#11 - February 1 - Jacob Wrestles

Jacob Wrestling

Parashat VaYishlah - Genesis 32:3-32

Background to our story:

Jacob has been living away from home, with his uncle Lavan in Haran, for 20 years. There he married Lavan's daughters Leah and Rachel after being tricked by Lavan to work seven years for each daughter. (While Jacob had once tricked his brother Esav and his father Isaac, now he has been tricked by his uncle.) Our story takes place on Jacob's journey home, after so many years of being away. Jacob is getting ready to face his brother Esav for the first time since he stole Esav’s birthright and blessing so he is feeling very nervous. Does Esav still hate him? Will he take revenge on Jacob for stealing his birthright and blessing?

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Jacob sent messengers along ahead of his family to his brother Esav who was in the land of Seir, in the country of Edom. And he commanded them saying, "Say this to my lord, Esav: Your servant Jacob says this: 'I have stayed with Lavan until now and I have cows, donkeys, sheep, and servants. I have sent word to tell you so you will treat me well.'"

The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, "We came to your brother Esav and he is also coming to meet you, along with four hundred men." Then Jacob was very afraid and distressed. So he divided his group of people, along with the sheep, cows, and camels, into two separate groups. And he said, "If Esav's people come to one group and kill them, then the other group which is left can escape."

And Jacob said, "Oh God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the Lord who said to me, 'Return to your country and family and I will take care of you': I am unworthy of the least of all the kindness and wisdom You have given me, Your servant. For in crossing this river Jordan with my walking stick, I have since become two whole groups. I pray to You, save me from my brother Esav for I am afraid of him, that he might come and kill me and my family, mothers and children. You said 'I will take care of you and make your descendants as many as the sands of the sea, which cannot be counted.'"

So Jacob stayed there that night and took from what he had earned to give to Esav as a gift: 200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 female sheep, 20 male sheep, 30 female camels with their baby camels, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, 10 baby donkeys. And he gave them to his servants and said, "Go on ahead of me and cross the river, making a space between each flock of animals." He told the lead servant, "When my brother Esav comes to meet you and asks you, saying, To whom do all if these animals belong? Then you will say, 'These belong to your servant, Jacob. They are a gift sent to you, my lord Esav. And Jacob is also on his way. These were his instructions to us. He hoped to appease you with these gifts and then to see you face to face, hoping you will accept him.'"

So the gift of animals went before Jacob. He himself stayed on the other side if the river that night. And in the middle of the night he got up, took his two wives and two maidservants and his eleven sons and passed over the river ford of Yabbok. He took them and sent them over the stream along with all his possessions. And Jacob was left all alone.

And there he wrestled with a man until dawn. And when the man could tell he could not win against him, he touched Jacob's thigh and pulled it out if joint as he wrestled with him. And the man said, "Let me go, for the day is breaking." -  And Jacob said, "I won't let you go until you bless me." - And the man said, "What's your name?" - "Jacob," he said. - And the man said, "You will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel (God-wrestler) because you have wrestled with God and with men and won." - And Jacob asked, "Please tell me your name." - And the man said, "Why do you want to know my name?" And he blessed him there at that moment. And Jacob called that place Peniel (facing God) for I have seen God face to face and I lived. And as he passed through that place the sun rose over him and he limped on his thigh.

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Steps For Completing this Torah Hangout

1. Review last week’s story (Torah Hangout #10).

2. Read the story above slowly and carefully two times.

3. Either on a sheet of paper or with a partner, respond to the following questions:

• How does Jacob address his brother? What does he call himself and what does he call his brother? How does the way he speaks to Esav show that Jacob has changed?
• Name 3 specific things Jacob does to ensure that Esav will treat him and his family well.
• How does Jacob pray to God? What specific things does he say when he asks for God’s help?
• By then end of this story, do you think Esav should forgive Jacob for stealing his birthright and blessing? Why or why not?
• Who do you think the mysterious man is whom Jacob wrestles with? Explain your answer.
• Why does Jacob insist that the man bless him?

4. Read the following commentaries and answer the related questions:

1. Rashi quotes a midrash: “A man wrestled with him: Our teachers explained that this was the ministering angel of Esau.” The rabbis in the midrash believe that every nation has its own angelic “minister” who represents its interests before G‑d. It is Esau’s angel, then, who attempts to frustrate Jacob’s mission.... "I will not let you go unless you have blessed me." This means, ‘Acknowledge for me the blessings with which my father blessed me, which Esav is contesting.’
1. If the man wrestling with Jacob is Esav’s angel, how does that explain why Jacob insists that the man bless him?
2. The Zohar describes the battle between Jacob and the man as a symbol of the battle of every person has with his/her darker side.
1. If the man wrestling with Jacob represents his own dark side, try to give a real-life example of the battle between dark and light inside a person.

5. Share your response to one of the questions above (either 4.1 or 4.2) on the blog.