Parshat Vayishlach - Showing Off Your Shortcomings
by Rabbi Lobel

After Esau embraces his brother Jacob, Jacob offers him a gift of small herds of animals. Esau initially refuses the gift exclaiming, “I have plenty” (Genesis 33:9) but Jacob begs Esau to take the gift. “G-d has graciously given me and I have everything.” (Genesis 33:11) Esau ultimately accepts the gift.

Rashi (1040 – 1105; Genesis 33:11)explains Esau spoke in a haughty and condescending manner when claiming he has “plenty”. Jacob, however, spoke with humility when saying he had “everything”, which meant that Jacob had “everything” he needed.

The Kli Yakar (1550 – 1619; Genesis 33:9) expounds upon the different expressions between Jacob and Esau. Esua’s expression of “I have plenty” interpreted as meaning one could own the entire world and still not be satisfied. Jacob's expression of “I have everything”, could mean one is satisfied with the little he has.

When one acts condescendingly, he reveals deficiencies he never intended to share. Haughtiness exposes the individual's insecurities, dissatisfaction, and self consciousness. When Esau was saying how well off he was, he was also unwittingly telling Jacob that he was most unhappy and unsatisfied with his lot. What’s striking is that Esau’s discontent was only exposed through his haughty manner – “I have plenty.”

Apparently, the more a person inflates himself, the more he reveals his deficiencies, which begs the question – why be haughty?