| 14So he lodged there on that night, and he took from what came into his hand a gift for his brother Esau: |
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ידוַיָּ֥לֶן שָׁ֖ם בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֑וּא וַיִּקַּ֞ח מִן־הַבָּ֧א בְיָד֛וֹ מִנְחָ֖ה לְעֵשָׂ֥ו אָחִֽיו: |
| what came into his hand: Into his possession. And similarly, (Num. 21:26): “and he took all his land from his possession (מִיָדוֹ).” [According to the] Midrash Aggadah, “what came into his hand” means precious stones and pearls, which a person binds in a packet and carries in his hand. Another explanation: “what came into his hand” signifies ordinary animals [which have no sanctity], for he had already tithed them, as it is stated (28:22): “I will surely tithe to You.” And then he took [animals for] a gift. |
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הַבָּא בְיָדוֹ:
בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ, וְכֵן וַיִּקַּח אֶת כָּל אַרְצוֹ מִיָּדוֹ (במדבר כ"א). וּמִקְרָא אַחֵר מִן הַבָּא בְיָדוֹ – אֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת וּמַרְגָלִיּוֹת, שֶׁאָדָם צָר בִּצְרוֹר וְנוֹשְׂאָם בְּיָדוֹ (דָּבָר אַחֵר מִן הַבָּא בְיָדוֹ, מִן הַחֻלִּין, שֶׁנָּטַל מַעֲשֵׂר, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר עַשֵּׂר אֲעַשְּׂרֶנּוּ לָךְ, וַהֲדַר לָקַח מִנְחָה):
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| 15Two hundred she goats and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, |
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טועִזִּ֣ים מָאתַ֔יִם וּתְיָשִׁ֖ים עֶשְׂרִ֑ים רְחֵלִ֥ים מָאתַ֖יִם וְאֵילִ֥ים עֶשְׂרִֽים: |
| Two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats: Two hundred she-goats require twenty he-goats, and so all of them, the males according to what are required by the females. In Genesis Rabbah (76:7) the Rabbis derive from here the conjugal duties stated in the Torah: Men of leisure, every day; laborers, twice a week; donkey-drivers, once a week; camel-drivers, once in thirty days; sailors, once in six months. I do not know, however, how this midrash arrives at exactly these requirements. Nevertheless, it appears to me that we learn from here that conjugal duties are not uniform with every person, but according to the burden he must bear, for we find here that he (Jacob) gave each he-goat ten she-goats, and so for each ram. Since they are free from work, they generally mate frequently and [each male] can impregnate ten females, for as soon as an animal conceives, she does not accept a male [and he is compelled to seek another mate]. With the bulls, however, since they are occupied with work, he gave each male only four females, and for a donkey, which goes long distances, two females for a male, and for camels, which go longer distances, one female for a male. |
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עִזִּים מָאתַיִם וּתְיָשִׁים עֶשְׂרִים:
מָאתַיִם עִזִּים צְרִיכוֹת עֶשְׂרִים תְּיָשִׁים, וְכֵן כֻּלָּם, הַזְּכָרִים כְּדֵי צֹרֶךְ הַנְּקֵבוֹת; וּבּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה דּוֹרֵשׁ מִכָּאן לָעוֹנָה הָאֲמוּרָה בַּתּוֹרָה, הַטַּיָּלִים בְּכָל יוֹם, הַפּוֹעֲלִים שְׁתַּיִם בְּשַׁבָּת, הַחַמָּרִים אַחַת בְּשַׁבָּת, הַגַּמָּלִים אַחַת לִשְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם, הַסַּפָּנִים אַחַת לְשִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים; וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ לְכַוֵּן הַמִּדְרָשׁ הַזֶּה בְּכִוּוּן, אַךְ נִרְאֶה בְעֵינַי שֶׁלָּמַדְנוּ מִכָּאן שֶׁאֵין הָעוֹנָה שָׁוָה בְּכָל אָדָם אֶלָּא לְפִי טֹרַח הַמֻּטָּל עָלָיו, שֶׁמָּצִינוּ כָּאן שֶׁמָּסַר לְכָל תַּיִשׁ עֶשֶׂר עִזִּים וְכֵן לְכָל אַיִל; לְפִי שֶׁהֵם פְּנוּיִים מִמְּלָאכָה דַּרְכָּם לְהַרְבּוֹת תַּשְׁמִישׁ וּלְעַבֵּר עֶשֶׂר נְקֵבוֹת, וּבְהֵמָה מִשֶּׁנִּתְעַבְּרָה אֵינָהּ מְקַבֶּלֶת זָכָר, וּפָרִים שֶׁעוֹסְקִין בִּמְלָאכָה, לֹא מָסַר לְזָכָר אֶלָּא אַרְבַּע נְקֵבוֹת, וְלַחֲמוֹר שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ רְחוֹקָה שְׁתֵּי נְקֵבוֹת לְזָכָר, וְלַגְּמַלִּים שֶׁהוֹלְכִים דֶּרֶךְ יוֹתֵר רְחוֹקָה נְקֵבָה אַחַת לְזָכָר:
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| 16Thirty nursing camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty she donkeys and ten he donkeys. |
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טזגְּמַלִּ֧ים מֵֽינִיק֛וֹת וּבְנֵיהֶ֖ם שְׁלשִׁ֑ים פָּר֤וֹת אַרְבָּעִים֙ וּפָרִ֣ים עֲשָׂרָ֔ה אֲתֹנֹ֣ת עֶשְׂרִ֔ים וַעְיָרִ֖ם עֲשָׂרָֽה: |
| Thirty nursing camels with their young: Heb. וּבְנֵיהֶם. And their young with them. According to the Midrash Aggadah, the word וּבְנֵיהֶם means בַּנָאֵיהֶם, their builders [those who impregnate them], a male corresponding to a female, but since it (the camel) is discreet in mating, Scripture did not publicize it (Gen. Rabbah 76:7). |
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גְּמַלִּים מֵֽינִיקוֹת שְׁלשִׁים וּבְנֵיהֶם:
עִמָּהֶם: וּמִקְרָא אַחֵר: וּבְנֵיהֶם – בַּנָּאֵיהֶם, זָכָר כְּנֶגֶד נְקֵבָה, וּלְפִי שֶׁצָּנוּעַ בְּתַשְׁמִישׁ לֹא פִרְסְמוֹ הַכָּתוּב (בראשית רבה):
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| and…he-donkeys: Heb. וַעְיָרִם, male donkeys. |
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וַעְיָרִם:
חֲמוֹרִים זְכָרִים:
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| 17And he gave into the hands of his servants each herd individually, and he said to his servants, "Pass on ahead of me and make a space between one herd and another herd." |
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יזוַיִּתֵּן֙ בְּיַד־עֲבָדָ֔יו עֵ֥דֶר עֵ֖דֶר לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֶל־עֲבָדָיו֙ עִבְר֣וּ לְפָנַ֔י וְרֶ֣וַח תָּשִׂ֔ימוּ בֵּ֥ין עֵ֖דֶר וּבֵ֥ין עֵֽדֶר: |
| each herd individually: Each species by itself. |
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עֵדֶר עֵדֶר לְבַדּוֹ:
כָּל מִין וָמִין לְעַצְמוֹ:
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| Pass on ahead of me: a day’s journey or less, and I will come after you. |
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עִבְרוּ לְפָנַי:
דֶּרֶךְ יוֹם אוֹ פָּחוֹת וַאֲנִי אָבֹא אַחֲרֵיכֶם:
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| and make a space: One herd before the next [within] the distance the eye can see, in order to satisfy the eye of the wicked man and bewilder him with the enormity of the gift. — [from Gen. Rabbah 76:8] |
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וְרֶוַח תָּשִׂימוּ:
עֵדֶר לִפְנֵי חֲבֵרוֹ מְלֹא עַיִן, כְּדֵי לְהַשְׂבִּיעַ עֵינוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע וּלְתַוֵּהוּ עַל רִבּוּי הַדּוֹרוֹן:
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| 18And he commanded the first one, saying, "When my brother Esau meets you, and asks you, saying, 'To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and for whom are these before you?' |
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יחוַיְצַ֥ו אֶת־הָֽרִאשׁ֖וֹן לֵאמֹ֑ר כִּ֣י יִפְגָֽשְׁךָ֞ עֵשָׂ֣ו אָחִ֗י וּשְׁאֵֽלְךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְמִי־אַ֨תָּה֙ וְאָ֣נָה תֵלֵ֔ךְ וּלְמִ֖י אֵ֥לֶּה לְפָנֶֽיךָ: |
| To whom do you belong: Heb. לְמִי. To whom do you belong? Who is sending you? The Targum, therefore, renders: דְמַאן אַתְּ, whose are you? |
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לְמִי־אַתָּה:
שֶׁל מִי אַתָּה, מִי שׁוֹלְחֲךָ, וְתַרְגּוּם דְּמָאן אַתְּ?
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| and for whom are these before you: To whom is this gift being sent? The “lammed” serves at the beginning of the word in lieu of “shel,” “of,” like (above 31:43), “and all that you see is mine;” it is mine. [Similarly, we find,] (Ps. 24:1): “The land and the fullness thereof are the Lord’s;” of the Lord. |
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וּלְמִי אֵלֶּה לְפָנֶֽיךָ:
וְאֵלֶּה שֶׁלְּפָנֶיךָ שֶׁל מִי הֵם; לְמִי הַמִּנְחָה הַזֹּאת שְׁלוּחָה? לָמֶ"ד מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת בְּרֹאשׁ הַתֵּבָה בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁל, כְּמוֹ: וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה רֹאֶה לִי הוּא (בראשית ל״א:מ״ג) – שֶׁלִּי הוּא; לַה' הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ (תהילים כ"ד) – שֶׁל ה':
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| 19You shall say, '[I belong] to your servant Jacob; it is a gift sent to my master, to Esau, and behold, he himself is behind us.'" |
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יטוְאָֽמַרְתָּ֙ לְעַבְדְּךָ֣ לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב מִנְחָ֥ה הִוא֙ שְׁלוּחָ֔ה לַֽאדֹנִ֖י לְעֵשָׂ֑ו וְהִנֵּ֥ה גַם־ה֖וּא אַֽחֲרֵֽינוּ: |
| You shall say, ‘[I belong] to your servant Jacob…’: He replied first to the first question and last to the last question. [In reference to] what you asked, “To whom do you belong?” [the answer is:] I belong to your servant Jacob, and the Targum renders: דְּעַבְדּךָ דְּיַעִקֹב, of your servant, of Jacob, and [in reference to] what you asked, “and for whom are these before you?” it is a gift sent, etc. — [from Avoth d’Rabbi Nathan, ch. 37] |
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וְאָֽמַרְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ לְיַֽעֲקֹב:
עַל רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן וְעַל אַחֲרוֹן אַחֲרוֹן; שֶׁשָּׁאַלְתָּ לְמִי אַתָּה? לְעַבְדְּךָ לְיַעֲקֹב אֲנִי – וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ דְּעַבְדָּךְ דְּיַעֲקֹב – וְשֶׁשָּׁאַלְתָּ וּלְמִי אֵלֶּה לְפָנֶיךָ, מִנְחָה הִיא שְׁלוּחָה וְגוֹ':
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| and behold, he himself: Jacob. |
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וְהִנֵּה גַם־הִוא:
יַעֲקֹב:
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| 20And he commanded also the second one, also the third one, also all those who followed the herds, saying, "In this manner shall you speak to Esau when you meet him. |
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כוַיְצַ֞ו גַּ֣ם אֶת־הַשֵּׁנִ֗י גַּ֚ם אֶת־הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י גַּ֚ם אֶת־כָּל־הַהֹ֣לְכִ֔ים אַֽחֲרֵ֥י הָֽעֲדָרִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר כַּדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ תְּדַבְּר֣וּן אֶל־עֵשָׂ֔ו בְּמֹצַֽאֲכֶ֖ם אֹתֽוֹ: |
| 21And you shall say, 'Also, behold, your servant Jacob is behind us.' " For he said, "I will appease his anger with the gift that is going before me, and afterwards I will see his face, perhaps he will favor me." |
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כאוַֽאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם גַּ֗ם הִנֵּ֛ה עַבְדְּךָ֥ יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב אַֽחֲרֵ֑ינוּ כִּֽי־אָמַ֞ר אֲכַפְּרָ֣ה פָנָ֗יו בַּמִּנְחָה֙ הַֽהֹלֶ֣כֶת לְפָנָ֔י וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵן֙ אֶרְאֶ֣ה פָנָ֔יו אוּלַ֖י יִשָּׂ֥א פָנָֽי: |
| I will appease his anger: Heb. אֲכַפְּרָה פָנָיו, I will do away with his anger (Targum Onkelos). Similarly (Isa. 28:18): “And your treaty with death shall be nullified (וְכֻפַּר);” (ibid., 47:11) “you shall not be able to rid yourself of it (כַּפְּרָה).” It appears to my eyes that any כַּפְּרָה near to sin or transgression or near the word countenance are terms of wiping away or removal. This is Aramaic, and there are many instances of it in the Talmud, e.g. (B.M. 24a): “and he wiped (וְכָפַר) his hands;” (Gittin 56a): “He wishes to wipe (לִכְפוּרֵי) His hands on this person.” In biblical Hebrew also, the sacred sprinkling basins are called כְּפוֹרֵי זָהָב (Ezra 1:10) because the priest wipes his hands on them at the edge of the sprinkling basin. |
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אֲכַפְּרָה פָנָיו:
אֲבַטֵּל רָגְזוֹ; וְכֵן וְכֻפַּר בְּרִיתְכֶם אֶת מָוֶת (ישעיהו כ"ח), לֹא תוּכְלִי כַּפְּרָהּ (שם מ"ז). וְנִרְאֶה בְעֵינַי שֶׁכָּל כַּפָּרָה שֶׁאֵצֶל עָוֹן וְחֵטְא וְאֵצֶל פָּנִים כֻּלָּן לְשׁוֹן קִנּוּחַ וְהַעֲבָרָה הֵן, וְלָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי הוּא, וְהַרְבֵּה בַּתַּלְמוּד וְכַפֵּר יְדֵיהּ, בָּעֵי לְכַפּוּרֵי יְדֵי בְּהַהוּא גַבְרָא, וְגַם בִּלְשׁוֹן הַמִּקְרָא נִקְרָאִים הַמִּזְרָקִים שֶׁל קֹדֶשׁ כְּפוֹרֵי זָהָב (עזרא א'), עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהַכֹּהֵן מְקַנֵּחַ יָדָיו בָּהֶן בִּשְׂפַת הַמִּזְרָק:
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| 22So the gift passed on before him, and he lodged that night in the camp. |
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כבוַתַּֽעֲבֹ֥ר הַמִּנְחָ֖ה עַל־פָּנָ֑יו וְה֛וּא לָ֥ן בַּלַּֽיְלָה־הַה֖וּא בַּמַּֽחֲנֶֽה: |
| before him: Heb. עַל-פָּנָיו, lit., on his face, like לְפָנָיו, before him, and similarly (Jer. 6:7): “violence and spoil is heard therein before Me (עַל-פָּנַי) continually,” and so (Isa. 65:3): “who vex Me to My face עַל-פָּנַי.” He (Jacob) too was in an angry mood that he required all this. — [from Gen. Rabbah 75:8] |
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עַל־פָּנָיו:
כְּמוֹ לְפָנָיו, וְכֵן חָמָס וָשֹׁד יִשָּׁמַע בָּהּ עַל פָּנַי תָּמִיד (ירמיהו ו'), וְכֵן הַמַּכְעִסִים אֹתִי עַל פָּנַי (ישעיהו ס"ה); וּמִקְרָא אַחֵר עַל פָּנָיו, אַף הוּא שָׁרוּי בְּכַעַס, שֶׁהָיָה צָרִיךְ לְכָל זֶה (בראשית רבה):
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| 23And he arose during that night, and he took his two wives and his two maidservants and his eleven children, and he crossed the ford of [the] Jabbok. |
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כגוַיָּ֣קָם | בַּלַּ֣יְלָה ה֗וּא וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־שְׁתֵּ֤י נָשָׁיו֙ וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּ֣י שִׁפְחֹתָ֔יו וְאֶת־אַחַ֥ד עָשָׂ֖ר יְלָדָ֑יו וַיַּֽעֲבֹ֕ר אֵ֖ת מַֽעֲבַ֥ר יַבֹּֽק: |
| and his eleven children: But where was Dinah? [Benjamin was not yet born, but Dinah should have been counted.] He put her into a chest and locked her in, so that Esau should not set eyes on her. Therefore, Jacob was punished for withholding her from his brother- [because had he married her,] perhaps she would cause him to improve his ways-and she fell into the hands of Shechem. — [from Gen. Rabbah 75:9] |
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וְאֶת־אַחַד עָשָׂר יְלָדָיו:
וְדִינָה הֵיכָן הָיְתָה? נְתָנָהּ בְּתֵבָה וְנָעַל בְּפָנֶיהָ, שֶׁלֹּא יִתֵּן בָּהּ עֵשָׂו עֵינָיו, וּלְכָךְ נֶעֱנַשׁ יַעֲקֹב שֶׁמְּנָעָהּ מֵאָחִיו, שֶׁמָּא תַּחֲזִירֶנּוּ לַמּוּטָב, וְנָפְלָה בְּיַד שְׁכֶם (בראשית רבה):
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| Jabbok: The name of the river. |
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יַבֹּֽק:
שֵׁם הַנָּהָר:
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| 24And he took them and brought them across the stream, and he took across what was his. |
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כדוַיִּ֨קָּחֵ֔ם וַיַּֽעֲבִרֵ֖ם אֶת־הַנָּ֑חַל וַיַּֽעֲבֵ֖ר אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־לֽוֹ: |
| what was his: The animals and the movables. He made himself like a ferry-man, כְּגַשָׁר, taking from here and depositing there. — [from Gen. Rabbah 75:9] |
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אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־לֽוֹ:
הַבְּהֵמָה וְהַמִּטַּלְטְלִים; עָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ כְּגַשָּׁר נוֹטֵל מִכָּאן וּמַנִּיחַ כָּאן (בראשית רבה):
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| 25And Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. |
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כהוַיִּוָּתֵ֥ר יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֵּֽאָבֵ֥ק אִישׁ֙ עִמּ֔וֹ עַ֖ד עֲל֥וֹת הַשָּֽׁחַר: |
| And Jacob was left: He had forgotten small bottles and returned for them. — [from Gen. Rabbah 77:2, Chullin 91a] |
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וַיִּוָּתֵר יַֽעֲקֹב:
שָׁכַח פַּכִּים קְטַנִּים וְחָזַר עֲלֵיהֶם (חולין צ"א):
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| and a man wrestled: Heb. וַיֵאָבֵק. Menachem (p. 14) explains: And a man became covered with dust, derived from אָבָק, dust, for they were raising dust with their feet through their movements. I believe, however, that it is a term meaning that he attached himself, and it is an Aramaic expression [found in the Talmud] (Sanh. 63b): “After they became attached (דָּאִבִיקוּ) to it,” “and he would tie it (וְאָבִיק לֵיהּ מֵיבַק),” for so is the habit of two people who make strong efforts to throw each other down, that one embraces the other and attaches himself to him with his arms. Our Rabbis explained (Gen. Rabbah 77:3, 78:3) that this was the prince (guardian angel) of Esau. |
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וַיֵּֽאָבֵק אִישׁ:
מְנַחֵם פֵּי' וַיִּתְעַפֵּר אִישׁ, לְשׁוֹן אָבָק, שֶׁהָיוּ מַעֲלִים עָפָר בְּרַגְלֵיהֶם עַ"י נִעְנוּעָם. וְלִי נִרְאֶה שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן וַיִּתְקַשֵּׁר, וְלָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי הוּא, בָּתַר דַּאֲבִיקוּ בֵיהּ, וַאֲבֵיק לֵיהּ מֵיבַק – לְשׁוֹן עֲנִיבָה, שֶׁכֵּן דֶּרֶךְ שְׁנַיִם שֶׁמִּתְעַצְּמִים לְהַפִּיל אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ, שֶׁחוֹבְקוֹ וְאוֹבְקוֹ בִּזְרוֹעוֹתָיו. וּפֵרְשׁוּ רבותינו זִכָּרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה שֶׁהוּא שָׂרוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו (בראשית רבה):
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| 26When he saw that he could not prevail against him, he touched the socket of his hip, and the socket of Jacob's hip became dislocated as he wrestled with him. |
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כווַיַּ֗רְא כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָכֹל֙ ל֔וֹ וַיִּגַּ֖ע בְּכַף־יְרֵכ֑וֹ וַתֵּ֨קַע֙ כַּף־יֶ֣רֶךְ יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב בְּהֵאָֽבְק֖וֹ עִמּֽוֹ: |
| he touched the socket of his hip: The upper thigh bone that is thrust into the hip bone is called the כַּף, lit., ladle, because the flesh on it is like a sort of pot ladle. |
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וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף־יְרֵכוֹ:
קוּלִית הַיָּרֵךְ הַתָּקוּעַ בְּקַּלְבּוּסִית קָרוּי כַּף, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהַבָּשָׂר שֶׁעָלֶיהָ כְּמִין כַּף שֶׁל קְדֵרָה:
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| became dislocated: Heb. וַתִּקַע. It became dislocated from its joint, and similar to this (Jer. 6:8): “lest My soul be alienated (תֵּקַע) from you,” and in the Mishnah: לְקַעִקֵע ַבִּיצָתָן, to tear out their roots. — [from Gen. Rabbah 77:3] |
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וַתֵּקַע:
נִתְקַעְקְעָה מִמְּקוֹם מַחְבַּרְתָּהּ, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ פֶּן תֵּקַע נַפְשִׁי מִמֵּךְ (ירמיהו ו'), לְשׁוֹן הֲסָרָה. וּבְמִשְׁנָה לְקַעְקֵעַ בֵּיצָתָן – לְשָׁרֵשׁ שָׁרְשֵׁיהֶן:
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| 27And he (the angel) said, "Let me go, for dawn is breaking," but he (Jacob) said, "I will not let you go unless you have blessed me." |
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כזוַיֹּ֣אמֶר שַׁלְּחֵ֔נִי כִּ֥י עָלָ֖ה הַשָּׁ֑חַר וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֲשַׁלֵּֽחֲךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־בֵּֽרַכְתָּֽנִי: |
| for dawn is breaking: And I must recite a song [of praise] (Gen. Rabbah 78:1, Chullin 91a). |
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כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר:
וְצָרִיךְ אֲנִי לוֹמַר שִׁירָה בַּיּוֹם (חולין צ"א):
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| unless you have blessed me: Acknowledge for me the blessings [with] which my father blessed me, which Esau is contesting. |
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בֵּֽרַכְתָּֽנִי:
הוֹדֵה לִי עַל הַבְּרָכוֹת שֶׁבֵּרְכַנִי אָבִי, שֶׁעֵשָׂו מְעַרְעֵר עֲלֵיהֶן:
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| 28So he said to him, "What is your name?" and he said, "Jacob." |
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כחוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו מַה־שְּׁמֶ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹֽב: |
| 29And he said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, because you have commanding power with [an angel of] God and with men, and you have prevailed." |
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כטוַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֤א יַֽעֲקֹב֙ יֵֽאָמֵ֥ר עוֹד֙ שִׁמְךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־שָׂרִ֧יתָ עִם־אֱלֹהִ֛ים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַתּוּכָֽל: |
| no… Jacob: It shall no longer be said that the blessings came to you through trickery (עָקְבָה) and deceit, but with nobility and openness, and ultimately, the Holy One, blessed be He, will reveal Himself to you in Beth-el and change your name, and there He will bless you, and I will be there.“ He then acknowledged them (the blessings) as being his (Jacob’s). This is [the meaning of] what is written (Hos. 12:5): ”He strove with an angel and prevailed over him; he wept and supplicated him,“ [meaning that] the angel wept and supplicated him. With what did he supplicate him? ”In Beth-el he will find Him, and there He will speak with us“ (ibid). Wait for me until He speaks with us there. Jacob, however, did not consent, [to release the angel] and, against his (the angel’s) will, he (the angel) acknowledged them (the blessings) as being his (Jacob’s). This is [the meaning of] ”And he blessed him there," that he entreated him to wait, but he did not wish [to do so]. — [from Zohar, vol. 3, 45a] |
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לֹא יַֽעֲקֹב:
לֹא יֵאָמֵר עוֹד שֶׁהַבְּרָכוֹת בָּאוּ לְךָ בְעָקְבָּה וּרְמִיָּה כִּי אִם בִשְׂרָרָה וְגִלּוּי פָּנִים, וְסוֹפְךָ שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נִגְלֶה אֵלֶיךָ בְּבֵית אֵל וּמַחֲלִיף שִׁמְךָ וְשָׁם הוּא מְבָרֶכְךָ, וַאֲנִי שָׁם אֶהְיֶה וְאוֹדֶה לְךָ עֲלֵיהֶן, וְזֶה שֶׁכָּתוּב וַיָּשַׂר אֶל מַלְאָךְ וַיֻּכָל בָּכָה וַיִּתְחַנֶּן לוֹ (הושע י"ב) – בָּכָה הַמַּלְאָךְ וַיִּתְחַנֶּן לוֹ, וּמַה נִּתְחַנֵּן לוֹ? בֵּית אֵל יִמְצָאֶנּוּ וְשָׁם יְדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ, הַמְתֵּן לִי עַד שֶׁיְּדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ שָׁם; וְלֹא רָצָה יַעֲקֹב, וְעַל כָּרְחוֹ הוֹדָה לוֹ עֲלֵיהֶן, וְזֶהוּ וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתוֹ שָׁם, שֶׁהָיָה מִתְחַנֵּן לְהַמְתִּין לוֹ וְלֹא רָצָה:
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| and with men: Esau and Laban. |
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וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁים:
עֵשָׂו וְלָבָן:
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| and you have prevailed: over them. — [from Targum Jonathan] |
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וַתּוּכָֽל:
לָהֶם:
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| 30And Jacob asked and said, "Now tell me your name," and he said, "Why is it that you ask for my name?" And he blessed him there. |
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לוַיִּשְׁאַ֣ל יַֽעֲקֹ֗ב וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה תִּשְׁאַ֣ל לִשְׁמִ֑י וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ אֹת֖וֹ שָֽׁם: |
| Why is it that you ask: (Gen. Rabbah 78:4) We have no permanent name. Our names change, (all) according to the service we are commanded [to do] in the mission upon which we are sent. |
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לָמָּה זֶּה תִּשְׁאַל:
אֵין לָנוּ שֵׁם קָבוּעַ, מִשְׁתַּנִּים שְׁמוֹתֵנוּ, הַכֹּל לְפִי מִצְוַת עֲבוֹדַת הַשְּׁלִיחוּת שֶׁאָנוּ מִשְׁתַּלְּחִים (בראשית רבה):
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