A New Dawn

(25) Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. (26) When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he wrenched Jacob’s hip at its socket, so that the socket of his hip was strained as he wrestled with him. (27) Then he said, “Let me go, for dawn is breaking.” But he answered, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.”

The fact that the struggle lasted until daybreak was an allusion to Yaakov that after a period of night, i.e. problems, adversity, there would come a period of light, peace and prosperity coupled with security..

(2) It is from the roots of this commandment [that it is to serve as] a hint to Israel that though they will suffer many troubles in the exile by the hand of the nations and by the hand of the [descendants] of Esav (i.e. the Christians), [the Jews] should trust that they will not perish, but rather that their descendants and name will stand firm forever, and that their redeemer will come and redeem them from their oppressor. And in continually remembering this idea through the commandment that serves as a reminder, they will stand firm in their faith and righteousness forever. And this hint [stems from the fact that] that angel who fought with Yaakov our forefather - who according to tradition (Bereshit Rabbah 78) was the guardian angel of Esav - wished to eliminate Yaakov from the world, he and his descendants; but he could not [get the better] of him, (Genesis 32:26) but anguished him in injuring his thigh. Likewise, Esav's seed anguishes the seed of Yaakov; but in the end, [the latter] will be saved from them. As we find (Genesis 32:32) with respect to [our] forefather that the sun shone to heal him and he was saved from pain, so will the sun of the messiah shine and he will heal us from our pain and redeem us speedily in our days, amen!

(1) For the leader; on ayyeleth ha-shaḥar. A psalm of David. (2) My God, my God, why have You abandoned me; why so far from delivering me and from my anguished roaring? (3) My God, I cry by day—You answer not; by night, and have no respite. (4) But You are the Holy One, enthroned, the Praise of Israel. (5) In You our fathers trusted; they trusted, and You rescued them. (6) To You they cried out and they escaped; in You they trusted and were not disappointed. (7) But I am a worm, less than human; scorned by men, despised by people. (8) All who see me mock me; they curl their lips, they shake their heads. (9) “Let him commit himself to the LORD; let Him rescue him, let Him save him, for He is pleased with him.” (10) You drew me from the womb, made me secure at my mother’s breast. (11) I became Your charge at birth; from my mother’s womb You have been my God. (12) Do not be far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. (13) Many bulls surround me, mighty ones of Bashan encircle me. (14) They open their mouths at me like tearing, roaring lions. (15) My life ebbs away: all my bones are disjointed; my heart is like wax, melting within me; (16) my vigor dries up like a shard; my tongue cleaves to my palate; You commit me to the dust of death. (17) Dogs surround me; a pack of evil ones closes in on me, like lions [they maul] my hands and feet. (18) I take the count of all my bones while they look on and gloat. (19) They divide my clothes among themselves, casting lots for my garments. (20) But You, O LORD, be not far off; my strength, hasten to my aid. (21) Save my life from the sword, my precious life from the clutches of a dog. (22) Deliver me from a lion’s mouth; from the horns of wild oxen rescue me. (23) Then will I proclaim Your fame to my brethren, praise You in the congregation. (24) You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you offspring of Jacob, honor Him! Be in dread of Him, all you offspring of Israel! (25) For He did not scorn, He did not spurn the plea of the lowly; He did not hide His face from him; when he cried out to Him, He listened. (26) Because of You I offer praise in the great congregation; I pay my vows in the presence of His worshipers. (27) Let the lowly eat and be satisfied; let all who seek the LORD praise Him. Always be of good cheer! (28) Let all the ends of the earth pay heed and turn to the LORD, and the peoples of all nations prostrate themselves before You; (29) for kingship is the LORD’s and He rules the nations. (30) All those in full vigor shall eat and prostrate themselves; all those at death’s door, whose spirits flag, shall bend the knee before Him. (31) Offspring shall serve Him; the Lord’s fame shall be proclaimed to the generation (32) to come; they shall tell of His beneficence to people yet to be born, for He has acted.