Toldos 27:41 · unit 1

Parashas Toldos · Passuk 27:41

The Complete Passuk

וַיִּשְׂטֹ֤ם עֵשָׂו֙ אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹ֔ב עַ֨ל־הַבְּרָכָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בֵּרְכ֖וֹ אָבִ֑יו וַיֹּ֨אמֶר עֵשָׂ֜ו בְּלִבּ֗וֹ יִקְרְבוּ֙ יְמֵי֙ אֵ֣בֶל אָבִ֔י וְאַֽהַרְגָ֖ה אֶת־יַעֲקֹ֥ב אָחִֽי׃

Now Esav harbored a grudge against Yaakov because of the blessing that his father had given him, and Esav said to himself, “Let the days of mourning for my father draw near, then I will kill my brother Yaakov.”

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Avodah Zarah / related.

TT lemma: וישטם עשו.

Sefaria — related

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
סָטַרְנוּרָא יוֹם אֵידָם שֶׁל עוֹבְדֵי כוֹכָבִים הוּא… שִׂנְאָה טְמוּנָה שׂוֹנֵא נוֹקֵם וְנוֹטֵר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיִּשְׂטֹם עֵשָׂו אֶת יַעֲקֹב.

English: Saturnalia is a festival day of the idolaters… [the name is from] hidden hatred — a hater who takes vengeance and bears a grudge, as it is written “And Esav harbored a grudge against Yaakov.”

On the daf / in context: The rare verb va-yistom is linked etymologically to the Roman festival name and to the lasting character of Esav’s enmity.

Type of Learning

Custom (aggadah — lasting grudge of Esav)

What Is Learned

The word va-yistom points to a deep, stored hatred; it is associated with the character of Esav’s enduring enmity and with the name of a Roman festival.