Parashat Vayishlach
Genesis 32:4 – Genesis 36:43

Topics (click on any link)
Synopsis of the Torah portion
Spiritual insights into Parashat Vayishlach
Key verses
Creative Midrash for Parashat  Vayishlach

Synopsis       return to the top of the page
Jacob sent his messenger to tell his brother Esau that he stayed with Laban for twenty years and that he had acquired great wealth. With this message he hoped to win his brother's favor. The messenger returned with the news that Esau is on his way to meet you with four hundred men. This frightened Jacob immensely and he prayed to God to deliver him from Esau and reminded God that He will deal bountifully with His servant.  Jacob than prepared abundant gifts to appease his brother. He sent a column of servants laden with offerings with instructions to say that Jacob is following right behind. He gave the same instructions to a second and a third drove of servants, but Jacob remained in camp that night. Later that night he sent his wives, his children to cross the ford at the Jabbok. Jacob was left alone. This leads into one of the more enigmatic stories in the Torah. Then a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. When Jacob saw that he could not win, his opponent wrenched his hip from its socket. The man then asked Jacob to let him go for dawn is breaking and Jacob replied-not unless you bless me. What is your name, the man asked him. Jacob he replied, and the man said that your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel for you have striven with divine beings and prevailed. Jacob asked him his name and he said you must not ask my name, so Jacob named the place Peniel--I have seen a divine being and yet my life has been preserved.

After twenty years of dreading a reunion wit Esau, Jacob divided the children among his wives and maidservants and unobtrusively approached his brother. Esau ran to greet him. He embraced him, kissed him and they wept? Jacob then introduced his Leah and Rachel, the maids and all their children to Esau. Esau was reluctant to accept all the gifts Jacob sent to him on the grounds that he had sufficient wealth. Jacob insisted and finally Esau relented and hesitantly accepted the gifts. The brothers discussed returning to the land Canaan together, Jacob felt it would be too difficult for the children and herds to travel at his brother's pace, so he suggested that Esau go on to Seir and Jacob's caravan will slowly catch up. Strangely, Jacob did not head to Seir, but instead he arrived in the city of Shechem, in the land of Canaan. He purchased a parcel of land from the children of Hamor, Shechem's father to pitch his tents.

Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite was drawn to Jacob's daughter Dinah so he took her by force and lay with her; he was in love with her so he asked his father to get Dinah as a wife for him. Hamor suggested the idea to Jacob and offered friendship intermarriage between the sons and daughters of Jacob and Hamor. Jacob's sons were very angry by this occurrence and they told Hamor that they couldn’t give their sister to men who are not circumcised. The sons of Hamor presented the idea to their townspeople and the all agreed to be circumcised so that they and Jacob's children can live in peace and harmony. After the third day after the circumcisions when they were in pain, Jacob's son Simeon and Levi drew their swords and slew all the males of the town. Jacob's other sons plundered the town, seized all their flocks and all their wealth. They took the children and wives as captives. jacob complained that his sons' behavior would make him look despicable among the Canaanites. They replied, "Should our sister be treated like a harlot?

God ordered Jacob to go up to Bethel in the land of Canaan, to remain there and build an altar to Him. Then Jacob directed his household to rid themselves of alien gods, purify themselves and change their clothes. Jacob then buried the goods they brought from Paddan-aram, including rings that were in their ears. As they left from there, a terror from God fell on the nearby cities so they did not pursue Jacob and his sons. When they arrived in Bethel, God blessed Jacob and said, "You shall be called Jacob no more, But Israel shall be your name". During their journey from Bethel, Rachel was in childbirth and she had a very hard labor. She delivered a boy that Israel named Benjamin. Jacob journeyed on, and on the way Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine and Jacob found out. Finally Jacob came to his father Isaac's house. Shortly thereafter Isaac died and was buried by his sons Esau and Jacob. Parshat Vayishlach concludes with a lengthy genealogy of the sons of Esau who ultimately settled in the hill country of Seir, because the land could not support all the livestock of both Jacob and Esau.

Spiritual insights into Parashat Vayishlach              return to the top of the page
 Jacob now stands alone on one side of the stream called the Jabbok. In true mythic form, the flow of the text is interceded with the strange tale of Jacob wrestling with an angel.  Who was this angel? Was it God Himself or one of His angels? ? Why was this strange episode introduced at this particular moment? Was it encouraged by Jacob's fear of his encounter with his brother Esau? We don't know for sure. But what we do know is that there are other incidents of narrative interrupted with legendary stories. Notice how--Genesis 6 with the description of the Nephilim, part human and part god creatures; and Noach 11:1 The Tower of Babel--interrupt the story line to bring you these updates. They're somewhat like news updates we see of TV.

What we do know is that mythic tales of this kind exist throughout the Torah. They catch your attention; they cause you to stop and take notice of these special announcements. For sure spiritual messages, like those in your dreams, are encoded in these allegorical accounts. For sure, they open the door to further discussion, thought and consideration. They are to be found all throughout the Torah. Pay attention to them, as these subtle teachings are there to convey information for your spiritual development. Allow them to incite meaning and interpretation into your life. After this episode of God wrestling concludes, the story resumes its normal continuity.

Key verses        return to the top of the page
This page is not a commentary on the text, but a chance for you to express your own comments and feelings in order to gain deeper insight into your own life.

Genesis 32:8-9
Jacob was greatly frightened' in his anxiety, he divided the people with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps, thinking, "If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, the other camp may yet escape".
Food for thought:
1. Have you ever been in a situation of such anxiety?
2. If you were in such a situation, how would you handle it?
3. What feelings are you experiencing as you read this verse?

Genesis 32:25:-26
Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he wrenched Jacob's hip at its socket, so that the socket of his hip was strained, as he wrestled with him.
Food for thought:
1. Who do you think the "man" is? Human or Divine? What are your reasons?
2. With what or with whom do you wrestle?
3. Can you personally relate to this verse?
4. What law do we follow today as a result of this verse?

Genesis 33:4
Esau ran to greet him. He embraced him and, falling on his neck, he kissed him; and they wept.
Food for thought:
1. What feelings does this scene invoke in you?
2. Have you ever had a joyous reconciliation with someone who frightened you?
3. What was that like? How did that make you feel?

Genesis 33:16
So Esau started back that day on his way to Seir. But Jacob journeyed on to Succoth, and built a house for himself, and made stalls for his cattle.
Food for thought:
1. Both brothers agreed they would journey back to Seir. Jacob changed his destination. What was his motivation in doing that?
2. The Torah implicitly states "a house" and "stalls" which implies more permanent dwelling. What was Jacob's purpose in this construction?
3. Do you think he was thinking of settling there permanently? Why would Jacob consider settling permanently?

Genesis 34:13-14
Jacob's sons answered and his father Hamor--speaking with guile because he had defiled their sister Dinah--and said to them, "We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to a man who is uncircumcised, for that is a disgrace among us".
Food for thought:
Jacobs’s sons knew they would never give their sister to Shechem, even if they were to be circumcised.
1. Were they were acting with fraudulent deception.
2. Is this behavior to be condoned or rejected?
3. Why hasn't God played a hand in this? Or has He?
4. How would you behave if someone close to you was sexually abused?

Genesis 34:27
The other sons of Jacob came upon the slain (they had already slaughtered the males) and plundered the town, because their sister had been defiled.
Food for thought:
We will encounter incidents of killing and plundering cities, condoned by God, in future conquests by the Israelites.
1. In what ways do you think this incident is similar or different than the stories to come?
2. Do you think the brother's behavior is fair and justifiable?
3. Are you in favor of "getting even" in all or any circumstances?
 

Genesis 35:22
While Israel stayed in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father's concubine; and Israel found out. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve in number.
Food for thought:
1. Was this incident of Reuben's just a casual inclusion in the Torah, or do you think it has significance of some kind?
2. From this and the previous verse do you think Jacob's sons behaved honorably or immorally? If they are immoral how can do we account for honor  bestowed on our earliest ancestors?
3. In the past we have seen acts of debased behavior by Noah's son and Lot's daughters. Is this just another example? Does the Torah condemn or condone it?

Genesis 35:28-29
Isaac was a hundred and eighty years old when he breathed his last and died. He was gathered to his kin in ripe old age; and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
Food for thought:
1. Esau and Jacob converged in Canaan to reunite with their father Isaac. What was the importance of the land of Canaan?
2. How do you think the land of Canaan is significant to us now?
3. Do you think it represents something other that a geographical location?

Additional questions to ponder:
1. What is it about the story, a verse, a word that seems to resonate with some aspect of your life?
2. Is there something about the story that rings a bell?
3. Can you recall experiences in your life when you have experienced something similar to this story?
4. How would you describe the characters in the story? Who do you know who's like them?
5. Can you personally identify with any one of the characters in the story? Which one?
6. Can you find a similarity between yourself and all the characters in the story?

Reflections:
The Rabbis of old would meditate on such questions, sometimes for weeks at a time, to help find deeper meaning in the
verses. You may wish to contemplate just one or a few of these questions at a time, rather than tackling them
all.   In what ways we any of your responses to the questions personally meaningful?

Suggestion:
Some of the questions here are of a personal nature which in some cases could be emotionally upsetting. If so, try
relaxing your body as much as possible and takes long slow breaths of air. That usually helps to relieve anxiety.

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Creative Midrash on Parashat Vayishlach         return to the top of the page

Genesis 32:25-26
Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he wrenched Jacob's hip at its socket, so that the socket was strained as he wrestled with him.

The Rabbis of old would create parables, stories and narrative connections around such selected verses. What do you see between the lines, the sentences and the letters. The following questions can provide a launch pad upon which to create your own meanings of the Torah.

The Torah gives us no further information about this wrestling match. Who was the opponent? Human or divine? Why did this opponent wrestle with Jacob? What were they wrestling about? Why did the opponent wrench his hip? Was he trying to disable Jacob and prevent him from prevailing What significance does dislocating the hip have? Would Jacob have reunited favorably with Esau if this wrestling match didn't take place? What custom do we observe today to commemorate the wrenched hip? In what ways did Jacob transform as a result of this wrestling match? With what and with whom do you wrestle? Is your own personal wrestling somehow related to the encounter between Jacob and his opponent? Has your own wrestling led to some kind of personal transformation? Could it?