(כה) וַיֵּצֵ֤א הָרִאשׁוֹן֙ אַדְמוֹנִ֔י כֻּלּ֖וֹ כְּאַדֶּ֣רֶת שֵׂעָ֑ר וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ שְׁמ֖וֹ עֵשָֽׂו׃
(25) The first one emerged red, all of him like a hairy garment; so they called his name Esau.
(כו) וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֞ן יָצָ֣א אָחִ֗יו וְיָד֤וֹ אֹחֶ֙זֶת֙ בַּעֲקֵ֣ב עֵשָׂ֔ו וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יַעֲקֹ֑ב וְיִצְחָ֛ק בֶּן־שִׁשִּׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה בְּלֶ֥דֶת אֹתָֽם׃
(26) And after that his brother emerged, and his hand was holding on to the heel of Esau; he called his name him Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.
Notice how multiple people name Esav and only one person names Yaakov.
Why the difference and who do you think named each of them?
(כז) וַֽיִּגְדְּלוּ֙ הַנְּעָרִ֔ים וַיְהִ֣י עֵשָׂ֗ו אִ֛ישׁ יֹדֵ֥עַ צַ֖יִד אִ֣ישׁ שָׂדֶ֑ה וְיַעֲקֹב֙ אִ֣ישׁ תָּ֔ם יֹשֵׁ֖ב אֹהָלִֽים׃
(27) And the boys grew up, and Esau was a man who knew how to hunt, a man of the field; and Jacob was a simple man who sat in tents.
What do you think it means that Yaakov 'sits in tents'? What do you think he is doing?
(כח) וַיֶּאֱהַ֥ב יִצְחָ֛ק אֶת־עֵשָׂ֖ו כִּי־צַ֣יִד בְּפִ֑יו וְרִבְקָ֖ה אֹהֶ֥בֶת אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹֽב׃
(28) Isaac loved Esau because he trapped with his mouth; and Rebekah loved Jacob.
Consider any of the following:
- Why is the Torah telling us that Yitzchak and Rivka have favorites?
- Why is there a reason provided to explain Yitzchak's love for Esav but no reason provided to explain Rivka's love for Yaakov?
- What does it mean that Esav traps with his mouth and why does that explain Yitzchak's love for him?
- It seems more intuitive that Yitzchak would favor Yaakov, someone who is more similar to him. Why does he favor Esav instead?