Vayishlach: The Journey to Yisrael

1. CALEV BEN DOR Vayishlach: The Journey to Yisrael כה וַיִּוָּתֵר יַעֲקֹב, לְבַדּוֹ; וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ, עַד עֲלוֹת הַשָּׁחַר.  כו וַיַּרְא, כִּי לֹא יָכֹל לוֹ, וַיִּגַּע, בְּכַף-יְרֵכוֹ; וַתֵּקַע כַּף-יֶרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב, בְּהֵאָבְקוֹ עִמּוֹ.  כז וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי, כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר; וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחֲךָ, כִּי אִם-בֵּרַכְתָּנִי.  כח וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו, מַה-שְּׁמֶךָ; וַיֹּאמֶר, יַעֲקֹב.  כט וַיֹּאמֶר, לֹא יַעֲקֹב יֵאָמֵר עוֹד שִׁמְךָ--כִּי, אִם-יִשְׂרָאֵל:  כִּי-שָׂרִיתָ עִם-אֱלֹהִים וְעִם-אֲנָשִׁים, וַתּוּכָל.  ל וַיִּשְׁאַל יַעֲקֹב, וַיֹּאמֶר הַגִּידָה-נָּא שְׁמֶךָ, וַיֹּאמֶר, לָמָּה זֶּה תִּשְׁאַל לִשְׁמִי; וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתוֹ, שָׁם.  לא וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם, פְּנִיאֵל:  כִּי-רָאִיתִי אֱלֹהִים פָּנִים אֶל-פָּנִים, וַתִּנָּצֵל נַפְשִׁי.  לב וַיִּזְרַח-לוֹ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, כַּאֲשֶׁר עָבַר אֶת-פְּנוּאֵל; וְהוּא צֹלֵעַ, עַל-יְרֵכוֹ.  לג עַל-כֵּן לֹא-יֹאכְלוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת-גִּיד הַנָּשֶׁה, אֲשֶׁר עַל-כַּף הַיָּרֵךְ, עַד, הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה:  כִּי נָגַע בְּכַף-יֶרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב, בְּגִיד הַנָּשֶׁה. 25 And Jacob was left alone; and he wrestled with a man until the rise of dawn. 26 And as he saw that he wrenched Jacob’s hip from its socket, so that the socket of the hip was strained as he wrestled with him. 27 And he said: 'Let me go, for the dawn is rising.' And he said: 'I will not let you go, unless you bless me.' 28 And he said to him: 'What is your name?' And he said: 'Jacob.' 29 And he said: 'Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Yisrael; for you have confronted / competed (sarita) with the divine and with the human and have prevailed (been able).' 30 And Jacob asked him, and said: 'Please tell me your name. [Hagida Na Shimcha]' And he said: 'why indeed ask my name?' And he blessed him there. 31 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: 'for I have seen God face to face, but my life was saved.' 32 And the sun rose upon him as he passed over Peniel, and he limped upon his hip. 33 Therefore the children of Israel eat not the sinew of the thigh [Gid-Ha-Na-Sheh], that is on the socket of the hip, to this very day; because he wrenched Jacob’s hip socket at the sinew of the thigh. כח וַיֶּאֱהַב יִצְחָק אֶת-עֵשָׂו כִּי-צַיִד בְּפִיו וְרִבְקָה אֹהֶבֶת אֶת-יַעֲקֹבכט וַיָּזֶד יַעֲקֹב, נָזִיד; וַיָּבֹא עֵשָׂו מִן-הַשָּׂדֶה, וְהוּא עָיֵף.  ל וַיֹּאמֶר עֵשָׂו אֶל-יַעֲקֹב, הַלְעִיטֵנִי נָא מִן-הָאָדֹם הָאָדֹם הַזֶּה--כִּי עָיֵף, אָנֹכִי; עַל-כֵּן קָרָא-שְׁמוֹ, אֱדוֹם 28 Now Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison; and Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 And Jacob was making lentil soup; and Esau came in from the field, and he was faint. 30 And Esau said to Jacob: 'Let me swallow, I pray you, some of this red, red pottage; for I am faint.' Therefore was his name called Edom. טווַתִּקַּח רִבְקָה אֶת-בִּגְדֵי עֵשָׂו בְּנָהּ הַגָּדֹל, הַחֲמֻדֹת, אֲשֶׁר אִתָּהּ, בַּבָּיִת; וַתַּלְבֵּשׁ אֶת-יַעֲקֹב, בְּנָהּ הַקָּטָן.  טזוְאֵת, עֹרֹת גְּדָיֵי הָעִזִּים, הִלְבִּישָׁה, עַל-יָדָיו--וְעַל, חֶלְקַת צַוָּארָיו.  יזוַתִּתֵּן אֶת-הַמַּטְעַמִּים וְאֶת-הַלֶּחֶם, אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂתָה, בְּיַד, יַעֲקֹב בְּנָהּ.  יחוַיָּבֹא אֶל-אָבִיו, וַיֹּאמֶר אָבִי; וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֶּנִּי, מִי אַתָּה בְּנִי.  יטוַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב אֶל-אָבִיו, אָנֹכִי עֵשָׂו בְּכֹרֶךָ--עָשִׂיתִי, כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ אֵלָי; קוּם-נָא שְׁבָה, וְאָכְלָה מִצֵּידִי--בַּעֲבוּר, תְּבָרְכַנִּי נַפְשֶׁךָ.  כוַיֹּאמֶר יִצְחָק אֶל-בְּנוֹ, מַה-זֶּה מִהַרְתָּ לִמְצֹא בְּנִי; וַיֹּאמֶר, כִּי הִקְרָה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְפָנָי.  כאוַיֹּאמֶר יִצְחָק אֶל-יַעֲקֹב, גְּשָׁה-נָּא וַאֲמֻשְׁךָ בְּנִי:  הַאַתָּה זֶה בְּנִי עֵשָׂו, אִם-לֹא.  כבוַיִּגַּשׁ יַעֲקֹב אֶל-יִצְחָק אָבִיו, וַיְמֻשֵּׁהוּ; וַיֹּאמֶר, הַקֹּל קוֹל יַעֲקֹב, וְהַיָּדַיִם, יְדֵי עֵשָׂו.  כגוְלֹא הִכִּירוֹ--כִּי-הָיוּ יָדָיו כִּידֵי עֵשָׂו אָחִיו, שְׂעִרֹת; וַיְבָרְכֵהוּ.  כדוַיֹּאמֶר, אַתָּה זֶה בְּנִי עֵשָׂו; וַיֹּאמֶר, אָנִי.  And Rebekah took the choicest garments of Esau her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. 16 And she put the goat skins on his hands, and on his neck. 17 And she gave the savoury food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. 18 And he came to his father, and said: 'My father'; and he said: 'Here am I; who are you, my son?' 19 And Jacob said to his father: 'I am Esau your first-born; I have done according as you asked me. Arise, I pray you, sit and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me.' 20 And Isaac said to his son: 'How is it that you found it so quickly, my son?' And he said: 'Because the LORD your God sent me good speed.' 21 And Isaac said to Jacob: 'Come near, I pray you, that I may feel you, my son, whether you be my very son Esau or not.' 22 And Jacob went near Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said: 'The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.' 23 And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands; so he blessed him. 24 And he said: ‘Are you my very son Esau?' And he said: 'I am.'

2. Yaacov’s lack of entitlement 29: 18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and he said: 'I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.' 19 And Laban said: 'It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man; abide with me.' 20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. כט: יח וַיֶּאֱהַב יַעֲקֹב, אֶת-רָחֵל; וַיֹּאמֶר, אֶעֱבָדְךָ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים, בְּרָחֵל בִּתְּךָ, הַקְּטַנָּה.  יט וַיֹּאמֶר לָבָן, טוֹב תִּתִּי אֹתָהּ לָךְ, מִתִּתִּי אֹתָהּ, לְאִישׁ אַחֵר; שְׁבָה, עִמָּדִי.  כ וַיַּעֲבֹד יַעֲקֹב בְּרָחֵל, שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים; וַיִּהְיוּ בְעֵינָיו כְּיָמִים אֲחָדִים, בְּאַהֲבָתוֹ אֹתָהּ.  27:43 Now therefore, my son, listen to my voice; and arise, flee to Laban my brother to Haran; 44 and stay with him a few days, until your brother's fury lessens; 45 until your brother's anger turns away from you, and he forget what you did to him; then I will send, and fetch you from there; why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?' כז: מג וְעַתָּה בְנִי, שְׁמַע בְּקֹלִי; וְקוּם בְּרַח-לְךָ אֶל-לָבָן אָחִי, חָרָנָה.  מד וְיָשַׁבְתָּ עִמּוֹ, יָמִים אֲחָדִים--עַד אֲשֶׁר-תָּשׁוּב, חֲמַת אָחִיךָ.  מה עַד-שׁוּב אַף-אָחִיךָ מִמְּךָ, וְשָׁכַח אֵת אֲשֶׁר-עָשִׂיתָ לּוֹ, וְשָׁלַחְתִּי, וּלְקַחְתִּיךָ מִשָּׁם; לָמָה אֶשְׁכַּל גַּם-שְׁנֵיכֶם, יוֹם אֶחָד. Divided to become whole again ב:יח וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים, לֹא-טוֹב הֱיוֹת הָאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ; אֶעֱשֶׂה-לּוֹ עֵזֶר, כְּנֶגְדּוֹ.  יט וַיִּצֶר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים מִן-הָאֲדָמָה, כָּל-חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה וְאֵת כָּל-עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם, וַיָּבֵא אֶל-הָאָדָם, לִרְאוֹת מַה-יִּקְרָא-לוֹ; וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא-לוֹ הָאָדָם נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה, הוּא שְׁמוֹ.  כ וַיִּקְרָא הָאָדָם שֵׁמוֹת, לְכָל-הַבְּהֵמָה וּלְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם, וּלְכֹל, חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה; וּלְאָדָם, לֹא-מָצָא עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ.  כא וַיַּפֵּל יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים תַּרְדֵּמָה עַל-הָאָדָם, וַיִּישָׁן; וַיִּקַּח, אַחַת מִצַּלְעֹתָיו, וַיִּסְגֹּר בָּשָׂר, תַּחְתֶּנָּה.  כב וַיִּבֶן יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים אֶת-הַצֵּלָע אֲשֶׁר-לָקַח מִן-הָאָדָם, לְאִשָּׁה; וַיְבִאֶהָ, אֶל-הָאָדָם. 18 And the LORD God said: 'It is not good for Adam to be alone (levado); I will make him a help mate 19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them; and whatever Adam would call every living creature, that was its name. 20 And Adam named all cattle, and the fowl of the air, and every beast of the field; but Adam did not find a help mate. 21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the place with flesh. 22 And from the rib (tzela) which the LORD God took from Adam, He made woman, and brought her to Adam. Telling the forgotten מא: נא וַיִּקְרָא יוֹסֵף אֶת-שֵׁם הַבְּכוֹר, מְנַשֶּׁה:  כִּי-נַשַּׁנִי אֱלֹהִים אֶת-כָּל-עֲמָלִי, וְאֵת כָּל-בֵּית אָבִי.  נב וְאֵת שֵׁם הַשֵּׁנִי, קָרָא אֶפְרָיִם:  כִּי-הִפְרַנִי אֱלֹהִים, בְּאֶרֶץ עָנְיִי.  51 And Joseph called the name of the first-born Manasseh: 'for God has made me forget (Nashani) my toil, and all my father's house.' 52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: 'for God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.'