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In this week’s Parsha, Parshat Toldot, Yaakov steals the firstborn bracha from Esav by impersonating Esav and deceiving Yitzhak. Rivka overhears Yitzhak telling Esav that he would like Esav to hunt an animal for him and cook him a delicious meal prior to Yitzhak blessing him.  Rivka then rushes over to Yaakov who was studying in the Beit Midrash and secretly tells Yaakov exactly what he needs to do to deceive Yitzhak so that he can steal the bracha.  Yaakov proceeds to fake hairy arms and dresses in Esav’s garments in order to duplicate Esav’s smell.   Yaakov also cooks a special meal for his father. By following his mother’s instructions, Yaakov successfully deceives Yitzhak and receives the bracha of the firstborn, which was rightfully Esav’s by birthright. The bracha means that HASHEM will provide Yaakov with a vast number of grains and wine. According to Rashi, grains refer to the basic necessities of life and wine refers to the pleasures one enjoys in life. He then continues to say that all nations will serve him and those who do so will be blessed. On the contrary, Hashem will curse all of Yaakov’s enemies. The difference between the beginning of the bracha to its ending is that the bracha begins by stating an immediate positive benefit to Yaakov and his descendants, but by the end discusses future benefits to be bestowed. After Yitzhak concludes the blessing Yaakov leaves the tent.  Shortly thereafter, Esav, having concluded his hunt and cooking, comes in with the same fresh food that Yaakov had prepared. Yitzhak was obviously confused because it seemed as if he was experiencing deja vu. Yitzhak and Esav quickly realized what had transpired and Esav was mad that he had lost the first born blessing that he was entitled to. Esav cried out to Yitzhak begging him for a bracha as well, and said “is there but one blessing”?  He was worried that there was only one bracha available to Yitzhak’s sons, and none would be left for him. However, Yitzhak agreed to bless Esav as well, but the second blessing was inferior to the first-born blessing.

Why were the two brachot different? Why couldn’t Yitzhak just give another bracha to Esav that was comparable to the first one?  The answer is that there can only be one first-born bracha. This shows the importance in the Torah of the bracha given to the bechor. In analyzing the two brachot, what was the main difference between them?
In terms of the content of the blessing, Esav was essentially blessed with the same things as Yaakov, but Esav’s rewards would not be delivered directly from God. Instead, Esav would have to obtain his rewards on his own, by fighting for them. Esav in order to survive will have to live by the sword.  On the other hand, Yaakov was blessed with an abundance of grains and protection directly from Hashem.

Secondly, according to Rambam, in the first bracha when Yitzhak promises Yaakov dew of the heavens, it will be delivered as a gift from Hashem in abundance and never run out. In the second bracha, Yitzhak blesses Esav mostly with material and earthly things, the oils of the earth, implying that one day they will disappear.

The third difference is that Yaakov will rule over Esav, the oldest will serve the youngest.  Esav can only free himself from the yoke of Yaakov if he leaves the land of Israel. 

One can surmise that the entire ruse played by Yaakov to get the first-born bracha was the will of Hashem.  When Yaakov left to go to Charan, Yitzhak blessed him that he will continue the legacy of Avraham. Hashem wanted to ensure that the Abrahamic lineage would be passed down to Yaakov and not Esav.

We can connect this week’s Parsha with the theme of this Shabbaton, the "Soul Shine Shabbos". The bracha given to Yaakov was mainly a spiritual one.  The bracha, as we previously discussed, starts with the dews of heaven, which ties directly to spirituality, and only then discusses the oils of the earth.  In a similar manner, Hashem gives an extra Neshama to the descendants of Yaakov on Shabbat, so that we can experience a special spirituality on the Shabbat.