Genesis 25: Poor Choices

YINR 929: Tanach Yomi · Oct 3, 2025 · 4m

“And Esav disdained the birthright.”

וַיִּבֶז עֵשָׂו אֶת־הַבְּכֹרָה׃

(Bereishit 25:34)

The word "וַיִּבֶז" (vayivez)—“he disdained”—is rare in Tanach. It appears only one other time, in Megillat Esther:

“But he disdained to lay hands on Mordechai alone…”

וַיִּבֶז בְּעֵינָיו לִשְׁלֹחַ יָד בְּמָרְדֳּכַי לְבַדּוֹ…

(Esther 3:6)

In Esther, Haman’s disdain for Mordechai leads to genocidal hatred. The parallel raises a powerful question:

Why did Esav detest the birthright as much as Haman detested Mordechai?

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Esav’s Contradiction: Disdaining the Birthright…