"That’s the bottom line... cos Stone Cold said so" – ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin

This week we find the first record of sport in Jewish history. Jacob ends up in a wrestling bout. For those of us who were, in our younger years, familiar with the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment after a lawsuit brought by pandas) will recognise this match as a true classic. A lone man, with no companion, no entourage in his corner, is faced with an opponent of a truly cosmic stature, as he is understood to be the spirit of Esau. The match is epic; Rashi tells us it was such a fight that it is as if they were attached to one another, so tight were their grips. ‘Menachem’ tells us that they were covered in dust such was the ferocity of their throws.

The match appears deadlocked, but then from nowhere, the angel pulls a special move, much like a ‘tombstone piledriver’ and we think it’s all over. But rather than ending it, all he manages to do is dislocate his hip. Jacob is in agony, but refuses to give in. The angel demands to be released, as it is dawn. But Jacob refuses to loosen his vice-like grip. He demands a blessing. The angel concedes, and as all old fans of wrestling will know, is elevated to the highest standing in the ring, by being given a new name – Israel. The sign of a true champion.

But what did he win? Well, as we all know, that depends on what the fight represents.
So let’s start with the one that I kind of mentioned in passing earlier. That he was wrestling with the spirit of Esau. In which case, we could conclude that Esau had not really forgiven him for stealing Isaac’s blessing many years ago. That is understandable. It also seems to play quite nicely into the way the wrestling ends. Jacob refuses to relent until he is blessed by his opponent. If his opponent is the spirit of Esau, then this is the moment when Esau acknowledges that the birthright he was fighting for is finally and wholly Jacob’s.

That’s one reading of the text. It is one that makes sense. Kind of. But as we all know, every story in the Torah has myriad interpretations, and many levels of possible meaning, usually hinted at in the text.

One of these is an interesting question that raises its head regularly in a Zionist youth movement. Jacob was wrestling just as he was about to re-enter the land of his fathers. It could be talking about living in the land of Israel. I, however, do not wish to pre-empt the discussion I’m sure we will have on veida in but a few short weeks. So instead I’m going to concentrate on one final irregularity.

When Jacob asks his opponent for a blessing, the angel responds ‘What is your name?’(Gen31:28) Surely the angel knew who Jacob was. So he cannot possibly be asking so he knows to whom to address the blessing. So why then does he ask? We all should remember the last time Jacob was in this situation. He masqueraded as another to receive a blessing. Since then he has been on the run, away from home for many a year. Now he returns to claim that which was promised to him. But before it is given, he has one final test. We have to be shown that he is worthy. That he is reconciled with what he has done. He spends the whole night before his return ‘wrestling’ mentally also, as tomorrow is the day he returns. As the sun begins to rise he said “I am Jacob”.

To proceed, whether what we have done previously was right or wrong, we have to reconcile ourselves with it and be willing to stand up and say 'I am what I am'.

By Adam Berkley

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