Derasha 1 on Bereishis 33:10

TT #27 · Parashas Vayishlach · Passuk 33:10

Complete Passuk

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֗ב אַל־נָא֙ אִם־נָ֨א מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ וְלָקַחְתָּ֥ מִנְחָתִ֖י מִיָּדִ֑י כִּ֣י עַל־כֵּ֞ן רָאִ֣יתִי פָנֶ֗יךָ כִּרְאֹ֛ת פְּנֵ֥י אֱלֹהִ֖ים וַתִּרְצֵֽנִי׃

And Yaakov said: No, please, if I have found favor in your eyes, then take my present from my hand, for therefore I have seen your face as one sees the face of God, and you have accepted me.

Chabad · Genesis 33:10

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Bereshit Rabbah 78:10.

Sefaria · Bereshit Rabbah 78:10

Core Text of Chazal

כי על כן ראיתי פניך כראות פני אלהים — מה פני אלהים דין, אף פניך דין.

“For therefore I have seen your face as one sees the face of God” — just as the face of God is judgment, so your face is judgment.

On the daf / in context

The Midrash links the comparison of Eisav’s face to the Divine face with the quality of judgment.

Type of Learning

Derash on the comparison (Bereshit Rabbah).

What Is Learned

Yaakov compared seeing Eisav’s face to seeing the face of God in the aspect of judgment.