How do Jewish teachers explain the brothers, with Esau standing for Edom or Rome?
Research question: How have Jewish commentators explained the brothers, including the idea that Esau stands for Edom or Rome?
The records show that Jewish tradition made Edom a stock enemy, so the name came to stand for Israel's most malicious antagonist well before the Hellenistic period 1. Commentators build on the text's link between the name Edom and Esau's red stew, and they connect Esau's ruddy, hairy appearance at birth to that name 25, while reading the oracle that the elder will serve the younger as a basis for later rivalry 3. In the Roman period, Jewish tradition came to identify Edom and Esau with Rome 6, and the Talmudists applied to Rome every Bible passage that refers to Edom or Esau 7; Herod's Edomite background and his role as Rome's appointed king helped solidify this equation 8, Ramban equates Esau with Rome and ties Esau's nation to the sword and wars 9, and Leviticus Rabbah compares Rome, under the name Edom, to a boar 10. After Constantine, the identification shifted so that Edom and Esau stood for Christianity and the Church 11, and medieval poets used the name Seir for both Rome and Christianity 14; the newest fact here is from a 2017 study, and the other sources are undated, so the records do not show how these views have developed since then.
Sources
"Well before the Hellenistic period, the Jewish tradition had already created its own perfect enemy whose very name became synonymous of Israel's most malicious antagonist: Edom."Memories of humiliation, cultures of resentment towards Edom and the formation of ancient Jewish national identity (2017)
"עַל־כֵּ֥ן קָרָֽא־שְׁמ֖וֹ אֱדֽוֹם׃"Genesis 25:25-30 [Hebrew Bible (Masoretic text, Sefaria)]
"And the elder shall serve the younger."Genesis 25:19-24 [Hebrew Bible (JPS 1917 English, Sefaria)]
"the growth of memories of humiliation and feelings of resentment product of the alleged crimes of Edom during Judah's fall and exile."Memories of humiliation, cultures of resentment towards Edom and the formation of ancient Jewish national identity (2017)
"וַיֵּצֵ֤א הָרִאשׁוֹן֙ אַדְמוֹנִ֔י כֻּלּ֖וֹ כְּאַדֶּ֣רֶת שֵׂעָ֑ר וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ שְׁמ֖וֹ עֵשָֽׂו׃"Genesis 25:25-30 [Hebrew Bible (Masoretic text, Sefaria)]
"In the Roman period, Edom and Esau come to represent Rome."The Denigration of Esau - TheTorah.com
"The name "Edom" is used by the Talmudists for the Roman empire, and they applied to Rome every passage of the Bible referring to Edom or to Esau."EDOX, IDUMEA - JewishEncyclopedia.com
"While many factors led to this identification, one major factor was the position of Herod, who was appointed by Rome as the king of Judea, and who was from a family of Edomite/Idumean converts to Judaism."The Denigration of Esau - TheTorah.com
"its portion among the nations is Esau [Rome], the people that inherited the sword and the wars"Ramban on Leviticus 16:8:1 [Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976]
"In Leviticus Rabbah (xiii.) Rome, under the name of "Edom," is compared to a boar"EDOX, IDUMEA - JewishEncyclopedia.com
"With Christianity becoming the state religion of the Roman Empire, Edom/Esau = Rome becomes Edom/Esau = Christianity/the Church."The Denigration of Esau - TheTorah.com
"for thus he [i.e., Esau] and his nation were called sa’ir ."Ramban on Leviticus 16:8:1 [Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976]
"In Midrash Tanḥuma Bereshit, Hadrian is called "the King of Edom.""EDOX, IDUMEA - JewishEncyclopedia.com
"the symbolic name "Seir" was used by the poets of the Middle Ages not only for Rome (comp. Ecclus. 1. 26, Hebr.), but also for Christianity"EDOX, IDUMEA - JewishEncyclopedia.com