The Hunt

בס"ד

Why does Yitzchak ask Esav to hunt him up a meal ? Since when is a tzaddik interested in game or does he even notice what it is that sustains him ?

R Shimshon Raphael Hirsch observes that Yitzchak was well aware of his son's shortcomings. He wanted to right those wrongs and therefore make Esav worthy of divine blessing. Esav used his "red" traits to hunt and dominate the animal world, but he did this for his own gratification. Yitzchak sought to offer Esav a path of reconciliation where he could still use his "red" traits but not be wicked. Since Esav excelled in kibbud av, Yitzchak reasoned that it would provide the perfect outlet. This hunting trip would be different – instead of seeking his own pleasures, Esav would hunt for his father, butcher the animal for his father, and engage in his "best" traits – but all for the sake of his father's command.

This ploy actually worked and we find that Esav did become worthy of receiving some sort of blessing, just not the main one.

Whenever we find an Esav streak in ourselves – sometimes we can correct its evil influence in this same fashion. If we find a way to channel the behavior into the observance of a mitzvah then we will have broken the spell. Once we take any given behavior or action and remove it from the exclusive domain of the yetzer hara – by using it for a mitzvah, even once – we are on our way to conquering that trait and bettering ourselves.

Hatzlacha !!