Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/240

 The Book of Genesis

222

XV

Lesson

THE BIRTHRIGHT (Genesis

So Esau despised

his

For I am become a And Ephraim is My

Read

birthright.

27-34)

(Genesis

XXV,

34.)

father to Israel. first-born.

Ecclesiastes, VII,

The episode

XXV,

1,

8.

9,

(Jeremiah 11,

XXXI,

9.)

12.

of the birthright constitutes the opening act

the Jacob drama.

It introduces the two principal charand establishes their relations with each other. They are twin brothers, presumably starting in life with similar, and almost equal endowments. Yet how different were their lives to be. The rabbis said that Jacob and Esau were like the myrtle and the thornbush respectively, which at first resemble each other closely. But after they are fully grown the thorn-bush puts forth only destructive and poisonous thorns, while the myrtle sends its fragrance far and wide. As twin brothers their relations should have been particularly intimate and loving. But already at birth they had striven together, and this but augured the contention of later years. Now, when the story opens, they have already grown far apart, and have developed characters and habits diametrically opposed to each other. a man of the field and Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents". Esau the hunter and Jacob the shepherd, two contrasted types. Esau was the man of the chase; of quick,
 * Esau was a cunning hunter,

in

acters,



unpremeditated, improvident action

from

evers'thing,

and ready



seeking speedy returns

to stake all life's prospects

upon