EXTRA · classical (not a TT unit)

Toldos 25:32 · EXTRA

Parashas Toldos · Passuk 25:32

The Complete Passuk

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר עֵשָׂ֔ו הִנֵּ֛ה אָנֹכִ֥י הוֹלֵ֖ךְ לָמ֑וּת וְלָמָּה־זֶּ֥ה לִ֖י בְּכֹרָֽה׃

And Esav said, “I am at the point of death, so of what use is a birthright to me?”

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Rashi on Bereishis 25:32 (classical source on this passuk; not listed as a numbered Torah Temimah unit here).

Lemma / focus: הנה אנכי הולך למות.

Sefaria

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
מִתְנוֹדֶדֶת וְהוֹלֶכֶת הִיא הַבְּכוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא תְּהֵא כָּל עֵת הָעֲבוֹדָה בַּבְּכוֹרוֹת, כִּי שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי יִטֹּל אוֹתָהּ. וְעוֹד אָמַר עֵשָׂו: מָה חֵפֶץ לִי בָּהּ.

English: The birthright is unstable, for the service will not always remain with the firstborn—the tribe of Levi will take it. And further Esav said: many death-penalties attach to it… if so, why should I acquire this?

On the daf / in context: Esav dismisses the birthright both as temporary (Levi will replace the firstborn in the service) and as dangerous (liability for sacred errors).

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Rashi / midrash) — not a formal named middah of the 13: “I am going to die” is expanded into a rejection of a burdensome, temporary office.

What Is Learned

Esav rejected the birthright as both unstable—the service would pass to Levi—and dangerous because of the penalties attached to sacred error.