Is Jacob Ethical? part 3

When I attended Hebrew School for my Bar Mitzvah preparation, and later when I attended Torah classes as my interest in Judaism and spirituality grew, one of the basic assumptions in these lessons was the utter brutality and evil of Esau, and the righteousness of Jacob. When I got out into the world, I learned that most people; both non-Jews and non-Orthodox Jews, saw the story of Jacob in the exact opposite light. Even a few Orthodox rabbis saw Jacob as a negative figure, while they waxed eloquent about how wonderful it is that the Bible doesn't hesitate to be brutally honest about the faults and failings of its heroes. The huge abyss between these views seems staggering. Had the Talmudic rabbis "whitewashed" the figure of Jacob?
Against this view, we have the Bible's own statement (Malachi 1:2-3) "...is not Esau a brother to Jacob? says the L-rd, yet Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated..." As G-d is no respecter of persons, this would seem to indicate that there is more to the story than meets the eye.
We are told that Jacob  was "Ish Tam yoshev ohalim". This can mean a "simple man who dwells in tents", or "a perfect man who dwells in tents". In the latter case, it is understood as the "Tents of Torah". That is, he was a spiritual man. If the former is true, that it means "simple", The picture of Jacob is anything but simple. It would mean "uncomplicated, without ulterior motives". Esau, on the other hand is called "a man of the hunt". Hunting can be for food, or it can be for sport. If the latter, what type of person gets pleasure from killing? We are told that Isaac loved Esau "for the hunt was in his mouth". Is that the praise of our father Isaac, that he preferred one son over another because he had "a thing" for venison? Rather, this is understood by the rabbis to mean that there was guile and deception in his words. He could go out, commit acts of violence and corruption, but, like a skilled politician, give the impression of a champion of justice and right. Rebecca, the boys' mother, saw through him; Isaac was deceived. The birthright and the blessing of Isaac implied more than who would inherit  the family's camels. It meant the inheritance of the Covenant between G-d and Abraham, which had been renewed with Isaac. It meant who would father the nation of Torah, who would inherit the Holy Land, to whom would the task of being a Light unto the Nations be given? Isaac  had been deceived. Jacob and Rebecca could clearly see that not only the future of Abraham's legacy was at stake, but the entire purpose of G-d's creation of the world and man!
Jacob is faced with the dilemma of the ethical man in the unethical situation. Should he dishonor his father's wishes, although based on false information? He expresses this concern to Rebecca "I might be a deceiver in his eyes!" Or should his loyalty be to G-d, to his descendants, indeed, to mankind? What would you do?
I wrote in part 1 that this would be a three part analysis. I see that it will take more. I hope you will forgive me and bear with me. In the next installment, I shall further analyse Esau. After that, well need to discuss Jacob's dealings with Laban. This topic is not just about what happened 3500 years ago, but is about the struggles of every man and woman in all times, in all places.