"Before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee;"[1] but whenever she went before an idol temple, Esau became excited, and desired to come forth.[2]
When Esau was born, he had on his heel the likeness of a serpent, and his name indicates that he was closely connected with Satan (Sammael); for, says the Rabbi Isaiah, if you write the name Sammael in Hebrew characters, you will find it to be identical with that of Esau; for the four letters of Esau turned one way make Sammael, and turned another way make Edom.[3] Esau had also a serpent in his inside coiled in his bowels.[4]
Esau was called Edom, or Red, because, say some, he sucked his mother's blood before he was born; or, say others, because he was to shed blood; or again, because he was born under the ruddy planet Mars; or again, because he liked to eat his meat underdone and red;[5] but the Targumim say that Esau had red hair over his body like a garment; therefore he was called Esau.[6]
The lads grew; and Esau was a man of idleness to catch birds and beasts, a man going forth into the field to kill, as Nimrod had killed, and Anak, his son. But Jacob was a man peaceful in his works, a minister of the school of Eber, seeking instruction before the Lord. And Isaac loved Esau, for words of deceit were in his mouth; but Rebekah loved Jacob.[7]
On the day that Abraham died, Jacob dressed pottage of lentiles, and was going to comfort his father. And Esau came from the wilderness, exhausted; for in that day he had committed five transgressions—he had worshipped with strange worship, he had shed innocent blood, he had pursued a betrothed damsel, he had denied the life of the world to come, and he had despised his birthright.[8]
And Esau said to Jacob, "Let me now taste that red pottage, for I am faint." Therefore he called his name Edom.
And Jacob said, "Sell to me to-day what thou wouldst hereafter appropriate—thy birthright."
And Esau said, "Behold, I am going to die, and in another world I shall have no life; and what then to me is
