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By Rabbi Naftoly Bier
The תורה tells us in פרק כ”ה, “…And Esav came from the field and he was ‘exhausted’ (עיף) … And he said to Yaakov, ‘Please pour from the red stew into me for I am exhausted’, therefore he is called Edom (the one with the ruddy complexion)”.
It seems strange, for one who is exhausted does not ask for food, but would rather sleep and then eat a meal.
In איוב, Job, chapter 10, verse 22, it says: ארץ עפתה כמו אפל צלמות ולא סדרים ותפע כמו אפל, “A land of thick darkness, as darkness itself, a land of the shadow of death without any order, and where light is in darkness.”
This pasuk, says the Medrash (שמות רבה פרק ל”ח, ג), is referring to Gehinnom; who is placed in Gehinnom? Those who don’t habitually learn Torah at exact times and respect the idea of “seder”, timeliness – “a place of no סדרים”…
What is the connection between the concept of Gehinnom and עייפות, literally exhaustion?
All lack of doing Hashem’s will, all of negating our obligation to be constantly productive, a lack of binding structure, is a result of lacking focus, determination, relentless commitment, dedication, and subjugation, which are all a result of loss of enthusiasm.
This in turn creates a lack of responsibility, a lack of sincere coordination and efforts. As the Ramchal, Mesilas Yeshorim, writes in Chapter 9, when one is involved with comfort and desire, it disallows one from achievement. To be truly successful in one’s mission – one has to be constantly focused, determined… and ask for and accept advice.
Esav is the antithesis of this. When realizing that only one heartbeat, his father’s, separated him from the mantle of world leadership to promulgate Avraham and Yitzchak’s teachings, he shirked all responsibility and instead of defining the lentil stew which represented the mourning for Avraham, he said, “Give me the red stuff, I’m not interested in the obligation of responsibility.”
In Gehinnom, measure for measure, one is placed in an environment where there is no systematic order, no rhythm to one’s living experience. This is the mantra of Esav, “No one is obligated to G-d or to one another.”
The opposite is the verse in Iyov, “כי אדם לעמל יולד”- “for a person is born to be responsible”. Iyov taught that all of one’s life is measured not by how great or successful a person is, but rather on נשיאות עול, living with unequivocal constancy to judiciously actualize one’s talents and responsibilities. When one comes to davening on time, to work on time, to a meeting or meal on time, to learn at an appointed time without delay, full of enthusiasm to discharge one’s responsibilities to utilize the talents Hashem has gifted; one is not an עיף but a יגע!
Before משיח, the doctrine of society will be to live in comfort, to be selfish and dishonest and compete to dominate others. This is the epitome of Edom/Esav. It is incumbent on us more than ever to dedicate ourselves to structure, accountability, and unequivocal truth, negating a philosophy antithetical to all of what Iyov taught us is Hashem’s will. By judiciously actualizing the talents and imperatives endowed to us by Hashem, we can all aspire to human greatness.
Esav is described as “a person who knows trapping (manipulating), a man of the field” while Yaakov is described as “a wholesome (honest) person who sits in the tents (studying Torah).”
Though endowed with the aptitude of leadership (manipulation is the ability to understand others and to guide them selflessly in a positive manner (i.e. Dovid Hamelech) or selfishly) he chose to be a hunter (“manipulating animals”) and spend his time alone, disconnecting from all obligation. In contradistinction, Yaakov Avinu studiously inquired and examined how to fully actualize his potential by studying Torah, in order to be a true בעל חסד, a magnanimous person for all of humankind.
The result was as חז”ל teach us. Esav was “ציד בפיו”, a manipulator with his mouth; and a dishonest person while Yaakov was an “איש תם”, an honest, caring individual.
