“And Jacob was left alone, and a man (angel) wrestled with him all night”.
Genesis 32:25
In this week’s parsha, we discover the famous “wrestling match” between Jacob and the angel (in the form of a man).
What type of conflict was this? On the surface, it seems to be man versus man. Rabbi Ron Jawary shares the idea that this fight may actually represent internal conflict (man versus self).
In life, we face a myriad of choices daily. Many of the choices that we make are on display for others. For example, did I show up at school or work? Did I treat others respectfully?
There are many choices, however, that take place within ourselves, and others don’t necessarily know that they are happening. For example, I may be thinking about trying out a new fitness routine for my health, but I am struggling to get started. I may notice an opportunity to do a kindness for someone, and I have the choice to stretch myself a little to make it happen…or ignore it.
The kind of person we become depends on the choices we make, moment to moment, and this includes the “invisible” choices that take place in the privacy of our minds and hearts. Many of these internal choices can be struggles, and we can wrestle with ourselves. We all have a yetzer tov (good inclination) that wants us to grow and reach our potential, and a yetzer hara (bad inclination) that just wants us to stay as comfortable as possible. When it comes to our internal struggles, our success is often dependent on how honest and aware we can be about our yetzer hara trying to bring us down.
Part of the greatness of Jacob was his ability to choose right from wrong; to win the battle within himself. His spiritual DNA has been passed down to us today, which means that we also have that potential!
Jacob’s victory in the wrestling match reminds us that we all have the ability to make the right choices, even when they’re hard…and even when nobody but myself and G-d is watching.
Shabbat Shalom,
Danielle
