B'resheet (Gen) 32
32
1(Maftir) Early in the morning Lavan got up, kissed his sons and daughters, and blessed them. Then Lavan left and returned to his own place. 2Ya‘akov went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 3When Ya‘akov saw them, he said, “This is God’s camp,” and called that place Machanayim [two camps].
Haftarah Vayetze: Hoshea (Hosea) 12:13(12)–14:10(9) (A); 11:7–12:12(11) (S)
B’rit Hadashah suggested reading for Parashah Vayetze: Yochanan (John) 1:43–51
Parashah 8: Vayishlach (He sent) 32:4(3) –36:43
4Ya‘akov sent messengers ahead of him to ‘Esav his brother toward the land of Se‘ir, the country of Edom, 5with these instructions: “Here is what you are to say to my lord ‘Esav: ‘Your servant Ya‘akov says, “I have been living with Lavan and have stayed until now. 6I have cattle, donkeys and flocks, and male and female servants. I am sending to tell this news to my lord, in order to win your favor.” ’” 7The messengers returned to Ya‘akov saying, “We went to your brother ‘Esav, and he is coming to meet you; with him are four hundred men.”
8Ya‘akov became greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people, flocks, cattle and camels with him into two camps, 9saying, “If ‘Esav comes to the one camp and attacks it, at least the camp that is left will escape.” 10Then Ya‘akov said, “God of my father Avraham and God of my father Yitz’chak, Adonai, who told me, ‘Return to your country and your kinsmen, and I will do you good’: 11I’m not worthy of all the love and faithfulness you have shown your servant, since I crossed the Yarden with only my staff. But now I have become two camps. 12Please! Rescue me from my brother ‘Esav! I’m afraid of him, afraid he’ll come and attack me, without regard for mothers or children. 13You said, ‘I will certainly do you good and make your descendants as numerous as the grains of sand by the sea, which are so many they can’t be counted.’”
(ii) 14He stayed there that night; then he chose from among his possessions the following as a present for ‘Esav his brother: 15two hundred female goats and twenty males, two hundred female sheep and twenty males, 16thirty milk-camels and their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten colts. 17He turned them over to his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Cross over in front of me, and keep a space between each drove and the next one.” 18He instructed the servant in front, “When ‘Esav my brother meets you and asks you, ‘Whose servant are you? Where are you going? And whose animals are these?’ 19then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant Ya‘akov, and they are a present he has sent to my lord ‘Esav; and Ya‘akov himself is just behind us.’” 20He also instructed the second servant, and the third, and all that followed the droves, “When you encounter ‘Esav, you are to speak to him in the same way, 21and you are to add, ‘And there, just behind us, is your servant Ya‘akov.’” For he said, “I will appease him first with the present that goes ahead of me; then, after that, I will see him myself — and maybe he will be friendly toward me.” 22So the present crossed over ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp.
23He got up that night, took his two wives, his two slave-girls, and his eleven children, and forded the Yabok. 24He took them and sent them across the stream, then sent his possessions across; 25and Ya‘akov was left alone. Then some man wrestled with him until daybreak. 26When he saw that he did not defeat Ya‘akov, he struck Ya‘akov’s hip socket, so that his hip was dislocated while wrestling with him. 27The man said, “Let me go, because it’s daybreak.” But Ya‘akov replied, “I won’t let you go unless you bless me.” 28The man asked, “What is your name?” and he answered, “Ya‘akov.” 29Then the man said, “From now on, you will no longer be called Ya‘akov, but Isra’el; because you have shown your strength to both God and men and have prevailed.” 30Ya‘akov asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he answered, “Why are you asking about my name?” and blessed him there.
(iii) 31Ya‘akov called the place P’ni-El [face of God], “Because I have seen God face to face, yet my life is spared.” 32As the sun rose upon him he went on past P’ni-El, limping at the hip. 33This is why, to this day, the people of Isra’el do not eat the thigh muscle that passes along the hip socket — because the man struck Ya‘akov’s hip at its socket.
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32
1 Likewise, Jacob continued on the journey that he had begun. And the Angels of God met him.
2 When he had seen them, he said, "These are the Encampments of God." And he called the name of that place Mahanaim, that is, 'Encampments.'
3 Then he also sent messengers before him to his brother Esau, in the land of Seir, in the region of Edom.
4 And he instructed them, saying: "You shall speak in this way to my lord Esau: 'Your brother Jacob says these things: "I have sojourned with Laban, and I have been with him until the present day.
5 I have oxen, and donkeys, and sheep, and men servants, and women servants. And now I send an ambassador to my lord, so that I may find favor in your sight." ' "
6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, "We went to your brother Esau, and behold, he rushes to meet you with four hundred men."
7 Jacob was very afraid. And in his terror, he divided the people who were with him, likewise the flocks, and the sheep, and the oxen, and the camels, into two companies,
8 saying: "If Esau goes to one company, and strikes it, the other company, which is left behind, will be saved."
9 And Jacob said: "God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me: 'Return to your land, and to the place of your nativity, and I will do well for you.'
10 I am less than any of your compassions and your truth, which you have fulfilled to your servant. With my staff I crossed over this Jordan. And now I go back with two companies.
11 Rescue me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am very afraid of him, lest perhaps he may come and strike down the mother with the sons.
12 You did say that you would do well by me, and that you would expand my offspring like the sand of the sea, which, because of its multitude, cannot be numbered."
13 And when he had slept there that night, he separated, from the things that he had, gifts for his brother Esau:
14 two hundred she-goats, twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,
15 thirty milking camels with their young, forty cows, and twenty bulls, twenty she-donkeys, and ten of their young.
16 And he sent them by the hands of his servants, each flock separately, and he said to his servants: "Pass before me, and let there be a space between flock and flock."
17 And he instructed the first, saying: "If you happen to meet my brother Esau, and he questions you: "Whose are you?" or, "Where are you going?" or, "Whose are these which follow you?"
18 you shall respond: "Your servant Jacob's. He has sent them as a gift to my lord Esau. And he is also coming after us."
19 Similarly, he gave orders to the second, and the third, and to all who followed the flocks, saying: "Speak these same words to Esau, when you find him.
20 And you will add: 'Your servant Jacob himself also follows after us, for he said: "I will appease him with the gifts that go ahead, and after this, I will see him; perhaps he will be gracious to me." ' "
21 And so the gifts went before him, but he himself lodged that night in the camp.
22 And when he had arisen early, he took his two wives, and the same number of handmaids, with his eleven sons, and he crossed over the ford of Jabbok.
23 And having delivered over all the things that belonged to him,
24 he remained alone. And behold, a man wrestled with him until morning.
25 And when he saw that he would not be able to overcome him, he touched the nerve of his thigh, and immediately it withered.
26 And he said to him, "Release me, for now the dawn ascends." He responded, "I will not release you, unless you bless me."
27 Therefore he said, "What is your name?" He answered, "Jacob."
28 But he said, "Your name will not be called Jacob, but Israel; for if you have been strong against God, how much more will you prevail against men?"
29 Jacob questioned him, "Tell me, by what name are you called?" He responded, "Why do you ask my name?" And he blessed him in the same place.
30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, "I have seen God face to face, and my soul has been saved."
31 And immediately the sun rose upon him, after he had crossed beyond Peniel. Yet in truth, he limped on his foot.
32 For this reason, the sons of Israel, even to the present day, do not eat the nerve that withered in Jacob's thigh, because he touched the nerve of his thigh and it was obstructed.