Summary of Parashat Vayishlach
This weeks portion focuses on the events surrounding the meeting of Jacob and Esau after 22 years apart. Jacob's struggle with an angle the night prior to the meeting of the brothers. the
Most of Parashat Vayishlach is focused on the meeting between Jacob and Esau after 22 years apart. Hearing that Esau is coming with 400 men Jacob is greatly afraid and distressed. Jacon divides his camp into two groups so that if one group is anhialated the other may survive.
The night before the meeting, Jacob struggles with a man who turns out to be an angle. Before leaving Jacob insists that the angle bless him, the angle reluctantly blesses him and gives him a new name, "Israel", meaning one who struggles with God and prevails.
The next day the two brothers meet. They embrace and then go their seperate ways. The prasha ends with the death of Isaac and a genealogy of Esau's descendants.
Other events in this weeks portion:
- Dinah, the daughter of Jacob is raped
- Shimon and Levi Lead a massacre of the men of Shechem
- Rachel dies during childbirth
- Isaac dies
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