{"id":1740,"date":"2017-11-27T13:28:06","date_gmt":"2017-11-27T13:28:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/batkol.info\/?p=1740"},"modified":"2017-11-27T13:28:06","modified_gmt":"2017-11-27T13:28:06","slug":"parashat-vayishlach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/2017\/11\/27\/parashat-vayishlach\/","title":{"rendered":"Parashat Vayishlach"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n\t\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Shabbat Table Talk<\/p>\n

Parashat Vayishlach \u2013 Erev Shabbat 01 December 2017<\/p>\n

Week of 26 November \u2013 02 December<\/p>\n

Torah portion: Gen.32:3-36:43 Haftarah: Hos.11:7-12, Ob.1:1-21\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Download<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

It is probably because of the proximity of Christmas, but one thing stood out for me in this week\u2019s parashah: angels. I could also blame Rashi\u2019s commentary on this parashah: his opening comment is on the meaning of the word \u201cmaleachim\u201d and Rashi writes it should be translated as \u201cangels\u201d rather than \u201cmessengers\u201d as English translations do. And Rashi has a point, because just two verses earlier the same word in these English translations (NIV, for example) is translated as \u201cangels\u201d: when Jacob started his way homewards, \u201cangels of God met him\u201d (Gen.32:1).<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Most likely it was Jacob\u2019s story itself that made me think of angels. Can you think of some of the most popular stories in the Hebrew Bible that involve angels? Two coming to my mind are connected with Jacob. One is Jacob\u2019s dream when he fled from Esau on his way to Laban: he saw a ladder between heaven and the earth and angels ascending and descending on it. (Gen.28:10-19) Today\u2019s parashah reminds us of this dream. At the end of the parashah Jacob takes his family to Beth El and builds an altar to the God who had appeared to him there (Gen.35:1ff).<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The second famous story involving Jacob and an angel is in today\u2019s story that describes Jacob preparing to face Esau after all those years. The night before they met, Jacob was wrestling with an angel. Or was it an angel? Traditionally it is understood that way, but the Hebrew word here is \u201cish\u201d which can be translated as either \u201ca man\u201d or \u201csomebody\u201d. Jacob called the place \u201cPeniel\u201d or \u201cthe face of God\u201d. Did he think it was God himself? There could be another interpretation of \u201cPeniel\u201d. Jacob was preparing for a meeting with Esau and \u201cfour hundred men\u201d. He had cheated Esau more than once and had clearly deserved the worst treatment. In the Jewish tradition Esau or Edom is always described as an archenemy to Israel as today\u2019s haftarah testifies. But in today\u2019s story Esau received Jacob with peace. When Jacob found that out, he commented that seeing Esau for him is like seeing God\u2019s face, \u201cpneh-elohim\u201d. (Gen.33:10) Those are exactly the two words that form the name \u201cPeniel\u201d. Forgiveness and peace where revenge and war are expected could be the best way to experience God and his presence in the most intense way. Some call it angels, some call it God himself.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Angels in Jacob\u2019s life do not resemble the little cuddly cherubs of Christmas paintings. They take around messages, they fight and hurt, and they do not have wings. But they do have an important role: they help Jacob to reconnect with people and with God and see God\u2019s presence in the most unexpected places.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

For Reflection and Discussion: Reflect on God\u2019s presence in reconciliation in the Bible, in the world history and in your lives or lives of your community!<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

~~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n

This week\u2019s teaching commentary was prepared by<\/p>\n

Rota Stone, Latvia, \u00a0Bat Kol Alumna, 2002 & 2003<\/p>\n

Email: rotina@runbox.com<\/p>\n

Copyright \u00a9 2017<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Parashah commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol. The commentaries, along with all materials published on the Bat Kol website, are copyrighted by the writers, and are made available for personal and group study, and local church purposes. Permission needed for other purposes. Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem<\/p>\n

1983-2017<\/p>\n

\u201cChristians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.\u201d<\/p>\n

Website: www.batkol.info; Commentary Admin: gill@batkol.info<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Shabbat Table Talk Parashat Vayishlach \u2013 Erev Shabbat 01 December 2017 Week of 26 November \u2013 02 December Torah portion: Gen.32:3-36:43 Haftarah: Hos.11:7-12, Ob.1:1-21\u00a0 \u00a0 Download \u00a0 It is probably because of the proximity of Christmas, but one thing stood out for me in this week\u2019s parashah: angels. I could also blame Rashi\u2019s commentary on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":1745,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ghostkit_customizer_options":"","ghostkit_custom_css":"","ghostkit_custom_js_head":"","ghostkit_custom_js_foot":"","ghostkit_typography":"","_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1740"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/46"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1740"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1740\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1745"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1740"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1740"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1740"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}