Dear Friends,
Sometimes when you are in a dark place, it can feel like you have been buried – when actually you have been planted.
This quote hangs above my desk, and it helps me remember that sometimes our darkest moments become seedlings for renewal. This is certainly the case with Jacob in this week’s Torah portion, who emerges from one of the darkest moments in his life as a changed man.
In Genesis 32, Jacob faces what he believes is an existential threat to his life as he prepared to confront his brother, Esau. Years have passed since he stole Esau’s birthright, and now as he prepares for a reunion, Jacob is consumed by angst. This reunion could potentially heal their lifelong dispute or be an encounter that threatens his very life.
It is in the context of this uncertainty, that Jacob wrestles through the night with an angel of God. When the struggle is over, Jacob emerges with a new name and a new purpose. Jacob becomes Israel, and his struggle becomes a blessing. This encounter serves to remind us that:
Sometimes when you are in a dark place, it can feel like you have been buried – when actually you have been planted.
L’Shalom,
Steve