Reply To: Short & Sweet

Vayishlach: It Never Ends

When Avram’s name was changed to Avraham, he is never referred to as Avram again. When Yaakov’s name is changed to Yisrael, he is refers to as Yaakov in the very next פסוק. Why is that?

The name Yaakov is symbolic of struggle. Yaakov is always holding on to the heel of his evil brother, holding on to existence through the bitter Galus. Yisrael is symbolic of victory; כי שרית אם אלקים ואנשים ותוכל; for you have struggled… and won.

Perhaps we can suggest that this is why the name Yaakov was never shelved. For as much as Yaakov Avinu had accomplished, there still remained more to be done.

We are usually referred to as בני ישראל, symbolic of all that we have accomplished and all that we are. But we are also still בני יעקב; constantly struggling to do things better.

לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלום