וַיִּוָּתֵ֥ר יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֵּאָבֵ֥ק אִישׁ֙ עִמּ֔וֹ עַ֖ד עֲל֥וֹת הַשָּֽׁחַר׃ וַיַּ֗רְא כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָכֹל֙ ל֔וֹ וַיִּגַּ֖ע בְּכַף־יְרֵכ֑וֹ וַתֵּ֙קַע֙ כַּף־יֶ֣רֶךְ יַעֲקֹ֔ב בְּהֵאָֽבְק֖וֹ עִמּֽוֹ׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שַׁלְּחֵ֔נִי כִּ֥י עָלָ֖ה הַשָּׁ֑חַר וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֲשַֽׁלֵּחֲךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־בֵּרַכְתָּֽנִי׃ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו מַה־שְּׁמֶ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר יַעֲקֹֽב׃ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֤א יַעֲקֹב֙ יֵאָמֵ֥ר עוֹד֙ שִׁמְךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־שָׂרִ֧יתָ עִם־אֱלֹהִ֛ים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַתּוּכָֽל׃ וַיִּשְׁאַ֣ל יַעֲקֹ֗ב וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה תִּשְׁאַ֣ל לִשְׁמִ֑י וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ אֹת֖וֹ שָֽׁם׃ וַיִּקְרָ֧א יַעֲקֹ֛ב שֵׁ֥ם הַמָּק֖וֹם פְּנִיאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־רָאִ֤יתִי אֱלֹהִים֙ פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים וַתִּנָּצֵ֖ל נַפְשִֽׁי׃ וַיִּֽזְרַֽח־ל֣וֹ הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָבַ֖ר אֶת־פְּנוּאֵ֑ל וְה֥וּא צֹלֵ֖עַ עַל־יְרֵכֽוֹ׃ עַל־כֵּ֡ן לֹֽא־יֹאכְל֨וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־גִּ֣יד הַנָּשֶׁ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־כַּ֣ף הַיָּרֵ֔ךְ עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֤י נָגַע֙ בְּכַף־יֶ֣רֶךְ יַעֲקֹ֔ב בְּגִ֖יד הַנָּשֶֽׁה׃
Jacob was left alone. And a figure wrestled with him until the break of dawn. 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. Then he said, “Let me go, for dawn is breaking.” But he answered, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” Said the other, “What is your name?” He replied, “Jacob.” Said he, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with beings divine and human, and have prevailed.” Jacob asked, “Pray tell me your name.” But he said, “You must not ask my name!” And he took leave of him there. So Jacob named the place Peniel, meaning, “I have seen a divine being face to face, yet my life has been preserved.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping on his hip. That is why the children of Israel to this day do not eat the thigh muscle that is on the socket of the hip, since Jacob’s hip socket was wrenched at the thigh muscle.
ויותר יעקב לבדו, after he had transferred all his belongings to the other side of the river, so that the only one still to be brought across was he himself. The reason that he wanted to cross only after everyone else had already crossed was that he intended to flee in a different direction so as to avoid a face to face encounter with Esau.
(ב) רַבִּי חוּנְיָא אָמַר נִדְמָה לוֹ בִּדְמוּת רוֹעֶה, לָזֶה צֹאן וְלָזֶה צֹאן, לָזֶה גְּמַלִּים וְלָזֶה גְּמַלִּים, אָמַר לוֹ הַעֲבֵר אֶת שֶׁלְּךָ וְאַחַר כָּךְ אֲנִי מַעֲבִיר אֶת שֶׁלִּי. הֶעֱבִיר יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ שֶׁלּוֹ אָמַר נַחֲזֹר וְנֶחְמֵי דִּלְּמָא אַנְשִׁינַן כְּלוּם, מִן דְּחָזַר (בראשית לב, כה):
He said, "Let us return [to Laban] and let us see, lest we forgot something." After he returned, "a man wrestled with him" (Genesis 32:25)."
(2) ויאבק איש AND A MAN WRESTLED — Menachem (ben Seruk) explains: “a man covered himself with dust”, taking the verb as connected in sense with אבק “dust”. It would mean that they were raising the dust with their feet through their movements. I, however, am of opinion that is means “he fastened himself on”, and that it is an Aramaic word, as (Sanhedrin 63b) “after they have joined (אביקו) it", and (Menachot 42a) “and he twined (the “Fringes”) with loops”. It denotes “intertwining”, for such is the manner of two people who make strong efforts to throw each other — one clasps the other and twines himself round him with his arms. Our Rabbis of blessed memory explained that he was Esau’s guardian angel (Genesis Rabbah 77:3).
(2) ויאבק, an angel engaged him in a physical fight, his purpose being to prevent Jacob from fleeing. Only in this way could God’s promise to Jacob that Esau would not harm him be fulfilled.
ויאבק איש עמו, he wrestled with him so intensely that a cloud of dust enveloped them while they were struggling.
The gematria equals "Esau Edom"
R. Hiya, the author of the explanation, holds that the words of Abraham, "My Lord, if now I have found grace in thy sight, do not, I pray thee, pass from thy servant," were spoken by him in a prophetic vision to one of the men; for he says that Abraham addressed these words to the chief of these men. Note this well, for it is one of the great mysteries [of the Law]. The same, I hold, is the case when it is said in reference to Jacob, "And a man wrestled with him" (Gen. 32:25); this took place in a prophetic vision, since it is expressly stated in the end (ver. 31) that it was an angel.
Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.”
ר"ל מכירה גמורה תמכרנה לי היום והבכורה להדרו ולכבדו ולקום מפניו לפי שהיה בכור והוא לא היה ראוי לכך והיה קשה בעיניו לכבד אדם כמוהו אלא שלא יכול להמנע מזה מפני מנהג העולם. ואמרו כי כן היה מנהג להיות לו מעלה ויתרון בירושת אביו, כענין שצותה התורה על פי שנים וכל זה מכר לו. ואעפ"כ נענש בזה לפי שעשה בזה כנגד מנהג העולם, וכבדו כבוד גדול אחר כן מפחד אלהים:
ויאמר יעקב מכרה כיום,...Yaakov felt that Esau was spiritually not equipped to perform such duties, hence he wanted to relieve him of them. Yaakov could not acquire the spiritual aspects of the birthright merely by pointing out to Esau that it was a burden for him anyway, as the position of the firstborn was something firmly entrenched in the culture of his time. Seeing that the world at that time was concerned with material wealth primarily, Yaakov had to compensate Esau according to the terms other people would understand as being appropriate. Ed.] In spite of Yaakov compensating his brother Esau in “real” terms for something to which his claim was thus far only potential, he was punished for initiating such a sale because he had upset the norms of civilised society by doing so.
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֛וֹ יִצְחָ֥ק אָבִ֖יו מִי־אָ֑תָּה וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֲנִ֛י בִּנְךָ֥ בְכֹֽרְךָ֖ עֵשָֽׂו׃
His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” And he said, “I am your son, Esau, your first-born!”
Now, my son, listen to me. Flee at once to Haran, to my brother Laban. Stay with him a while, until your brother’s fury subsides— until your brother’s anger against you subsides—and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will fetch you from there. Let me not lose you both in one day!” Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am disgusted with my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries a Hittite woman like these, from among the native women, what good will life be to me?”
Jacob kept Laban the Aramean in the dark, not telling him that he was fleeing, and fled with all that he had. Soon he was across the Euphrates and heading toward the hill country of Gilead. On the third day, Laban was told that Jacob had fled.
ויגע בכף ירכו, “he ‘touched’ his thigh-joint.” He intended thereby to cause Yaakov to fall to the ground, in the manner of two people wrestling, when each one attempts to first force his opponent to the ground. Some commentators claim that the angel tried to inflict a disabling blow on Yaakov, one that would disqualify him from performing service on the altar, as a penalty for his having taken the birth right from Esau, i.e. Esau’s privilege to perform such service for G’d. on the altar. Prior to the building of the Tabernacle all such service was performed by the firstborn of each Jewish household.
(א) וירא כי לא יכל לו ...המאורע כלו רמז לדורותיו שיהיה דור בזרעו של יעקב יתגבר עשו עליהם עד שיהיה קרוב לקעקע ביצתן... ויש דורות אחרים שעשו עמנו כזה ויותר רע מזה והכל סבלנו ועבר עלינו כמו שרמז ויבא יעקב שלם
...This event is entirely a hint for the coming generations, there will be a time in history of Jacob’s descendants that Esav will try to overcome them and Esav will almost exterminate them...This is a symbolic message for the Jewish people that no matter what horrible oppression comes their way, they will always survive intact, just as Jacob survived the fight with Esav's angel.
When he perceived that he could not overcome them.
...The idea of this Midrash is that this incident was all an allusion to [Jacob’s] future generations, hinting that there would be a generation of Jacob’s descendants which Esau would overpower to the point that he would come close to exterminating him. (Jacob’s injured thogh, which represents a man’s reproductive capacity, signified that the continuity of his line of descent would be threatened one day). This took place during a certain generation during the times of the of the Sages of the Mishnah, such as the generation of Rabbi Yehudah ben Bava and his colleagues, as [the Sages] said: Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba said: If a person would tell me, “Give up your life as a martyr for the sanctity of the Name of the Holy One, Blessed be He,” I would give up my life, provided that he would kill me immediately. However, what transpired during the generation of forced apostasy I would not be able to bear.” And what was it that they did during the generation of forced apostasy? They would bring balls of metal, make them white hot in a fire, and place them under the armpits of their victims [who were caught keeping the Torah], and slowly draw their life from them. (Shir HaShirim Rabbah on 2:7). And there are other generations during which they have done such things to you, and even worse things than this; but we have borne it all, and everything has passed by us, as the Torah alludes to us in the word, And Jacob arrived intact at the city of Shechem.
וירא כי לא יכול לו, “when the man realized that he could not overpower him, etc.,” actually, he could have overpowered Yaakov, seeing that he was an angel disguised as a human being, איש; however he had not received permission to do this. All he had been allowed to do was to dislocate Yaakov’s hip joint. This injury too was intended to serve as a warning to the Jewish people in the future that there would arise a descendant of Esau, the Roman Empire, who would threaten to totally annihilate the people.
(א) לא יעקב לֹא יֵאָמֵר עוֹד שֶׁהַבְּרָכוֹת בָּאוּ לְךָ בְּעָקְבָה וּרְמִיָּה כִּי אִם בִשְׂרָרָה וְגִלּוּי פָּנִים...
(1) לא יעקב- It shall no longer be said that the blessings came to you through deceit and trickery, but through noble conduct and in an open manner...
האמונה והבטחון לרמב"ן פרק טו
שאמר הכתוב לא יעקב יאמר עוד שמך וגו'...כלומר לא יאמרו עוד שקבלת הברכות במרמה אלא בשררה ודין. וכן לא יאמרו שרמית את לבן כי אם באמת ובתמים עשית מה שעשית. אלו הם הענינים שבשבילם נתנה מדת האמת ליעקב.
Faith and Trust by Ramban, Ch. 15
(On Yaakov's trait of truthfulness)
As the verse says, "Your name shall no longer be said, 'Yaakov'"... that is to say, they will no longer say that you received the blessings by trickery, but rather, by nobility and lawfully. And similarly, they won't say that you tricked Laban, but rather did what you did with truth and purity. These are the issues for which the trait of truthfulness was given to Yaakov.
Concede to me the blessings with which my father blessed me... You might ask: Perhaps Yaakov requested that he actually bless him? The answer is: The angel replied, “No longer will your name be spoken of as Yaakov.” How did this answer [Yaakov’s request]? Perforce, the angel’s answer means as Rashi explains: “It will no longer be said that the blessings came to you through deceit and trickery.” This implies that Yaakov had requested for a concession to the blessings, and the angel replied accordingly. (Re’m)
He strove with an angel and prevailed—
The other had to weep and implore him.
At Bethel [Jacob] would meet him,
There to commune with him.
A boor (bur) is one who does not have wisdom nor [proper] traits. And an ignorant person (literally, a man of the land - am haarets) is one who does not have intellectual virtues but he would have some character virtues. And [the meaning of] a person prone to being ashamed is known. And an impatient person is one who is impatient about everything and gets angry. And the matter of striving is to accustom your soul and lead it to acquire the virtues. And since there are no wise men [there] to teach you, you should teach yourself. And the [Aramaic] translation of (Genesis 32:25), "and a man struggled with him" is "and a man strived with him" (Onkelos Genesis 32:25). And they said that the Torah is not found with men of pride and arrogance and not with those that go to far lands. And they supported this by way of a flourish with a verse and said (Eruvin 55a), "'It is not in the heavens, that you should say, etc. Neither is it beyond the sea, etc.' (Deuteronomy 30:12-13)." They said, "It is not with the arrogant (who elevate themselves like the sky) and it is not with those that go across the sea."
ויקרא שמו יעקב—הַקָּבָּ”ה
AND HE CALLED HIS NAME JACOB — The Holy One, blessed be He [thus named him].
(א) קְדֹשִים תִּהְיוּ כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אֲנִי. אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, עַד שֶׁלֹּא בָּרָאתִי עוֹלָמִי, הָיוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מְקַלְּסִין אוֹתִי בָּכֶם וּמְקַדְּשִׁין אֶת שְׁמִי בָּכֶם, וְהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים: בָּרוּךְ ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם.
כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּבְרָא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, אָמְרוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, זֶהוּ שֶׁאָנוּ מְקַלְּסִין אוֹתְךָ בִּשְׁמוֹ. אָמַר לָהֶם: לֹא גָּנַב הוּא זֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַתֹּאכַל מִן הָעֵץ (בראשית ג, יז). בָּא נֹחַ, אָמְרוּ לוֹ: זֶה הוּא. אָמַר לָהֶם: זֶה שִׁכּוֹר הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֵּשְׁתְּ מִן הַיַּיִן וְגוֹ' (שם ט, כא). עָמַד אַבְרָהָם, אָמְרוּ לְפָנָיו, זֶה הוּא. אָמַר לָהֶן, זֶה גֵּר הוּא שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנּוּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל. עָמַד יִצְחָק, אָמְרוּ לְפָנָיו, זֶה הוּא. אָמַר לָהֶן, אוֹהֵב הוּא לְשׂוֹנְאַי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֶּאֱהַב יִצְחָק אֶת עֵשָׂו (שם כה, כח). כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּא יַעֲקֹב, אָמְרוּ לְפָנָיו, זֶה הוּא. אָמַר לָהֶן, הֵן. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר, לֹא יִקָּרֵא שִׁמְךָ עוֹד יַעֲקֹב, כִּי אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל יִהְיֶה שְׁמֶךָ (שם לה, י), וְנִקְרְאוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל שְׁמוֹ.
בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה קִדֵּשׁ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לִשְׁמוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר (ישעיה מט, ג). אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הוֹאִיל וְנִקְדַּשְׁתֶּם לִשְׁמִי עַד שֶׁלֹּא בָּרָאתִי הָעוֹלָם, הֱיוּ קְדוֹשִׁים כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֲנִי קָדוֹשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אֲנִי. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: קְדֹשִׁים תִּהְיוּ...
"You shall be holy because I am holy," said G-d to Israel. "Before I created my world, the ministering angels were praising me about you and sanctifying my name with you, and were saying, 'Eternally blessed is G-d, the G-d of Israel.'"
Since Adam was created, the ministering angels said before G-d, 'Master of the world, is this the creation with whose name we praised you?' I said to them, 'No, he is a thief, as it says (Gen. 3), 'And he ate from the tree.'' When Noah came, [the angels] said, "This is he"; He said to them, 'This is a drunkard, as it says (Gen. 9), 'And he drank of the wine.'" When Avraham stood, they said before [G-d], "This is he"; He said to them, "The nation of Ishmael came out of him." When Yitzchak stood, they said before [G-d], "This is he"; He said to them, "He loves those who hate me, as it says (Gen. 25), 'And Yitzchak loved Esav.'"
Once Yaakov came, they said before [G-d], "This is he"; He answered, "Yes," and so he said (Gen. 35), "You name shall no longer be called Yaakov, but Israel will be your name." And all of Israel was called by his name.
At that moment, G-d sanctified/betrothed Israel for himself/his name, as it says (Is. 49), "Israel, through whom I will be glorified,"—G-d said to Israel, "Since you were sanctified for my name (betrothed to me) before I created the world, you were holy like I am holy, as it says (Lev. 19) "Because I am holy," therefore it said, "You shall be holy."...
שפת אמת בראשית פרשת וישלח
לא יעקב יאמר עוד שמך כו' כי שרית כו'. וב' שמות אלו זכו בהם בני ישראל. והם בחי' הגוף והנשמה. כי צריך כל אדם לתקן הגוף עד שיחול עליו כח נשמתו ואז נק' ישראל. וענין מלחמת יעקב עם המלאך כי נשמת אדם גדלה מעלתה מהמלאך כידוע. רק שזה בבחי' הנשמה בלבד. אבל גוף המלאך גדלה מעלתו על גוף האדם. כי גוף האדם בעולם העשי'. אך יעקב אע"ה תיקן גופו עד שזכה להיות מרכבה להשי"ת. נמצא גם גופו כמו נשמה. ולכן גם בחומר גופו הי' יכול להלחם עם המלאך. וז"ש לא יקרא שמך עוד יעקב. פי' שגם הגוף שמכונה בשם יעקב. איננו אצלו בבחי' גוף ונהפך לרוחניות כמו הנשמה. וז"ש ויבוא יעקב שלם שזה ההשתוות הגוף להנשמה נקרא שלום. כי בכל איש ישראל יש מחלוקת זה בין הגוף והנשמה. וכפי תיקון הגוף כך השלימות שבו.:
English
S'fat Emet- Genesis- Torah Portion "Vayishlach"
"Your name shall no longer be said, 'Yaakov'... because you have striven..."
And the children of Israel merited both these names, and they are the aspects of body and soul. Because every person must perfect his body until the power of his soul comes to fruition, and then he is called Israel. And the topic of Yaakov's fight with the angel is that the soul of man is known to achieve greater levels than an angel. But this is only in the aspect of the soul. But in the body of the angel is of greater level than the body of man, because the body of man is in the world of action. However, Yaakov our father, peace be upon him, perfected his body to the point the he merited being a vehicle for G-d, and so we find that his body was like a soul. And therefore even the physicality of his body could do battle with an angel. And so it is written, "Your name shall no longer be said, 'Yaakov'." The explanation is that even his body was called by the name "Yaakov," because he had no physical aspect, and it had turned to spirituality, like the soul. And that is why it's written, "And Yaakov came whole (shalem)," because that equation of the body to the soul is called "peace" (shalom). Because in every man in Israel there is a fight between the body and the soul, and when the body is perfected [to become like the soul], that is its completion (shleimut).
פרקי משה על אבות פרק א
ואמר שכל איש אשר בשם ישראל יכונה לא יהיה נמנע ממנו השגת הע"ה וז"א כל ישראל יש להם חלק לעולם הבא, כי ישראל הוא שם מורה על שלמות ויושר שכל האיש הישראלי כמו שנתבאר בקריאת השם הזה ליעקב באומרו כי אם ישראל יהיה שמך, וביאר הסבה באומרו כי שרית עם אלקים ועם אנשים וכו'...
Pirkei Moshe-Commentary of Ethics of the Fathers Ch. 1
It says that every man bearing the name Israel will not be prevented from achieving the world to come, as it says, "Everyone in Israel has a portion in the world to come," because Israel is a name that conveys the completeness and integrity of every Israelite, as is explained when Yaakov is called by this name, when it says, "Rather, Israel will be your name," and it explains the reason when it says, "You have striven with G-d and with man..." ...