PARAHSAT VAYISHLAJ We find Jacob leaving his father-in-law Labans home after twenty years of being tricked, lied to and manipulated. He sneaks out in the middle of the night because he is afraid to confront Laban. Think back to the reason that Jacob fled his home in Canaan and ran to his relatives in Babylonia. Jacob had deceived his father by disguising himself as his elder brother Esau and in this way he stole the blessing that would have been bestowed by his father Isaac on his elder brother Esau. Knowing of this brothers anger and temper he sneaked out in the middle of the night and fled. This is what Jacob does. He avoids confrontations by fleeing. Now he is returning to Israel and that will mean confronting his brother Esau, who he hasnt seen in 20 years. The night before Jacob decides to split his encampment into two. He is thinking that if things go south at least part of the family can flee and escape. Jacob himself remains alone that night and we are told that a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. The wrestling match is inconclusive and the assailant pleads to be let go before dawn. Jacob demands a blessing from the man {who he suspects at this point is actually a messenger of God - if not why would he ask for a blessing?] before he will let him go. The blessing is that his name will be changed to Israel because you have striven with beings divine and human and have prevailed. So what is going on here? Was this a dream or was their really a messenger from God who fought with him? I tend to dismiss the idea that it was a messenger from God for the simple reason that a messenger from God should win the fight! If not what kind of messenger is that? The medieval commentator -Rashbam - suggests that it was indeed an angel and that the goal of the angel was to prevent Jacob from running away as he may have been tempted to do. After all, that is what Jacob has always done. I think Rashbam is on to something here. Jacob was indeed tempted to run away. But I think that the wrestling match is between Jacob and his conscience. The commentary in the new Etz Hayyim puts it this way: We can imagine Jacob saying to himself, Until now, I have responded to difficult situations by lying and running. I deceived my father. I ran away from Esau. I left Labans house stealthily instead of confronting him. I hate myself for being a person who lies and runs. But Im afraid of facing up to the situation. In the end Jacob decides hes not running away anymore. Jacob found something in himself that had not been there his whole life. That is what the new name is about. Jacob has become a different person. He is now Israel someone ready to admit when he is wrong, seek forgiveness and face his failures and those he had failed. Were told that during the struggle with the man the socket of Jacobs hip had been strained. In other words Jacob came out of the struggle wounded but he came out alive and with stronger character. That is what happens when we confront a part of our past where we had failed to face up to our failings by running away. We can come out stronger but we have been wounded by the experience. Jacob now has a new name - Israel - to reflect the new strength of character that he had found. Everyone has a Jacob moment in his/her life - a moment when we cant face the truth and we retreat or hide. What we need is to go through the wrestling match so that we can come out stronger and with a willingness to confront the past. We can become Israel. Jacob gets up the next morning and goes to meet his brother. He gives him all that he had taken from him and more. He apologizes and affirms his elder brothers status as the first born. Then he is ready to re-enter the land of Israel and establish not only his family but the Jewish people. Shabbat Shalom Rabbi Ed Farber
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 17:31:34 +0000
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