Bereshit Rabbah 77

וַיִּוָּתֵר יַעֲקֹב לְבַדּוֹ וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ (בראשית לב, כה), (דברים לג, כו): אֵין כָּאֵל יְשֻׁרוּן רֹכֵב שָׁמַיִם בְּעֶזְרֶךָ, רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר אֵין כָּאֵל, וּמִי כָאֵל, יְשֻּׁרוּן, הַנָּאִים וְהַמְשֻׁבָּחִין שֶׁבָּכֶם. אַתָּה מוֹצֵא כָּל מַה שֶּׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עָתִיד לַעֲשׂוֹת לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, הִקְדִּים וְעָשָׂה עַל יְדֵי הַצַּדִּיקִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְחַיֶּה מֵתִים, וְאֵלִיָּהוּ מְחַיֶּה אֶת הַמֵּתִים. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹצֵר גְּשָׁמִים, וְאֵלִיָּהוּ עוֹצֵר גְּשָׁמִים. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְבָרֵךְ אֶת הַמּוּעָט, וְאֵלִיָּהוּ מְבָרֵךְ אֶת הַמּוּעָט. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְחַיֶּה אֶת הַמֵּתִים, וֶאֱלִישָׁע מְחַיֶּה אֶת הַמֵּתִים. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא פּוֹקֵד עֲקָרוֹת, וֶאֱלִישָׁע פּוֹקֵד עֲקָרוֹת. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְבָרֵךְ אֶת הַמּוּעָט, וֶאֱלִישָׁע מְבָרֵךְ אֶת הַמּוּעָט. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַמְתִּיק אֶת הַמָּר, וֶאֱלִישָׁע מַמְתִּיק אֶת הַמָּר. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַמְתִּיק אֶת הַמָּר בְּמָר, וֶאֱלִישָׁע הִמְתִּיק אֶת הַמָּר בְּמָר. רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר אֵין כָּאֵל, וּמִי כָּאֵל, יְשֻׁרוּן, יִשְׂרָאֵל סָבָא, מָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כָּתוּב בּוֹ (ישעיה ב, יז): וְנִשְׂגַּב ה' לְבַדּוֹ, אַף יַעֲקֹב וַיִּוָּתֵר יַעֲקֹב לְבַדּוֹ.

“Jacob remained alone, and a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn” (Genesis 32:25). “Jacob remained alone, and a man wrestled with him.” “Yeshurun, there is none like God, Who rides the heavens in your assistance” (Deuteronomy 33:26). Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon: “There is none like God,” but who is like God? It is Yeshurun, the best and most praiseworthy among you. You find that everything that the Holy One blessed be He is destined to perform in the future, He had them performed earlier, by means of the righteous in this world. The Holy One blessed be He revives the dead and Elijah revives the dead. The Holy One blessed be He withholds rain and Elijah withholds rain. The Holy One blessed be He blesses the scarce and Elijah blesses the scarce. The Holy One blessed be He revives the dead and Elisha revives the dead. The Holy One blessed be He remembers the barren and Elisha remembers the barren. The Holy One blessed be He blesses the scarce [to increase it] and Elisha blesses the scarce [to increase it]. The Holy One blessed be He sweetens the bitter and Elisha sweetens the bitter. The Holy One blessed be He sweetens the bitter with bitter and Elisha sweetened the bitter with bitter. Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Simon: “There is none like God,” but who is like God? It is Yeshurun, Israel the elder. Just as the Holy One blessed be He, it is written in His regard: “The Lord alone will be exalted [on that day]” (Isaiah 2:17), Jacob, too: “Jacob remained alone.”

רַבִּי חוּנְיָא אָמַר נִדְמָה לוֹ בִּדְמוּת רוֹעֶה, לָזֶה צֹאן וְלָזֶה צֹאן, לָזֶה גְּמַלִּים וְלָזֶה גְּמַלִּים, אָמַר לוֹ הַעֲבֵר אֶת שֶׁלְּךָ וְאַחַר כָּךְ אֲנִי מַעֲבִיר אֶת שֶׁלִּי. הֶעֱבִיר יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ שֶׁלּוֹ אָמַר נַחֲזֹר וְנֶחְמֵי דִּלְּמָא אַנְשִׁינַן כְּלוּם, מִן דְּחָזַר (בראשית לב, כה): וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ. רַבִּי חִיָּא רַבָּה וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר רַבִּי נְסַבִין וִיהֲבוּן בִּפְרַגְמַטְיָא בַּהֲדֵין מְטַכְּסָא, עָלוֹן לַהֲדָא צוֹר וַעֲבַדּוּן עֲבִידִיתְהוֹן, מִן דִּנְפָקֵי מִן פִּילֵי אָמְרֵי נֵלֵךְ וְנִתְפֹּס אֻמָנוּת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, נַחְזֹר וְנֶחְמֵי אִי אַנְשִׁינַן כְּלוּם, חָזְרוּן וְאַשְׁכְּחָן מְחַיְלָא דִמְטַקְסִין. אָמְרִין לוֹן מִן הָן אִית לְכוֹן, אָמְרִין מִן דְּיַעֲקֹב סָבָא, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית לב, כה): וַיִּוָּתֵר יַעֲקֹב לְבַדוֹ. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי לְאַרְכִילִיסְטִים נִדְמָה לוֹ, לָזֶה צֹאן וְלָזֶה צֹאן, לָזֶה גְּמַלִּים וְלָזֶה גְּמַלִּים, אָמַר לוֹ הַעֲבֵר אֶת שֶׁלִּי וַאֲנִי אַעֲבִיר אֶת שֶׁלָּךְ, הֶעֱבִיר הַמַּלְאָךְ אֶת שֶׁל אָבִינוּ יַעֲקֹב כְּהֶרֶף עַיִן וְהָיָה אָבִינוּ יַעֲקֹב מַעֲבִיר וְחוֹזֵר וּמַשְׁכַּח מַעֲבִיר וְחוֹזֵר וּמַשְׁכַּח כָּל הַלַּיְלָה, אֲמַר לֵיהּ פַּרְקָמוֹס [נסח אחר: פרמקוס], אָמַר רַבִּי פִּינְחָס בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה נָטַל אָבִינוּ יַעֲקֹב פּוֹקָרִין וְנָתַן לוֹ בְּתוֹךְ צַוָּארוֹ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ פַּרְקָמוֹס פַּרְקָמוֹס. אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בַּסּוֹף אָמַר הַמַּלְאָךְ אֲנִי מוֹדִיעוֹ עִם מִי הוּא עוֹסֵק, מֶה עָשָׂה, נָתַן אֶצְבָּעוֹ [נסח אחר: צור] בָּאָרֶץ, הִתְחִילָה הָאָרֶץ תּוֹסֶסֶת אֵשׁ, אָמַר לוֹ יַעֲקֹב מִן דָּא אַתְּ מַדְחֵיל לִי, אֲנָא כֻּלֵּיהּ מִנָּהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (עובדיה א, יח): וְהָיָה בֵית יַעֲקֹב אֵשׁ וגו'.

Rabbi Ḥunya said: He appeared to him in the image of a herdsman; this one had flocks and that one had flocks, this one had camels and that one had camels. He said to him: 'Cross yours and then I will cross mine.' Jacob crossed his. He said: 'Let us return and see, whether, perhaps, we forgot something.' When he returned, “a man wrestled with him.” Rabbi Ḥiyya Rabba and Rabbi Shimon ben Rabbi were negotiating the sale of these silk fabrics. They entered Tyre and did their business. When they exited the city gates, they said: ‘Let us go and adopt the craft of our ancestors. Let us return and see if we forgot something.’ They returned and found a package of silk fabrics. They said to them: 'From where do you have this practice?' They said: 'From Jacob our ancestor, as it is written: “Jacob remained alone.”' The Rabbis say: He appeared to him as the leader of robbers; this one had flocks and that one had flocks, this one had camels and that one had camels. He said to him: 'Cross mine and I will cross yours.' The angel crossed that of our patriarch Jacob in the blink of an eye. Jacob was crossing, returning, and finding, crossing, returning and finding all night. He said to him: 'Sorcerer' <parkamos; variant reading: parmakos>. Rabbi Pinḥas said: At that moment, Jacob took a scarf and placed it around his neck, He said to him: ‘Parkamos parkamos.’ Rav Huna said: Ultimately the angel said: ‘I will inform him with whom he is engaging.’ What did he do? He placed his finger <variant reading: a stone> on the ground and the ground began boiling with fire. Jacob said to him. 'With that you seek to scare me? I am completely constituted from it.' That is what is written: “The house of Jacob will be fire…” (Obadiah 1:18).

רַבִּי חָמָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר שָׂרוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו הָיָה, הוּא דַּהֲוָה אָמַר לֵיהּ (בראשית לג, י): כִּי עַל כֵּן רָאִיתִי פָנֶיךָ כִּרְאֹת פְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים וַתִּרְצֵנִי, מָשָׁל לְאַתְּלֵיטוֹס שֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד וּמִתְגּוֹשֵׁשׁ עִם בְּנוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, תָּלָה עֵינָיו וְרָאָה אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ עוֹמֵד עַל גַּבָּיו וְהִרְפִּישׁ עַצְמוֹ לְפָנָיו, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית לב, כו): וַיַּרְא כִּי לֹא יָכֹל לוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי וַיַּרְא בַּשְּׁכִינָה כִּי לֹא יָכֹל לוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה אֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים מִי נָצַח אִם מַלְאָךְ אִם יַעֲקֹב, וּמִן מַה דִּכְתִיב (בראשית לב, כה): וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ, הֱוֵי מִי נִתְמַלֵּא אָבָק הָאִישׁ שֶׁעִמּוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הוּא בָּא אֵלֶיךָ וַחֲמִשָּׁה קְמֵיעִין בְּיָדוֹ, זְכוּתוֹ, וּזְכוּת אָבִיו, זְכוּת אִמּוֹ, וּזְכוּת זְקֵנוֹ, וּזְכוּת זְקֶנְתּוֹ. מְדֹד עַצְמְךָ אִם אַתָּה יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד אֲפִלּוּ בִּזְכוּתוֹ, מִיָּד, וַיַּרְא כִּי לֹא יָכֹל לוֹ. מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ כֶּלֶב אַגְרִיּוֹן וַאֲרִי נֵמִירוֹן, וְהָיָה הַמֶּלֶךְ נוֹטֵל אֶת בְּנוֹ וּמְלַבְּבוֹ בָּאֲרִי, שֶׁאִם יָבוֹא הַכֶּלֶב לְהִזְדַּוֵּג לוֹ יֹאמַר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲרִי לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד בּוֹ וְאַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ לְהִזְדַּוֵּג לוֹ. כָּךְ שֶׁאִם יָבוֹאוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם לְהִזְדַּוֵּג לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, יֹאמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שַׂרְכֶם לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד בּוֹ וְאַתֶּם מְבַקְּשִׁים לְהִזְדַּוֵּג לְבָנָיו. (בראשית לב, כו): וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף יְרֵכוֹ, נָגַע בַּצַּדִּיקִים וּבַצַּדִּיקוֹת בַּנְּבִיאִים וּבַנְּבִיאוֹת שֶׁהֵן עֲתִידִין לַעֲמֹד מִמֶּנּוּ, וְאֵיזֶה זֶה, זֶה דוֹרוֹ שֶׁל שְׁמַד. (בראשית לב, כו): וַתֵּקַע כַּף יֶרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב, רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה וְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אָמַר שְׁעָיָא, רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַסֵּי אָמַר סִידְקָהּ כְּדָג. רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יַעֲקֹב אָמַר פֵּרְשָׁהּ מִמְּקוֹמָהּ, כְּדִכְתִיב (יחזקאל כג, יח): וַתֵּקַע נַפְשִׁי וגו' כַּאֲשֶׁר נָקְעָה נַפְשִׁי, אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר יִצְחָק כָּל אוֹתוֹ הַלַּיְלָה הָיוּ שְׁנֵיהֶן פּוֹגְעִין זֶה בָּזֶה, מָגִינֵיהּ דְּדֵין לָקֳבֵל מָגִינֵיהּ דְּדֵין, כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָלָה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר (בראשית לב, כז): וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְחֵנִי כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר.

Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: It was Esau’s guardian angel. That is what he said to him: “For therefore, I have seen your face, as the sight of the face of angels, and you welcomed me” (Genesis 33:10). “He saw that he could not prevail against him, and he touched the joint of his thigh; the joint of Jacob's thigh was dislocated as he wrestled with him” (Genesis 32:26). This is analogous to an athlete who was standing and wrestling with the king’s son. He lifted his eyes, saw the king standing over him, and cast himself down before him. That is what is written: “He saw that he could not prevail against him” – He saw in the Divine Presence that he could not prevail over him. Rabbi Berekhya said: We do not know who was victorious, whether it was the angel or Jacob, but from what is written in the verse: “A man wrestled [vaye’avek] with him” – that is, who became covered with dust [avak]; the man who was with him. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak said: The Holy One blessed be He said to him [to the angel]: 'He comes against you with five amulets in his possession: His merit, his father’s merit, his mother’s merit, his grandfather’s merit, and his grandmother’s merit. Evaluate yourself whether you are able even to stand against his merit.' Immediately, “he saw that he could not prevail against him.” This is analogous to a king who had a wild dog and a tame lion. The king would take his son and embolden his heart with the lion, so were the dog to come and confront him, the king would say to him [the dog]: ‘The lion could not stand against him, and you seek to confront him?’ So, were the nations of the world to come and confront Israel, the Holy One blessed be He will say to them: ‘Your ministering angel could not stand against him, and you seek to confront his descendants?’ “He touched the joint of his thigh” – he touched the righteous men and women, the prophets and prophetesses, who are destined to emerge from him. Which is that [generation]? It is the generation of persecution. “The joint of Jacob's thigh was dislocated [vateka]” – Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Eliezer said: It was smoothed. Rabbi Berekya said in the name of Rabbi Asi: It was split like a fish. Rav Naḥman bar Yaakov said: It was dislocated from its place, as it is written: “I was repulsed [vateka]…as My soul was repulsed [nake’a]” (Ezekiel 23:18). “He said: Release me, as dawn has broken. He said: I will not release you unless you bless me” (Genesis 32:27). Throughout that night each of them was striking the other, this one’s shield against that one’s shield. When dawn broke: “He said: Release me, as dawn has broken.”