בראשית רבה ע״חBereshit Rabbah 78

Section 1א׳

וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר (בראשית לב, כז), כְּתִיב (איכה ג, כג): חֲדָשִׁים לַבְּקָרִים רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר אַבָּא עַל שֶׁאַתָּה מְחַדְּשֵׁנוּ בְּכָל בֹּקֶר וָבֹקֶר אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁאֱמוּנָתְךָ רַבָּה לְהַחֲיוֹת לָנוּ אֶת הַמֵּתִים. אָמַר רַבִּי אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִי מִמַּה שֶּׁאַתָּה מְחַדְּשֵׁנוּ בְּבוֹקְרָן שֶׁל מַלְכֻיּוֹת אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁאֱמוּנָתְךָ רַבָּה לְגָאֳלֵנוּ. רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר לְעוֹלָם אֵין כַּת שֶׁל מַעְלָה מְקַלֶּסֶת וְשׁוֹנָה אֶלָּא בְּכָל יוֹם בּוֹרֵא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כַּת שֶׁל מַלְאָכִים חֲדָשָׁה וְהֵן אוֹמְרִים שִׁירָה חֲדָשָׁה לְפָנָיו וְהוֹלְכִין לָהֶם. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה הֵשַׁבְתִּי אֶת רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ וְהָא כְתִיב: וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר, וְהִגִּיעַ זְמַנִּי לוֹמַר שִׁירָה, אָמַר לִי חָנוֹקָא סְבַרְתְּ לְמֶחֶנְקֵנִי, אֲמָרִית מָה הוּא דֵין דִּכְתִיב: וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר, אָמַר לִי זֶה מִיכָאֵל וְגַבְרִיאֵל שֶׁהֵן שָׂרִים שֶׁל מַעְלָה, דְּכוּלָּא מִתְחַלְּפִין וְאִינוּן לָא מִתְחַלְּפִין. אַנְדְּרִיָּנוֹס שְׁחִיק טְמַיָּא שָׁאַל אֶת רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן חֲנַנְיָה, אָמַר לוֹ, אַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים אֵין כַּת שֶׁל מַעְלָה מְקַלֶּסֶת וְשׁוֹנָה, אֶלָּא בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בּוֹרֵא כַּת שֶׁל מַלְאָכִים חֲדָשִׁים וְהֵן אוֹמְרִים שִׁירָה לְפָנָיו וְהוֹלְכִין לָהֶן, אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הֵין. אֲמַר לֵיהּ וּלְאָן אִינוּן אָזְלִין, אָמַר מִן הָן דְּאִתְבָּרְיָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ וּמִן אָן הֵן אִתְבָּרְיָן, אֲמַר לֵיהּ מִן נְהַר דִּינוּר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ וּמָה עֵסֶק דִּנְהַר דִּינוּר, אֲמַר לֵיהּ כַּהֲדֵין יַרְדְּנָא דְּלָא פָסֵיק לָא בִימָמָא וְלָא בְלֵילְיָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ וּמִן אָן הוּא אָתֵי, אָמַר לֵיהּ מִן זֵיעָתְהוֹן דְּחַיָּתָא דְּאִינוּן מְזִיעִין מִן טְעִינוּן כּוּרְסַיָּא דְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ סוּנְקַתֶּדְרוֹן שֶׁלּוֹ וְהָא הָדֵין יַרְדְּנָא מְהַלֵּךְ בִּימָמָא וְלֵית הוּא מְהַלֵּךְ בְּלֵילְיָא, אֲמַר נָטַר הֲוֵינָא בְּבֵית פְּעוֹר כְּמָה דַּהֲוָה מְהַלֵּךְ בִּימָמָא מְהַלֵּךְ בְּלֵילְיָא. רַבִּי מֵאִיר וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר מִי גָּדוֹל הַשּׁוֹמֵר אוֹ הַנִּשְׁמָר, מִן מַה דִּכְתִיב (תהלים צא, יא): כִּי מַלְאָכָיו יְצַוֶּה לָךְ לִשְׁמָרְךָ, הֱוֵי הַנִּשְׁמָר גָּדוֹל מִן הַשּׁוֹמֵר. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר מִי גָּדוֹל הַנּוֹשֵׂא אוֹ הַנִּשָּׂא, מִן מַה דִּכְתִיב (תהלים צא, יב): עַל כַּפַּיִם יִשָּׂאוּנְךָ, הֱוֵי הַנִּשָּׂא גָּדוֹל מִן הַנּוֹשֵׂא. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר מִן מַה דִּכְתִיב: וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי, הֱוֵי הַמְּשַׁלֵּחַ גָּדוֹל מִן הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ.

“He said: Release me, as dawn has broken. He said: I will not release you unless you bless me” (Genesis 32:27). “He said: Release me, as dawn has broken” – it is written: “New each morning, great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:23) – Rabbi Shimon bar Abba said: From the fact that you renew us each and every morning we know that You have great faithfulness to revive the dead for us. Rabbi Alexandri said: From the fact that you renew us in the morning of the kingdoms, we know that You have great faithfulness to redeem us. Rabbi Ḥelbo said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: No heavenly group lauds and repeats, but rather, each day the Holy One blessed be He creates a new group of angels, and they recite a new song before Him, and they go on their way. Rabbi Berekhya said: I responded to Rabbi Ḥelbo: ‘But is it not written: “Release me, as dawn has broken,” and the time for me to recite song has arrived?’ He said to me: ‘Strangler! Do you seek to strangle me?’ I said: ‘What is that verse that is written: “Release me, as dawn has broken”?’ He said to me: ‘These are Mikhael and Gavriel, who are heavenly princes, as all of them are replaced, but they are not replaced.’ Hadrian, may his bones be crushed, asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya, he said to him: ‘Do you say: No heavenly group lauds and repeats, but rather, each day the Holy One blessed be He creates a new group of angels, and they recite a new song before Him, and they go on their way?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ He said to him: ‘To where do they go?’ He said: ‘To the place from which they were created.’ He said to him: ‘From where were they created?’ He said to him: ‘From the River of Fire.’ He said to him: ‘What is the function of the River of Fire?’ He said to him: ‘It is like that Jordan that does not stop; neither by day nor by night.’ He said to him: ‘From where does it originate?’ He said to him: ‘It is from the perspiration of beasts that perspire from bearing the Throne of the Holy One blessed be He.’ His adviser said to him: ‘But does that Jordan not flow during the day, and it does not flow at night?’ He said: ‘I was a sentry at Beit Peor; just as it flowed during the day, it flows at night.’ Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehuda, and Rabbi Shimon: Rabbi Meir says: Who is greater, the guard or the guarded? From what is written: “For He will charge His angels on your behalf to guard you” (Psalms 91:11) – that is, the guarded is greater than the guard. Rabbi Yehuda says: Who is greater, the carrier or the carried? From what is written: “They will carry you on their palms” (Psalms 91:12) – that is, the carried is greater than the carrier. Rabbi Shimon said: From what is written: “He said: Release me” – that is, the one releasing is greater than the one released.

Section 2ב׳

וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי (בראשית לב, כז), שֶׁהִגִּיעַ זְמַן קִלּוּסִי לְקַלֵּס לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אָמַר לוֹ יְקַלְּסוּ חֲבֵרֶיךָ. אָמַר לוֹ אֵינִי יָכוֹל, לְמָחָר אֲנִי בָּא לְקַלֵּס וְהֵן אוֹמְרִין לִי כְּשֵׁם שֶׁלֹא קִלַּסְתָּ אֶתְמוֹל כָּךְ אֵין אַתָּה מְקַלֵּס הַיּוֹם. אָמַר שִׁיַּצְתָּ סִיַּבְתָּ, (בראשית לב, כז): לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחֲךָ כִּי אִם בֵּרַכְתָּנִי, אָמַר לוֹ אוֹתָן הַמַּלְאָכִים שֶׁבָּאוּ אֵצֶל אַבְרָהָם לֹא פֵּרְשׁוּ מִמֶּנּוּ אֶלָּא בִּבְרָכָה. אָמַר לוֹ אוֹתָן נִשְׁתַּלְּחוּ עַל מְנָת כָּךְ, אֲבָל אֲנִי לֹא נִשְׁתַּלַּחְתִּי לְכָךְ. אָמַר לוֹ שִׁיַּצְתָּ סִיַּבְתָּ, לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחֲךָ. רַבִּי לֵוִי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר, אָמַר לוֹ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת עַל יְדֵי שֶׁגִּלּוּ מִסְטוֹרִין שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, נִדְחוּ מִמְּחִצָּתָן מֵאָה וּשְׁלשִׁים וּשְׁמוֹנָה שָׁנָה, אֶשְׁמַע לָךְ וְאֶדָּחֶה מִמְחִצָּתִי. אָמַר שִׁיַּצְתָּ סִיַּבְתָּ, לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחֲךָ כִּי אִם בֵּרַכְתָּנִי. אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בַּסּוֹף אָמַר אֲנִי מְגַלֶּה לוֹ, אִם אוֹמֵר לִי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָמָּה גִּלִּיתָ לוֹ, אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם נְבִיאֶיךָ גּוֹזְרִין גְּזֵרוֹת וְאֵין אַתָּה מְבַטֵּל גְּזֵרָתָן וַאֲנִי הָיִיתִי יָכוֹל לְבַטֵּל גְּזֵרָתָם. אָמַר לוֹ עָתִיד הוּא לְהִגָּלוֹת עָלֶיךָ בְּבֵית אֵל וּלְהַחֲלִיף אֶת שִׁמְךָ, וַאֲנִי עוֹמֵד שָׁם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (הושע יב, ה): בֵּית אֵל יִמְצָאֶנּוּ וְשָׁם יְדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ, עִמְּךָ אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא וְשָׁם יְדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ.

“He said: ‘Release me” – as the time for my lauding, to laud the Holy One blessed be He has arrived.’ He said to him: ‘Let your colleagues laud Him.’ He said to him: ‘I cannot, as the next day I will come to laud, and they will say to me, just as you did not laud yesterday, so you will not laud today.’ He [Jacob] said: ‘If you complete your task, you receive your reward – “I will not release you unless you bless me.”’ He [Jacob] said to him: ‘Those angels who came to Abraham, they took their leave from him only with a blessing.’ He said to him: ‘They were sent only for that purpose, but I was not sent for that purpose.’ He said to him: ‘If you complete your task, you receive your reward’ – “I will not release you.” Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: He [the angel] said: ‘The ministering angels, because they revealed the secrets of the Holy One blessed be He, they were banished from their partition for one hundred and thirty-eight years. If I heed you, I will be banished from my partition.’ He said: ‘If you complete your task, you receive your reward – “I will not release you unless you bless me.”’ Rav Huna said: Ultimately he said: I will reveal it to him. If the Holy One blessed be He says to me: Why did you reveal it to him? I will say before Him: Master of the universe, your prophets issue decrees, and you do not abrogate their decrees; would I be able to abrogate their decree. He said to him: ‘He is destined to reveal Himself to you in Beit El and change your name, and I will be standing there. That is what is written: “In Beit El he found him, and there he will speak with us” (Hosea 12:5).’ It is not written here, “with you,” but rather, “and there he will speak with us.”

Section 3ג׳

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו מַה שְּׁמֶךָ וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא יַעֲקֹב יֵאָמֵר עוֹד שִׁמְךָ (בראשית לב, כח כט), (ישעיה מד, כו): מֵקִים דְּבַר עַבְדּוֹ וַעֲצַת מַלְאָכָיו יַשְׁלִים, רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר מִשֶּׁהוּא מְקַיֵּים דְּבַר עַבְדּוֹ וַעֲצַת מַלְאָכָיו יַשְׁלִים, אֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר (ישעיה מד, כו): לִיְרוּשָׁלָיִם תּוּשָׁב וּלְעָרֵי יְהוּדָה תִּבָּנֶינָה, אֶלָּא מַלְאָךְ אֶחָד שֶׁנִּגְלָה עַל אָבִינוּ יַעֲקֹב, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו מַה שְּׁמֶךָ לֹא יַעֲקֹב. וַעֲצַת מַלְאָכָיו יַשְׁלִים, שֶׁנִּגְלָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל אָבִינוּ יַעֲקֹב בִּשְׁבִיל לְקַיֵּם גְּזֵרָתוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ מַלְאָךְ שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ לֹא יַעֲקֹב, וְאַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר לוֹ כֵן, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית לה, י): וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אֱלֹהִים שִׁמְךָ יַעֲקֹב וגו'. לֹא יַעֲקֹב יֵאָמֵר, בַּר קַפָּרָא אָמַר כָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא קוֹרֵא לְאַבְרָהָם אַבְרָם עוֹבֵר בַּעֲשֵׂה. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי בַּעֲשֵׂה וְלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, (בראשית יז, ה): וְלֹא יִקָּרֵא עוֹד וגו' בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, (בראשית יז, ה): וְהָיָה שִׁמְךָ אַבְרָהָם, בַּעֲשֵׂה. וַהֲרֵי אַנְשֵׁי כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה קָרְאוּ אוֹתוֹ אַבְרָם, דִּכְתִיב (נחמיה ט, ז): אַתָּה הוּא ה' הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתָּ בְּאַבְרָם וגו', סִפּוּר הוּא מְסַפֵּר וְאוֹמֵר שֶׁעַד שֶׁהוּא אַבְרָם בָּחַרְתָּ בּוֹ. דִּכְוָתָהּ הַקּוֹרֵא לְשָׂרָה שָׂרַי עוֹבֵר בַּעֲשֵׂה, אֶלָּא הוּא שֶׁנִּצְטַוָּה עָלֶיהָ. דִּכְוָתָהּ הַקּוֹרֵא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל יַעֲקֹב עוֹבֵר בַּעֲשֵׂה, תָּנֵי לֹא שֶׁיֵּעָקֵר שֵׁם יַעֲקֹב, אֶלָּא (בראשית לה, י): כִּי אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל יִהְיֶה שְׁמֶךָ, יִשְׂרָאֵל יִהְיֶה עִקָּר וְיַעֲקֹב טְפֵלָה. רַבִּי זְכַרְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַחָא מִכָּל מָקוֹם יַעֲקֹב שִׁמְךָ אֶלָּא כִּי אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל יִהְיֶה שְׁמֶךָ, יַעֲקֹב עִקָּר וְיִשְׂרָאֵל מוֹסִיף עָלָיו. (בראשית לב, כט): כִּי שָׂרִיתָ עִם אֱלֹהִים וְעִם אֲנָשִׁים וַתּוּכָל, נִתְגּוֹשַׁשְׁתָּ עִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וְיָכֹלְתָּ לָהֶם, וְעִם הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וְיָכֹלְתָּ לָהֶם. עִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים זֶה הַמַּלְאָךְ, רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא אָמַר שָׂרוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו הָיָה, הוּא דְּהוּא אָמַר לֵיהּ (בראשית לג, י): כִּי עַל כֵּן רָאִיתִי פָּנֶיךָ כִּרְאֹת פְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים, מַה פְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים, דִּין, אַף פָּנֶיךָ דִּין. מַה פְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים (שמות כג, טו): וְלֹא יֵרָאוּ פָנַי רֵיקָם, אַף אַתְּ לֹא יֵרָאוּ פָנַי רֵיקָם. עִם הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וְיָכֹלְתָּ לָהֶם, זֶה עֵשָׂו וְאַלּוּפָיו. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי שָׂרִיתָ עִם אֱלֹהִים, אַתְּ הוּא שֶׁאִיקוֹנִין שֶׁלְךָ חֲקוּקָה לְמַעְלָה.

“He said to him: What is your name? He said: Jacob” (Genesis 32:28). “He said: No more shall Jacob be said to be your name; rather, Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and you have prevailed” (Genesis 32:29). “He said to him: ‘What is your name?’ He said: ‘Jacob.’ “He said: No more shall Jacob be said to be your name.” “Who confirms the word of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers” (Isaiah 44:26) – Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Since He “confirms the word of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers,” do we not know that it says: “Of Jerusalem: It will be inhabited; and of the cities of Judah: They will be built” (Isaiah 44:26)? [It refers] to one angel who appeared to our patriarch Jacob. That is what is written: “He said to him: What is your name.… No [more…] Jacob.” “And fulfills the counsel of His messengers” – as the Holy One blessed be He appeared to our patriarch Jacob in order to fulfill the decree of that angel that said to him: “No [more…] Jacob.” The Holy One blessed be He also said so to him. That is what is written: “God said to him: Your name is Jacob; [your name shall no longer be called Jacob]” (Genesis 35:10) – “no [more] shall Jacob be said.” Bar Kappara said: Anyone who calls Abraham Abram violates a positive commandment. Rabbi Levi said: A positive commandment and a prohibition. “[Your name] shall no longer be called [Abram]” (Genesis 17:5) – a prohibition; “but your name shall be Abraham” (Genesis 17:5) – a positive commandment. And yet the members of the Great Assembly called him Abram, as it is written: “You are the Lord God who chose Abram…”? It was relating a narrative and saying that while he was still Abram You chose him. Similarly, let us say that one who calls Sarah Sarai violates a positive command? It is, rather, that only he was commanded in her regard. Similarly, let us say that one who calls Israel Jacob violates a positive command? It is taught: It is not that the name of Jacob will be uprooted. Rather, “but Israel shall be your name” (Genesis 35:10) – Israel will be primary and Jacob secondary. Rabbi Zechariah in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: In any case: Your name is Jacob… “but Israel shall be your name” (Genesis 35:10) – Jacob is primary, and Israel is in addition to it. “For you have striven with God and with men, and you have prevailed” – you have wrestled with the heavenly and prevailed over them, and with the earthly and prevailed over them. With the heavenly – this is the angel. Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: He was Esau’s ministering angel. This is what he said to him: “For therefore, I have seen your face, as the sight of the face of angels [penei elohim]” (Genesis 33:10). Just as penei elohim is judgment, so too, your face is judgment. Just as penei elohim – “you shall not appear before Me [yera’u fanai] empty-handed” (Exodus 23:15), so too, you, I will not appear before you empty-handed. With the earthly and you prevailed over them – this is Esau and his chieftains. Alternatively, “for you have striven with God” – it is you whose image is carved on High.