Va-Yishlach / Genesis 34:4 ~ 36:43

Va-Yishlach: He Sent

In this week’s parshah (וַיִּשְׁלַח), Jacob reconciled with his brother, Esau. He also wrestled with G~d in the middle of the night. Dinah may have been abducted by Shechem and her brothers took revenge by killing all the residents of the city, forcing the family to flee. Along the way, Rachel gave birth to her second son, Benjamin, but died in childbirth.

Jacob was very apprehensive about reuniting with his brother, Esau. He sent out messengers to alert Esau that he was returning home. The messengers reported that Esau was coming to meet Jacob with a force of 400 men. This scared Jacob, fearing that his brother was out for revenge for his behavior many years earlier. Jacob divided his camp in two, thinking that if Esau was out to destroy him, only half of his family and camp would be harmed.

Jacob further gathered his flock of goats, sheep, cattle and camels and prepared to present them to Esau as a gift. While some of his messengers brought the animals to Easu, Jacob spent a night alone praying. During the night, he wrestled with an angel. As dawn was about to break, and Jacob appeared to be winning the fight, the angel touched Jacob’s thigh and strained it. The angel then asked Jacob to let him go, but Jacob replied that he needed a blessing first. The angel blessed Jacob, after telling him that he was being given the new name of Israel, because he had fight with god and prevailed. To this day, Jews do not eat the sinew of the vein that is in the leg of an animal because this is where the angel had touched Jacob’s thigh.

When Esau and Jacob finally met, Esau ran to Jacob and hugged and kissed him. Esau seemed genuinely glad to see his brother. He told Jacob that the gift of livestock was not necessary, but Jacob convinced him to take them anyway. Esau suggested that the two brothers and families travel together, but Jacob said he had young children who would slow down the travel and sent Esau on his way, promising to meet up with him later. Once again, however, Jacob deceived his brother and traveled in a different direction. This is the last we see of Esau.

Jacob settled in Shechem and purchased land outside the city gates. Dinah, the only daughter of Jacob who is named, began a friendship with the women of Shechem. She caught the eye of Shechem and may have forced himself on her. As was the custom at the time. a rapist was forced to marry his victim, although the text hints that this was actually a love match. Shechem’s father approached Jacob to arrange a marriage between Dinah and his son. Jacob appears to have been willing, but Dinah’s brothers were grieved and became very angry.

When Shechem promised to give Jacob and Dinah’s brothers whatever they asked for as a bride price because he so lived Dinah. Dinah’s brothers, however, had no intention of letting their sister marry Shechem, so said that Shechem could marry Dinah only if he, and all the men of his land, would agree to become circumcised. Perhaps the brothers thought that Shechem would refuse this price. Instead, Shechem eagerly agreed.

All the men of the town underwent circumcision. On the third day, when the men were in the most pain from the procedure, Simeon and Levi entered the city and killed all the men and brought their sister home. The brothers then looted the city, stealing the women, children, animals and wealth.

Jacob became frightened by what his sons had done. G~d told Jacob to move his family. During their travels, Rachel went into labor with her son, Benjamin. Her labor was difficult and she died in childbirth.

Jacob met with his father, Isaac in Hebron. Isaac died at the old age of 180 and was buried by his sons, Esau and Jacob.