December 10, 2022; 16 Kisleiv, 5783
Parsha “And he said, ‘No longer shall Yaakov be your name, but it shall be Israel – for you strove with an angel and with men and you have prevailed.’” (Bereishis 32:29)
Rashi on this Passuk tells us that the “men” that Yaakov strove with refer to Eisav and Lavan. Rav Nosson Wachtfogel ZT”L in Kovetz Sichos (page 135) explains that we are generally aware of the details of Yaakov Avinu’s struggle with Eisav, but what was the exact struggle with Lavan? Granted, it may not have been easy to work an additional seven years to marry Rachel after Lavan tricked him into marrying Leah and to provide Lavan with “an honest day’s work” during that time, however for a person of Yaakov’s great stature and integrity, it does not appear that it should have been too much of a struggle...