בראשית, פרק כ״ז, פסוק ט״ו

At a decisive moment in the history of the nation, Rebecca takes active steps to ensure that Isaac's blessings reach the rightful heir. Her intervention goes beyond preparing food; it involves altering Jacob's outward appearance through clothing, a move carrying deep spiritual, practical, and prophetic significance. The narrative emphasizes the titles of her older and younger sons to highlight Rebecca's righteousness. Contrary to ordinary human nature, where parents naturally bestow honor and blessings upon the firstborn, Rebecca recognized the wickedness of her older son and the righteousness of the younger, acting with dedication to transfer the blessing to the one truly worthy [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך, ביאור יש״ר]. Furthermore, these titles express the realization of the divine prophecy that the older would ultimately be subservient to the younger [הכתב והקבלה]. To anchor this prophecy in reality, Jacob needed to secure both spiritual elevation and the material success of this world, which is symbolized by the garments. Therefore, a physical, symbolic act of wearing his brother's clothes was necessary [מלבי״ם]. This deliberate switch between the older and younger siblings also serves as an ironic precedent for the future actions of Laban, who would later deceive Jacob by switching his older and younger daughters [ברכת אשר].

The physical difference between the two brothers presented a practical challenge. To address this, Rebecca may have tailored the garments to fit Jacob's smaller frame [אור החיים], or the clothes were simply so large that they enveloped his entire body, leaving only his hands and neck exposed [העמק דבר]. A different perspective views the fitting as a miraculous event intended to validate Rebecca's prophecy. She wanted to test whether the garments would fit her younger son. When they miraculously suited his exact measurements, much like King Saul's armor would later fit David, she saw it as divine confirmation and hurried to give him the prepared food [שפתי כהן, צרור המור]. Throughout this process, Jacob remained entirely passive. Disgusted by the act of deception, he refused to take the clothes and dress himself, allowing his mother to dress him as though she were a servant [הכתב והקבלה]. Her ultimate goal was to make him completely resemble his brother so that Isaac would be thoroughly convinced [הדר זקנים, דעת זקנים].

The precise nature of these coveted garments is understood in several ways. The primary approach among commentators is that these were clean, beautiful, and new clothes reserved for special occasions, such as appearing in public or respectfully serving his father at meals. These garments were infused with the pleasant scent of flowers and field herbs that Rebecca had placed among them. A second approach suggests they were priestly garments. Because the older brother was the firstborn, and before the establishment of the Tabernacle the sacred service was entrusted to firstborns, he possessed special vestments for holy work [תורה תמימה, צפנת פענח, הדר זקנים]. A third tradition links these garments back to Nimrod and Adam. According to this view, the older brother coveted these clothes from Nimrod and murdered him to take them. They were the original garments of skin that God made for Adam, embroidered with images of the world's animals and birds. Miraculously, whoever wore them would attract wild animals, making them effortless to hunt [רש״י, גור אריה, דעת זקנים, ברטנורא, צרור המור]. This raises a question regarding spiritual purity: how could Jacob wear the clothes of someone who did not observe the laws of purity, as such garments would normally defile the wearer? To resolve this, it is explained that these specific garments were made from the skin of a Leviathan, and since fish skin cannot contract ritual impurity, Jacob remained pure [נחל קדומים, פרדס יוסף, חומת אנך].

Finally, the narrative notes that these precious garments were kept with Rebecca in her home. It is curious that a married man would store his most valuable clothing with his mother rather than his wives. The primary approach among commentators explains that he was well aware of his wives' deceitful behavior and simply did not trust them, preferring to deposit his treasures with his mother [רש״י, ברטנורא, רש״ר הירש]. Another opinion suggests that he was merely negligent with his belongings, naturally leaving their care in his mother's hands [קונטרס חיבה יתירה].