Parshat Vayishlach (“And He Sent”) is the eighth weekly Torah portion in the Book of Genesis (Bereshit 32:4–36:43). It covers several major, dramatic events in the life of Jacob.
Here are the main events and themes of the portion:
1. The Encounter with Esau and the Change of Name
- Preparation for the Meeting: Jacob sends messengers to his estranged twin brother Esau, who is approaching with 400 men. Fearing an attack due to the past deception over the blessing, Jacob prepares in three ways:
- He divides his camp into two to save at least one from destruction.
- He prays fervently to God.
- He sends a lavish gift of livestock ahead to appease Esau.
- Wrestling with the Angel: The night before the meeting, Jacob is left alone and wrestles with a mysterious “man” (often interpreted as an angel, specifically Esau’s guardian angel) until dawn. Jacob refuses to let go until he is blessed.
- The Name Israel: The figure blesses Jacob and changes his name to Israel (“one who struggles with God and men and prevails”). Jacob is injured in the hip socket, which is why Jews traditionally do not eat the sciatic nerve (Gid HaNasheh).
- Reconciliation: Jacob and Esau finally meet. Despite Jacob’s fears, Esau runs to him, embraces him, and they weep, achieving a genuine, if temporary, reconciliation. They then go their separate ways, with Esau settling in Seir.
2. The Incident with Dinah and Shechem
- Jacob settles near the city of Shechem. His daughter, Dinah, goes out to see the women of the land and is seized and violated by Shechem, the son of the city’s ruler.
- Shechem then falls in love with Dinah and asks his father to arrange a marriage.
- Jacob’s sons, primarily Simeon and Levi, respond to the outrage with cunning: they agree to the marriage only if all the men of the city circumcise themselves.
- On the third day after the circumcisions, while the men are incapacitated, Simeon and Levi attack the city, kill all the males, and loot the city, taking Dinah back. Jacob is distressed by their violence, fearing reprisal from the neighboring tribes.
3. Birth, Death, and Genealogy
- Rachel’s Death: As the family journeys, Jacob’s beloved wife Rachel dies in childbirth while giving birth to her second son. She names him Ben-Oni (“Son of my suffering”), but Jacob renames him Benjamin (“Son of my right hand”). She is buried on the road to Bethlehem.
- Isaac’s Death: The portion concludes with the death of Jacob’s father, Isaac, at the age of 180. He is buried by his sons, Jacob and Esau.
- Esau’s Descendants: The Parshah also contains a detailed genealogy of Esau’s descendants, who are the Edomites.
