Illustration Credit: Elad Lifshitz, Dov Abramson Studio
Commentary פַּרְשָׁנוּת
How should we talk about our belongings?
At first Esav refuses to accept gifts from Yaakov, saying: יֶשׁ לִי רָב אָחִי (I have tons, my brother) (Bereishit 33:9).
And Yaakov tries to convince Esav to take the gifts:
קַח נָא אֶת בִּרְכָתִי אֲשֶׁר הֻבָאת לָךְ
כִּי חַנַּנִי אֱלֹקִים וְכִי יֶשׁ לִי כֹל…
“Please accept the present I brought you, for God has favored me and I have everything.”
Rashi notices something specific about their language, and thinks there’s a lesson in the way they speak:
יֶשׁ לִי כֹל - כָּל סִפּוּקִי.
וְעֵשָׂו דִּבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן גַּאֲוָה "יֶשׁ לִי רָב" - יוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר מִכְּדֵי צָרְכִּי.
I have everything - all my needs are met.
But Esav spoke with boasting, saying “I have tons” (33:8) - way more than I need.
- According to Rashi, what tone of voice was Esav using in 33:9? And what tone of voice was Yaakov using in 33:11? Try reading these pesukim in their voices!
- What lesson does Rashi want us to learn about how to talk about the things we own and enjoy?
- Why is the way we talk about what we have so important? What is the difference between showing appreciation and bragging?
-------------------
