- Yackov prepared himself for his upcoming confrontation with Esav in three ways, prayer, battle and a gift.
- The gift Yackov sent to Esav consisted of cattle and other livestock such as camels and donkeys.
- Yackov then separated the livestock into many small groups. He then handed each group to a messenger and instructed them to walk in a line keeping a distant between each group.
- This technique was used to make it seem like there was a lot more cattle then there was in reality. The whole field of Esav’s vision would be filled with an on going stream of servants bringing him gifts.
- Yackov was very wealthy by that time, he definitely could have given Esav more cattle to accomplish the same effect with out the illusion. Yet he did not, for he knew that it was very dangerous to give Esav any more energy then what was absolutely necessary.
- One as to be very careful about giving energy to a wicked person.
- The Chafetz Chaim once had to write a letter to a reform rabbi. The letter had to be written in a honorable fashion. The Chafetz Chaim spent much time trying to figure a wording that would give this person the least amount of honor possible.

(Writings of Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman)