When we think of Jacob as a young man, we tend to recall the dramatic episode when he surreptitiously disguised himself as Esau to “steal” the blessing from his father Isaac. As we study our Torah reading, however, we learn that Jacob actually received two blessings from his father. The first blessing — given to a disguised Jacob — focused on material blessings: the “dew of heaven,” the “fatness of the earth,” “plenty of grain and wine,” political power and hegemony (Gen. 27:28-29), whereas the second blessing — given to an undisguised Jacob — focused on his role as God’s chosen patriarch of Israel (Gen. 28:3-4). The difference between these blessings turned on Isaac’s restored vision. His first blessing was tailored to the character of Esau as his “natural choice,” whereas his second blessing looked beyond mere appearances to behold the vision that was originally given to his father Abraham:
“May God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful,
and multiply you so you become an assembly of peoples.
And may He grant the blessing of Abraham
to you and your offspring.”
(Gen. 28:3-4)
In a sense, the self-effacing, disciplined, and strong-willed Isaac abandoned his “natural vision” (i.e., to install Esau as the next patriarch, despite the assumed remonstration of his wife Rebekah) by finally surrendering to the vision of his father Abraham. Isaac’s entire life was a sort of overreaction to his father – an “antithesis to Abraham’s thesis.” By choosing to bless Jacob a second time, this time with his eyes wide open, Isaac revealed that he had finally accepted the grace of God that was revealed to his father Abraham.
Recall that after Esau discovered that the blessing was given to Jacob, he lamented and pleaded with his father to bestow upon him a blessing as well. It is interesting to note that the “residual” blessing that Isaac gave to Esau was the converse of that given to Jacob: the “fatness of the earth” was put before the “dew of heaven” (compare Gen. 27:39 with Gen. 27:28). Receiving sustenance from heaven is of greater value than finding earthly prosperity. And indeed, Jacob was “blessed” with trouble his whole life, which caused him to rely on the “dew from heaven,” whereas Esau was “blessed” with prosperity (and trouble) that came from trafficking in this world….
…
…
Note: The metaphors the “dew of the heavens” and the “fatness of the earth” suggest focus, the former alluding to spiritual blessing and the latter to worldly good… Hence Jacob was later vexed and sent into exile, whereas Esau inhabited Mount Seir and embedded himself in the land. Isaac’s first blessing (to a disguised Jacob), does not contradict this comment, since Isaac was speaking prophetically about Jacob and Esau, and only later did he reaffirm the prophecy by bestowing upon Jacob the blessing of his father Abraham…