What is the significance of the numbers of animals that Yaakov sent to Esav?
Rashi: He sent him male and female animals according to the needs of the females (e.g. two hundred she-goats need twenty he-goats). 1
Refer to 32:15:2:1.
Ohr ha'Chayim: He sent 580 animals in all (there were 30 male and 30 female camels), like the Gematriya of Se'ir, and of Tokef (Chaser without a Vav), to break Esav's Tokef (strength).
Rashi: Bereishis Rabah (76:7) learns from here that the Mitzvah of Onah depends on the man's ability to practice it - People who do not have fixed work - every day; laborers - twice a week; donkey-drivers - once a week; camel-drivers - once every thirty days, and sailors - once every six months (all according to the availability of the husband). Similar to the animals that Yaakov sent Esav - ten she-goats per he-goat and ten ewes per ram (which do not work); four cows per bull (which work), two female donkeys per male (since they travel) and one female camel per male (they travel long distances).
Why do all the words in this Pasuk end with a 'Mem'?
Ba'al ha'Turim #1: To match a Pasuk in Bamidbar (29:33), 1 in connection with the Korbanos. This is because the gift that Yaakov sent Esav (550 2 animals in all), was the result of a lack of Bitachon in Hashem, which Yisrael atone for by bringing 550 Korbanos Musaf 3 annually.
Ba'al ha'Turim #2: Because all the animals that he sent to Esav 4 were Ba'alei-Mumin (blemished), to prevent Esav him from bringing Korbanos [to idolatry] from them.
Toras ha'Minchah (Pinchas 63, p. 553): That verse ends, "b'Misparam k'Mishpatam" - like the number of [animals received on] that day by that Rasha.
Refer to 32:16:1:1**.
This is for an average year of 52 Shabbosos and 12 Roshei Chadashim. It includes the animals brought with the Omer and Shtei ha'Lechem, but not the special Korbanos of Kaparas Yom Kipur (PF).
And by the same token, says the Ba'al ha'Turim, corresponding to the eight [final] 'Memin' in this verse, eight kings (Melachim) ruled over Edom before a king ruled over Yisrael (see 36:31-39).
Why didn't Yaakov send Esav hunting-dogs?
Oznayim la'Torah #1: He would not send him animals that could cause harm, lest Esav use them to fight against him.
Oznayim la'Torah #2: Esav had no need of them, since he possessed the special hunting clothes of Adam ha'Rishon. 1
Refer to 27:15:1:2*.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "200 female goats need 20 males... and once a female animal conceives, it does not accept males." Why does Rashi add this point?
Gur Aryeh: Animals do not possess intelligence; perhaps each male will stay with only one female, rather than spreading throughout the flock? Therefore, Rashi adds that the females themselves repel them, and the males are forced to move on.
