Page 343 - BERESHIT

Yaakov and Eisav were totally dissimilar, despite being born as twins.
Yaakov applied himself to learning Torah. The word can be read
backwards as , signifying Yaakov’s total absorption in Torah and his
negation of all physical desires.

Eisav enjoyed instead pursuing and reveling in the pleasures of this world.
He preoccupied his thoughts on how he could sink even lower into the
morass of materialism.

Moshe Rabbeinu ascended on High to receive the Torah. Why was it
necessary to detain Moshe for forty days and nights? Couldn’t Hashem
teach Moshe in a fraction of the time, if He so willed? Moshe was not
interested in any shortcuts. He wanted to be actively involved in the
transmission of Torah, to get to the source of each topic and analyze each
detail that Hashem shared with him, toiling in Torah with all his strength.

We need to use all of our faculties and efforts in understanding Hashem’s
will, just as Yaakov Avinu did. One who succeeds in understanding Torah
has tremendous simchah.