Parashat Vayishlach: Jacob’s Journeys
[This is part eight in a series of analyses on appearances of the Hebrew word for name, shem, in the weekly Torah portion. Start here.]
Jacob our Patriarch fled from home some decades earlier, running away from his brother Esau from whom he stole Isaac’s blessing. He spent 20+ years in his deceitful uncle Laban’s realm but thanks to God’s divine providence he emerged with a blossoming family and great wealth.
Having overcome one antagonist, Jacob’s story now returns to Esau. He must survive him as well if he is to return home.
Jacob prepared for his fateful meeting with Esau in three different ways: appeasement (gift giving), war (made a battle plan), and prayer.
The night before, Jacob engaged in a personal battle with some nameless man who turned out to be a divine messenger:
וַיִּוָּתֵ֥ר יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֵּאָבֵ֥ק אִישׁ֙ עִמּ֔וֹ עַ֖ד עֲל֥וֹת הַשָּֽׁחַר׃ וַיַּ֗רְא כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָכֹל֙ ל֔וֹ וַיִּגַּ֖ע בְּכַף־יְרֵכ֑וֹ וַתֵּ֙קַע֙ כַּף־יֶ֣רֶךְ יַעֲקֹ֔ב בְּהֵאָֽבְק֖וֹ עִמּֽוֹ׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שַׁלְּחֵ֔נִי כִּ֥י עָלָ֖ה הַשָּׁ֑חַר וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֲשַֽׁלֵּחֲךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־בֵּרַכְתָּֽנִי׃ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו מַה־שְּׁמֶ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר יַעֲקֹֽב׃ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֤א יַעֲקֹב֙ יֵאָמֵ֥ר עוֹד֙ שִׁמְךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־שָׂרִ֧יתָ עִם־אֱלֹהִ֛ים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַתּוּכָֽל׃ וַיִּשְׁאַ֣ל יַעֲקֹ֗ב וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה תִּשְׁאַ֣ל לִשְׁמִ֑י וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ אֹת֖וֹ שָֽׁם׃ וַיִּקְרָ֧א יַעֲקֹ֛ב שֵׁ֥ם הַמָּק֖וֹם פְּנִיאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־רָאִ֤יתִי אֱלֹהִים֙ פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים וַתִּנָּצֵ֖ל נַפְשִֽׁי׃
Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he wrenched Jacob’s hip at its socket, so that the socket of his hip was strained as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for dawn is breaking.” But he answered, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” Said the other, “What is your name?” He replied, “Jacob.” Said he, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with beings divine and human, and have prevailed.” Jacob asked, “Pray tell me your name.” But he said, “You must not ask my name!” And he took leave of him there. So Jacob named the place Peniel, meaning, “I have seen a divine being face to face, yet my life has been preserved.” (Genesis 32:25–31)
Jacob gets his name changed, just like Abraham. This indicates that Jacob has reached a new level. The name itself, as explained in the verse, was earned by Jacob for his confrontations in contrast to the evasive measures he took previously, first in fleeing Esau and then in sneaking away from Laban.
Why did the ‘man,’ AKA angel, ask Jacob his name; surely he already knew? And why did Jacob ask, repeatedly, for the man’s name? And why did the man refuse?
Jacob names the place after his divine encounter, just like he did at the beginning and end of the previous parasha.
Jacob emerges unscathed from his meeting with Esau and talks Esau out of tagging along with him on his journey. Jacob continues on with his own family:
וְיַעֲקֹב֙ נָסַ֣ע סֻכֹּ֔תָה וַיִּ֥בֶן ל֖וֹ בָּ֑יִת וּלְמִקְנֵ֙הוּ֙ עָשָׂ֣ה סֻכֹּ֔ת עַל־כֵּ֛ן קָרָ֥א שֵׁם־הַמָּק֖וֹם סֻכּֽוֹת׃
But Jacob journeyed on to Succot, and built a house for himself and made stalls for his cattle; that is why the place was named Succot. (Gen. 33:17)
Whereas Esau went back to his homeland, Jacob engages in building. His story is still very much in progress.
‘Succot’ means shelter, just like the eponymously named holiday Succot. Jacob’s legacy and that of his family is safe and sound, sheltered from the danger presented by Esau and his long-harbored hatred.
shem’s next appearance:
וַיָּבֹ֨א יַעֲקֹ֜ב ל֗וּזָה אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן הִ֖וא בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל ה֖וּא וְכׇל־הָעָ֥ם אֲשֶׁר־עִמּֽוֹ׃ וַיִּ֤בֶן שָׁם֙ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ וַיִּקְרָא֙ לַמָּק֔וֹם אֵ֖ל בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל כִּ֣י שָׁ֗ם נִגְל֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים בְּבׇרְח֖וֹ מִפְּנֵ֥י אָחִֽיו׃ וַתָּ֤מׇת דְּבֹרָה֙ מֵינֶ֣קֶת רִבְקָ֔ה וַתִּקָּבֵ֛ר מִתַּ֥חַת לְבֵֽית־אֵ֖ל תַּ֣חַת הָֽאַלּ֑וֹן וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ אַלּ֥וֹן בָּכֽוּת׃
Thus Jacob came to Luz — that is, Bethel — in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. There he built an altar and named the site El-bethel for it was there that God had revealed Himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother. Deborah, Rebeccah’s nurse, died, and was buried under the oak below Bethel; so it was named Allon-bacuth. (Gen. 35:6–8)
Curious that the Torah uses the name Luz after Jacob had already named the site Bethel in the previous parasha. And why does the Torah then tell us again that he named the site Bethel? It’s also a slightly different version now — El-bethel instead of Bethel.
What is the connection between the site and Rebecca’s nurse who died there? Why do we hear of Deborah only now upon her death? Why does shem accompany the naming of her burial place? What is Rebecca’s nurse doing here, with Jacob’s camp, if Rebecca was back home in Israel AKA Canaan?
Deborah must have played an important role in Rebecca’s life, perhaps similar to Eliezer’s role in Abraham’s life.
Immediately following, Jacob’s new name is confirmed by God:
וַיֹּֽאמֶר־ל֥וֹ אֱלֹהִ֖ים שִׁמְךָ֣ יַעֲקֹ֑ב לֹֽא־יִקָּרֵא֩ שִׁמְךָ֨ ע֜וֹד יַעֲקֹ֗ב כִּ֤י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ God said to him,
“You whose name is Jacob, you shall be called by the name Jacob no more, but Israel shall be your name.” Thus He named him Israel. (Gen. 35:10)
Four appearances of shem in one verse.
Why did the angel give him his new name earlier if God was to do it Himself now?
A few verses later we read:
וַיִּקְרָ֨א יַעֲקֹ֜ב אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבֶּ֨ר אִתּ֥וֹ שָׁ֛ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בֵּֽית־אֵֽל׃
Jacob gave the site, where God had spoken to him, the name of Bethel. (Gen. 35:15)
If Jacob’s new name is Israel why does the Torah still call him Jacob? Why is Jacob naming Bethel for a third time now?
The last of the 12 tribes is born:
וַיְהִ֞י בְּצֵ֤את נַפְשָׁהּ֙ כִּ֣י מֵ֔תָה וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ בֶּן־אוֹנִ֑י וְאָבִ֖יו קָֽרָא־ל֥וֹ בִנְיָמִֽין׃
But as she breathed her last — for she was dying — she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.(Gen. 35:18)
For the previous 12 children born to Jacob (11 sons and Dinah) the mother named each child. In this last instance Jacob sees fit to name the child something other than what Rachel named him, and his name wins primary status.
The Torah recounts the legacy of Esau, listing his wives and children. Like when Ishmael’s descendants were listed, none get shem here but his offspring as a whole is granted shem, owing to Esau’s influential status as the son of a Patriarch. Esau, after all, is known as the progenitor of Rome and with it much of Western Civilization.
אֵ֖לֶּה שְׁמ֣וֹת בְּנֵֽי־עֵשָׂ֑ו אֱלִיפַ֗ז בֶּן־עָדָה֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת עֵשָׂ֔ו רְעוּאֵ֕ל בֶּן־בָּשְׂמַ֖ת אֵ֥שֶׁת עֵשָֽׂו׃
These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz, the son of Esau’s wife Adah; Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath(Gen. 36:10).
We know from earlier that Esau settled in Seir. Following Esau’s own line of descendants, the Torah now recounts the tribes and legacies of those who had lived in Seir prior to his conquests. The Torah then lists the Edomite kings descended from Esau, also known as Edom, who reigned in the land prior to the Jewish kings.
Mentions of shem attached to his Edomite legacy:
וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ בֶּאֱד֔וֹם בֶּ֖לַע בֶּן־בְּע֑וֹר וְשֵׁ֥ם עִיר֖וֹ דִּנְהָֽבָה׃
Bela son of Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah (Gen. 36:32).
The first king’s capital city, the beginnings of a dynasty.
Next generations of kings:
וַיָּ֖מׇת חֻשָׁ֑ם וַיִּמְלֹ֨ךְ תַּחְתָּ֜יו הֲדַ֣ד בֶּן־בְּדַ֗ד הַמַּכֶּ֤ה אֶת־מִדְיָן֙ בִּשְׂדֵ֣ה מוֹאָ֔ב וְשֵׁ֥ם עִיר֖וֹ עֲוִֽית׃
When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated the Midianites in the country of Moab, succeeded him as king; the name of his city was Avith (Gen. 36:35).
The two generations of kings between Bela and Hadad (featured in verses 33 and 34) are given no special acclaim. Hadad, we are told, boasted military triumphs and therefore shem is attached to his capital city.
וַיָּ֘מׇת֮ בַּ֣עַל חָנָ֣ן בֶּן־עַכְבּוֹר֒ וַיִּמְלֹ֤ךְ תַּחְתָּיו֙ הֲדַ֔ר וְשֵׁ֥ם עִיר֖וֹ פָּ֑עוּ וְשֵׁ֨ם אִשְׁתּ֤וֹ מְהֵֽיטַבְאֵל֙ בַּת־מַטְרֵ֔ד בַּ֖ת מֵ֥י זָהָֽב׃ And when Baal-hanan son of Achbor died, Hadar succeeded him as king; the name of his city was Pau, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred daughter of Me-zahab.(Gen. 36:39).
It’s unclear to me from the text what’s special about Hadar; her exhaustive lineage must offer clues.
It’s noteworthy that the list of Edomite kings has no instances of kings passing on the throne to their son. In each case, the succeeding generation is of a different parentage.
Finally, closing the chapter on Esau’s story and his great but infamous legacy:
וְ֠אֵ֠לֶּה שְׁמ֞וֹת אַלּוּפֵ֤י עֵשָׂו֙ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔ם לִמְקֹמֹתָ֖ם בִּשְׁמֹתָ֑ם אַלּ֥וּף תִּמְנָ֛ע אַלּ֥וּף עַֽלְוָ֖ה אַלּ֥וּף יְתֵֽת׃
These are the names of the clans of Esau, each with its families and locality, by name: the clans Timna, Alvah, Jetheth (Gen. 36:40)
More questions than answers this week. Repeated namings, Jacob’s name changes and yet remains the same, obscure characters and locations attached to shem. There are lots of gaps in the simple understanding of the verse.
The basic pshat understanding of the text often leaves the attentive reader with many questions. I imagine some answers are alluded to throughout the Tanach using a combination of textual patterns and language similarities, other episodes that would help clear some of our fogginess.
This also sounds like an example where the Written Torah needs to be complemented with the Oral Torah, the tradition handed down to Moses from Mount Sinai.
