Jacob’s Struggle
Wrestle with your fear and guilt!
The struggle will educate you,
Even if it leaves you with a limp.
Wrestle the angel of doubt!
Succeed in giving yourself a blessing,
Only you can do it right.
8. Bereishit - Vayishlach (And He Sent)
in which Jacob is afraid of Esau, prepares for the worst, forgets pride, prays and works for a good outcome, conquers a mysterious presence in the night and is blessed by it, even though left limping, and the meeting with Esau goes well, the brothers part in friendship owing to Jacob"s brilliant handling of the situation; Jacob goes to Shehem, where Dinah is raped, and Jacob"s sons visit a horrible retribution on the city of Shehem (mind you, they are the same brothers who later sell Joseph into slavery), the peace-loving Jacob is not happy with what his sons did, he and his tribe go to Bethel, rid themselves of idols, purify themselves and Jacob builds an altar to God where God showed himself to Jacob and responded to his prayers; Rebecca"s nurse Deborah dies; God shows himself to Jacob again, blesses him, gives his the name of Israel, and promises him the land, Rachel gives birth to Benjamin and dies in labor, Reuben sleeps with Bilba, his father"s handmaid, Jacob finds out about it and does nothing; Isaac dies at 180, then the wives and children of Esau are enumerated.