BEREISHIS RABBAH
Chapter 78
Bereishis Rabbah Chapter 78
   

(78:12) “And Ya’akov said: Please no! If now I have found favor in your eyes take my gift from my hand, because I have seen your face like one sees the face of G-d, and you have accepted me” (Bereishis 33:10) - just as the face of G-d connotes justice, so too your face connotes justice. And just like concerning the face of G-d it says “you shall not appear before Me empty handed” (Shemos 23:15), so too you, one should not appear before you empty handed.

“Please take my blessing which has been brought to you” (Bereishis 33:11) - he said to him: How much work did I expend until it came to my hand, but you, by itself it came to you. It does not write here "which I brought" but “which has been brought” - by itself it came to your hand.

“And he prevailed upon him and he took” (Bereishis 33:11) - he (Eisav) appeared to turn away from him, but his hand was open. Yehudah ben R. Simon said: “who ingratiates himself with pieces of silver” (Tehillim 68:31) - he unclenched his fist and was appeased with money.

Reish Lakish went up to greet Rebbe. He said to him: Pray for me because this kingdom is very wicked. He said to him: Do not take anything from anyone and you will not give anything. As he was sitting with him, a woman came carrying a plate with a knife on it. he arose and took the knife and returned to her the plate. Along came an official of the king’s court and saw it and desired it and took it. In the evening Reish Lakish went up to greet Rebbe, and he saw that he was laughing. He said to him: Why are you laughing? He replied: That knife that you saw, an official of the king’s court came along and saw it and desired it and took it. He said to him: Did I not tell you not to take anything from anyone and you will not give anything?

A certain commoner said to R. Hoshiya: If I tell you a certain good thing, will you tell it to the public in my name? He said to him: What is it? He said to him: All those gifts that Ya’akov our forefather gave to Eisav, the nations of the world are destined to return them to the king Moshiach in the future. What is his reasoning (for this statement)? “The kings of Tarshish and the isles will return a gift” (Tehillim 72:10) - it does not say there "they will bring" but “they will return”. He said to him: By your life, you have said a good matter, and in your name I will say it.

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