Why did Yaakov send the animals in groups with breaks in between?
Rashi: He did this to maximize the effect of the gift, to surprise Eisav with its magnitude 1 and satisfy his greed. 2
Seforno: So that Eisav should take note of the fact that he had sent him couples in a way that was most beneficial to him (as explained in 32:15-16), 3 inasmuch as the gift would increase rapidly. 4 Moreover, he instructed them to leave a space between the groups, 5 to avoid the animals jumping from one group to the other, thereby losing the desired effect.
Rashbam: He sent the gift in a way that is more dignified.
According to Rashi, the gap comprised a day's journey (forty Mil) or less; according to Hadar Zekenim, it was one Mil (about a kilometer).
Ramban (citing Midrash Rabah): ?Ya?akov asked to Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu: that, should Yisrael be destined to suffer Tzaros,- with reference to the various taxes that the B?nei Eisav impose on Yisrael - let there be gaps between them, that they should not follow one nother in quick succession.
Refer to 32:15:1:1*.
As Yaakov specifically intimated, when (below, 33:11), he refers to the gift as 'a blessing' (Seforno).
Ha'amek Davar: Also initially, each species was by itself, lest improper slaves mate animals with a different species.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "Each flock by itself - [I.e.] each species separately." Why explain this way?
Gur Aryeh: The verse implies that there were already many distinct flocks; and that Yaakov did not mix them, but rather sent each separately. They only way they could have already been distinct, is in terms of species. 1
But perhaps they were distinct because one flock was speckled, and one flock was spotted? (CS)
Rashi writes: "'Pass before me' - [By] one day's journey or less." How does Rashi know this?
Gur Aryeh: Yaakov could not have meant that he was following directly behind them, for Yaakov would still camp for the night before meeting Eisav (32:22). He also does not mean they should go more than a day in advance, for "before me" implies what a person can reach in one day's journey, without pausing for the night.
