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It is difficult in the extreme to truly comprehend this issue. However, all the great commentators have attempted to deal with the matter in various forms and ideas. Some have attributed it to genetics – Eisav is a product of recessive genes inherited from Betuel and Laban and their ancestors, all of whom were pagan and evil. A recessive gene survives even when there are strong dominant genes present for many generations. And even the strong dominant genes of Abraham and Sarah, and Yitzchak and Rivkah cannot prevent the latent recessive genes from appearing and becoming dominant in one of their offspring.
There are others who ascribe the aberrant behavior of Eisav to the fact that he did not receive an education that truly fitted his personality. He was a man of the field, a hunter and physically athletic. He was not cut out, as was his twin brother Yaakov, to sit for hours on end and study. Because of this mismatch of education and personality, the tragic figure of Eisav emerged.
Another theme that is represented in the commentaries is that the opposing views of Yitzchak and Rivka regarding their children, created an atmosphere in the home that exacerbated the differences between the children and drove Eisav to the extremes of behavior recorded for us in the Torah.
There are many other ideas and thoughts about the matter that appear in our holy Torah and we know that everything in the Torah contains 70 different layers of understanding and perspective. So, everything that can be said regarding the issue has merit and should be carefully considered when studying the matter.
A simple and perhaps more profound understanding of the matter is simply to reiterate and reinforce the basic idea that human beings, no matter what their ancestry may be and in whatever environment they are raised, retain the power of freedom of choice, especially regarding moral issues. One is righteous and pious not necessarily because that person's parents or ancestors were righteous and pious but rather because the person himself or herself chooses a path in life and behavior that would lead to righteousness and piety.
We are all ultimately responsible for our behavior and our actions and basically all rationalizations and excuses regarding how we were raised, educated and trained are insufficient to remove from us the responsibility of our own personal choice of behavior and beliefs. The rabbis epitomized this in their statement that a human being is always responsible for his/her actions whether they be caused inadvertently or with malicious intent.
Eisav turns out to be Eisav because that is what he had chosen to be his goal in life. Like all human beings he may choose to rationalize and excuse his behavior, but ultimately, he alone is responsible for his life choices.
Shabbat shalom
Rabbi Berel Wein
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
