Angels are used to give god distance from the action. For many artists, it is a metaphor for the struggle to subdue ones talent so that it collaborates with ones ambitions. As the children of israel, the jewish community has carried on this legacy of wrestling with god and tradition in our attempts to create meaning in our lives. He seems to put him off, but no putoffs will do for jacob. The zohar 14 describes jacobs battle with the angel as symbolic of mans struggle with his darker side. Dec 04, 2009 robert alter on jacobs wrestling till dawn posted on december 4, 2009 by derek leman i get so much every week out of following the cycle of torah, reading commentators old and new, and seeing connections in ideas and events to the readings.
Feb 17, 2020 the story of jacobs struggle with an angel provides the source for the prohibition of eating the sciatic nerve of an animal. Jun 15, 2015 the passage that recurs in my life is that of jacob wrestling the angel. Charles spurgeon on jacob wrestling the angel a promised hope. But now its time to return home to the land of israel. Jacob, who wrestled with an angel and went on to start a nation. Jacob had reached the wadi jabbok on his return home after an absence. Jacobs struggle is our struggle jewish theological seminary. The text says this figure is a man, but most of the commentators assume it was some kind of angel or a holy vision. It becomes those whom god honours, to admire his grace towards them.
A commentary the jewish commentary for bible readers honor, dr. He therefore struck jacobs thigh, the place where the evil inclination. More specifically, as rabbi chama bar chanina said, it was the prince of esau breishit rabbah 77. The torah of esau and jacob, gaza and israel the shalom center. The covenant angel is there, and jacob wants a blessing from him. Jacob has stayed for many years at his uncle labans house, where he married his four wives, rachel, leah, bilhah and zilpah. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant. My favorite torah story when i work with people facing the uncertainty of a grave illness or death is the story of jacob wrestling with the angel. Who was the angel that jacob wrestled with at jabbok. Jacob wrestles with god genesis 32 commentary jacob went on his way, and the angels of god met him. Esau was born first with jacob holding onto his heel as if trying to stop his brother. Alshich adds the thoughts of the angel in his commentary. Since then, wrestling with god has been at the core of jewish identity.
But only one of our forefathers engaged in handtohand combat. He wrestles with an angel of god all night at the ford of the jabbok river. Jacob sent messengers ahead to meet his brother esau. Wrestling with god and jewish tradition jewish womens. Jacob struggled with god, but he struggled with the angel. The mysterious mans refusal to share his own name and his urgency to be set free before daybreak seem to indicate that he was more angel than human. Rabbi arthur waskow founded 1983 and directs the shalom center. Jacob wrestling with the angel is described in genesis the angel in question is referred to as. Jacob, fearing esau, sent him very rich presents, but at the same time made plans to escape from his brothers fury in case the latter should reject them. By asking jacob his name, his wrestling adversary challenges him to examine himself. Tell him that i have acquired herds and flocks and servants.
The most recent, coauthored with rabbi phyllis berman, is freedom journeys. Was this episode a spiritual struggle, with god attempting to wrestle the crookedness from our patriarchs character. The biblical figure of jacob is also called israel, the one who wrestled with god genesis 35. Wrestling with jacobs story and our own consciences. The torah is full of stories of bloodshed and warfare. Bible study online article jacob wrestles with an angel of the lord he wont give up until god answers his prayer because of jacob s efforts the angel yields and gives him the new name israel. The angel who wrestled with jacob was the second person in the sacred trinity, who was afterwards god manifest in the flesh, and who, dwelling in human nature, is called immanuel, ho 12. Many years after his marriages to rachel and leah, jacob received word from god that it was time to return home. I cant recommend it highly enough for anyone who wants to understand how each meforash operates pshat vs. The story of jacobs wrestling match with an unnamed adversary, alone at night, is surely one of the most enigmatic in the entire torah. As morning was approaching, the angel knew that he had to act fast, for soon the nightthe time when he has powerwould be gone, and he would be powerless. Jeffrey enoch feinberg is the author of walk genesis. The night before he meets his brother, jacob wrestles with the angel who changes his name to israel.
The story of jacob s struggle with an angel provides the source for the prohibition of eating the sciatic nerve of an animal. Only in the scene of jacob wrestling the stranger does god appear again. Midrash aggada is a literary, rather than legal, form of exegesis, freer and more characterized by a playful element p. He is the author of about twenty books on jewish thought and practice and on public policy. While thus employed, one in the likeness of a man wrestled with him.
The purpose of their visit is not explained, but jacob was encouraged by their presence, and probably needed to be so after his confrontation with laban. Angels in jewish tradition rabbi david wolpe beliefnet. Now jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until the rise of dawn. Jacob wrestling with the angel is an episode from genesis 32. Jewish publication societys most popular book is tanakh. I have argued in previous years of covenant and conversation that the episode in which the jewish people acquired its name when jacob wrestled with an unnamed adversary at night and received the name israel is essential to an understanding of what it is to be a jew. The twofold wrestlegods with jacob and jacob s with god and jacob said, 0 god of my father abraham, and god of my father isaac, the lord which saidst unto me, return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and i will deal well with thee. Robert alter on jacobs wrestling till dawn messianic. A book of her poetry, house plant meadow, will be published this year. Bible study online jacob wrestles with an angel hes. Jewish publication society has 48 books on goodreads with 6738 ratings. Jacob will let his thigh go, and all his limbs go, but will not let the angel go. The ancient rabbis believed the wrestler was an angel of god who was sent to frighten jacob, and because jacob was courageous, he was.
Why the angel asks jacob his name my jewish learning. Funeral based on forgiveness for a fractured family. Tell him that his servant jacob has been with laban until now. At last, the angel falls from ordinary wrestling to wounding him in the very seat of his strength. Jacob wrestles the angel international journal of transpersonal studies 107 strack and stemberger 1996 have written extensively on the history of this form of commentary and analysis. Isaacs introduces readers to the fascinating jewish world of angels, from earliest times to the. Oct 31, 2014 then the angel endeavors to escape from him, and he tugs and strives. The passage that recurs in my life is that of jacob wrestling the angel. Jacob wrestling with the angel is described in genesis 32. Jacob had helped his wives and children over the river, and he desired to be private, and was left alone, that he might again spread his cares and fears before god in prayer. In this class, other complicated issues involving the preparation of kosher meat are also discussed. Jacob wrestles with the angel jewish history chabad. Why didnt jacob just ignore these seemingly unimportant items. Professor geller also notes that the story of jacobs struggle is often.
Books by jewish publication society author of the jps torah. Immediately after this jacob was informed that his brother esau was coming to meet him, accompanied by 400 men. Charles spurgeon on jacob wrestling the angel a promised. A commentary the jewish commentary for bible readers. The publication and distribution of the jts commentary are made.
Other commentaries treat the expression of jacobs having seen god face to face as. The account includes the renaming of jacob as israel etymologized as contendswithgod. To best answer this question, it helps to know, among other things, that deepseated family hostilities characterized jacobs life. Jacob wrestles with god genesis 32 commentary the book. This commentary states that the man with whom jacob wrestled was an angel no doubt based on the passage found in hosea 12. The cunning jacob manages to wrest a blessing from the night stranger before he departs. Wrestling the angels and the demons within us jewish. The twofold wrestlegods with jacob and jacobs commentary. If you spread your teachings in this land, the angel warned him, i will personally make sure that all the jews here become hasidim. The story of jacob s wrestling match with an unnamed adversary, alone at night, is surely one of the most enigmatic in the entire torah. He called the place of the encounter peniel, because i.
At this, shmelke stopped, realizing that it would radically alter the nature of the movement, thus hasidism remained an eastern european jewish phenomenon. Jewish views of angels, demons, and evil spirits, rabbi ronald h. Jacob holds on until he can reach some understanding of the moment. He receives the name israel, for he strives with god. At the beginning of this weeks torah portion, jacob sends messengers ahead to his estranged brother esau, who has a large assembly of men coming toward jacob and his family.
Strikes just the perfect balance between academia and the yeshiva world in its approach. Ultimately, to fulfill the prophecy, and as a result of jacob s activities, god puts jacob through the ordeal of wrestling, eventually transforming the crafty jacob into the upright israel. Then a man came and wrestled with him until just before daybreak. Genesis 32 commentary matthew henrys complete commentary.
In the first, which is represented as transacted in unbroken silence, a man wrestles with jacob, and does not prevail. A great while before day, jacob being alone, more fully spread his fears before god in prayer. Bible study online jacob wrestles with an angel hes now. Wrestling with jacobs story and our own consciences torah. Appears in 285 books from 18032008 page 95 and i will establish my covenant with thee. Since it is too anthropomorphic that is, giving god human characteristics to have god wrestle with jacob, an angel serves the purpose gen.
530 1558 302 80 1602 1356 169 905 163 801 1235 306 391 989 145 1257 815 772 1281 647 1473 970 513 84 790 1511 624 523 683 483 1082 1175 37