Note the theme-detail-theme structure of the following Biblical paragraph, Gn25-31:34 which states And Jacob said, Sell me this day your birthright.
• Theme: And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point of death; and what profit shall this birthright do to me?
• Detail: And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he swore to him; and he sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink,
• Theme: and rose up, and went his way; thus Esau despised his birthright.

We have explained the Theme-detail-Theme style in our article Biblical Formatting which will appear in the Jewish Bible Quarterly in Dec 2006. The Theme-detail-Theme style creates a paragraph structure and consequently all items in the detail section of the paragraph more broadly reflect the theme section.

Hence the Rashis on the above paragraph: The Firstborn originally functioned as priests; shortly after the receipt of the Torah the priests took over their function. But the priesthood requires abstention and abstention was contrary to Esauv's life of eating, and drinking. Thus Esauv's current life contradicted the life required for the Priesthood/FirstBorn. So Esauv acknowledged that he didn't really want the priesthood.

To emphasize how the style rule is used we consider the interpretation of the detail section with and without the paragraph rule:
• Without the paragraph rule the verse is simply stating that Jacob fed Esauv and Esauv ate and drank.
• However with the paragraph rule the verse is stating that Esauv's eating and drinking is a detail and example of his not wanting the priesthood and firstbornship. The eating and drinking contradict the priesthood lifestyle which requires abstention.

Sermonic Points: Rashi teaches us basic politics. Jacob could have said: Look the Priesthood will be given to me and not to you; why don't you just cooperate and willfully give it to me; that way it looks better for you. This is an argument based on power and authority. Instead the Bible approaches this as an argument based on lifestyle. Jacob's lifestyle belonged with the Priesthood; Esauv's lifestyle did not. It is always best to approach appointments based on merit instead of authority.