Toldos

By way of introduction to Yaakov and Eisav, the Torah states vayehi Eisav ish yodea tzayid ish sadeh v'Yaakov ish tam yosheiv ohalim. Eisav was a hunter, a man of the field while Yaakov was a simple, complete man who sat in the tents. Rashi informs us that these tents refer to the tents of Torah. The very next verse states vaye'ehav Yitzchak es Eisav ki tzayid befiv v'Rivka oheves es Yaakov. We were just informed that Eisav was a hunter while Yaakov was sitting and learning and yet immediately after this - as if to emphasize that the knowledge of these facts was the cause - we are told that Yitzchak loves Eisav specifically because he was a hunter, seemingly choosing those qualities over the qualities of Yaakov. As if to further emphasize this point, the verse does not have a parallel structure. The latter part of the verse stressing Rivka's love for Yaakov does not parallel the previous verse by stating that she loved him because he was learning. This fact is conspicuously missing as if to further emphasize that even Rivka's love for Yaakov was not due to these qualities.

The medrash in Eichah tells us that just prior to punishing Bnei Yisrael, Hashem approaches the Avos to give them an opportunity to pray on behalf of their children. The medrash says that Hashem approaches Avraham  and informs him that his children are sinning. Avraham responds by telling Hashem to punish them for these sins. Hashem then approaches Yaakov and Yaakov has the same response. Finally, Hashem approaches Yitzchak and informs him too that his children are sinning. Yitzchak states "are they my children and not yours", prays on their behalf and secures forgiveness. Why does Yitzchak feel most compelled to pray on behalf of Bnei Yisrael, as opposed to Avraham and Yaakov?

All that Yitzchak had was because of Avraham. Early in parshas Toldos, Yitzchak is given a Divine promise of children and Eretz Yisrael. Hashem tells Yitzchak that this promise is in fulfillment of the promise made to Avraham. Avraham and Yaakov received this promise directly while Yitzchak seems to 'inherit' it from his father. Similarly, the Ramban states that Yitzchak's wealth was all due to his inheriting Avraham. Even the wells that Yitzchak dug were the wells of Avraham. Therefore, it is Yitzchak, more than anyone else, who understands how important it is for parents to do all in their power to help their children. After all, everything he had was due to his parents. As a recipient of so much from his parents, Yitzchak feels compelled to give to his children as well.

However, Yitzchak is also acutely aware of the potential pitfalls of this approach. Too much reliance on parents can lead to laziness and complacency. This fear is what gripped Yitzchak and influenced his attitude towards Yaakov and Eisav in their early years. Yitzchak saw Eisav as a hunter, a man of action, a man who could be independent and need not rely on parental support. Yaakov, on the other hand, sat in the tents presumably unable to fend for himself. Rivka's attitude was no different. That's why the Torah does not state that she loved Yaakov because he sat in the tents. The difference was that Rivka saw the underlying character of Yaakov and knew that, far from lazy, Yaakov was a man of action himself, ready to fend for himself when necessary and was using these years of study to prepare himself for his future. Yitzchak was blind to this deeper level of Yaakov's personality.

This, too, is why Yitzchak intends to give the blessings to Eisav. He does not feel that Eisav is more righteous than Yaakov. He just feels that these blessings would be better served by a man of action. Indeed, once Yitzchak realizes that Yaakov, too, is a man of action, he confirms that the blessings belong to him because he realizes that Yaakov has both the Torah learning traits as well as the proactive traits to be utilized in the betterment of society. Mi eifo hu hatzad tzayid vayavei li...gam baruch yihyeh. Once Yitzchak realizes that Yaakov was not lazy or complacent and took action to initially buy the brachos and then what was necessary to assure he obtains them, he reconfirms the validity of the blessing - gam baruch yihyeh.