I saw this from a prominent scholar:
"Why did Isaac love Esau, despite everything, his wildness, his mutability and his outmarriages?The sages gave an explanation. They interpreted the phrase “skilful hunter” as meaning that Esau trapped and deceived Isaac. He pretended to be more religious than he was. There is, though, a quite different explanation, closer to the plain sense of the text, and very moving. Isaac loved Esau because Esau was his son, and that is what fathers do. They love their children unconditionally. That does not mean that Isaac could not see the faults in Esau’s character. It does not imply that he thought Esau the right person to continue the covenant. Nor does it mean he was not pained when Esau married Hittite women. The text explicitly says he was. But it does mean that Isaac knew that a father must love his son because he is his son. That is not incompatible with being critical of what he does. But a father does not disown his child, even when he disappoints his expectations. Isaac was teaching us a fundamental lesson in parenthood."
Strange. Why is it closer to the plain sense of the text to say that Yitzchak loved Esav b/c he was his son and that is what fathers do??? The pasuk says "וַיֶּאֱהַב יִצְחָק אֶת עֵשָׂו כִּי צַיִד בְּפִיו" - Yitzchak loved Esav BECAUSE ציד בפיו [however you interpret that]. But not just b/c he was his son. About Rivka it says "ורבקה אוהבת את יעקב". THAT can be understood to mean that she loved him b/c he was her son, no strings attached, unconditionally.
I am not saying that a parent shouldn't love a child unconditionally. Just that this is not what the text here says about Yitzchak.
