The imagery is the stuff movies are made of. Jacob is preparing to encounter his brother with prayer, gift and war – hope, diplomacy and strength. On the night before the encounter, Jacob is alone and encounters an angel who he struggles with. The commentators over the ages have analyzed, who this angel is and what he represents?

 

Who of us don’t have times where we are alone in the dark? Alone with our struggles? In that battle there are times perhaps more often than we care to admit, where we would like to throw in the towel. Give up. Do something else.

 

How do we anchor ourselves? How do we pull ourselves up from the darkness?

 

We can learn from the end of the story,  Jacob prevails, the sun rises, a new day is born and Jacob is given the name Yisrael. On its most basic level the name Israel is the connection between the Jew and G-d in a supra-rational manner.  

 

When we are in dark space, when all hope feels lost, we can and must anchor ourselves in something higher than ourselves. G-d.

 

Today’s world is a pressure cooker on so many levels. School pressure, social media pressure, work pressure.  

 

Our children, the powerful, optimistic, strong and healthy ones are alone on some level. Our role is to help them find their anchoring in something higher than themselves. 

 

1. If you are feeling alone, talk to someone. Talk to a therapist, a friend or a Rabbi.

2. Live higher. Do things that are not about you. Engage occasionally in an act of true selflessness. Go visit an elderly person in a seniors home. Make a lunch and find a homeless person to give it to. Volunteer at a soup kitchen.  

3. TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN. Ask them how they are doing? They may not tell you but the notion that you care is impactful. Let them know that they can always talk to you and share what is in their heart. They will. Eventually. 

4. Tell them about your struggles and how you overcame them.

5. Engage with them together (or at least explain the importance) doing an act of selflessness.

 

May Hashem bless us that the dawn should come up, we should see the Israel inside of ourselves and may we share happy times!

 

With all my heart and love,

 

Rabbi Eliyahu Schusterman