This week’s Parsha is Parsha Vayislach. The passuk says in this week’s parsha, “And Yaakov wrestled with him until dawn”. We know the events of this story. Yaakov fought with an angel of Eisav all night, until the morning.
The Chofetz Chaim asked, why did this angel choose to fight with Yaakov? Why not fight with our forefathers Avraham or Yitzchak?
The Chofetz Chaim answered. Avraham represented chesed (kindness) and Yitzchak represented avodah (prayer). The angel can tolerate and coexist with these character traits. However, Yaakov represented Torah. That was too much for Eisav’s ministering angel to tolerate. Torah is the foundation of the Jewish people and Eisav and his angels wanted to eradicate it from this world.
Today, we have our own battles. Each one of has our own yetzer hara evil ministering angel which constantly tries to deter us from studying Torah. We need to take this lesson from Yaakov and engage in the battle, determined and confident that we can and will overcome it.
May our studying of the Torah, coupled together with our chesed and avodah, defeat and eradicate all the evil from this world and allow us to merit the coming of Moshiach.
Have a wonderful Shabbos!