The Torah in Parashat Vayishlach tells the mysterious story of Yaakov's nighttime wrestle with an assailant as he makes his way towards Canaan, where he would reunite with his brother Esav.  By the end of the narrative it becomes clear that Yaakov's assailant is angelic, rather than human, as Yaakov demands from him a blessing and he renames Yaakov "Yisrael," a name-change that is confirmed by God later in the parasha (35:10).

  Why did Beit-El not earn a special status, given the prophetic revelations that Yaakov experienced there?

Jerusalem, the site chosen as the eternal "holy place" is the site that represents  sacrifice, of giving of oneself for the Almighty, rather than Beit-El – the place where God promised to bless and protect Yaakov.  We must focus our attention on our responsibilities to God, our obligation to serve Him to the very best of our ability, rather than on that which God promises to do for us. 

 According to Rashi, Esav’s recognition that he has “much” reflected not a lack of contentment, but to the contrary, the feeling of having far more than he needed.  Yet, Rashi considers this affirmation a sign of Esav’s arrogance.  Why is it arrogant to acknowledge that one has more than he needs?

The Sages famously teach that as Yaakov left home and arrived at the site where he dreamt his famous dream, God had the sun set early so that Yaakov would sleep at that site.  Now, twenty years later, God “returned” the daylight by having the sun rise early that morning for Yaakov at Penuel.

            What deeper message might this account, of the early sunset and sunrise, seek to convey?

 Those who constantly ask the kinds of questions asked by Esav – inquiring about the details of other people’s lives – run the risk of draining their limited resources of time and mental energy. 

One might suggest, at first glance, that all the brothers conspired together, but only Shimon and Levi – who were perhaps the warriors in the family – carried out the attack on Shechem.  On the other hand, it seems difficult to imagine that only two brothers would be sent to attack the city if they all took part in the scheme.Yaakov’s condemnation of the attack – both here and on his deathbed - are reserved for Shimon and Levi. But why does the Torah speak of "Yaakov's sons" without specifying Shimon and Levi?

     Parashat Vayishlach tells of Yaakov’s return to Beit-El, the site where he had beheld the famous prophetic vision of the ladder as he escaped from Eretz Yisrael.  Now, upon Yaakov’s return to the land, he goes to Beit-El with his family and constructs an altar to God, whereupon he receives a prophecy in which God blesses him and reiterates his name’s change to “Yisrael” (chapter 35).

The message of the gid ha-nasheh is that we must try to focus our attention on our successes rather than our failures.

Why did Yaakov now marvel over the fact that he has “seen God face-to-face,” if this was not the first such encounter?

Symbolically, the blow dealt by the angel to Yaakov’s leg serves to emphasize the importance of taking small steps in all areas of life.