subject: Leaving His Stories Behind [print this page] Leaving His Stories Behind Leaving His Stories Behind
The Torah does not identify the man who wrestled with Jacob. It's probably not that important. "No longer will it be said that your name is Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with the Divine and with man and have overcome." (32:29) Jacob is not officially also Israel until later in the portion when God says, "Your name is Jacob. Your name shall not always be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name." (35:10)
We like to believe that the man Jacob wrestled was the Angel of Eisav. (Rashi) The wronged brother's proxy acknowledged Jacob without the tense idioglassia of the trickster. But why would the man declare a new name for Jacob, rather than saying, "You were right!" I'm sure it was a good feeling to have Eisav acknowledge Jacob as straightforward, but who knew? This was a private conversation.
Jacob had insisted that his adversary bless him before being released. Why would the adversary change his name before blessing him? All he had to do was bless Jacob.
Unless the name change was a blessing:
The adversary was blessing Jacob with the ability to transform his reputation and all he had done from being "Jacob the Trickster" into "Israel the Striver." He was telling Jacob that the time had come when he could successfully leave all his stories behind and rewrite himself as Israel. Jacob could act now and change the way people perceived his purchase of the birthright and his "stealing" the blessing.
In the final moments of his life with Laban, Jacob directly confronted his father-in-law. (See "Learning How To Stand Up To A Bully") If he could deal with Laban, Jacob could deal with Eisav. He began by preparing gifts, prayer and for war. His adversary blessed Jacob that he need not prepare so extensively, and stand up as Israel and meet his brother.
The blessing was realized.
I often hear people speak of the terrible stories of their past. They describe horrible experiences and terrible mistakes. They can't let go of their stories. They can't shed them. They can't redefine themselves. Perhaps they need to wrestle an angel.
