What was red in the stew that Jacob made for Esau?

Question

Genesis 25:29–30 (JPS):

And Jacob sod pottage; and Esau came in from the field, and he was faint. And Esau said to Jacob: 'Let me swallow, I pray thee, some of this red, red pottage; for I am faint.' Therefore was his name called Edom.

The Hebrew version, too, has Esau saying red twice ("הָאָדֹם הָאָדֹם"), implying that the lentil pottage was very red, or at least that the color was very important - see other occurrences of repetition: Genesis 22:11 compared with Genesis 22:1, 2 Kings 4:19 and 2 Samuel 19:1 (in 2Sam too the English translations omit or miss the strict repetition).

But red lentils lose their color when cooked, and tomatoes and bell peppers weren't around, being from the Americas.

Is there some lore about the content of the stew that Jacob cooked?

Answer 1

I heard once, do not remember from who, questioning the word נא from הלעיטני נא מן האדם האדם הזה - since when did Eisav say please? The answer I was told was Eisav was not saying please, Eisav was saying give it to me raw - like in Shemos 12:9 אל תאכלו ממנו נא. Thus this red lentil soup was still raw and it retained its color.

See here from Rabbi Gershon Steinberg Zatzal.

הלעיטני נא מן האדום וכו'. שואלים המפרשים הרי "נא" הוא לשון בקשה בדרך ארץ, וכי דרכו של עשו לדבר בלשון נימוסי כל כך, ועוד מקשים איך קרא לעדשים אדום, והרי דרכם של עדשים כל מה שמתבשלים יותר נהיים ירוקים, והתירוץ הוא שהפירוש של נא הוא שאינו מבושל כדי צורכו, וכמו שכתוב בקרבן פסח אל תאכלו ממנו נא ובשל מבושל אלא צלי, הרי ד"נא" הוא מלשון בישול שלא כדי צרכו, וזה מה שהתכוין עשו, ולא היתה כוונתו לדבר בלשון יפה אלא לרמז ליעקב שיתן לו לאכול עוד לפני שיגמר להתבשל כדרך הגזלנים שאוכלים מיד כשנתבשל שליש בישול, ולכן אמר אדום שעדיין לא נהיו ירוקים מרוב בישול.

Answer 2

The Ramban on that passuk writes that the food was red either from the lentils, or it was red from some other ingredient, but Esav did not know what it was, so he just called it red.

So he does entertain the idea of a different ingredient that made it red, but does not identify it.

On a different note, here is a chidush.

Torah Temimah n Chukas chapter 19 note 8 brings three times in the Talmud where something black is really just something red whose color got 'laksa', ruined.

Nida 19a about menstrual blood.

Succah 33b about Haddassim.

Chulin 47b concerning lungs.

He goes on to say that the drasha of 'completely red' by the para aduma is coming to specifically exclude a black cow from being considered red.

Back to your question, perhaps we can assume here as well that the lentils were once red, but the color through cooking was in fact 'laksa' ruined and darkened, but still qualifies to be called red.

Answer 3

Double words will often connote an extreme, but not always.

Rashbam: דרך אדם הממהר לשאול דבר מחבירו כופל את דבריו, וזה שהיה רעב הרי הוא כאומר תן לי מהרה לאכול.

It's the way of someone who's quickly asking something from his friend to repeat his words, and this that he's hungry, it's as if he's saying 'give me quickly to eat'.

Da'as zekeinim miba'alei tosafos He was saying "give me some of this red because I am red" as Esau was born red, יצא אדמוני.

Personally, I think that the Rashbam fits more in with p'shutoi shel mikra

Answer 4

I think the base was egyptian beets. The israelites probably had vegetables in posts as they were lost in the wilderness and herbs too. All that was need to make a good healthy borsch is the quail which god provided. It is still made today. The Jewsih recipes go back at least 1000 years but are likely 4000 years old. The greeks belived in the power of the beet (aphrodite-Eve) I believe it was in the garden and angels taught pre- flood patriarchs of it. Lentils were too hard to find in quantity and not easily available. Besides they really stink after a few days. Borsch can be added onto with more vegetables in days to come and gets better!

Answer 5

The red lentil stew was red cabbage. Very hardy and especially good for you.