What was the birthright?

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What was the birthright?

What was the birthright?

In Genesis, what was the "birthright"? What was the holder of the birthright entitled to? e.g. What did Esau give up?

According to Rashi, Esau gave up the right of the first born to have the priesthood. Before The Priesthood (Cohanim) of the Jewish people was established through the line of Aaron every firstborn of every family became the priest of that family--the spiritual head. Jacob recognized that Esau was not fit for this position. Jacob asked that Esau sell him his right to the office of priest of the family. This is also important because Leah was originally intended to be Esau's wife and from her came the tribe of Levi who would produce the Cohenim--priesthood.

Esau did not value the birthright. As Rashi goes on to explain Esau knew that the priesthood would not always be passed down as a right of the eldest and that one day it would come to be the possession of the Levites. Jacob also informed Esau of the many rules and punishments put on the priesthood and realized that he would die as a result of the punishments and he therefore hated his birthright.

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