"And the children struggled together within her" (B)

58. When Rav Kahana arrived, he said that this was said in the name of those versed in the Mishnah. The body is built upon the liver and the heart. As Rabbi Yehuda said, the heart and the liver are the leaders of the various organs of the body. The leaders of the head is the brain, but there are two leaders in the body. The first is the liver and the second is the heart. This is the meaning of the verse, "And the children struggled together within her." These are the two foundations of the body: THE BRAIN AND THE HEART.

59. HE ASKS, Why did THE HEART AND THE LIVER struggle? AND HE REPLIED, Because the Evil Inclination was abolished from the heart. HE THEN WONDERED WHY, IF THE EVIL INCLINATION WAS ABOLISHED, IT IS WRITTEN, "Struggled." It should have been written, 'And they were at peace'. Rav Huna explained that "struggled" means that the strength and vigor OF THE HEART AND LIVER, THE LEADERS OF THE BODY, were broken, BECAUSE THE EVIL INCLINATION WAS REMOVED. Rabbi Yehuda asks, What does the body say then? The body asks, 'If it be so, why am I thus?' and 'Why was I created?' Immediately, "she went to inquire of Hashem" (Beresheet 25:22).

60. "And Hashem said to her, 'Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples...'" (Beresheet 25:23). These are the two proud ones, the liver and the heart. Rabbi Yosi said that these are the brain and the heart, but Rabbi Yehuda said, The brain is not included in this, for it is written, "in your womb (lit. 'belly')," and the brain is not in the belly, but in the head. "And two peoples...from your bowels...and the elder (lit. 'great') shall serve the younger." This is the liver, which is great and big, and which serves the heart, as Rabbi Yehuda said, The liver receives the blood, and serves it to the heart!

61. "And the first came out red" (Beresheet 25:21). Rav Kahana explained that the liver is the first and is red. Why is it red? Because it is first to swallow the blood. Rabbi Eliezer asks, Why is it called 'first?' Because it is the first to swallow the blood from all the food; the first in blood but not in creation. And why is it that "the great shall serve the younger?" Because despite its being greater and bigger in size than the heart, it serves the heart. Rabbi Aba then asks, What is the purpose of this text if not to teach the people in the world that though there will be perfection upon earth, the path and nature of the world will not change? Rabbi Yisa said, Come and behold. The liver hunts and has venison in its mouth, while the heart contemplates and is "dwelling in tents" (Ibid. 27). As it is written, "And Jacob cooked pottage" (Ibid. 29), while thinking deep thoughts and occupying himself with the Torah.

62. "And Jacob cooked pottage." In the name of Rabbi Acha, Rabbi Bo said that the nature of the world never changes. Come and behold, it is written, "And Jacob cooked pottage (Heb. nazid)," as in the verse "they dealt (Heb. zadu)" (Shemot 18:11), which was translated into Aramaic as "they thought." It means that the heart thinks of and contemplates Torah, which represents the knowledge of its Creator. Thus, it is written, "and Esau came from the field, and he was faint" (Beresheet 25:29). It is the nature of the liver to go out hunting and swallow with its mouth. If it does not find any prey, it becomes tired and says to the heart, 'Before you think of the words of Torah, think of eating and drinking to nourish your body.' This is the meaning of the verse, "and Esau said to Jacob 'Give me to swallow, I pray you, of that red pottage,'" for it is my way to swallow the blood and transmit it to the other parts; "for I am faint," without food and drink. And the heart replies, 'Give me the first and choicest of whatever you swallow, give me your birthright,' this is the meaning of "Sell me this day your birthright" (Ibid. 31). That is, swear by your desire. As the heart contemplates food, the liver swallows. If it were not for the heart, longing and thinking about food, the liver and other organs would not be able to swallow. As Rabbi Yosi said, This is the way of slaves, who do not to eat before their master.

63. Rabbi Yosi said, It is later written, "Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils" (Beresheet 25:34). What are these lentils? HE ANSWERS, They are round as a circle, and as the circle which revolves around the world does not deviate from its path, so man in that time will never deviate from his. Although there will yet be all that is good and precious and perfect, with all that, the worldly habit of eating and drinking will not change.

64. We learned in the Mishnah that four winds blow in the world, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will raise one spirit to establish the body to include four spirits, as it is written, "Come from the four winds, O breath" (or: spirit) (Yechezkel 37:9). It is not written, 'in the four,' but, "from the four winds," for it will be composed of the four of them. We learned that this spirit (or: wind) is the wind that procreates, the wind that eats and drinks. And there is no difference between this world and the days of Messiah's coming, save the delivery from servitude to the empires alone, and there is no difference between this world and the resurrection of the dead, save cleanliness and the attainment of knowledge. Rav Nachman added longevity.