Torah Portion In Real Time: Vayishlach

 THE CROOKED SHALL BE STRAIGHT

Twenty years have passed since Jacob deceived his brother Esau and had to flee from his wrath. For twenty years, he had stayed outside the Land. The time has come to go home. As Jacob prepares to meet Esau, he encounters God! A mysterious man (ish) wrestles with him through the night, and then the man who fought with Jacob blessed him, and in blessing him he changed his name to Israel—Jacob becomes Israel! Names in the ancient Jewish world carried a very important weight. A name spoke of a person’s character, his deeds and his identity. For a person to be given a new name, meant a change of their identity. So, what is the meaning of this name, Israel, and what is the meaning of this change?

“The man” said to Jacob: Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with beings divine and human, and have prevailed.” Therefore, it is widely believed that the word “Israel” comes from the Hebrew word שרית , which in biblical Hebrew means “to struggle”, “to exercise influence”, “to prevail”. There is an additional way to interpret this name, however, and this way may help us to comprehend the depth of the transformation at Penuel.

The name Israel might be read as Yashar- El(ישר-אל). Hebrew word Yashar (יָשָׁר) means straight, honest, honorable, law-abiding; in biblical usage, it also means a “righteous, God-fearing person”. The root עָקֹב ֙, on the other hand (the root of the name Yakov) might mean also “crooked”, like in this verse: the crooked (הֶֽעָקֹב֙ ) shall be made straight[1]. We then understand the meaning of this change: Jacob-Israel is the one whom God makes straight as opposed to “being crooked and uneven”.

THE LONG NIGHT OF EXILE

After this mysterious and unique encounter, we read: The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping on his hip.”[2]  Why does the Torah find it necessary to use this remark about the rising sun here?

From the text we know that the Penuel encounter happens during Jacob’s last night outside the Land. We might recall Jacob’s encounter with God during his last night in the Land – the famous “Jacob’s ladder” dream from our last Torah portion. It says: “And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set.[3] Do you see the beauty of this narrative? The sun setting at the beginning of Jacob’s journey and rising at its end, seems to bracket his whole journey.

The message of the Torah is very clear: the sun had set when Jacob was leaving the Land – and the next time the sun is mentioned it rises upon him at Penuel, when he was about to re-enter the Land. His whole twenty years of exile are between this sunset and sunrise—and therefore his whole journey is to be understood as one long night of exile.

We must remember that the first audience of the book of Genesis was the generation of the Exodus. Undoubtedly, this “night of exile” message would have spoken powerfully and loudly to their hearts. Jacob went through the long night of exile – but now the sun rose upon him because he was coming back to the Land: on the way back he had the encounter at Penuel and had to go through a deep transformation in order to become Israel, the person he was destined and chosen to become. The same was true about his descendants: Like Jacob, they too went through a long exile – and like Jacob, they were coming back to the Land; moreover, they also had the encounter at Mount Sinai and they were also going through deep transformation in order to become Israel – the people they were destined and chosen to become. From the story of Jacob, they knew that the night was over – and  that the sun was rising upon them!

 

APPEASING OR ATONING?

We then see Jacob re-entering the Land and preparing to meet his brother Esau, whose blessing he stole and who wanted to kill Jacob years before. As we read about the gifts Jacob sends to Esau hoping to pacify him: I will appease him with the present …[4] we find the verb: אֲכַפְּרָ֣ה. The root of this verb is kafar (כפר), which is the same root used in Yom Kippur. Why would we find it here – in the story of Jacob?

The great majority of usages of this root in Torah concern “making atonement”, which is why it eventually becomes Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Precisely because of that, its occurrences in the book of Genesis, where sacrificial atonement is not yet established, present a particular interest: there is no word “atonement” in the story of Jacob, so what is this root doing here?

The root kafar (כפר) means to physically cover something up. In the story of Jacob preparing for his meeting with Esau, the Scripture uses this word to ensure we understand that it was not just a gift – it was an act of “covering up” his sin, so in this sense it was an atonement. The reconciliation with Esau was not simply a family affair, as it probably seemed to the brothers – it was an event of global significance.

Right before this meeting, God met Jacob in the most important encounter of his life – one that defined his name and the name of the whole people. This means that their reconciliation – Jacob’s humbling himself and repenting before his brother – was vitally important in God’s eyes. That’s why repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation are crucial parts of Yom Kippur – and that’s why in Hebrew, we find root kafar here (sadly, completely lost in translation)!

 

The insights you read on these pages, are typical of what we share with our students during DHB (Discovering the Hebrew Bible) or WTP (Weekly Torah Portion)  classes. If these articles whet your appetite for discovering the hidden treasures of the Hebrew Bible, or studying  in depth Parashat Shavua, along with New Testament insights, click on this link  to get more information (and also a teacher’s discount for new students) regarding  eTeacher courses[5] :

https://lp.israelbiblicalstudies.com/lp_iibs_biblical_hebrew_autor_teacher-en.html?AffiliateWizID=3918&SubAffiliateID=&utm_campaign=Affiliate-3918&utm_medium=banner

If you like the  articles on this blog, you might enjoy also my books,  you  can get  them  from  my page:   https://blog.israelbiblicalstudies.com/julia-blum/  . Also, I wanted to let you know that I am preparing the book with all these Hebrew insights into Torah, the book will be published and available in January -2019.

 And finally, to all my precious American readers: I WANT TO WISH YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING DAY! MAY YOUR HEARTS BE FILLED WITH THANKS AND YOUR HOME BE FILLED WITH JOY! I AM VERY THANKFUL FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE  OF YOU! 

[1] Is 40:4

[2] Gen.32:32

[3] Gen. 28:11

[4] Gen.32:21

[5] At this point, we offer WTP course only in English, while DHB course exists both in Spanish and Portuguese.

About the author

Julia BlumJulia is a teacher and an author of several books on biblical topics. She teaches two biblical courses at the Israel Institute of Biblical Studies, “Discovering the Hebrew Bible” and “Jewish Background of the New Testament”, and writes Hebrew insights for these courses.

You might also be interested in:

Israel, Isaac, And The Lamb

By Julia Blum

Where To Study Biblical Hebrew –...

By Julia Blum

Join the conversation (12 comments)

Leave a Reply

  1. Sandra Lee

    Shalom Julia I have not heard from you for a long time Glad to hear from.
    You explain things so well. Thanks and shalom

    1. Julia Blum

      Shalom Sandra, I don’t know why you hadn’t received my posts, I’ve been publishing a new post every week, you can read all these articles (and comments on Torah Portion ) on the blog – but in any case, I am also glad to hear from you. Welcome back!

  2. Michele Thompson

    Absolutely awesome insights and following comments! God is surely speaking to those who seek him. Shalom and God Bless to all who participate in the study of His Word. How rich this treasure He has given for us to find. \0/

    1. Julia Blum

      Thank you for your generous words, Michele! So glad you like the posts and the comments! Hope you will keep following the blog!

  3. Elizabeth I. Seibel-Ross

    I love Hebrew, and I love the insights that you share with us here about the truth and beauty it reveals within these Biblical texts!! The transformation of the character of the young man (יקב) who knew what was valuable but went along with a deception to get it into the man who valued what he knew and was willing to struggle with man or God to keep it – a struggle that left him limping, but enabled him to be become a person able to repent (אכפרה), reconcile, with his brother and enjoy the rest of forgiveness (ישר)

    Part of my thanks on Thanksgiving is knowing you are here! I pray for His Blessings to surround you and yours, now and always. Toda rabah, and love, Lisa

    1. Julia Blum

      Thank you so much Lisa! I am really blessed and touched by your words!!!

  4. Nick Bewes

    Thank you, Julia. Always enjoy your posts! I’m just a bit confused about the ‘shin’ in Yashar, compared with the ‘sin’ in Israel.

    1. Julia Blum

      And I always enjoy your kind words Nick! Regarding your question: the history of the shin/sin letters is very complicated, there have been different mergers between the letters, so today’s “Yisra-el” may at first have been “Yashar-el” .

  5. Lucile Dossou-Yovo

    I love reading your posts for it is always enlightening to me. But I am always puzzled when everybody says that Jacob deceived his brother Esau. How? Esau came back from hunting and asked Jacob for food. Jacob gave his condition to which Esau has agreed. Where is the deception? Both Esau and Jacob should have known the importance of the first born inheritance right. But on the other hand Jacob with the help of his mother deceived his father Isaac and gained access to what Esau has forfeited in his favor in their early bargain. Even when Esau started accusing Jacob, he was not truthful since he knew the terms of the bargain. It seems to me that Esau also was entering into the bargain with the intention of deceiving his brother once he has satisfied his hunger. I would like to have your opinion on my anlysis. Thank you God bless you. Lucile

    1. Janie Curtis

      In Gen 25:22 the two fetus were struggling in Rebekah’s womb. When she inquired of the Lord and in v23 the Lord said the elder would serve the younger. Esau fought his brother and beat him in the womb but as they were being birthed Jacob took hold on Esau’s heal so a part of Jacob was birthed at the same time in v26.
      When Esaú sold his birthright to Jacob starts in v31- 34. In v 34 it says Esaú despised his birthright. He sold it for a momentary fleshly gratification. Hebrew 12:16-17 …..when he (Esaú) would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. And there’s more, but only one more remark: Gen 27:41. …..the days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob. In this same verse a few words before it reads: Esaú said in his heart. In V42 says these words of Esaú were told to Rebekah. Who but God hears the words in one’s heart? No human Can unless God tells them to someone else. In this story the only one we see talking to God is Rebekah and I believe God was guiding Rebekah in everything she helped her son Jacob do. I also believe Isaac knew about the birthright being Jacob’s. There is more evidence to which I speak. I would like to hear your comments. I do enjoy reading your blogs. Thank and may our Lord JESUS CHRIST continue blessing you.
      In Christ’s Love, Janie Curtis

      1. Julia Blum

        Thank you for your comment, Janie. There are several points that I agree with you completely, for instance, regarding Rebecca: I also think that the only one we see talking to God in this story is Rebecca! (I published the whole series about Rebecca on this blog, 5 or 6 posts, maybe you will be interested to read them?). I am not so sure that Isaac knew about “birthright transaction”, though; at least, the text doesn’t say anything about it. Am I missing something here? You write that “there is more evidence”, I would absolutely love to hear this evidence and to hear your thoughts. Thanks and blessings!

    2. Julia Blum

      Thank you for your kind words, Lucile, and thank you for your comment. I don’t think that when people say that Jacob deceived Esau, they mean this story from Genesis 25, the story of buying/selling the birthright. Ar least, I don’t see any deception here. I do think Jacob took an advantage of his brother: he believed himself to be more suited for the great task than his brother, he tried to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise and therefore would not let Esau to stand in his way. However, I would not call it deception – and in this, I agree with you completely.