Vayishlach 5771

Parsha Vayishlach
Genesis 32:4-36:43 Hosea 11:7-12:12 (Obadiah1:1-1:21)

Having left Haran and Laban, Yaakov sends messengers to Esau seeking his favor (Vayishlach means "And he sent"). In the message Yaakov sends, he wants Esau to know "I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now. And I have oxen, and asses and flocks, and men-servants and maid-servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in thy sight." (32:6). This implies a tribute and reparations as well as his state of humility. Rashi comments* that the value of "I have sojourned" is equal to 613 the number of commandments. (The idea that Yaakov knew all the commandments of the Torah is confusing and reflects a deeper level of meaning than the logic of thinking the Torah was given later at Sinai. Writing about Toldot for example, Rashi alluded to the idea Yaakov studied Torah in the House of a descendant of Shem for years. I am not clear on this but believe it to be mystical at this time.)

Dramatically, Esau arrives with 400 men. Yaakov is alarmed, divides into two camps for safety, and prays to G*d for protection. "For I fear him, lest he come and smite me, the mother with the children" (32:12) In (32:11) Yaakov stated "I am not worthy of all the mercy and all the truths though has shown thy servant." After taking steps for his safety and praying for G*d's aid he sends more gifts and humble greetings to Esau. I find his turning to G*d at his time of need very endearing and realistic.

Before we are told how Esau reacts to these entreaties, (32:25-32) relates the entire story of Yaakov spending the night alone on one side of Jordan, wrestling 'a man' near the ford of the Jabbok, and being given a new name. Interestingly, (32:25) says "Yaakov was alone and there wrestled with a man until the break of day." this seems to relate being alone with wrestling and suggests the physical 'wrestling' is a metaphor for the moral and psychological struggle within Yaakov. The wrestling is more than a metaphor, however, for Yaakov is left injured in the thigh and limping. The limping is significant. Recall that Esau is physically oriented. If he saw his brother limping it may have made Yaakov seem less threatening. Moreover the mitzvah for not eating the sinew of the thigh is explicitly stated at this point in the text related to the injury. It makes little sense to do so if it was purely psychological, however, it can represent both kinds of conflict. The ford is also both a real place a suggestive of the way to move between two places (selves?) One of the great ideas of Judaism is the idea we are bio-psychic beings and that the duality of mind and body is very abstract. (I did however find the mitzvah spelled out there to ‘stick’ out as sounding like commentary. This and some other indications make me question the veracity of the text but I reject that speculation as irreligious.)

The nature of the attacker is mysterious. Some students loosely suggest it is the guardian angel of Esau and many thing it was evil. Other students argue it was G*d. In (32:27) it asks Yaakov to let it go "for day breaketh." G*d would not need to ask, nor fail to overpower. Nor should an angel ask such a question unless it were limited because of G*d's intentions. (Or possibly because Yaakov has special powers like he did when he lifted the Rock at the well for Rachel.) Perhaps, I thinking of fighting a vampire afraid of sunlight here instead of what the text says. The idea of light and shadow (in the Jungian sense) is one fruitful interpretation. On one level, Yaakov is not attacked he 'wrestles' with his conscience about what he did to Esau. He wrestles with who he is as person. This reading is suggested by the exchange with his adversary when he refuses to let him go until he gives him a blessing (Again I am thinking leprechauns and wishes here :) The adversary responds "What is your name?" (32:28) then "Thy name shall be called no more Yaakov, but Israel; for thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed." (32:29) After being given this new name Yaakov asks the name of who he has wrestled with and gets no answer. He then names the place Peniel for he proclaims I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.' (32:31) It would be easy to assume he therefore believes he has wrestled with G*d. The identity of the attacker is pivotal of course because this name change represents the force that carries through to Sinai of Israel itself. Therefore, it is hard to accept the idea it is a guardian of Esau.

The asking of "What is your name" suggests Yaakov's deception of Isaac. At that time when asked x. Jacob says he is esau.

Setting aside the issue of the nature of the wrestling, the next morning Yaakov is met with affection "Esau ran to him, embraced him, fell upon his neck, kissed him, and they wept." (33:4) This line belies some commentary I read in my studies which demonize Esau to the extent they believe this humility of Yaakov and reconciliation is just a tactic. As a tactic it achieves concord in the present but as the haftorah reminds us Esau's descendants the Edomintes continued to be antagonistic even aiding Nebuchadnezzar plundered Jerusalem many generations later.

The embracing of Esau may reflect the 'wrestling' with the 'Angel'.

(a note: I read that the final verse of the haftarah, "For liberators shall march upon Mount Zion to wreak judgment on Mount Esau; and dominion shall be the Lord's," is recited daily in the morning service at the conclusion of the recitation of the Song of the Sea, just before Yishtabach." - Wikipedia. I also did not know that Yishtabach is from Toldot. Yishtabach is at the end of the verses of song from the morning service.)

Even though Yaakov is deadly serious about the threat to his family, I have to doubt the interpretation that he does not wish to sincerely reconcile. When he meets Esau, still apprehensive he says "I have seen your face as one seeth the face of G*d." (33:10). Could he compare his brother to G*d (which some commentators find offensive) without meaning it? I find this statement more evocative of the transformation of Yaakov than Rashi's numerical illusion to the 613 mitzvah. The first thing he tells his brother demonstrates he has become a mystic, a man who has visions and contests with angels, a man who is spoken to by G*d repeatedly. Yaakov is the Ideal of Israel to me in this. Each child, each success, and each worry is met by turning to G*d, by prayer, by faith. Men are never perfect but this is the passion, the light which will become a beacon at Sinai.

Yaakov's actions Certainly show how to work for peace. A balance of safety, diplomacy, sacrifice, and faith in G*d are his tools. Yaakov is literally returning which, as I learned during the days of repentance is 'teshuvah.' Yaakov introduces Esau to his family and retinue (in reverse order of importance). Esau refuses the gifts offered (this is an oriental custom) to him but Yaakov sites his promise to G*d. "And he urged him and he took it" (33:11) This reminds me of Abraham arguing over the gift of the cave. In this case the situation is reversed. It teaches that when we give, what we have to give must be seen as G*d's. In Yaakov's actions I see that he has learned hospitality and the result is a lack of hostility. This is a principle I have come to recognize and which I try to keep in my heart when facing enmity. How greatly the world needs to know this know, especially in the holy land. G*d's grace fill the hearts of the hostile and change them!

The Etz Chaim Chumash stated that Yaakov uses the word Bracha instead of mincha for gift in the final exchange. This change indicates to the sages that he is explicitly relating the gift to redress his misdeed in acquiring the bracha (blessing) from Isaac.

33:12-17 is confusing for it seems that Yaakov says he will follow Esau to Sier but he goes and settles in Succoth. Then he is suddenly at Shechem. His wanderings, his return from exile strongly resonated in the Diaspora. They have been inspirations for and informed the desire for a promised land for each generation of his descendants as they continue to 'strive' and 'struggle'.

Now comes an ugly and painful series of events a direct anthesis of the redemptive concord just illustrated between Yaakov and Esau. Chapter 34 is the story of Dinah, daughter of Yaakov and Leah. Dinah is raped by Shechem son of Hamor. Shecem's father asks that Dinah be married to him. Strangely, 34:5 states, "Jacob held his peace until they came." It was his sons who agree to the marriage if all the men of Shechem will be circumcised. Then, while the men of Shechem are recovering they are slain by Simeon and Levi (Yaakov's sons also by Leah as was Dinah). Yaakov tells Simeon and Levi, (34:30) "You have troubled me to make me odious to the inhabitants of the land" By using the idea of a covenant (circumcision) as a tactic for murder there are definitely very ugly connotations. No one could have sympathy for Shechem but it nearly profanes the idea of the brit. Moreover, this collective justice where all are punished for the crimes of an individual is very abhorrent. It occurs again and again in the Torah both to the Israelites and uncomfortably often to their enemies. With few exceptions, idolaters are all to be destroyed without mercy. This is disconcerting especially because several of the sons will marry Canaanites and the people themselves constantly are said to be corrupted and punished by G*d even in the generation after Sinai.

This constant striving is underscored in Chapter 35 when G*d speaks again to Yaakov (Yaakov was very special). This time G*d commands him “Arise, go up to Bet El, and dwell there; and make there an altar to God, Who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother. Put away the strange gods that are among you, and purify yourselves, and change your garments;" (35:1-2) Rashi comments that the strange gods may have been in the spoils of the people of Shecem.

Yaakov goes to Bethel, builds an alter, and makes sacrifices of oil and libations. Afterward in 35:10 it is G*d who changes his name. "Thy name is Yaakov: thy name shall not be called any more Yaakov, but Israel shall be thy name'; and He called his name Israel." This repetition is significant but its full purpose is not clear. It certainly squarely posits that G*d changes Yaakov's name despite the controversy over the nature of the attacker. It casts some doubt on Yaakov's own evidenced belief that he had wrestled with G*d (when he named the place Peniel (32:31)) for would G*d 'need' change his name twice? Could the first encounter have been some contest in which adversary (other than G*d) gave him foreknowledge? The ritual of the alter including the purification reinforces the idea that this transformation was solemn and binding. Or perhaps it was G*d both times and the first was the offer only realized after his making peace with Esau? Either way the import is largely the same. Yaakov triumphs over his attacker, and the fear of his brother by faith and grace. The horrible story of Dinah keeps this message from being a confection. It illustrates the opposite drives to possess instead of to give, to revenge instead of to reconcile. It surely shows that even one such as Yaakov, who has so much direct experience of G*d, must suffer.

This reminds me of the ladder. Like the angels, which represent to me G*d's will in the world, our fortunes ascend and descend. Our existence is never a permanent perfection. If it were not the story of the Patriarch, it would sound cliche. Instead it is essential.

The story of Dinah however should not be written off as a contrast. Perhaps its most difficult aspect is she doesn't speak for herself at all.

The parsha ends with a flurry of facts.

35:18 Rachel dies in child birth. "she called him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin." 35:18."son of my pain" to "son of my right" She is buried in Bethlehem.

35:22 Reuben lays with Bilhah his father's handmaiden. (The Mother of some of his brothers!) Study indicates this act was a political norm for the oldest son expressing his desire to be Patriarch. (Like wolves!). It is not thought to have been predicated on lust (Hersch).

35:29 Isaac dies. (buried in modern Hebron)

Then Chapter 36 lists Yaakov's children again and is replete with the genealogies of Edom from Esau. This includes the ominous birth of the dreadful and hateful enemy of Israel, Amalek in 36:12. The genealogy has a great deal of information about the tribal structures of the Edomites. Esau seems to have himself actively been overcoming tribes like the Horites, before Yaakov returns from Haran. The section lists 8 Kings, the last in the time of Saul. It is interesting in light of the promise of the blessing that almost all of these kings came before the kings of Israel.


* "In his comments on Yaakov’s opening words, im Lavan garti (with Laban have I lived), Rashi notes that garti (have I lived) has the same numerical value (indeed, the same letters, rearranged) as taryag (numerically equaling 613), referring to the 613 mitzvot (commandments) of the Torah. This means, “Im Lavan garti, v’taryag mitzvot shamarti--With Laban have I lived, and 613 mitzvot I observed, and I did not learn from his wicked ways" Avraham Fischer