Torah Commentary - Vayishlach
*Commentary courtesy of Menahem Me-Zahav
Our Sidrah deals with Jacob’s return to his homeland (Cna’an - Israel). He spent the past 20 years in Haran. It was a self-imposed exile, hiding from a vengeful Esau. Esau threatened to kill him after finding out that Jacob had ‘stolen’ Isaac’s final birthright blessing from him. Listening to his mother Rebekah’s advice, Jacob fled to Haran, in order to eventually, stay at her brother Labasn’s home.
Since 20 years have passed by now, Jacob is full of hopes, that Esau has already mellowed, and that Esau’s animosity towards him, did evaporate by now as well.
The Sidrah is named so for its 1st word: "Va’Yishlach Ya’akov - And Jacob sent - messengers ahead towards Esau (In order to greet Esau and probabely also, as a sign of respect)” (Genesis 32:4).
Jacob’s Message to Esau: “With Laban did I Live” (“Garti”)._
Jacob’s message was: “With Laban have I lived (“Im Lavan Garti”) for a long time. I have
prospered and I hope you like my (accompanying) gifts” (Genesis 32:5).
According to Midrash, the order of the letters of the above mentioned Hebrew word ‘Garti’ (I have lived) should be changed. The order of the 4 letters (‘Gimmel, Reish, Tav & Yud'), which make up the word
“Garti”, should be slightly changed. The new order should be ‘Tav, Reish, Yud &
Gimmel’. The word “Garti” should actually be read as “Taryag”, which means: “613”.
Jacob’s above message will therefore infer the following: “With Laban Garti (With Laban did I live) and
Taryag Mitzwot Shamarti (and 613 Mitzwot did I keep). Jacob’s inference through his messege to Esau,
is therefore as follows: “I did live with Laban, but - the 613 Mitzwot I did observe, (all these years).
Therefore, you (Esau) should know that God is with me, do not try to harm me”.
Esau, who will turn out to be a new man, will actually be very happy to meet his brother Jacob.
There will be complete peace, total respect and seemingly also, some signs of brotherly love, between the 2 brothers (Esau and Jacob).
Jacob’s Messengers to Esau, return.
The messengers who just met Esau, return to Jacob and say, “Your brother, Esau, is coming to meet you and 400 men are with him” (Genesis 32:7). Jacob prays for courage to stand up to his brother. He sends then new messengers, but this time, they will deliver to Esau a substantial peace offering, of camels and cattle. All this, in hope that Esau would look upon these gifts, with good will.
Jacob’s encounter with a stranger (An angel of God).
The night before Jacob is to meet Esau, brings on a mighty and also unforgettable occurrence, in Jacob’s life. He has sent his family across the stream (Nachal – a small stream) and is waiting alone. There, in the darkness, Jacob finds himself involved, in an unexpected fierce wrestling match, with a mysterious stranger, for the entire night (Genesis 32:25-33).
As dawn breaks, the mysterious stranger tries to get away, but Jacob proclaims: “I will not let you go unless you bless me”. The mysterious stranger asks Jacob for his name, and then blesses Jacob, by giving him a new name – Yisrael. “Your name will no longer be Jacob but Israel, since you challenged an angel of God and you prevailed…And Jacob called the place Peniel (God’s face) saying: I have seen God face to face (Panim El Panim) and I was saved”. (Genesis 32:29&31).
The man who fought Jacob explains to him why his (Jacob’s) name will be Israel: “You challenged God’s Angel”, hence the common belief, that the mysterious stranger Jacob fought, was a real Angel of God. Jacob’s victory however, comes at a dear price. He is permanently injured, and from that night on, he will be limping upon his thigh. The old name Jacob is still mentioned in the Torah around 85% of the time, as compared to the new name Israel (that is mentioned only 15% of the time).
Commentators of all ages, tried to label the encounter, as the symbolic inner struggle between Jacob’s human emotions, and his idealistic passions. The Rambam even classifies the episode, as a “prophetic vision”. These commentators however, have yet to explain the nature, of the most visible and permanent injury, that Jacob sustained. It was definitely much more, than just a ‘symbolic injury’. As per text, it was a clear and a permanent physical injury. “And the sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, and he was limping upon his thigh (Gen 32:32).
Where did Jacob struggle with the Stranger / Angel? Was it “Penuel” or “Peniel”?
Jacob named the place where he fought the Angel of God, Peniel. “And Jacob called the place Peniel (God’s face) saying: I have seen God face to face (Panim El Panim) and I was saved”. (Genesis 32:31).
Bible researchers have identified an ancient city named Penuel. This city (Penuel) is mentioned as a hostile place to Gideon the new Judge of Israel, some 500 years later “And he (Gideon) went from there up to Penuel” (Judges 8:8). The same city, that is named Penuel, is probably the place, named here by Jacob as Peniel. Also, the similarity between the 2 names (Peniel VS Penuel) is strengthened even more, by the next Passuk. Having Jacob already naming the place, Peniel, The Torah, immediately afterwards, refers to it as Penuel. “And the sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, and he was limping upon his thigh” (Genesis 32:32).
Today, there is a tributary of water in this place, that goes out of the Jordan river. The tributary, is probably the waterway, that is thought to have been the stream (“Nachal” a small stream) that Jacob was about to cross, when he got into the above mentioned struggle.
Finally, Jacob meets Esau.
On the next day, the “dreaded” encounter with his brother Esau, takes place. Jacob and Esau have a very happy reunion after which Esau departs to Mount Sse’ir (Edom), and Jacob stays in the land (Israel).
The Dotted word on “Vayishakeihu” – “And Esau Kissed him (Jacob)”.
The Torah in its description of the meeting, between the 2 brothers (Esau and Jacob), tells us that “Esau kissed Jacob”. But - The word “Kissed” in the Torah is Dotted. (Chumash “Etz Hayim” page 204
first line, Genesis 33:4).
Per Midrash, Esau was really still very angry with Jacob. Only his fear, of a severe punishment by God (should he dare to harm Jacob), kept Esau in check.
Haftarah: Obadiah 1:1-21, Page 222
Our Haftarah consists of the entire book of Obadiah - Ovadya.
(The book of Obadiah is the shortest Book in thr Bible. Our Haftarah makes up the entire Book).
The prophecy is directed towards the nation of Edom, descendant of Esau, hence also the linkage to our Sidrah. Obadiah strongly condemns Edom, the southern neighbor and longtime adversary of Israel. Edom’s worst betrayal of Israel, took place soon after Jerusalem and the Holy Temple were destroyed by the Babylonians (586 BCE). The Edomites looted and massacred the defeated and weakened Jews. “How could you (Edom) kill his (Israel’s) fugitives, How could you betray those who fled… As you did, so shall it be done to you” (Obadiah 1:14-15). What particularly angers the Prophet Obadiah regarding Edom, is the fact that this treacherous neighbor, a descendant of Esau, is a blood relative of the Jewish people.
The prophet Obadiah saw the destruction of the first Temple (586 BCE) and was undoubtedly referring to the aftermath of this horrific event.
In the final 3 Pessukim – Obadiah may be reflecting on later events.
By tradition, the Romans were descendants of Edom. Around 650 years later, the Romans destroyed the second Temple (70 CE). Commentators relate therefore Obadiah’s prophecy to the Roman occupation of Israel. Accordingly, God promises to redeem the Jewish people from the Roman
Oppression (Obadiah 1: 19-21).
The final Passuk (Obadiah 1:21), is then aimed especially at the future Roman occupation: “And saviors will ascend Mount Zion to judge Esau in punishment. And the (World) Kingdom will belong to God” (“Ve’alu Moshi’im Behar Zion, Lishpot et Har Eisav. Ve’haita Le’Hashem Ha’melucha”).
This Passuk was also appended to, and it ends our “Shirat Ha’yam” Prayer. Shirat Hayam Prayer is been chanted by us during the Shacharit all year round.
Seems, that the above mentioned reference to God who will save the Jewish People from a future (Roman) occupation, (Which was part of Obadiah’s prophecy), has been adopted by our Rabbinical leaders, centuries later, when preparing the Shacharit Prayer in our Siddur.
