## Sforno on Genesis Chapter 25

###### Sforno on Genesis 25:2:1
[Sforno on Genesis 25:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:2:1)

**וַתֵּלֶד לוֹ אֶת זִמְרָן.** גִּדְּלָה אוֹתָם בְּבֵיתוֹ, עַל דֶּרֶךְ חֲמֵשֶׁת בְּנֵי מִיכַל אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה לְעַדְרִיאֵל (שמואל ב כא:ח) שֶׁגִּדְּלָה אוֹתָם, שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ בָּנֶיהָ כְּלָל, כִּי אָמְנָם אַבְרָהָם לֹא הוֹלִיד כִּי אִם יִצְחָק וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל כַּמְבֹאָר בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים (דברי הימים א א:כח, לב).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
.ותלד לו את זמרן, she raised them in his house, similar to the “five sons of Michal” who raised the children of her sister Merav who had died at an early age, and had born those to Adriel (compare Samuel II 21,8) Michal had no children of her own at all. Although Avraham had personally only sired Ishmael and Yitzchok, he had adopted these children as seems clear from Chronicles I 28, and 32.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:6:1
[Sforno on Genesis 25:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:6:1)

**נָתַן אַבְרָהָם מַתָּנוֹת.** לֹא בִּלְשׁוֹן יְרֻשָּׁה כְּלָל כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ דְּבָרָיו קַיָּמִים:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**Avraham gave gifts.** He did not wish to rely on a will, so he distributed his property while he was alive.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:6:2
[Sforno on Genesis 25:6:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:6:2)

**בְּעוֹדֶנּוּ חַי.** וְלֹא רָצָה לִסְמֹךְ עַל דְּיָיתִיקִי וּמִינֵי הַצַּוָּאוֹת:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
בעודנו חי, while he had still been alive, as he did not want to rely on written instructions to be carried out after his death.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:8:1
[Sforno on Genesis 25:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:8:1)

**וְשָׂבֵעַ.** מִכָּל מַה שֶּׁהִתְאַוָּה לִרְאוֹת וְלַעֲשׂוֹת בְּיָמָיו.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ושבע; he had achieved all he had set out to achieve and had wished for.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:8:2
[Sforno on Genesis 25:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:8:2)

**וַיֵּאָסֶף אֶל עַמָּיו.** נֶאֱסַף אֶל צְרוֹר הַחַיִּים לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם עִם צַדִּיקֵי הַדּוֹרוֹת שֶׁהֵם עַמָּיו וְדוֹמִים אֵלָיו. וְאָמְרוּ עַמָּיו בִּלְשׁוֹן רַבִּים, כִּי אָמְנָם רַב הַהֶבְדֵּל בֵּין הַצַּדִּיקִים בְּמַעֲלָה, עִם הֱיוֹתָם כֻּלָּם זוֹכִים לְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בבא בתרא עה.) וְכָל אֶחָד נִכְוֶה מֵחֻפָּתוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ. חסלת פרשת חיי שרה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויאסף אל עמיו, he was attached to the bundle of souls who are part of the life after death, all of whom the righteous of the various generations who were like him in lifestyle, [as in those regions biological relationships are irrelevant, and the term “his people” is applied to other common denominators than on earth. Ed.] The reason why the Torah employs the term עמיו his peoples” in the plural is that there are all kinds of different spiritual levels among the righteous souls, not all attained the same level of righteousness while on earth although all of them share the experience of enjoying eternal life. (compare statements in Baba Batra 75 on that subject.)


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:19:1
[Sforno on Genesis 25:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:19:1)

**וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת יִצְחָק.** יַלְדֵי יָמָיו וְקוֹרוֹתָיו:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ואלה תולדת יצחק, his biography and his descendants.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:19:2
[Sforno on Genesis 25:19:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:19:2)

**אַבְרָהָם הוֹלִיד אֶת יִצְחָק.** בּוֹ לְבַד נִקְרָא לְאַבְרָהָם זֶרַע.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אברהם הוליד את יצחק, only Yitzchok is truly called Avraham’s seed.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:20:1
[Sforno on Genesis 25:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:20:1)

**אֲחוֹת לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי.** וּמִמֶּנָּה נוֹלַד עֵשָׂו הַדּוֹמֶה לַאֲחִי הָאֵם:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אחות לבן הארמי, and from her emerged Esau who was similar in character to the brother of his mother.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:21:1
[Sforno on Genesis 25:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:21:1)

**לְנֹכַח אִשְׁתּוֹ.** אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֻבְטַח עַל הַזֶּרַע שֶׁיִּירַשׁ, הִתְפַּלֵּל לָאֵל יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ אוֹתוֹ הַזֶּרַע מִזֹּאת הַהֲגוּנָה הַנִּצֶּבֶת נִכְחוֹ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
לנכח אשתו, even though he had been given an assurance from G’d that he would produce seed, he prayed to G’d that the mother of this child or children should be someone who was meritorious, someone of the calibre of Rivkah who was present and standing opposite him..


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:22:1
[Sforno on Genesis 25:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:22:1)

**וַתֹּאמֶר אִם כֵּן.** אַחֲרֵי שֶׁהַדָּבָר כֵּן שֶׁמִּתְרוֹצְצִין וְיֵשׁ לָחוּשׁ שֶׁיָּמוּת אֶחָד מֵהֶם וְאֶסְתַּכֵּן אֲנִי בַּלֵּידָה כְּמִנְהַג בְּלֵידַת עוּבָּר מֵת.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ותאמר אם כן, after it is a fact that these fetuses already are at each other’s throats I have reason to be afraid that one of them will die so that I endanger myself by giving birth to them, causing one of them to be stillborn.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:22:2
[Sforno on Genesis 25:22:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:22:2)

**לָמָּה זֶּה אָנֹכִי.** לָמָּה זֶה הִתְאַוּוּ קְרוֹבַי שֶׁאֶהְיֶה אֲנִי אֵם הַזֶּרַע בְּאָמְרָם "אַתְּ הֲיִי לְאַלְפֵי רְבָבָה" (בראשית כד:ס), וְכֵן בַּעְלִי שֶׁהִתְפַּלֵּל עָלַי בָּזֶה:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
למה זה אנכי, why were my relatives so concerned that it would be I who provide the seed for Yitzchok when they said את היי לאלפי רבבה, “may it be you who will be the source of millions.” (24,60) Also, why did my husband insist that I become the mother of his children?


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:23:1
[Sforno on Genesis 25:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:23:1)

**שְׁנֵי גוֹיִם בְּבִטְנֵךְ.** זוֹ הִיא סִבַּת הָרְצִיצָה, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ שְׁנֵי גוֹיִם נִבְדָּלִים בְּדֵעוֹת:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
שני גוים בבטנך, this is the reason for the quarrelling you experience inside your womb.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:23:2
[Sforno on Genesis 25:23:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:23:2)

**וּשְׁנֵי לְאֻמִּים.** שֶׁיִּהְיוּ גַּם כֵּן נִבְדָּלִים בְּמַלְכוּת:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ושני לאמים, they will also be politically different from one another, being separate kingdoms.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:23:3
[Sforno on Genesis 25:23:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:23:3)

**מִמֵּעַיִךְ יִפָּרֵדוּ.** וְלֹא יָמוּת אֶחָד מֵהֶם בְּהִתְרוֹצְצָם:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ממעיך יפרדו, they will go their different ways after being born, neither of them will die at birth as you fear.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:24:1
[Sforno on Genesis 25:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:24:1)

**וְהִנֵּה תוֹמִים בְּבִטְנָהּ.** קוֹדֶם שֶׁנּוֹלְדוּ הִכִּירוּ הַנִּצָּבוֹת שֶׁהֵם תְּאוֹמִים, לְפִיכָךְ כְּשֶׁנּוֹלַד **הָרִאשׁוֹן** שֶׁהָיָה **כְּאַדֶּרֶת שֵׂעָר** וְהָיָה רָאוּי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה לֵידָתוֹ יוֹתֵר קָשָׁה מִלֵּידַת הֶחָלָק וּמְאוּחֶרֶת מִמֶּנָּה, קָרְאוּ **שְׁמוֹ עֵשָׂו** בְּאָמְרָם שֶׁאָחִיו הַנִּשְׁאָר עָשָׂה זֶה שֶׁדָּחָה אוֹתוֹ בֶּעָשׂוּי לַחוּץ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
והנה תומים בבטנה, before they were born, the onlookers already realised that there were twins in her womb. Therefore, when the first one emerged being completely covered with hair, this was a birth which was presumed to be more difficult than the passage of Yaakov whose skin was smooth and did not cause friction with the lining of the womb, they called the first one עשו, attributing his easy passage to his twin brother who had helped push him out of the womb of his mother. [I believe that the author understands the plural ending in עשו, as equivalent to assu, i.e. the result of a combined effort by both him and his brother.]


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:26:1
[Sforno on Genesis 25:26:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:26:1)

**וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יַעֲקֹב.** יִשָּׁאֵר בֶּעָקֵב וּבַסּוֹף, כִּי זֶה הוֹרָה הֱיוֹת **יָדוֹ אֹחֶזֶת בַּעֲקֵב** אָחִיו, שֶׁכְּבָר אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה הָאֵל יִתְבָּרַךְ קָרָא לוֹ כֵּן (ירמיהו מו:כח).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויקרא שמו יעקב. The word means he will remain at the heel, and the tail-end. This is based on the future mode of the word יעקב. Our sages (quoted by Rashi) say that the subject in our verse is G’d Who named Esau’s brother Yaakov, the reason for the unusual formulation being that after the destruction of the Kingdom of Edom and other nations, successor of Esau, only Yaakov and his descendants will remain. Our sages base all this on Jeremiah 46,28 אעשה כלה בכל הגויים...ואותך לא אעשה כלה, “I will make an end of all nations…but I will not make an end of you.”


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:27:1
[Sforno on Genesis 25:27:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:27:1)

**אִישׁ שָׂדֶה.** יוֹדֵעַ בַּעֲבוֹדַת הָאֲדָמָה:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
איש שדה, an expert farmer.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:27:2
[Sforno on Genesis 25:27:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:27:2)

**יוֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים.** שְׁנֵי מִינֵי אֹהָלִים: הָאֶחָד אֹהֶל רוֹעִים, וְהַשֵּׁנִי אֹהֶל בַּל יִצְעָן (ישעיהו לג:כ), שֶׁבּוֹ הִתְבּוֹנֵן לְהַכִּיר בּוֹרְאוֹ וְנִקְדַּשׁ בִּכְבוֹדוֹ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
יושב אהלים, the plural mode indicates that the Torah speaks of two distinctly different kinds of tents; one is the tent used by shepherds, the other the tent described as בל-יצען described in Isaiah 33,20, (a reference to Jerusalem or the Temple). The function of that “tent” is to help people come closer to G’d and to gain insight into His ways and as a result to become holy, inspired by His glory.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:28:1
[Sforno on Genesis 25:28:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:28:1)

**וַיֶּאֱהַב יִצְחָק אֶת עֵשָׂו.** גַּם אֶת עֵשָׂו, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיָּדַע בְּלִי סָפֵק שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה שָׁלֵם כְּיַעֲקֹב.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויאהב יצחק את עשו, also Esau, not only Yaakov, even though he must have been aware that Esau was far less perfect than Yaakov.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:28:2
[Sforno on Genesis 25:28:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:28:2)

**וְרִבְקָה אֹהֶבֶת אֶת יַעֲקֹב.** לְבַדּוֹ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִכִּירָה בְּרִשְׁעוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ורבקה אוהבת את יעקב, she only loved Yaakov, recognising the wickedness of Esau.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:30:1
[Sforno on Genesis 25:30:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:30:1)

**עַל כֵּן קָרָא שְׁמוֹ אֱדוֹם.** כְּשֶׁרָאוּ שֶׁכָּל כָּךְ הִתְמַכֵּר לִמְלַאכְתּוֹ הַנִּפְסֶדֶת אֲשֶׁר לֹא כְּתוֹרַת הָאָדָם, עַד שֶׁלֹּא הִכִּיר בַּנָּזִיד כִּי אִם צִבְעוֹ. **קָרָא שְׁמוֹ אֱדוֹם.** לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי, כְּלוֹמַר הִתְאַדֵּם וֶהְיֵה צָבוּעַ אָדוֹם בְּהַלְעָטַת הָאָדוֹם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
על כן קרא שמו אדום. When he saw that Esau was so totally absorbed in his futile occupation, an occupation which does not represent the task of man on earth, that he could not even identify the lentils by their name but referred to them only by their colour, he called him by that name himself, i.e. אדום, in the imperative, meaning “paint yourself red by swallowing the red dish!”


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:31:1
[Sforno on Genesis 25:31:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:31:1)

**מִכְרָה כַיּוֹם.** כִּי בִּהְיוֹת הַיּוֹם כָּל מְגַמַּת פָּנֶיךָ אֶל מְלַאכְתְּךָ בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאַתָּה כָּל כָּךְ עָיֵף שֶׁאֵינְךָ מַכִּיר הַנָּזִיד, אֵין סָפֵק שֶׁלֹּא תוּכַל לְהִתְעַסֵּק בְּעִנְיְנֵי הַבְּכוֹרָה לְשָׁרֵת לָאֵל יִתְבָּרַךְ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת הָרָאוּי לַבְּכוֹר.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
מכרה כיום, seeing that as of now all your interests are focused on your work so that you are so tired that you cannot even recognise a dish of lentils for what it is, there is no question that you would not have the time or energy to perform the duties involved in the obligations associated with being a firstborn


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:32:1
[Sforno on Genesis 25:32:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:32:1)

**הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת.** בְּרוֹב הַתְּלָאָה וְהָעֲיֵפוּת:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
הולך למות, through the excessive fatigue and exertion associated with my vocation.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:33:1
[Sforno on Genesis 25:33:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:33:1)

**הִשָּׁבְעָה לִּי.** מִפְּנֵי הֱיוֹת הַקִּנְיָן עַל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מַמָּשׁ, הַשְּׁבוּעָה תְּמַלֵּא חֶסְרוֹנוֹ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
השבעה לי, seeing that the purchase under discussion was something abstract, the oath would replace the act of physically taking possession of the object purchased and moving it.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:33:2
[Sforno on Genesis 25:33:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:33:2)

**וַיִּמְכֹּר אֶת בְּכוֹרָתוֹ.** בַּמְּחִיר שֶׁפָּסְקוּ בֵּינֵיהֶם, וְלֹא חָשַׁשׁ הַכָּתוּב לְבָאֲרוֹ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וימכור את בכורתו, in accordance with the price they had mutually agreed upon. The Torah did not bother to spell out the exact sum.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:34:1
[Sforno on Genesis 25:34:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:34:1)

**וְיַעֲקֹב נָתַן לְעֵשָׂו.** לִקְנוֹת בְּקִנְיַן חֲלִיפִין בַּנָּזִיד אוֹ בַּכְּלִי אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ הַנָּזִיד, עַל דֶּרֶךְ "שָׁלַף אִישׁ נַעֲלוֹ וְנָתַן לְרֵעֵהוּ" (רות ד:ז).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויעקב נתן לעשו, he had used the lentils or the dish containing them as the קנין חליפין, a token used to serve as symbol of the transfer of ownership of the object constituting the one being sold. Compare Ruth 4,7 where a shoe is mentioned as serving as such a token.


###### Sforno on Genesis 25:34:2
[Sforno on Genesis 25:34:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/25:34:2)

**וַיִּבֶז עֵשָׂו אֶת הַבְּכוֹרָה.** גַּם אַחַר מַעֲשֶׂה הָיְתָה הַבְּכוֹרָה בְּעֵינָיו בִּלְתִּי רְאוּיָה לְאוֹתוֹ הַמְּחִיר שֶׁפָּסְקוּ, וּבְכֵן הִתְבָּאֵר שֶׁלֹּא נִתְאַנָּה הַמּוֹכֵר כִּי לֹא הָיָה הַמִּמְכָּר שָׁוֶה אֶצְלוֹ כָּל כָּךְ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**Eisov scorned the birthright.** Even after the sale he did not consider the birthright to be worth the money he received for it. Therefore it is not correct to say that he was cheated.