Daf 137b (דַּף קַל״ז ע״ב)

Come and see, for twenty years Yitzchak remained with his wife and she did not bear children-until he offered his prayer. (תָּא חֲזֵי, עֶשְׂרִין שְׁנִין אִשְׁתָּהֵי יִצְחָק עִם אִתְּתֵיהּ וְלָא אוֹלִידַת, עַד דְּצַלֵּי צְלוֹתֵיהּ). For Kudsha Berikh Hu is aroused by the prayers of the Righteous, at the moment they petition before Him with prayers for that which they require. (בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרָעֵי בִּצְלוֹתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָא, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּבָעָאן קַמֵּיהּ צְלוֹתְהוֹן עַל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיכוּ). What is the reason? So that the greatness of holiness be magnified and increased for all those who require the prayers of the Righteous. (מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּיִתְרַבֵּי וְיִתּוֹסַף רְבוּת קוּדְשָׁא לְכָל מַאן דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ בִּצְלוֹתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא).

Come and see, Avraham did not pray before Kudsha Berikh Hu to give him children, even though Sarah was barren. (תָּא חֲזֵי, אַבְרָהָם לָא צַלֵּי קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּיִתֵּן לֵיהּ בְּנִין, אַף עַל גַּב דְּשָׂרָה עֲקָרָה הֲוַת). And if you say, but behold it is written, “Behold, You have not given me seed” (Bereshit 15) (וְאִי תֵימָא, הָא כְּתִיב הֵן לִי לא נָתַתָּ זָרַע), that was not for the sake of prayer (הַהוּא לָאו בְּגִין צְלוֹתָא הֲוָה) -Some say: he was not requesting children (נ״א: ההוא לא בעי בנין)-but rather like one who speaks before his Master. (אֶלָּא כְּמַאן דְּמִשְׁתָּעֵי קַמֵּי מָרֵיהּ). But Yitzchak prayed concerning his wife, for he knew that he was not the barren one, but rather his wife. (אֲבָל יִצְחָק צַלֵּי עַל אִתְּתֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּהָא אִיהוּ הֲוָה יָדַע דְלָאו אִיהוּ עָקָר אֶלָּא אִתְּתֵיהּ). For Yitzchak knew the secret of wisdom, that Ya'akov was destined to emerge from him as twelve tribes. (דְּיִצְחָק הֲוָה יָדַע בְּרָזָא דְחָכְמְתָא, דְּיַעֲקֹב זַמִּין לְמֵיפַּק מִנֵּיהּ בִּתְרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין). But he did not know whether through this wife or through another. (אֲבָל לָא יָדַע אִי בְּהַאי אִתְּתָא אִי בְּאָחֳרָא). And for this reason: “opposite his wife,” and not “opposite Rivkah.” (וְעַל דָּא לְנֹכַח אִשְׁתּוֹ וְלָא לְנֹכַח רִבְקָה). That certain youth, the son of Rabbi Yehudah, said: If so, why did Yitzchak not love Ya'akov to such an extent as he did Esav, seeing that he knew Ya'akov was destined to bring forth twelve tribes? (אָמַר הַהוּא רַבְיָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי יְהוּדָה, אִי הָכִי אַמַּאי לָא רָחִים לֵיהּ יִצְחָק לְיַעֲקֹב כָּל כָּךְ כְּמוֹ לְעֵשָׂו, הוֹאִיל וְהֲוָה יָדַע דְּזַמִּין אִיהוּ לְקַיְימָא מִנֵּיהּ תְּרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין). He said to him: Well have you spoken. Rather, every species loves its own species, and species follows after its species. (אָמַר לֵיהּ שַׁפִּיר קָאֲמַרְתְּ, אֶלָּא כָּל זִינָא רָחִים לֵיהּ לְזִינֵיהּ וְאִתְמְשִׁיךְ וְאָזִיל זִינָא בָּתַר זִינֵיהּ).

Come and see, Esav came out red, as it is written: “And the first came out ruddy, all of him…” (Bereshit 25) (תָּא חֲזֵי, עֵשָׂו נָפַק סוּמָק כְּמָה דִכְתִיב וַיֵּצֵא הָרִאשׁוֹן אַדְמוֹנִי כֻּלּוֹ וְגו'). And he is the species of Yitzchak, which is the harsh judgment above. (וְאִיהוּ זִינָא דְיִצְחָק דְּאִיהוּ דִינָא קַשְׁיָא דִלְעֵילָא). And from him emerged Esav, harsh judgment below, resembling his species. (וְנָפַק מִנֵּיהּ עֵשָׂו, דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא לְתַתָּא דְּדַמְיָא לְזִינֵיהּ). And every species goes after its species, and for this reason he loved Esav more than Ya'akov, as it is written: “And Yitzchak loved Esav, for game was in his mouth.” (וְכָל זִינָא אָזִיל לְזִינֵיהּ, וְעַל דָּא רָחִים לֵיהּ לְעֵשָׂו יַתִּיר מִיַּעֲקֹב כְּמָה דִכְתִיב וַיֶּאֱהַב יִצְחָק אֶת עֵשָׂו כִּי צַיִד בְּפִיו). It is written here: “for game was in his mouth,” and it is written there: “Therefore it is said, ‘like Nimrod, mighty hunter before Hashem’.” (Bereshit 10) (כְּתִיב הָכָא כִּי צַיִד בְּפִיו, וּכְתִיב הָתָם עַל כֵּן יֵאָמַר כְּנִמְרֹד גִּבּוֹר צַיִד לִפְנֵי יְיָ).