Two brothers. Yet they could not be any further apart.
While Jacob was a kind, soft-spoken scholar, Esau was a wild hunter. One led a life dedicated to the spiritual, the other a life dedicated to self. One was righteous and became the forefather of our nation. The other wicked and became the prototypical nemesis of the Jewish nation.
The big question is, why are we giving Esau a hard time? Esau had a natural predisposition to all of this. Even while in the womb, it was already foretold that Rebecca was carrying two very different babies. Esau was born full of wild red hair. Doesn't it seem like things were stacked against him, excluding him from ever being an A student?
The Chassidic masters explain quite the contrary. Esau had an extremely lofty soul, with incredibly powerful potential. Had he succeeded in taming the beast as it were, had he applied himself to just and noble causes, he would have absolutely excelled.
The lesson: At times we may feel like due to circumstances beyond our control, we have limited capacity. Whether it is the family we come from, the place we live, or the opportunities that came (or didn't come) our way. Dejection and despair can set it. Why even try?
The truth is, let's not let anything external define us or hold us back. Let's reach deep within, discover the amazing treasure trove of talents and blessings, overcome the challenges, and like a candle in the darkness, shine even brighter than we could have imagined.
ב"ה