ב"ה
THEMES of Featured Chasidic Masters Articles
The struggle between Jacob and a mysterious angel symbolizes the struggle between Good and Evil.
On the eve of Jacob's meeting his brother Esau,
a mysterious stranger appears on the scene and wrestles with him. That stranger
was Esau's guardian angel, and the struggle was the very embodiment of the
struggle between Jacob (Good) and Esau (Evil) battled for supremacy.
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Advanced
It is nature of Jacob which has the power to unite Chaos with Rectification
The Ari teaches that Jacob stems from the composed world of Tikun, while Esau stems from the chaotic and intense world ofTohu. The lights of Tohu transcend those of Tikun. Their intensity causes their vessels to shatter, hence the fallen sparks of Tohu
which manifest in such lowly phenomena as the personality of the wicked Esau.
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Jacob's desire was to make peace with Esau, not to conquer him
Jacob sent real angels to meet his brother Esau, in effect telling him that he wanted to make peace, not to conquer him. "Angels" allude to "Peace" since their very composition is the peaceful existence of two naturally antagonistic forces, water and fire.
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Intermediate
According to one opinion, the angel appeared as an idol worshipper; according to another, it appeared as a Talmudic scholar.
The Jewish people will ultimately be saved from the evil inclination by the Mashiach ben Joseph and Mashiach ben David. (Joseph is called the "head" of the tribes, while David, composer of Psalms, is the "heart.") Together they will cleanse the minds and hearts of the Jewish people and redeem them from the evil inclination.
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