Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Vayishlah YAAKOV 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 YAAKOV'S HIP AT ITS SOCKET, SO THAT THE SOCKET OF HIS HIP WAS STRAINED AS HE WRESTLED WITH HIM. THEN HE SAID, "LET ME GO, FOR DAWN IS BREAKING." BUT HE ANSWERED, "I WILL NOT LET YOU GO UNLESS YOU BLESS ME."     "AND A MAN WRESTLED WITH HIM UNTIL THE BREAK OF DAWN." – THE TORAH'S...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Vayishlah Said Rabbi Berekhiya in the name of Rabbi Helbo: It is written (Bereishit 32): “A man wrestled with him” We know not who was in the power of whom; Was the angel in the power of Yaakov, or was Yaakov in the power of the angel? But from the text: And he said, release for the dawn has broken” Said the angel to Yaakov: “Release me, for my turn has come to give praise” – It is evident that the angel was in the power...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat vAYISHLACH (link to original page) Parshat Vayishlach "And Yaakov was left alone" – Said Rabbi Elazar: He remained (he had forgotten) for small items. From this we learn that tsaddikim value their property more than their persons. And why is this? Because they do not steal. (Bavli Hullin, 91a) "And Yaakov was left alone": Our Rabbis expounded 'alone' (ודבל) were written 'for his pitcher (ודכל), to teach that he returned for small vessels, to teach that tsaddikim value their property so that they distance themselves from theft – thus did Rashi...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat Vayishlach (link to original page) Parshat Vayishlach "Jacob was very frightened and distressed" by Ephraim Chamiel "Jacob was very frightened and distressed." Genesis Rabbah (76, 2) says, "He was afraid that he would be killed and distressed that he might kill others" and in Brachot (4, 71) "He thought that some sin might cause ." All the classic commentators use these Midrashim to explain the question of why Jacob was afraid, for he had received an explicit promise from the Almighty: "I will protect you wherever...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat Vayishlah (link to original page) Parshat Vayishlah "And Esau ran to meet him… and kissed him": Do not read 'and he kissed him' (vayishakehu) but 'and he bit him' (vayinshachehu). (Pirkei Derabbi Eliezer XXXVI). "And he kissed him" – the word has dots above it. Should one suppose that this was a kiss of love? R. Shimon ben Elazar said: But were not all Esau's acts of hate at the beginning? – Except for this one, which was an act of love. (Avot Derrabi Natan II) "And Esau ran.. and he...