(2001/5762)
In Parshat Toldot, we read about Rivka’s plot to make sure that Yaakov and not Esav gets the blessing from his father. The obvious question is why Rivka would deceive her husband. Ramban presents a straightforward answer, saying that had Yitzchak known that Yaakov was supposed to receive the blessing, he would definitely have passed over the blessing to Yaakov. However, Rav Shimshon Rafael Hirsch proposes a different answer.
Rav Hirsch cannot see any possible benefit that would come to Yaakov if he were to receive the blessing. If the blessing was of a spiritual nature, and Yaakov, in effect, was to receive Hashem’s blessing, how could He be tricked by Rivka? If Hashem had wanted Esav to receive the blessing, He would have made sure that the blessing would go to Esav! On the other hand, if the blessing was of some material nature, and the recipient of the blessing would receive the inheritance, then the transaction of the inheritance would be a Mekach Taut, a false transaction, since Yitzchak did not mean to pass down the inheritance to Yaakov!
Therefore, says Rav Hirsch, the reason for Rivka’s deceit was in order to prove to Yitzchak that he could be deceived. Esav had been tricking Yitzchak throughout his life, and somehow, Yitzchak never caught on. In the last Pasuk before this story, Esav had married two Chiti wives, and Yitzchak was still ready to bless him. Therefore, Rivka wanted to demonstrate to Yitzchak how easily he could be tricked. If Yaakov, described as an Ish Tam, could be perceived as a strong hunter by Yitzchak, Esav could definitely be perceived incorrectly by Yitzchak as righteous! Rivka was not trying to trick Yitzchak into blessing the wrong brother, rather, she was trying to make him realize that Yaakov really should receive the blessing. Rav Hirsch says that Rivka’s actions should not be perceived with criticism, but instead Rivka should be given the highest praise.