Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 32

14He spent that night there, and selected a gift for his brother Esau from among what was his.   ידוַיָּ֥לֶן שָׁ֖ם בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֑וּא וַיִּקַּ֞ח מִן־הַבָּ֧א בְיָד֛וֹ מִנְחָ֖ה לְעֵשָׂ֥ו אָחִֽיו:
הַבָּא בְיָדוֹ - (lit.) That which came into his hand - means “what was in his possession.” Similarly we find יָדוֹ referring to possession in: “And he took from him (מִיָּדוֹ) all his land.” 1 But the aggadic explanation is: מִן הַבָּא בְיָדוֹ refers to precious stones and jewels that a person ties in a bundle and carries in his hand. Another explanation: מִן הַבָּא בְיָדוֹ, meaning: “that which was of his own possession,” refers to that which was unconsecrated; i.e., he first separated a tithe, just as it says: “I will set aside for You a tenth of everything,” 2 and only then did he select a gift.   הַבָּא בְיָדוֹ.  בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ, וְכֵן וַיִּקַּח אֶת כָּל אַרְצוֹ מִיָּדוֹ (במדבר כ"א). וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה 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):
15He prepared 200 she-goats and 20 he-goats; 200 ewes and 20 rams;   טועִזִּ֣ים מָאתַ֔יִם וּתְיָשִׁ֖ים עֶשְׂרִ֑ים רְחֵלִ֥ים מָאתַ֖יִם וְאֵילִ֥ים עֶשְׂרִֽים:
עִזִּים מָאתַיִם וּתְיָשִׁים עֶשְׂרִים - 200 she-goats and 20 he-goats. 200 she-goats require 20 he-goats, and similarly with all the other animals, the number of males was in accordance with the needs of the females. In Bereshit Rabbah, 3 the amount of obligatory marital relations prescribed by the Torah is derived from here: people of leisure – every day; physical laborers – twice a week; donkey-drivers – once a week; camel-drivers – once in 30 days; sailors – once in six months; but I am unable to pinpoint precisely how this is derived from this verse. However, it seems to me that we simply learn from here that the marital duty is not the same for every man, but is dependent upon the amount of exertion required of him in his occupation; for we find here that he gave 10 she-goats for every he-goat and a similar amount of ewes for every ram – for since they are free from work, they are used to mating often, impregnating 10 females, as once a female animal becomes pregnant she does not mate anymore. But regarding cattle, which perform labor, he gave only four females for each male; and regarding donkeys, which travel long distances, he gave only two females for each male; and regarding camels, which travel even further distances, he gave only one female for each male.   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:
1630 nursing camels with their young; 40 cows and 10 bulls; 20 she-donkeys and 10 he-donkeys.   טזגְּמַלִּ֧ים מֵֽינִיק֛וֹת וּבְנֵיהֶ֖ם שְׁלשִׁ֑ים פָּר֤וֹת אַרְבָּעִים֙ וּפָרִ֣ים עֲשָׂרָ֔ה אֲתֹנֹ֣ת עֶשְׂרִ֔ים וַעְיָרִ֖ם עֲשָׂרָֽה:
גְּמַלִּים מֵֽינִיקוֹת שְׁלשִׁים וּבְנֵיהֶם - 30 nursing camels. “And their young” with them. The aggadic explanation is: וּבְנֵיהֶם means בַּנָּאֵיהֶם “their builders,” i.e., the males, a male for each female, but because a camel acts modestly when mating, Scripture does not mention it openly.   גְּמַלִּים מֵֽינִיקוֹת שְׁלשִׁים וּבְנֵיהֶם.  עִמָּהֶם: וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה: וּבְנֵיהֶם – בַּנָּאֵיהֶם, זָכָר כְּנֶגֶד נְקֵבָה, וּלְפִי שֶׁצָּנוּעַ בְּתַשְׁמִישׁ לֹא פִרְסְמוֹ הַכָּתוּב (בראשית רבה):
וַעְיָרִם - are he-donkeys.   וַעְיָרִם.  חֲמוֹרִים זְכָרִים:
17He put all these in the charge of his servants, drove by drove, and said to his servants, “Go on a day’s journey ahead of me. Keep a distance between one drove and the next.”   יזוַיִּתֵּן֙ בְּיַד־עֲבָדָ֔יו עֵ֥דֶר עֵ֖דֶר לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֶל־עֲבָדָיו֙ עִבְר֣וּ לְפָנַ֔י וְרֶ֣וַח תָּשִׂ֔ימוּ בֵּ֥ין עֵ֖דֶר וּבֵ֥ין עֵֽדֶר:
עֵדֶר עֵדֶר לְבַדּוֹ - Drove by drove - i.e., each species constituted a herd by itself.   עֵדֶר עֵדֶר לְבַדּוֹ.  כָּל מִין וָמִין לְעַצְמוֹ:
עִבְרוּ לְפָנַי - Go on ahead of me - the distance of a day’s travel or less, and I will follow behind you.   עִבְרוּ לְפָנַי.  דֶּרֶךְ יוֹם אוֹ פָּחוֹת וַאֲנִי אָבֹא אַחֲרֵיכֶם:
וְרֶוַח תָּשִׂימוּ - Keep a distance - i.e., place each herd before the other at a full eye’s distance, in order to satiate the eye of that wicked man Esau and to make him wonder at the abundance of the gift.   וְרֶוַח תָּשִׂימוּ.  עֵדֶר לִפְנֵי חֲבֵרוֹ מְלֹא עַיִן, כְּדֵי לְהַשְׂבִּיעַ עֵינוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע וּלְתַוֵּהוּ עַל רִבּוּי הַדּוֹרוֹן:
18He instructed the first one as follows: “When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, ‘Whose man are you, i.e., Who sent you? Where are you headed? And to whom are these droves in front of you being sent?’   יחוַיְצַ֥ו אֶת־הָֽרִאשׁ֖וֹן לֵאמֹ֑ר כִּ֣י יִפְגָֽשְׁךָ֞ עֵשָׂ֣ו אָחִ֗י וּשְׁאֵֽלְךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְמִי־אַ֨תָּה֙ וְאָ֣נָה תֵלֵ֔ךְ וּלְמִ֖י אֵ֥לֶּה לְפָנֶֽיךָ:
לְמִי־אַתָּה - means “to whom do you belong,” i.e., who sent you? Therefore Onkelos translates it: דְּמַאן אַתְּ – (lit.) “of whom are you.”   לְמִי־אַתָּה.  שֶׁל מִי אַתָּה, מִי שׁוֹלְחֲךָ, וְתַרְגּוּם דְּמָאן אַתְּ?
וּלְמִי אֵלֶּה לְפָנֶֽיךָ - means “and these animals that are in front of you, whose are they?” i.e., “to whom is this gift sent?” The ל prefix can be used in place of שֶׁל “belonging to,” as in: “and all that you see is mine (לִי),” 4 i.e., belongs to me; “The earth and its entirety is to God (לַה׳),” 5 i.e., belongs to God.   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':
19you must reply, ‘I am an emissary of your servant Jacob. This is a gift sent to my master Esau, and Jacob himself is also right behind us.’”   יטוְאָֽמַרְתָּ֙ לְעַבְדְּךָ֣ לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב מִנְחָ֥ה הִוא֙ שְׁלוּחָ֔ה לַֽאדֹנִ֖י לְעֵשָׂ֑ו וְהִנֵּ֥ה גַם־ה֖וּא אַֽחֲרֵֽינוּ:
וְאָֽמַרְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ לְיַֽעֲקֹב - You must reply, ‘Of your servant Jacob.’. Answer the first question first and the last question last. In reply to that which you asked: “To whom do you belong?” I answer: “I belong to your servant Jacob.” Therefore Onkelos translates it as: דְּעַבְדָּךְ דְּיַעֲקֹב – (lit.) “of your servant, of Jacob.” And in reply to that which you asked: “and for whom are these in front of you?” – “This is a gift sent for my master, Esau.”   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':
וְהִנֵּה גַם־הוּא - And he himself is also right behind us - i.e., Jacob.   וְהִנֵּה גַם־הוּא.  יַעֲקֹב:
20He gave similar instructions to the second one, to the third, and to all the others who were following the droves, saying, “With such words must you speak to Esau when you meet him,   כוַיְצַ֞ו גַּ֣ם אֶת־הַשֵּׁנִ֗י גַּ֚ם אֶת־הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י גַּ֚ם אֶת־כָּל־הַהֹ֣לְכִ֔ים אַֽחֲרֵ֥י הָֽעֲדָרִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר כַּדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ תְּדַבְּר֣וּן אֶל־עֵשָׂ֔ו בְּמֹצַֽאֲכֶ֖ם אֹתֽוֹ:
21and you must also say, ‘Your servant Jacob is also right behind us’”—for he reasoned, “I will appease him with the gift that is being sent ahead, and then I will face him; perhaps he will then show me favor.”   כאוַֽאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם גַּ֗ם הִנֵּ֛ה עַבְדְּךָ֥ יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב אַֽחֲרֵ֑ינוּ כִּֽי־אָמַ֞ר אֲכַפְּרָ֣ה פָנָ֗יו בַּמִּנְחָה֙ הַֽהֹלֶ֣כֶת לְפָנָ֔י וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵן֙ אֶרְאֶ֣ה פָנָ֔יו אוּלַ֖י יִשָּׂ֥א פָנָֽי:
אֲכַפְּרָה פָנָיו - I will appease him - i.e., I will annul his anger. Similarly we find: “Your covenant with death will be annulled (וְכֻפַּר)”; 6 and “you cannot wipe it out (כַּפְּרָהּ).” 7 It seems to me that every instance of the word כַּפָּרָה (usually translated “atonement”) that is used in connection with transgression or sin, or in connection with פָּנִים (lit. face), always means “wiping away” or “removal,” and it is an Aramaic term of which there are many instances in the Talmud: “He wiped his hands (וְכַפַּר יְדֵיהּ)”; 8 “He wishes to wipe His hands (לְכַפּוּרֵי יְדֵיהּ) with (i.e., to shift responsibility onto) that person.” 9 And also in the language of Scripture, the basins of the Sanctuary are called כְּפוֹרֵי זָהָב 10 because the priest wipes his hands on the edge of the basin.   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:
22And so the gift passed on ahead of him. Jacob spent that night in the camp.   כבוַתַּֽעֲבֹ֥ר הַמִּנְחָ֖ה עַל־פָּנָ֑יו וְה֛וּא לָ֥ן בַּלַּֽיְלָה־הַה֖וּא בַּמַּֽחֲנֶֽה:
עַל־פָּנָיו - (lit.) On his face - is the same in meaning as: לְפָנָיו – “in front of him.” Similarly we find: “Cries of robbery and swindling are heard there before Me (עַל פָּנַי) always”; 11 and similarly: “those who anger Me to My face (עַל פָּנַי).” 12 And the aggadic explanation is: עַל פָּנָיו signifies that Jacob was also in a state of anger that he had to take all these measures.   עַל־פָּנָיו.  כְּמוֹ לְפָנָיו, וְכֵן חָמָס וָשֹׁד יִשָּׁמַע בָּהּ עַל פָּנַי תָּמִיד (ירמיהו ו'), וְכֵן הַמַּכְעִסִים אֹתִי עַל פָּנַי (ישעיהו ס"ה); וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה עַל פָּנָיו, אַף הוּא שָׁרוּי בְּכַעַס, שֶׁהָיָה צָרִיךְ לְכָל זֶה (בראשית רבה):
23That night he arose, took his two wives, the two bondwomen, and his 11 sons, and crossed the ford of the Yabok River.   כגוַיָּ֣קָם | בַּלַּ֣יְלָה ה֗וּא וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־שְׁתֵּ֤י נָשָׁיו֙ וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּ֣י שִׁפְחֹתָ֔יו וְאֶת־אַחַ֥ד עָשָׂ֖ר יְלָדָ֑יו וַיַּֽעֲבֹ֕ר אֵ֖ת מַֽעֲבַ֥ר יַבֹּֽק:
וְאֶת־אַחַד עָשָׂר יְלָדָיו - His 11 sons. And where was Dinah? He had put her in a crate and locked her in so that Esau not cast his eyes upon her to marry her. And therefore Jacob was punished for keeping her away from his brother, as she might have brought him back to the right path, so she fell into the hands of Shechem.   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):
יַבֹּֽק - Yabok. This is the name of the river.   יַבֹּֽק.  שֵׁם הַנָּהָר:
24He took them and carried them across the stream, and then carried all his possessions across the stream.   כדוַיִּ֨קָּחֵ֔ם וַיַּֽעֲבִרֵ֖ם אֶת־הַנָּ֑חַל וַיַּֽעֲבֵ֖ר אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־לֽוֹ:
אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־לֽוֹ - His possessions - i.e., the animals and movable goods. He acted as a ferryman, taking them from one bank and setting them down on the other.   אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־לֽוֹ.  הַבְּהֵמָה וְהַמִּטַּלְטְלִים; עָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ כְּגַשָּׁר נוֹטֵל מִכָּאן וּמַנִּיחַ כָּאן (בראשית רבה):
25Thus Jacob remained on his own. Esau’s guardian angel assumed the physical form of a man and wrestled with him until the break of dawn.   כהוַיִּוָּתֵ֥ר יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֵּֽאָבֵ֥ק אִישׁ֙ עִמּ֔וֹ עַ֖ד עֲל֥וֹת הַשָּֽׁחַר:
וַיִּוָּתֵר יַֽעֲקֹב - Jacob remained - because he had forgotten some small jars and went back for them.   וַיִּוָּתֵר יַֽעֲקֹב.  שָׁכַח פַּכִּים קְטַנִּים וְחָזַר עֲלֵיהֶם (חולין צ"א):
וַיֵּֽאָבֵק אִישׁ - A man wrestled. Menachem ben Saruk explains this to mean: וַיִּתְעַפֵּר אִישׁ “a man covered himself in dust,” understanding וַיֵּאָבֵק in the sense of אָבָק “dust”; i.e., they were raising dust with their feet through their movements. But in my opinion it means וַיִּתְקַשֵּׁר “he entangled himself with him,” and it is an Aramaic word, as in: בָּתַר דַּאֲבִיקוּ בַּהּ “once they became attached to it”; 13 and: וְאָבִיק לֵהּ מֵיבַק “and he intertwines them.” 14 It is an expression of “intertwining,” for it is usual for two people attempting to throw each other down, that one hugs the other and twines his arms around him. Our rabbis, of blessed memory, explained that this man was Esau’s guardian angel.   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):
26When the angel saw that he could not overcome him, he touched Jacob’s hip joint, so that Jacob’s hip joint became dislocated as he wrestled with him.   כווַיַּ֗רְא כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָכֹל֙ ל֔וֹ וַיִּגַּ֖ע בְּכַף־יְרֵכ֑וֹ וַתֵּ֨קַע֙ כַּף־יֶ֣רֶךְ יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב בְּהֵאָֽבְק֖וֹ עִמּֽוֹ:
וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף־יְרֵכוֹ - He touched (lit.) the spoon of his thigh. The upper end of the thigh-bone, which is sunk into the hip-bone, is called כַּף, because the flesh covering it has the form of a pot-ladle (כַּף).   וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף־יְרֵכוֹ.  קוּלִית הַיָּרֵךְ הַתָּקוּעַ בְּקַּלְבּוּסִית קָרוּי כַּף, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהַבָּשָׂר שֶׁעָלֶיהָ כְּמִין כַּף שֶׁל קְדֵרָה:
וַתֵּקַע - means “it became dislocated from its joint.” Similarly to it in meaning is: “so that My soul not be distanced (תֵּקַע) from you” 15 – an expression of removal. And in Mishnaic Hebrew we find: לְקַעֲקֵעַ בֵּיצָתָן – “to pull out their roots.” 16   וַתֵּקַע.  נִתְקַעְקְעָה מִמְּקוֹם מַחְבַּרְתָּהּ, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ פֶּן תֵּקַע נַפְשִׁי מִמֵּךְ (ירמיהו ו'), לְשׁוֹן הֲסָרָה. וּבְמִשְׁנָה לְקַעְקֵעַ בֵּיצָתָן – לְשָׁרֵשׁ שָׁרְשֵׁיהֶן:
27The angel then said, “Send me on my way, for dawn is breaking.” But Jacob replied, “I will not send you on your way unless you bless me.”   כזוַיֹּ֣אמֶר שַׁלְּחֵ֔נִי כִּ֥י עָלָ֖ה הַשָּׁ֑חַר וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֲשַׁלֵּֽחֲךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־בֵּֽרַכְתָּֽנִי:
כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר - For dawn is breaking - and I must sing God’s song of praise by day.   כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר.  וְצָרִיךְ אֲנִי לוֹמַר שִׁירָה בַּיּוֹם (חולין צ"א):
בֵּֽרַכְתָּֽנִי - You bless me - i.e., acknowledge my right to the blessings with which my father blessed me, which Esau contests.   בֵּֽרַכְתָּֽנִי.  הוֹדֵה לִי עַל הַבְּרָכוֹת שֶׁבֵּרְכַנִי אָבִי, שֶׁעֵשָׂו מְעַרְעֵר עֲלֵיהֶן:
28The angel asked him, “What is your name?” and he answered, “Jacob.”   כחוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו מַה־שְּׁמֶ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹֽב:
29The angel then said, “No longer will it be said that your name is just Jacob, but you will also be called Israel [Yisra’el, from serarah, “nobility,” and also meaning “striven with God”], for you have striven with an angel of God and with men and you have prevailed.”   כטוַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֤א יַֽעֲקֹב֙ יֵֽאָמֵ֥ר עוֹד֙ שִׁמְךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־שָׂרִ֧יתָ עִם־אֱלֹהִ֛ים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַתּוּכָֽל:
לֹא יַֽעֲקֹב - No [longer]…Jacob. i.e., it will no longer be said that the blessings came to you through deceit (עֲקֵבָה) and trickery, but with nobility (שְׂרָרָה) and in full view, and eventually the Holy One, blessed be He, will appear to you at Bethel and change your name, 17 and there He will bless you, and I will be there and acknowledge your right to the blessings. And to this the verse refers: “He mastered the angel and triumphed; he wept and implored him,” 18 i.e., the angel wept and implored him. And what did he implore him? “Let God find us in Bethel and there He will speak with us,” 19 i.e., “Wait for me to bless you until He will speak with us there.” But Jacob did not wish to wait, and so the angel was forced to acknowledge his right to the blessings then and there. And this is the meaning of “he blessed him there,” 20 implying that the angel was pleading with Jacob to wait for him to bless him, but Jacob did not agree.   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:
וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁים - And with men - Esau and Laban.   וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁים.  עֵשָׂו וְלָבָן:
וַתּוּכָֽל - And you have prevailed - over them.   וַתּוּכָֽל.  לָהֶם:
30Jacob inquired and said, “Please tell me your name.” He replied, “Why do you ask what my name is?” The angel blessed Jacob there.   לוַיִּשְׁאַ֣ל יַֽעֲקֹ֗ב וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה תִּשְׁאַ֣ל לִשְׁמִ֑י וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ אֹת֖וֹ שָֽׁם:
לָמָּה זֶּה תִּשְׁאַל - Why do you ask…?. We do not have a fixed name. Our names change, all according to the command of our task and mission on which we are sent.   לָמָּה זֶּה תִּשְׁאַל.  אֵין לָנוּ שֵׁם קָבוּעַ, מִשְׁתַּנִּים שְׁמוֹתֵנוּ, הַכֹּל לְפִי מִצְוַת עֲבוֹדַת הַשְּׁלִיחוּת שֶׁאָנוּ מִשְׁתַּלְּחִים (בראשית רבה):