Parshat Vayishlach
Yaakov (Jacob) returns to the Holy Land after a 20-year stay in Charan, and sends angel-emissaries to Esav (Esau) in hope of...
Parshat Vayishlach
(Bereishit 32:4-36:43)
Yaakov (Jacob) returns to the Holy Land after a 20-year stay in Charan, and sends angel-emissaries to Esav (Esau) in hope of a reconciliation; but his messengers report that his brother is on the warpath with 400 armed men. Yaakov prepares for war, prays, and sends Esav a large gift (consisting of hundreds of heads of sheep and cattle) to appease him.
That night, Yaakov ferries his family and possessions across the Yabbok River; he, however, remains behind and encounters the angel that embodies the spirit of Esav, with whom he wrestles until daybreak. Yaakov suffers a dislocated hip but vanquishes the supernal creature, who bestows on him the name Yisroel (Israel), which means "he who prevails over the Divine."
Yaakov and Esav meet, embrace and kiss, but part ways. Yaakov purchases a plot of land near Shechem, whose crown prince — also called Shechem — abducts and rapes Yaakov's daughter Dinah. Dinah's brothers Shimon and Levi avenge the deed by killing all male inhabitants of the city after rendering them defenseless by convincing them to circumcise themselves.
Yaakov journeys on. Rochel (Rachel) dies while giving birth to her second son, Binyomin (Benjamin), and is buried in a roadside grave near Beit Lechem (Bethlehem). Reuven loses the birthright because he interferes with his father's marital life. Yaakov arrives in Chevron (Hebron), to his father Yitzchak (Isaac), who later dies at age 180 (Rivka [Rebecca] has passed away before Yaakov's arrival).
Our Parshah concludes with a detailed account of Esav's wives, children and grandchildren, and the family histories of the people of Se'ir among whom Esav settled.
(from www.Chabad.org)
