Vayishlach
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Vayishlach or Vayishlah (וישלח – Hebrew for “and he sent,” the first word of the parshah) is the eighth weekly parshah or portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes Genesis 32:4–36:43. Jews in the Diaspora read it the eighth Sabbath after Simchat Torah, generally in late November or December.
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[edit] Summary
[edit] Jacob wrestles with God
On his return to the land of Canaan, Jacob feared meeting his brother Esau, whom he had deprived of a blessing. Jacob sent Esau presents. While sleeping, a being (variously regarded as God, an angel, or a man), appeared to Jacob and wrestled with him. The mysterious one pleaded to be released before daybreak, but Jacob refused to release the being until he agreed to bless Jacob. The being announced to Jacob that he shall bear the name "Israel," which means "one who wrestled with God." The being freed Jacob, but not before he wrenched Jacob’s hip, leaving him with a limp.
The meeting with Esau proved benign.
Jacob settled at Shechem. The city’s prince, also named Shechem, raped Jacob’s daughter Dinah. His sons Simeon and Levi took vengeance on the city, forcing Jacob and his family to flee. On the road from Bethel, Rachel gave birth to a son, Benjamin, and died.
Jacob returned to Isaac’s home in Mamre, near Hebron. Isaac died, and Esau and Jacob buried him.
[edit] Commandment
According to Maimonides and Sefer ha-Chinuch, there is one negative commandment in the parshah:
- Not to eat the sinew of the thigh Gen. 32:33
[edit] Haftarah
The haftarah for the parshah is:
- for Ashkenazi Jews: Hosea 11:7–12:12
- for Sephardi Jews: Obadiah 1:1-21
[edit] Further reading
- Anita Diamant. The Red Tent. St. Martin's Press, 1997. ISBN 0312169787.
[edit] External links
- Parashat Vayishlach
- Masoretic text and 1917 JPS translation
- Commentaries from the Jewish Theological Seminary
- Torah Insights from the Orthodox Union
- Commentaries from Chabad-Lubavitch
- Commentaries from the Union for Reform Judaism
- Commentaries from Reconstructionist Judaism
- Text studies and commentaries from MyJewishLearning.com
Exodus — Shemot • Va'eira • Bo • Beshalach • Yitro • Mishpatim • Terumah • Tetzaveh • Ki Tisa • Vayakhel • Pekudei
Leviticus — Vayikra • Tzav • Shemini • Tazria • Metzora • Acharei • Kedoshim • Emor • Behar • Bechukotai
Numbers — Bamidbar • Naso • Behaalotecha • Shlach • Korach • Chukat • Balak • Pinchas • Matot • Masei
Deuteronomy — Devarim • Va'etchanan • Eikev • Re'eh • Shoftim • Ki Teitzei • Ki Tavo • Nitzavim • Vayelech • Haazinu • V'Zot HaBerachah
