19. Rabbi Yehuda continued with the verse, "And Isaac entreated Hashem for his wife" (Beresheet 25:21). HE ASKS, What is the meaning of "entreated?" AND HE REPLIED that he offered a sacrifice and prayed for her. What offering did he sacrifice? A burnt offering. IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT "ENTREATED" INDICATES THAT HE SACRIFICED by studying the verses "and Hashem was entreated of him" (Ibid.), and "So Hashem was entreated for the land" (II Shmuel 24:25). There it means that a sacrifice has been offered, SO here too it means, a sacrifice has been offered. It is written, "And Isaac entreated," "and Hashem was entreated." IF "ENTREATED" INDICATE A SACRIFICE, WHAT IS THE MEANING OF, "AND HASHEM WAS ENTREATED?" HE REPLIED THAT THIS TOO REFERS TO AN OFFERING, a celestial fire that came to meet the lower fire. FOR TWO FIRES ARE NEEDED TO CONSUME THE OFFERING, THE FIRE OF A HOLY MAN AND THE FIRE OF A LAYMAN. THEREFORE "ISAAC ENTREATED," WHICH REFERS TO THE LOWER FIRE, AND "HASHEM WAS ENTREATED," WHICH CORRESPONDS TO THE UPPER FIRE.

20. Another explanation for, "And Isaac entreated," is that by his prayer he hollowed out a passage that reached above to Mazal that bestows children. It is upon that place - IN MAZAL, WHICH IS THE DIKNA OF ARICH ANPIN - that giving birth to children depends, as it is written, "and she prayed to (lit. 'above') Hashem" (I Shmuel 1:10), WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. "...ABOVE HASHEM..." REFERS TO DIKNA OF ARICH ANPIN, WHICH ENCIRCLES ZEIR ANPIN, CALLED 'MAZAL.' Then, "Hashem was entreated of him." Do not pronounce it "entreated" (Heb. vaye'ater), but "hollowed out" (Heb. vayechater). For the Holy One, blessed be He, cleared the way and accepted the prayer. Then, "Rivkah his wife conceived."

21. Come and behold, Isaac was with his wife for twenty years, but she did not give birth until he had said his prayer. This is because the Holy One, blessed be He, desires the prayer of the righteous, when they ask Him in prayer for their needs. Why? Because the anointing oil will be increased by the prayer of the righteous for all those in need of it. FOR THE RIGHTEOUS IN THEIR PRAYER OPEN THE SUPERNAL CHANNEL, AND THEN EVEN THE PRAYERS OF THE UNWORTHY ARE ANSWERED.

22. Come and behold, Abraham did not pray before the Holy One, blessed be He, so that He would give him sons, even though Sarah was barren. And although it may be said that he prayed, saying, "Behold, to me You gave no seed," (Beresheet 15:3) it is not a prayer, but simply a statement to his Master. But Isaac prayed for his wife because he knew that his wife, and not he, was sterile. And although Isaac knew by the inner meaning of wisdom that Jacob was bound to come from him and produce the twelve tribes, he did not know whether this would be from this wife or from another. Therefore the scripture reads, "for his wife" (Beresheet 25:21), and not specifically "for Rivkah."

23. Rabbi Yehuda's son asks, Why then did not Isaac love Jacob as he loved Esau, if he knew that he would sire the twelve tribes? He replied, Well said. HE LOVED ESAU BETTER BECAUSE everyone loves and is attracted to his own kind.

24. Come and behold, Esau was born all red, as it is written, "And the first came out red all over" (Beresheet 25:25). Thus, he is the same as Isaac, who is of Harsh Judgment above, IN HOLINESS, and Esau, who issued from him, is the Harsh Judgment below. ESAU'S HEAD WAS IN THE HOLY SYSTEM, BUT HIS BODY WAS NOT. THEREFORE, he resembled Isaac. And because each is drawn to his own kind, Isaac loved Esau more than Jacob, as it is written, "And Isaac loved Esau, he relished his venison" (Ibid. 28), WHICH MEANS THAT HIS HEAD IS IN THE HOLY SYSTEM. Here it is written, "For he relished his venison," which is similar to, "wherefore it is said, 'like Nimrod the mighty hunter before Hashem'" (Beresheet 10:9). IN BOTH PLACES, HUNTING REFERS TO HARSH JUDGMENT, AND THE SCRIPTURES TELL US THAT HE LOVED HIM BECAUSE THEY WERE BOTH OF SEVERE JUDGMENT.