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<p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0">The following is from part of RSRH's commentary on Bereishis 25:27</p>
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<div>27 When the lads grew up, Esav was a man who understood hunting,<br>
a man of the field, and Ya’akov was a totally dedicated man, living in tents.</div>
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<div>Our Sages never hesitate to point out to us the errors and<br>
shortcomings, both great and small, of our forefathers, and precisely<br>
thus they make Torah great and glorious, heightening its instructiveness<br>
for us (see Commentary above, 12:10).</div>
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On our verse, too, an observation made by our Sages indicates that<br>
the sharp contrast between the two grandsons of Avraham was caused<br>
not only by their natural tendencies, but also by mistakes in their upbringing<br>
(Bereshis Rabbah 63:10). As long as they were little, no one<br>
paid attention to the differences in their hidden natures (see v. 24); they<br>
were given the same upbringing and the same education. Their parents<br>
overlooked the cardinal principle of education: '<i>chanoch lanar al pi darco</i>,<br>
“Bring up each child in accordance with his own way” (Mishlei 22:6).<br>
Each child should be guided in accordance with the path intended<br>
especially for him, the path that suits the qualities and tendencies latent<br>
in the depths of his personality, and thus he should be educated, both<br>
as a man and as a Jew. The great Jewish task is basically one, but the<br>
ways of its fulfillment are manifold and diverse, as human character<br>
traits and paths of life are manifold and diverse.</div>
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<div><Snip></div>
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<div>Precisely for this reason, each child must be brought up <i>al pi darco</i>;<br>
educate him to the one great goal, according to his own unique way,<br>
in keeping with his potential. To attempt to educate a Ya’akov and an<br>
Esav together in the same classroom, in the same routines and in the<br>
same manner, to raise both of them for a life of study and contemplation,<br>
will inevitably mean to ruin one of the two. A Ya’akov will draw<br>
from the well of wisdom with ever-increasing interest and desire,<br>
whereas an Esav will hardly be able to wait for the day when he can<br>
throw away the old books and, together with them, a great life-mission,<br>
of which he was taught in a one-sided manner, totally unappealing to<br>
his nature.</div>
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<div>For much more on this topic see <br>
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<div><font face="arial,arial,helvetica"><font size="4"><b><a href="https://web.stevens.edu/golem/llevine/rsrh/lessons_jacob_esau_col_vii.pdf" id="LPlnk451721" class="OWAAutoLink" previewremoved="true">Lessons From Jacob and Esau</a> (Collected Writings VII)</b></font></font></div>
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