God informed Rivka that she would be the mother of two nations, two kingdoms that would not share power, a struggle was unfolding, a kind of constant rivalry between the twins that were in her entrails. The ascent of one would imply the regression of the other. The forecast refers to the future incompatibility of these sons: Yaacov and Esav. Jewish tradition later identified Esav with Rome and even with Christianity.

Kayin and Hevel represent the primordial rivalry that stopped only with the murder of Hevel. The competition continued with Yitschak and Yishmael, although in this case, they were brothers only by their father, a fact that could explain partially the marked difference between their respective characters and behavior. In the case of Yaacov and Esav,  they were not only children of the same father and mother, they were also twins, though obviously not identical.

The personality discrepancy exhibited by the siblings originates in the mother’s placenta, a fact that points to a Divine decision: Rivka will engender two typologies that will be in constant conflict with each other. That means that confrontation and rivalry are part of God’s plan for Humanity. These attitudes seem inevitable because they are an integral part of the genetic code of Humanity, which will intensify in the case of the patriarchs. In this sense, the prophet Malachi testifies: “After all, says the Lord, Esav is Yaacov’s brother. He accepted Yaacov while He rejected Esav. ” Inclination to evil, by both Esav and Yishmael, has been imposed beforehand, causing an adverse outcome for the Jewish people.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Vilna Gaon makes reference to an ancient Midrash which states that the head of Esav is buried in Mearat Hamachpela, the acquired lands by Avraham to bury Sarah, and that will later serve as an eternal resting place for the patriarchs. According to the Midrash, Esav does not only symbolize irrational force and aggressiveness.

There are positive and valuable elements in his personality that justify that his head rests on the same place that would serve as a burial ground for the founders of monotheism.

The Midrash establishes a dichotomy between the warrior body of Esav and his head that nourished from the holiness of Yitschak. Would that be the reason for Yitschak to be drawn to Esav? While Rivka`s judgment about the personality of Esav is based on his violent actions, Yitschak has a vision into the future and minimizes the importance of the extreme manly behavior of the young man who wishes to affirm his personality in the field through hunting. Yitschak’s blindness did not permit that he closely evaluate the behavior of his firstborn in daily life, because his penetrating future vision indicated to him that the fate of Humanity had to include the reconciliation of the brothers at the end of days.

Only Esav’s body was rebellious, while his head remained loyal to the teachings of the patriarch.

Judah Zoldan emphasizes that, according to the biblical prism, the Jewish people will not dominate other peoples. That is not their destiny. The task of the Jewish people is to be a beacon to indicate to the other nations the path of justice and solidarity with others. Esav does not represent insurmountable evil.

Perhaps there is no absolute wickedness within the bosom of Humanity, although the Nazi era formidable challenges this hypothesis.

The Torah testifies to the temporal reconciliation of the brothers: Yitschak and Yishmael, Yaacov and Esav who take care and participate together in the burial of their respective parents.

Episodes that point to the “end of history”, to the possibility that antagonisms and confrontations give way to the fraternity that must become a reality in a messianic age. Behold then that the advent of an era of tranquility and peace for Humanity depends upon men and women, on their fraternal behavior and solidarity with others. The initial condition of Kayin and Hevel, Yitschak and Yishmael, Yaacov and Esav is a brotherhood that for erroneous reasons gave way to divergence and a bitter conflict. The return to the roots will be based on their common origin, as in the aforementioned words of Malachi: “After all, says the Lord, Esav is the brother of Yaacov… ”.