Humility as the key to mastering Esav

ולאום מלאום יאמץ.

"And one people shall be stronger than the other people" (Bereishis 25:23).

The Sefas Emes opens with the prophecy to Rivkah about the two nations, Yaakov and Esav, struggling within her.

פי' שחיזוק כל אום מכח אום השני כי וודאי מה שיש כח לעשו הוא רק מה שגונב מבנ"י.

The meaning is that the strengthening of each people is from the power of the other people, for surely whatever strength Esav has is only what he steals from Bnei Yisrael.

The two nations draw strength from one another inversely: Esav has no independent power of his own; his strength is entirely "stolen" from the holiness of Bnei Yisrael when they falter.

רק גם הכח לבנ"י ע"י שגוברין נגד כחו של עשו [וז"ש הוי גביר ע"י התגברות נגדו] ורב יעבוד צעיר הוא בתנאי שיהי' כל איש ישראל צעיר בעיניו כדכ' כי אתם המעט.

But likewise the strength of Bnei Yisrael comes through their overpowering against the strength of Esav [and this is the meaning of "be a master (gevir)" — through overpowering against him], and "the elder shall serve the younger" (Bereishis 25:23) is conditional upon every Jew being small in his own eyes, as it is written, "for you are the fewest" (Devarim 7:7).

Conversely, Bnei Yisrael grow strong precisely by overcoming Esav's pull. The blessing that "the elder (Esav) shall serve the younger (Yaakov)" — and Yitzchak's blessing "be a gevir" — is conditional: it holds only when each Jew sees himself as "the younger," small and humble, as the Torah says "you are the fewest of all peoples."

וז"ש כאשר תריד.

And this is the meaning of "when you are aggrieved/when you bring down" (Bereishis 27:40).

The Sefas Emes turns to Yitzchak's words to Esav, "when you have grievance," which he will now interpret.

ולפירש"י ז"ל קשה לשון תריד.

And according to Rashi's explanation, the wording "tarid" is difficult.

Rashi's reading of the word "tarid" leaves a difficulty, which the Sefas Emes now seeks to resolve.

ונראה הפי' כאשר בנ"י מתגאין ויודעין ששולטין על היצה"ר ועי"ז יש לו שליטה.

And it appears the meaning is: when Bnei Yisrael become haughty and "know" that they rule over the yetzer hara, and through this he (Esav / the yetzer hara) gains dominion.

The verse hints that Esav's power comes precisely when Bnei Yisrael grow arrogant and feel confident that they have already mastered the yetzer hara. That very self-assurance is what hands the yetzer hara its opening to rule.

כי צריך כל איש ישראל להיות תמיד על משמרתו ולזכור כי אורב לו תמיד.

For every Jew must always be at his watch and remember that he (the yetzer hara) constantly lies in wait for him.

The remedy is constant vigilance: one must never assume the battle is won, but always remain on guard, recalling that the yetzer hara never ceases to lie in ambush.

וכ"כ במדרש על יצחק ועבודה רבה וכו' שאחר כל העשירות זכר וידע כי הוא צריך להיות עובד תמיד שלא להסיח דעת מיצה"ר.

And so it is written in the Midrash regarding Yitzchak and "much avodah/labor," that after all the wealth, he remembered and knew that he must always remain a servant (oveid), so as not to divert his attention from the yetzer hara.

Yitzchak is the model: even amid great wealth and success, he knew he must remain an oveid Hashem, never letting his guard down or taking his attention off the yetzer hara.

ולעולם רב יעבוד צעיר רק שלבנ"י בנקל להיות צעירים בעיניהם.

And always "the elder shall serve the younger" — only that for Bnei Yisrael it is easy to be "young" (small) in their own eyes.

The promise holds eternally, but its condition — humility — comes naturally to Bnei Yisrael, who can readily see themselves as small and lowly before Hashem.

ואפשר זה הי' טעות יצחק שסבר שעשו יוכל להיות צעיר בעיניו יותר.

And perhaps this was Yitzchak's error, that he thought Esav could be more "young"/humble in his own eyes.

The Sefas Emes suggests that Yitzchak's mistaken preference for Esav lay in supposing that Esav could attain even greater humility — but in truth humility belongs to Yaakov.

אבל האמת שמה שאדם מבין יותר ועולה במדרגה של קדושה יותר.

But the truth is that the more a person understands and rises in the level of kedushah,

In reality, true spiritual ascent works the opposite way: the higher a person climbs in holiness and understanding,

חל עליו יראת שמים ומכניע עצמו ומתקיים רב יעבוד צעיר כנ"ל.

yiras Shomayim comes upon him and he humbles himself, and "the elder shall serve the younger" is fulfilled, as mentioned.

the more yiras Shomayim settles upon him and the more he humbles himself. Genuine greatness produces humility, and so the condition for "the elder shall serve the younger" is naturally met.

כמ"ש מאן דאיהו רב איהו זעיר כו' וכ' יראו את ה' קדושיו כי אין מחסור ליראיו.

As it is said, "one who is great (rav) is small (ze'er)..." (Zohar), and it is written, "Fear Hashem, His holy ones, for there is no lack to those who fear Him" (Tehillim 34:10).

The Zohar teaches that true greatness and smallness coincide — whoever is genuinely great is genuinely humble. The pasuk then assures that those who fear Hashem lack nothing.

פי' אף שמדרגת קדושה באה אחר יראה.

The meaning is that even though the level of kedushah comes after fear,

Although attaining kedushah is the step that follows yirah — yirah is the prerequisite, and holiness comes afterward —

עכ"ז ע"י שמדבק האדם עצמו ביראת שמים אף שעי"ז לא יוכל לעלות מדרגה אחר מדרגה על זה נאמר אין מחסור ליראיו כי מה שאדם מניח על ידי יראת שמים לא יפסיד עי"ז:

nevertheless, when a person attaches himself to yiras Shomayim, even though through this he may not be able to ascend from level to level, concerning this it is said "there is no lack to those who fear Him," for whatever a person gives up on account of yiras Shomayim, he does not lose thereby.

Sometimes clinging to yiras Shomayim — staying humble and on guard — means forgoing rapid spiritual "ascents." The pasuk reassures that such a person loses nothing: whatever he holds back out of fear of Heaven is never a true loss, for "there is no lack to those who fear Him."

Summary: The two nations of Yaakov and Esav draw strength inversely — Esav's only power is what he "steals" from Bnei Yisrael's failings, while Bnei Yisrael grow strong by overcoming him. The blessing that "the elder shall serve the younger" is conditional on humility: it holds only when each Jew sees himself as small. Arrogant confidence that one has already conquered the yetzer hara is precisely what gives it dominion, so constant vigilance — modeled by Yitzchak, who remained an oveid even amid wealth — is required. True ascent in kedushah brings ever-greater yiras Shomayim and humility, so that genuine greatness is itself smallness. And even when clinging to yiras Shomayim costs one some spiritual "ascent," there is no lack to those who fear Hashem — nothing given up for His sake is ever truly lost.