Wishing everyone a Shabbat Shalom!
Here is a little thought to enter into Shabbat a little more mindful.
In this Torah portion of “Vayshlach” Yaakov is confronted by a man, who really was Eisav’s Angel. They struggled the whole night until the break of dawn. ” For you have striven with the Divine and with man and have overcome”(32:29). Harav Elchanan Sorotzkin z”l takes a pragmatic approach towards explaining Yaakov’s statement. Yaakov is not only referring to everyone’s daily challenges: the challenge of fulfilling our responsibility in two areas between man and G-d and between man and his fellow man. Our goal is to succeed in overcoming the hurdles that present themselves.
After Yaakov’s battle with the Angel H”S changed his name to Israel because he persevered. Every time we read in the Torah and the name Yaakov appears it means he is going through a struggle and when the name Israel comes instead it means Yaakov conquered.
Like Yaakov we are always either struggling or conquering. But without the struggle there is nothing to conquer.
