Rashi explains that the numerical equivalent of the word h,rd is 613, which corresponds to the number of mitzvos in the Torah. Yaakov was proudly relating to Eisav that during his stay with Lavan he kept the entire Torah. His sojourn in the harmful environment of the crooked Lavan had no adverse spiritual effect upon him.
A number of issues regarding Yaakov’s dialogue with Eisav should be addressed. First, what did Yaakov imply with his assertion, “And (I) stayed until now”? Did he owe Eisav an excuse for returning so late? Is Eisav his “brother’s keeper” that he must be placated? Second, whom was Yaakov trying to impress by lauding his spiritual accomplishments? Would it really make a difference to Eisav that Yaakov performed mitzvos altogether, let alone that he adhered to the entire Torah?
Horav Elchanan Sorotzkin, z.l., suggests a novel interpretation of Yaakov’s and Eisav’s conversation. Eisav, the evil apostate, did not believe in Hashem or in anything spiritual. He still had the arrogance, however, to expound his accomplishments in the area of chesed, kindness and human relations. He rejected the mitzvos that focused on man’s relation to Hashem and lauded his proficiency in bein adam l’chaveiro, mitzvos between man and his fellow man. He derided Yaakov, “While you were cooped up in the yeshivah of Shem and Ever, I stayed home and attended to the needs of our father.” Eisav’s outward display of kibbud av v’eim, respect towards his parents, was exemplary.
Eisav’s outward devotion to tzeddakah was also remarkable. Not only did he give maaser, tithe, from those items which were mandated by the Torah, but he also questioned the manner for giving maaser from straw, which is not a food. Eisav began by attacking Yaakov’s degree of devotion to social justice. Then he lauded another mitzvah he performed — settling Eretz Yisrael. Eisav remained in Eretz Yisrael the entire time that Yaakov was gone. These two areas of commitment should have earned him his father’s blessings. Why then did Yitzchak ultimately give the blessings to Yaakov?
Yaakov’s response to Eisav’s challenge is classic, shedding light upon the philosophy of Torah yiddishkeit. Yaakov felt it necessary to enlighten Eisav concerning his whereabouts during these twenty years. He was with Lavan raising a family, laying the foundation for Klal Yisrael. True, while Yaakov acknowledged the mitzvah of settling Eretz Yisrael, he wanted to go there together with his children. To send children away without an education and without the family’s moral support would be spiritually dangerous. Only when we are able to go together as a viable entity, as Klal Yisrael, building Eretz Yisrael under the guidance and direction of Toras Yisrael, will our settling there take spiritual root.
In regard to Eisav’s arrogance in lauding his “singular” mitzvah performance, Yaakov said, “I have lived with Lavan and performed all taryag mitzvos.” We do not ascribe to the notion of selecting mitzvos at random, playing favorites among mitzvos. Emphasizing the social justice mitzvos and preserving the bein adam l’chaveiro mitzvos, while denigrating the bein adam l’makom mitzvos, does not represent a Torah orientation. In order for any activity to be considered a mitzvah, it must defer to the purview of the Torah. We have 613 mitzvos, all of which comprise our religious code. Selective Judaism is simply self-serving. It does not reflect Torah perspective. Yaakov’s response to Eisav was simple, but piercing — two mitzvos do not sum up the entire Torah. Hence, Eisav did not deserve the blessings.
