EXTRA on Bereishis 33:4

Side-ring · classical material on a skipped passuk

Complete Passuk

וַיָּ֨רָץ עֵשָׂ֤ו לִקְרָאתוֹ֙ וַֽיְחַבְּקֵ֔הוּ וַיִּפֹּ֥ל עַל־צַוָּארָ֖ו וַׄיִּׄשָּׁׄקֵ֑ׄהׄוּׄ וַיִּבְכּֽוּ׃

And Eisav ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.

Source Citation

Bereshit Rabbah 78:9 (dots over the word “kissed”).

Sefaria · Bereshit Rabbah 78:9

Core Text of Chazal

וישקהו — נקוד עליו. יש אומרים: נשקו בכל לבו; ויש אומרים: ביקש לנשכו.

“And he kissed him” — there are dots over it. Some say he kissed him with all his heart; others say he sought to bite him.

On the daf / in context

The dotted letters generate a famous dispute about the sincerity of the kiss.

Type of Learning

Derash on the masoretic dots (Bereshit Rabbah).

What Is Learned

The dots over “kissed him” leave open whether the gesture was wholehearted or hostile.