And Yaakov Was Left Alone

Parshat Vayishlach

by Rabbi Avi Billet

One of the most compelling images in the Torah, which you can easily find in varying artistic renderings through the centuries with a simple Google search, is of the tussle between Yaakov and the “Man” during the night before the anticipated reunion of Yaakov and Eisav after so many years apart. 

The Torah introduces that struggle with the phrase ויותר יעקב לבדו, which is typically translated to mean “Yaakov was left alone/by himself,” and on a simple level, it means he was the last one remaining after everyone had crossed the Yabok safely. 

 The English translation, owing to its idiomatic interpretation, is most ironic and contradictory. Yaakov may have been the last one there, but he surely was not left alone! If someone picks a fight with you, the person is not “leaving you alone.” 

Rav Shimshon Rafael Hirsch suggests that Yaakov looked at the pittance of help he could honestly count on from his own people against the much larger force of the 400 men accompanying Eisav, which caused him to cry out הצילני נא, asking God to save him. He was left alone, entirely dependent on what was innate in his own personality. 

 In one of his speeches for Mizrachi in the mid 1960s (printed in חמש דרשות/ The Rav Speaks), all before the Six Day War, Rabbi Joseph B Soloveitchik spoke of Heroism and Strength, primarily through the lens of Avraham Avinu, Avraham HaIvri – who stood on one side of the world against everyone else in his devotion to the One God. Noting the lack of heroism of the Soviet leader at the time, who boasted of his missiles and thermonuclear bombs, Rabbi Soloveitchik said, “One who is truly strong has no need for heroism when struggling with his weaker antagonist. But when the physically, militarily weak presents himself to do battle with a force that is superior to him in power, in numbers and in armament, and is in a far better strategical position, he demonstrates the quality of heroic strength… When, for example, the State of Israel was engaged in struggle with all of its Arab neighbors, power was on the side of its enemies. The quality of heroism was displayed only by the small State.” 

Jewish history, he noted, is characterized by our historic-heroic gevurah existence. 

 “Since our father Abraham, we have done things which should logically have led to the worst kind of disaster. We have always been in the category of ‘All the world is on one side and he is on the other side…’ Yet despite this we succeeded in existing as ‘a people that dwells alone’ by virtue of heroism…. If you asked me, who is a Jew, I would answer, one who lives a life of heroism. In my eyes, a Jew is one who is ready to live heroically, to be always in the minority, to be able to fight against himself and against his own cold logic.” 

He veered to speak of heroism in halakhic and Shabbos observance (this was the ‘60s!) and in how people go against the tide of culture to stand true to their faith – in particular through leaving work early on Fridays, closing up shop for Shabbos, or not participating in events that take place Friday night or Saturday. And then he returned to Israel and Israelis. 

“If there is a group that has earned the right to utter the blessing of ‘who girdest Israel with strength’ with joy and pride, it is our comrades in Israel whose heroism has found expression not only within the framework of their private lives, but also in their struggle for heroic national existence, and in their demand that the State should conduct itself heroically not only on the battlefield but also in its daily life.” 

 He concluded, however, invoking the image of Yaakov from our Parsha. 

“To live a life of heroism, to fight, often alone, isolated, in the dark of night infested with horrors; to struggle against a mystical adversary as ‘And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day’ represents the content of Judaism. 

“What actually did Jacob achieve through his struggle? He did not conquer new territory, he found no great spoil he did not emerge from the struggle a world conqueror. Why did he have to fight? The answer is plain. The struggle itself sanctifies. Jewish life means a life of heroism..” 

“We must give thanks to the Creator for His great lovingkindness in bestowing upon us the possibility to fulfill, like Jacob in his time: “And there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.’ It is a privilege, friends, to be in a minority amongst Jews, and to grid ourselves with the strength to fight for the crown of glory.” 

A few years ago, I came across an interpretation (which I could not find again, nor in my records ☹) which suggested that Yaakov’s struggle with the איש was more a prophecy, and that the real struggle he had was with himself (see here for an approach in this direction). His own worries, his own insecurities, his own unsurety of what would happen once he encountered Eisav weighed on him heavily. And however he needed to see his “victory” in order to move forward, that is what happened. For example, the name change to Yisrael – “you struggled with God and man and you overcame” – is later confirmed by God in Beit El. And the fact that the Torah tells us “he was left alone” and all of a sudden, in the same verse, he finds himself “struggling with a man until dawn” makes us wonder if there really was a man there at all, or if it was all in his head. This may be what Rav Hirsch was referencing (see above, 4th paragraph) 

Rabbi Soloveitchik’s depiction of heroism in the fifth paragraph of this essay could easily be turned, by those who would wish, to define Israel’s current enemies – the terrorists in Gaza. They are less armed, they are not well-trained, and yet they take up arms against a more powerful enemy – this would seem to be heroism! Except that the story is the opposite of the early days of Israel’s heroism. Then, as now, Israel has a Defense Force, which focuses on defending itself from enemies set on their destruction. Since Israel handed over civil governance to the Arabs and told them “We are not interested in ruling over you” and never attack the Arabs unless provoked or in self-defense, the Arabs who “rise” to fight against a stronger army that is NOT hell-bent on their destruction, they are no heroes. They are (in the fighting sense) foolish. For their P.R. and for their ulterior goals (making Israel look bad), they are geniuses. But they are not heroic by Rabbi Soloveitchik’s definition. They are cowardly terrorists who will not drop the fight and better their own lives as long as Israel exists. Which is a terrible shame. 

Yaakov’s story is the story of the Jewish people. Yaakov was left alone. Sometimes Israel has to do things necessary for their survival ALONE. They receive no support, sometimes even from allies, when they face existential threats. And yet, when is Israel is blessed to have leaders who know their “number one job” is to protect their citizens, then whatever threat looms becomes their task to neutralize. We’ve seen this in the Six Day War, with the destruction of Iraq’s nuclear program in 1981, with the destruction of Hezbollah’s arsenal, with the destruction of Syria’s military capabilities in the last week, and other such examples. 

 Rabbi Soloveitchik reminded us that the story of the Jewish people is to be left alone on one side, against everyone else on the other side. That is our struggle, and how we overcome it is our heroism. 

As Bilaam said, however, “They are a nation who dwells alone.” We know his curse was in fact a blessing. May that blessing be true, that just as we naturally dwell alone, all those who are counted as enemies of the Jewish people should find the strength to help us live up to our creed, and just leave us alone – no matter where we are throughout the world.