please take. [שָׂא] is a term meaning sharpen as we have learned [in the Mishnah]: A knife may not be sharpened [on a sharpening stone] but, [מַשִּׂיאָהּ] may be passed over another knife. [Yitzchok said,] “Sharpen your knife and slaughter [the animal] properly so that you will not feed me נְבֵלָה.

Your sword. [Meaning] your sword [so called] because it is usually hung [תְּלוּיָה].

And trap for me. From [animals that are] ownerless and not from that which was robbed.

To trap [deer] to bring it [home]. What is the intent of the word לְהָבִיא? [He intended] that if he will not find [meat] from the hunt he will bring [meat] acquired through robbery.

In the presence of Adonoy. [Meaning:] with His consent—that He should approve of what I do.

And take for me. לִי means “from that which belongs to me” and are not stolen property, because Yitzchok wrote this provision into her marriage contract, that each day she may take two kids from the goats.

Two choice young goats. Did two kids make up Yitzchok’s meal? But, [the explanation is that] it was Pesach. One [kid] he brought as his Paschal offering and one he prepared as delicious food. [This explanation is] in Pirkei d’R. Eliezer.

As he likes. For the taste of a kid is similar to the taste of deer.

A hairy person. [Meaning] hirsute.

Touches me. [יִמֻשֵּׁנִי is] similar to מְמַשֵּׁשׁ בַּצָּהֳרַיִם .

Precious. [Meaning:] the clean ones, as Onkelos translates it: דָּכְיָתָא [clean ones]. Another explanation: The ones he coveted [שֶׁחָמַד] from Nimrod.

That were in her keeping in her house. But, did not Eisov have many wives? Yet he gave them to his mother for safekeeping! But [the reason is] that he was familiar with their practices and, therefore, was suspicious of them.

It is I, Eisov your firstborn. [He meant:] “I am the one who brings you [food], and Eisov is your first-born.”

I have done. Many things as you told me.

Sit up. Meaning to sit at the table. Therefore, Onkelos translates it אִסְתָּחַר.

Come close, if you please, and let me touch you. Yitzchok thought to himself, “It is unusual for Eisov to readily mention God’s Name, and this one has said, “Because Adonoy, your God, [brought it about].”

The voice of Yaakov. [Meaning] that he spoke gently and entreatingly: “Rise, if you please.” Whereas Eisov spoke stridently, “Let my father rise!”

[Yaakov] said, “I am.” He did not say, “I am Eisov,” but, “I am.”

He [Yitzchok] smelled, etc.. Is it not so that there is no odor worse than that of washed goat-skins? But, this teaches that the smell of the Garden of Eden entered with him.

Like the fragrance of a field blessed by Adonoy. That He had given it a pleasant scent which is that of an apple-orchard. So have our Sages explained it.

And may [He] give you. Meaning: May he give repeatedly. But, according to the plain meaning, it refers back to the preceding statement: “See my son’s fragrance” which God has given him “is like the fragrance of a field,” etc. And may He also give you “of the dew of heaven,” etc.

Of the dew of heaven. [Interpret this] in its usual manner. There are [also] various Aggadaic interpretations.

(Another explanation: God. Why the use of הָאֱלֹהִים? [God will act towards you] with Justice. If you deserve it “He will give to you” but, if not, He will not “give to you.” Whereas, to Eisov he said, “The fatness of the earth shall be your dwelling,” [meaning] whether you be righteous or evil, He will give you. From this Shlomo learned when he built the Temple, he composed his prayer [thus:] A Jew who is a believer and accepts the righteousness of punishment, will not complain about You, therefore, “Give to man according to all his ways, for You know what is in his heart.” But, a gentile, is lacking in faith, therefore, he [Shlomo] said, “May You accept [the prayer] in the heavens—and do whatever the gentile asks for,” i.e., whether he is deserving or not deserving give it to him, so that he may not complain about You.)

Your mother’s sons. Whereas, Yaakov said to Yehudah, “Your father’s children.” This is because he [Yaakov] had children from several mothers, whereas, here, that he married only one woman he says, “Your mother’s sons.”

Those who curse you are cursed and those who bless you are blessed. Whereas, in the narrative of Bilam it states, “Those who bless you are blessed and those who curse you are cursed.” [The reason for this is] the righteous at first [endure] suffering and in the end [enjoy] tranquility; thus, those who curse them and cause them pain [in point of time] precede those who bless them. Yitzchok, therefore, first mentioned the curse of those who curse [before] the blessings of those who bless. Evildoers, [however,] at first [enjoy] tranquility and in the end [endure] suffering. Bilam, therefore, mentioned the blessing and then the curse.

Just left. I.e., as one went out the other came in.

Trembled. As Onkelos translates it וּתְוָה, a term meaning surprise. But, its Midrashic interpretation is: He saw Gehinom open beneath him.

Who, then. [The word אֵפוֹא] is an independent word and is used with many situations. [In this context] אֵיפֹה is [a contraction of] אַיֵּה פֹה, [i.e.,] who is he and where is he who has trapped some game?

I ate all of it. [Meaning:] any taste that I wished to taste I was actually able to taste.

He shall be blessed. So that you may not say that had Yaakov not tricked his father he would not have received the blessings, therefore he affirmed it and [now] knowingly blessed him.

With cunning. [Meaning] with cleverness.

Is he not rightly called? This [הֲכִי] is a term for an incredulous question as in “Is it because you are my relative?” [I.e.,] perhaps that is why he is called יַעֲקֹב based on the future because he is destined to treat me treacherously [לְעָקְבֵנִי]. [From the] Tanchuma: Why did Yitzchok tremble? He said, “Perhaps there is some sin within me that caused me to bless the younger one before the older one exchanging the order of their relationship.” Eisov then began shouting, “This one has cheated me twice!” [Whereupon] his father said to him, “What did he do to you?” He [Eisov] responded, “He took away my birthright!” He [Yitzchok, then] said: “Now that is why I was grieved and trembled, for perhaps I had transgressed strict justice, but, now, I have actually blessed the firstborn then ‘he shall be blessed.’”

He has deceived me. As Onkelos translates it וְכַמַנִי —[meaning] he lied in wait to ambush me. [The word] וְאָרַב [is translated by Onkelos] וּכְמַן. Other versions of the Targum have it וְחַכְּמַנִי [meaning] he outwitted me.

Saved. A term meaning setting aside, as in וַיָּאצֶל “And he set aside.”

Behold, a master. This is the seventh blessing [that was given to Yaakov] yet, he refers to it as the first blessing! But, [the explanation is] he was [in effect] saying to him, “What benefit will you derive from being blessed? For if you will obtain properties they will belong to him, for I have made him a master over you and whatever a servant acquires is owned by his master.

Where—what can I do for you? [אֵפוֹא meaning:] “Where here shall I search for something to do for you?”

Do you have only one blessing? The letter ה' here [הַבֲרָכָה] is used to indicate an expression of incredulity as in הַבְּמַחֲנִים —“Whether in the camps [unwalled cities]?” הַשְּׁמֵנָה הִיא —“Whether it is fat?” הַכְּמוֹת נָבָל —“Should he die as a scoundrel?”

The fatness of the earth, etc. This refers to the part of Italy belonging to Greece.

By your sword. [וְעַל חַרְבְּךָ is] the same as בְּחַרְבְּךָ [by the sword]. Sometimes עַל is a substitute for the letter ב' as in “You stand [עַל חַרְבְּכֶם] by your sword.” [עַל חַרְבְּכֶם is the same as] בְּחַרְבְּכֶם, [עַל צִבְאוֹתָם] “By their host” [is the same as] בְּצִבְאוֹתָם.

When you have cause to be grieved. [תָּרִיד] denotes grief or pain as in אָרִיד בְּשִׂיחִי —“I lament in my prayer.” He meant to say: “When the Israelites will transgress the Torah and you will have reason to grieve over the blessings which he took [then] ‘You will throw off his yoke, etc.’”

Mourning days for my father are approaching. As it evidently means: “So that I will not grieve my father.” There are various explanations in Midrash Aggadah.

Rivkah was informed. She was told by Divine Inspiration as to what Eisov was planning.

Is consoled through you. [Meaning:] “He regrets the brother relationship, making other [than brotherly] plans, to become estranged from you and to kill you.” The Midrash Aggadah explains: “In his eyes you are already dead and he has drunk for you the cup of consolation. According to the plain explanation it has the meaning of consolation, [i.e.,] he will comfort himself for [losing] the blessings by killing you.

Short [time]. [Meaning] a few.

Why should I lose? [Meaning] I will be bereft of both of you. One who buries his children is called שָׁכוּל [bereft]. Similarly concerning Yaakov it is said: “If I’ll be [שָׁכֹלְתִּי] bereft, [שָׁכָלְתִּי]—let me be bereft.”

Both of you. [I.e.,] “Should he rise up against you and you kill him, then his children will rise up and kill you.” Here she had an inspiration of the Divine Spirit and she prophesied that they would die on the same day as is explained in the Chapter הַמְקַנֵּא לְאִשְׁתוֹ.

I am disgusted with my life. [Meaning:] “I have become disgusted with my life.”