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Why would Hashem (ה׳) promise Avrohom the nation of Edom at the time of Bris Milah when Esav's descendants don't observe this mitzvah (מצוה)? The shiur develops that Esav was originally meant to develop the physical world under Yaakov's spiritual guidance. Though Esav chose corruption, Edom still serves the divine plan by building world infrastructure that will ultimately pass to the righteous.
Rabbi Yeshaya Greenberg ZT"L begins by examining the promise Hashem (ה׳) made to Avrohom at age 99 when giving him the mitzvah (מצוה) of Bris Milah. The Torah (תורה) states 've'nataticha legoyim' (I will make you into nations), which Rashi (רש"י) explains refers to Yisrael and Edom - the nations that would come from Yaakov and Esav. The Ramban (רמב"ן) challenges Rashi's interpretation, arguing that it makes no sense for Hashem to promise Avrohom the nation of Edom in conjunction with Bris Milah, since Esav and his descendants neither observe nor are commanded in this mitzvah. While the Mizrachi dismisses this as a difficulty, saying Edom could simply be Avrohom's reward without needing connection to Bris Milah, Rabbi Yeshaya Greenberg ZT"L takes the Ramban's assumption seriously that any promise given at the time of Bris Milah must have relevance to that mitzvah. He then raises an additional question: what kind of reward is Edom to Avrohom when Hashem actually shortened Avrohom's life by five years specifically so he wouldn't have to witness Esav's corruption at age fifteen, when Esav committed the three cardinal sins?
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Parshas Lech Lecha 17:4-5
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