How could Jacob—a man of truth, a pillar of integrity—look his father in the eye and say, plain as day, “I am Esau, your firstborn”? And not just lie, but embellish, throwing in the unnecessary flourish “your firstborn” as if Isaac might somehow miss the point?
It’s a fair question. Fortunately, we have Reuben's story to shed light on the matter...
Collecting Reuben's Loan
Reuben, a decent fellow with an unwarranted level of optimism, once lent a large sum of money to a man named Sammy. Months passed. Sammy’s financial situation did not improve. Reuben, sensing he would soon be writing this loan off as an expensive life lesson, decided to cut his losses. He sold the collection rights to Buster, a man with forearms like tree trunks and a reputation for settling debts in ways that did not involve paperwork.
Buster got straight to work. He knocked on Sammy’s door, cracked his knuckles like a man warming up for a piano recital, and announced, “I am Reuben, and I want my money. Now.”
Sammy squinted at him. “I don't know who you are, but you're definitely not the Reuben who lent me money!”
“You’re right,” Buster admitted. “My real name is Buster. But I bought Reuben’s loan. As far as your debt is concerned, I am Reuben. Now pay up.”
"I am Esau"
Isaac had every intention of blessing Esau. Not because Esau was the worthier son, but because he was the firstborn, and Isaac believed the firstborn should lead the family. That was the rule. End of discussion.
Then Jacob stepped in.
When Jacob told his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn,” he wasn’t trying to deceive; he was making a legal argument. Like Buster, he wasn’t claiming to be someone else—he was claiming the rights he had purchased.
As if to say: “In truth, I am Jacob. But in terms of the blessing, I now stand in Esau’s place, because I bought the birthright fair and square. So go ahead, Father—give me the blessing. Because at this moment, for all practical purposes, I’m your firstborn son.”
(Adapted from Mishlei Ya'akov, p. 69)
