Toldos 28:9 · unit 1

TT #46 · Parashas Toldos · Passuk 28:9

The Complete Passuk

וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ עֵשָׂ֖ו אֶל־יִשְׁמָעֵ֑אל וַיִּקַּ֡ח אֶֽת־מָחֲלַ֣ת בַּת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֨אל בֶּן־אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֲח֧וֹת נְבָי֛וֹת עַל־נָשָׁ֖יו ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃

So Esav went to Yishmael and took to wife, in addition to the wives he had, Machalat the daughter of Yishmael son of Avraham, sister of Nevayot.

Torah Temimah points to Bava Kama 92b. E-Daf · Sefaria — Bava Kama 92b

…

“A bad palm goes and associates with a barren tree”… this is written in the Torah: “And Esav went to Yishmael.”

On the daf / in context: The folk saying that like seeks like is grounded in Esav’s choice of a wife from the house of Yishmael.

Custom (Bavli — like seeks like)

Esav’s going to Yishmael illustrates that a wicked person seeks out his own kind.