Jacob and the Angel

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Jacob's Struggle and Transformation

TANAKH

Jacob's struggle with the angel marks a pivotal transformation in his identity and has lasting implications for Jewish dietary laws. The Torah recounts Jacob's physical and spiritual struggle with a divine figure, resulting in his renaming to Israel and the tradition of not eating the thigh muscle on the hip socket.

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.”…

Genesis 32:25-33

Jacob's Transformative Struggle

COMMENTARY

Rashbam offers an extraordinary interpretation of Jacob’s wrestling match, providing unique insights into this pivotal biblical event. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, in his series 'Covenant and Conversation,' delves into Rashbam's interpretation of Jacob's struggle, highlighting its themes of struggle and transformation.

Rashi’s grandson Rashbam gives an extraordinary interpretation of Jacob’s wrestling match.

Covenant and Conversation; Genesis; The Book of the Beginnings, Vayishlach, Surviving Crisis 9

Transforming Evil into Good

MUSAR

The mystical encounter between Jacob and the angel reveals the transformation of evil into good and the elevation of the unworthy into the sacred. Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz’s 17th-century work, Shenei Luchot HaBerit, delves into the Kabbalistic dimensions of this biblical episode, connecting it to broader spiritual concepts.

There is another mystical dimension to the love between Esau and Jacob, or to love generally. Under certain conditions the feeling of love for something may transform evil into good and the קליפה, unworthy outer shell, may be transformed into something sacred. This is the very dimension which enables people to convert from paganism to Judaism. Our sages have connected this phenomenon with the גיד הנשה, when they explained Genesis 32, 27 where Samael says: "Let me depart, for dawn has come." Chulin 91a…

Shenei Luchot HaBerit, Torah Shebikhtav, Vayishlach, Torah Ohr 15

Jacob's Triumph Over the Angel

MIDRASH

Jacob's encounter with the angel demonstrates the superiority of the righteous over even the most powerful spiritual beings. Midrash Tanchuma explores the spiritual strength and righteousness of biblical figures through narratives and interpretations.

R. Isaac stated; Our master, Moses, stood beside the flames and dropped bundles of wool into them, thus causing the flames to sink into the earth, as is said: And the fire abated (ibid., v. 15). This also teaches us that the righteous are superior to the ministering angels. Furthermore, Jacob seized the mighty angel and vanquished him, as it is said: And there wrestled a man with him, etc. (Gen. 32:25). And when it was necessary, he sent two camps of angels as his emissaries to Esau, as is stated: And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau.

Midrash Tanchuma, Vayishlach 2:7

The Unnamed Angel

COMMENTARY

The angel's reluctance to reveal his name to Jacob offers profound insights into the nature of divine encounters and the limitations of human understanding. Chizkuni, a 13th-century Torah commentary, explores multiple interpretations of this enigmatic encounter between Jacob and the angel in Genesis 32.

למה זה תשאל לשמי, “why are you asking for my name?” The angel informs Yaakov that there is no point in knowing his name; he explains that when people that have not seen one another ever, upon meeting, will extend greetings with one another and bless each other wishing each other well, and ask one another for their names, they justify this in the event that they wished to communicate with each other in the future. If they do not know one another’s name and address, how could they communicate with each other? Knowing the angel’s name, just as in the case of Manoach in Judges 13,17…

Chizkuni, Genesis 32:30:1

The Legacy of Jacob's Injury

MIDRASH

Jacob's injury and the subsequent decision of his children to abstain from eating the sinew of the hip highlight a profound moment of self-reproach and healing. Louis Ginzberg's early 20th-century work, Legends of the Jews, provides a detailed narrative of Jacob's struggle and its aftermath, including the origin of the prohibition against eating the sinew of the hip.

Jacob was in dire need of healing lotions for the injury he had sustained in the encounter with the angel. The combat between them had been grim, the dust whirled up by the scuffle rose to the very throne of God. Though Jacob prevailed against his huge opponent, as big as one-third of the whole world, throwing him to the ground and keeping him pinned down, yet the angel had injured him by clutching at the sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow of the thigh, so that it was dislocated, and Jacob halted upon his thigh…

Legends of the Jews 1:6:198

The Prohibition of the Sciatic Nerve

MISHNAH

The prohibition of eating the sciatic nerve has legal and halachic implications that extend to both kosher and non-kosher animals. The Mishnah, the first codification of Jewish law from the early third-century land of Israel, discusses this prohibition and the differing opinions on when it took effect.

The prohibition of eating the sciatic nerve applies to a kosher animal and does not apply to a non-kosher animal. Rabbi Yehuda says: It applies even to a non-kosher animal. Rabbi Yehuda said in explanation: Wasn’t the sciatic nerve forbidden for the children of Jacob, as it is written: “Therefore the children of Israel eat not the sciatic nerve” (Genesis 32:33), yet the meat of a non-kosher animal was still permitted to them? Since the sciatic nerve of non-kosher animals became forbidden at that time, it remains forbidden now…

Mishnah Chullin 7:6

A Divine Confirmation

COMMENTARY

The transition of Jacob's name signifies a divine confirmation of his relationship with God and marks a pivotal transformation in his spiritual journey. Rabbeinu Bahya's commentary on Genesis delves into the profound implications of this renaming and its significance for the future of the Jewish people.

שמך יעקב, “your name Yaakov, etc.” According to Nachmanides, although Esau’s guardian angel had already told Yaakov that his name would henceforth be Israel, (32,29) G’d told him that as of this moment his name was still Yaakov. However, from that time on his name would be Israel. This is the meaning of the words: ויקרא שמו ישראל. Thus far Nachmanides’ comment. This then is the meaning of Isaiah 48,12 וישראל מקוראי, ”and Israel whom I have called.”

Rabbeinu Bahya, Bereshit 35:10:1

The Transformation to Israel

MIDRASH

The transformation from Jacob to Israel signifies a higher spiritual status and divine approval. Bereshit Rabbah, a medieval midrashic work on the book of Genesis, explores the theological implications of Jacob's struggle and victory over both divine and human adversaries, culminating in his new identity as Israel.

“He said to him: What is your name? He said: Jacob” (Genesis 32:28).
“He said: No more shall Jacob be said to be your name; rather, Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and you have prevailed” (Genesis 32:29).
“He said to him: ‘What is your name?’ He said: ‘Jacob.’ “He said: No more shall Jacob be said to be your name.” “Who confirms the word of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers” (Isaiah 44:26) – Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Since He “confirms the word of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers…

Bereshit Rabbah 78:3

Selfless Devotion and Divine Encounter

CHASIDUT

Serving God with pure, selfless devotion can lead to a profound, life-preserving relationship with God. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, an 18th-century Hasidic master, explores this idea through the story of Jacob's encounter with the angel at Peniel.

Genesis 32,30. “Yaakov named the site of this ‎encounter ‘Peniel’, for I have seen the Divine face to face and I ‎have remained alive.” There are people who serve the Lord ‎in order that He in turn will shower them with all His goodness. ‎There are other persons, on a higher level than the first category, ‎who serve the Lord because of their awareness that G’d, by reason ‎of His greatness, deserves to be served, and that it is a privilege to ‎be allowed to serve Him. They do not even think in terms of what ‎they may stand to gain by doing so…

Kedushat Levi, Genesis, Vayishlach 9

Jacob's Night Vigil

TALMUD

Jacob's decision to stay put all night underscores the principle that a Torah scholar should not travel alone at night. The Talmudic tractate Chullin discusses various laws related to non-sacred consumption of meat, including this principle derived from Jacob's actions.

Rav said that the source is from here: “And the sun rose for him as he passed over Peniel, and he limped upon his thigh” (Genesis 32:32). This indicates that Jacob remained where he was all night and left in the morning, because a Torah scholar should not go out alone at night.

Chullin 91b:4

The Origin of a Dietary Practice

GUIDES

The dietary practice of not eating the sinew of the vein on the hollow of the thigh originates from Jacob's struggle with an angel. Adin Steinsaltz, a renowned 20th-century Jewish scholar, explores the significance of this practice in the context of Jewish dietary laws.

Therefore the children of Yisra᾽el eat not of the sinew of the vein, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, to this day: because he touched the hollow of Ya῾aqov’s thigh in the sinew of the vein. (Genesis 32:33)

Introductions to the Babylonian Talmud, Chullin, Introduction to Perek VII 1

Jacob and the Angel, Johann Jacob Eybelwieser, late 17th–mid-18th century

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