The Deception
By [Menachem Feldman](https://www.chabad.org/search/keyword_cdo/kid/20436/jewish/Feldman-Menachem.htm
The conclusion I draw from your drosha is that, in G-d's eye (G-d forbid!), it is acceptable to use deception to correct a previous deception. This is an eye for an eye, a life for a life - to balance the scales of "justice" - type of philosophy.
What I refer to as a two-dimensional viewpoint. There is a this and a that, and two wrongs make it right? Besides, this deception that we are referring to here, was perpetrated by two direct lies from son to father.
There is also the question of the Isaac's part in this deception. Why did he ask Jacob twice if he was Esau? He was old and blind, but surely he could differentiate his sons. He even mentions that his voice sounds like Jacob's.
It is no longer acceptable to justify our Partriarch's acts in the light of present beliefs. If we are to face our own darknesses and come to an understanding and ability to balance them, we need to learn how to do that again in our religion halacha That foundation which is built upon the righteousness of our Patriarch's perfection no longer works for us. Jacob cannot be thought of as righteous at this stage of his life, though he rose to righteousness, and is thus know as a tzadik But, instead of arguing against your conclusion, I will offer another view.
Jacob is the first patriarch to show human qualities. He is also the father of our nation, for we are בני ישׁראל. Yet here he is still a boy, still Jacob. He has not yet wrestled with his angel, during his dark night of the soul, and become Israel, our Father.
I stole money from my mother's purse when I was a little boy. That was Julian. Now, having grown up, and learn about these transgressions - I grew up to become Yehuda ... However, "growing up" is the incorrect/incomplete phrase for what is occurring. It is a phase of learning, of exploration and experiencing - and hopefully one gains wisdom.
Jacob had to learn about the spiritual. We can only learn about the spiritual in the material. But we can only experience the spiritual through the spiritual - while still being engaged/entangled in the material. Thus, Jacob is described as innocent. He was a "man who dwelt in the tents" - which also points to the fact that he had not yet experienced the world.
To experience the spiritual, you have to disengage from the material. The more completely you disengage, the deeper and more impactful will be the experience. It is similar to a dance movement. You have to disassemble the previous move in order to move into the position. The more completely you disengage, the better you will be able to express the following movement. If anything is left over from the previous movement, it will be carried into the next, and influence it. In fact, it is likely your balance will be off, as it will contain leftovers from the previous move.
However there is a WARNING that is necessary to include here. Because of the enchanchement of the spiritual, it is possible to become so enamoured of it, that one forgets that it is G-d's will that has fashioned creation for us to do our work here, and that work needs to be done in our physical bodes. So if you connect to the spiritual, follow these principles:
- Do not lose the golden thread.
- Make sure it is formed from the purest gold.
Golden Thread
When one decides to explore the spiritual, the realm of the not-material, non-empirical, one can easily get lost or confused, thus it is essential to maintain the "golden" thread, between you and your bodies presence in order to be able to find your way back when you need to return. One could literally refer to this thread as a lifeline. When in the spiritual space, you need to remind yourself constantly that you are a human being having a spiritual experience, just as when we are in manifest space, we need to constantly remind ourselves that we are a spiritual being having a human experience - through prayer and ritual.
Gold
Gold has long been the symbol of purity, wisdom and the spiritual. So, if you are not in a pure space, cleansed and upright, it will be easy to be led astray in the imaginarium. Any impurities in the gold will reflect in the experience.
Adam & Eve
Perhaps it did play out as Adam & Eve. In that case, it should be known as the Second Deception and that's is perhaps why Jacob lied twice. Once in the pure spiritual Garden of Eden. The second being the descent into being "human", with all the flaws, that began with the fall of Adam & Eve, from beings of light, to beings that were "clothed" in flesh. {Man -> man-i-fest}.
Rather than thinking about it as a straight line, think of it as a spiral, one strand in the double helix - one ascending, one descending; one masculine, one feminine...
{Thus Abraham, masculine, and Isaac, feminine, and Jacob again masculine... till Joseph and the emergence - as in 1,2,3... many.
I say Isaac in feminine, because that is also how he is portrayed in the Torah. He is present and influential, but seldom in an active manner. No clear action in the world here.
Balance
We seek the central pillar of balance. In order to know it, one has to find the "centre". How does one know the centre if one does not know where the ends/edges are? How does one recognise an edge? By stepping beyond it. The problem might be finding your way back... Which is why most of us prefer to remain at home, in our comfort zone. This is why you need to maintain the golden thread.
Disassociation
A disassociation from reality often occurs through an overabundance of learning. This has happened before, and could be happening again. The Baal Shem Tov was the Tzaddik who expressed the people's disconnect with the our learned sages of the time. Now, after the holocaust, in which so many of our Tzaddikim were slaughtered, times have changed. Up till now, the Rabbonim have held us, and taught us. Are we strong enough to face what awaits, and not lose our faith?
Story of the Menstrual Rag. He disassociated from his surroundings. Even used to set things alight.
Jacob, who had spent his life growing up in the tents of learning, now had to taste of the real life, the life of lies and deceit, of greed and jealousy, of power and pain in order to grow and learn. He needed to experience life in order to understand G-d. If I have never loved, how can I know what love is. I cannot ever learn about love, no matter how many texts on love I devour. That is why it culminated in his struggle with the Angel.
We see that he even has a similar bifurcation with his wives. The beautiful Rachel, and the plain, yet more able, Leah - who gave him many children, while Rachel gave him barely two. This also speaks of one of the basic male dilemmas.