The Power of Blessing – VaYishlach – Dec. 6

How do you respond to your enemies?

This is a question asked by almost everyone in the Middle East on a daily basis.  “Turning the other check” is not a common practice in the Middle East.  Regarding acts of violence and acts of terror “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” are the more common expressions of behavior, especially in the Land of Israel and the continual feud between the Arabs and the Jews.  The biblical principle and practice of “an eye for an eye” was not given so that revenge would continue on and on.  God instituted the Law with its many regulations as a means to establish justice and protect the innocent (Exodus 21:22-25).

How does God want us to respond to our enemies?

In this week’s Torah Portion we find a beautiful expression of God’s heart in regards to this issue of responding to an enemy.  Jacob is finally on his way home after twenty years of being away.  As Jacob draws closer to his homeland, he knows that he has a family situation to deal with, his brother Esau.  The last time Jacob saw his brother, Esau was intending on killing him when the opportunity would avail itself.  Jacob had bought the birthright from Esau for pennies and he had tricked his father into giving him the blessing of the firstborn.  Esau swore to take revenge on Jacob.

The Messengers

Jacob had probably been thinking about this moment everyday for twenty years.  How would he pacify his brother’s anger and make things right between them?  When the day finally came Jacob sent messengers to his brother Esau to tell him that he is on his way and that he has much livestock and many servants.

Twenty years earlier Isaac sent Jacob away (28:5).  Now Jacob was sending his servants back to his family and he sent messengers first to Esau.  Jacob specifically instructed his servants to tell Esau three things (Gen. 32:3-5)

1. Jacob has been with Laban during this time

2. Jacob now has oxen, donkeys, flocks, and servants

3. Jacob hopes to find favour in the eyes of Esau

Why does Jacob emphasize his status of wealth: livestock and servants?

Jacob left with nothing but the transfer of the birthright and the blessing of his father.  Jacob more than likely wanted to communicate to his brother that he has more than enough to provide for himself.  He was saying that he will not be a burden to the family and will not be reliant on the family inheritance.  Jacob was wealthy and could take care of himself.  He wanted Esau to understand this and hopefully relieve any tension regarding the family inheritance.

Esau’s Response

The messengers of Jacob returned with news of Esau coming to meet Jacob with 400 men by his side.  Jacob was afraid.  Jacob’s plan to appease his brother’s wrath about the past didn’t work.  He needed a knew plan.  Jacob divided the family into two camps thinking that if Esau attacked the one perhaps the second will escape and survive.  Then Jacob prayed.

The Prayer

Jacob prayed to the God of his father Abraham, and to the God of his father Isaac, to the LORD.  He reminded God that He is the One that called him back to the land of his birth and that God promised to prosper him and make his seed like the sand of the sea.  Jacob told God that he feared Esau his brother and asked God to deliver him.  Jacob knew that God had spoken all of these wonderful promises to him but the situation before him seemed terribly impossible and that it was potentially all going to come to an end.  Esau was coming with 400 men which could only mean one thing, he intended to destroy Jacob and his family.  Esau was coming as an enemy set on revenge.

The New Plan

That very same night (32:13,20) Jacob executed a new plan, a plan that seems to be a result of his conversation with God.  Jacob could have chosen to defend himself the best he could and gather weapons for his sons and the men in his entourage, however, he chose to bless his enemy with a gift.  Jacob took from his great wealth and prepared a gift (literally an offering) for his brother Esau (32:13-15):

• 200 female goats

• 20 male goats

• 200 ewes

• 20 rams

• 30 milking camels and their colts

• 40 cows

• 10 bulls

• 20 female donkeys

• 10 male donkeys

This was the gift (offering) that Jacob prepared for his brother Esau.  He prepared it to appease his brother and to find acceptance when he saw his face.  Jacob then ordered his servants to go before him and deliver the gift to Esau one after the other.  Jacob also sent his entire family across to the other side of the Jabbok stream and he was left alone (32:16-22).

Why does Jacob choose to bless and not curse Esau?

Jacob’s response to Esau’s aggression was to bless rather than curse.  He chose to submit himself to God, obey what he knew to be right, and leave revenge in the hands of God.  I truly believe that Jacob received revelation from God when he sought God in prayer and acted according to what he received.  To seek peace with others, as much as it depends on us, is the heart of God.  To provide a gift to someone when they are intending to harm us is the heart of God.  To not be overcome with evil but to overcome evil with good is the heart of God (Romans 12:14-21).

The wrestling match & the name

Immediately after Jacob had sent everyone away from him, a man wrestled with Jacob all night long and touched the joint of his thigh (ירך) and dislocated it.  The man asked him to let him go but Jacob said “not until you bless me.”  The man asked him his name.  He said “Jacob.”  The man told him that his name shall no longer be Jacob but Israel because he has wrestled with God and man and has prevailed.  Jacob asked his name but he didn’t tell him.  Jacob named that place Peniel saying, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.” (32:30).  Jacob just had a wrestling match with God.

Why does God ask Jacob his name?

Why does God ask Jacob for his name?  Was it that God didn’t know his name?   Or course not.  God knows everything.  What happened the last time that someone asked Jacob his name?  Jacob didn’t give the right answer.  Jacob lied to his father and said that he was Esau (Gen. 27:18-29).  This time, however, he answered correctly.  God was teaching Jacob to be honest, to know who he is, and to understand the calling that God has for him.   God then changed his name to Israel, meaning “he wrestles with God.”  Jacob had wrestled with God and man and had overcome.  Jacob was now ready to meet his brother.

Esau was fast approaching with four hundred men and Jacob saw him coming.  Jacob again separated his wives; putting the maids and their children first, Leah and her children next, and then Rachel and Joseph last.  Jacob then went a head of them all and met Esau bowing down to the ground seven times before approaching his brother (Gen. 33:1-3).  Esau ran to him fell on Jacob’s neck, kissed him, and they wept (Gen. 33:4).  This is the fulfilment of the prophesy that Isaac gave to Esau when he blessed him; “By your sword you shall live, and your brother you shall serve; but it shall come about when you become restless, that you will break his yoke from your neck” (Gen. 27:40).  The yoke of hatred and revenge was broken between Esau and Jacob.

After Jacob and Esau finished greeting each other, Esau met all of Jacob’s wives and children.  Esau then asked Jacob the reason for all the company of servants with the herds and flocks that met him on the way.  Jacob said that it was to find favour in his sight.  Esau tried to refuse the gift and said that he had plenty but Jacob insisted on giving it to Esau.  Jacob responded with these words: “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then take my present (literally – offering) from my hand, for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favourably.  Please take my gift (literally – blessing) which has been brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have plenty.” Thus he urged him and he took it (Gen. 33:10-11).

The significance of the Gift (offering/blessing)

Jacob had chosen to respond to an attack of an enemy with blessing rather than cursing or revenge.  Jacob chose the path of life and reconciliation.  More than this, I believe that we see something more significant with Jacob’s choice of a gift.  The list of flocks, herds, oxen, and cattle that Jacob chose to give to Esau seem to signify a greater gift.  Jacob stated that seeing Esau’s face was like seeing the face of God.  It seems that the gift (offering/blessing) which Jacob gave to Esau was actually a fulfilment of the vow that Jacob had made to God twenty years earlier (Gen. 28:20-22).  Jacob had promised to give God a tenth of all that God would give him on the journey he took.  He returned at this point and God had been faithful to protect his going out and coming in and God had given him much wealth.  Jacob took from his wealth which God had given to him and gave a tenth to his brother Esau and so in seeing Esau’s face it was like seeing the face of God.

Jacob had spent twenty years on a journey and had come to know the God of Abraham and Isaac.  Jacob learned that God is faithful and trustworthy.  Jacob was blessed by God and learned the power of blessing.  The Bible teaches that we are blessed to be a blessing to others and to show God’s way of salvation on this earth (Psalm 67).  Let us learn to walk with God, receive his blessings, and bless others so that others may know Him!

Shabbat Shalom!

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Torah Portion: Gen. 32:3 – Gen. 36:43

Hafatara: Obadiah 1-21

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