For full text in Hebrew and English, click here: Genesis 32:3-36:43
In this Torah portion, God tells Jacob to return home. Worried that his brother Esau will kill him, Jacob divides his clan into two camps, so at least some will survive in case of a fight. Jacob sleeps alone in the desert and is awoken by an angel who wrestles him through the night. Jacob survives and is blessed by the angel and renamed Israel. Jacob meets his brother, and surprisingly, Esau kisses his neck and they embrace. Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, is raped by Shekhem, who then proposes to Jacob that he marry her. Shimeon and Levi brutally murder Shekhem and his clan. Rachel has another child, whom she and Jacob name Benjamin.
| Click here for a summary of Vayishlah. Click here for a summary of the Haftarah for Vayishlah. |
 Jacob wrestled with God’s angel and became Israel |
Text Studies |
Social Action and Environmentalism |
| Anatomy Of An Enemy Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life
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Transformative Encounters Alana Alpert, AJWS
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| The Question Is The Blessing Rabbi Neal J. Loevinger, KOLEL
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The Path to Reconciliation Carol Towarnicky, AJWS
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| Confronting the Dark Side Rabbi Burt E. Schuman, Union for Reform Judaism
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A Lack of Empathy Aviva Presser Aiden, AJWS
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| Exile And Survival: Jacob’s Legacy Rabbi Gerry Serotta, socialaction.com
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| Small Vessels Jonathan Neril, Canfei Nesharim
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From the Denominations |
Pluralism and Outreach
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| Truly Present To God And People Rabbi Bradley Artson, American Jewish University
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Recovery and Reconciliation Rabbi Kerry Olitzky, Big Tent Judaism
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| Silent Deliberations Rabbi Mark Wolf, Jewish Theological Seminary
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Overcoming Envy Dvora Weisberg, CLAL
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| Living With Threat Rabbi Avraham Fischer, Orthodox Union
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Struggling With Monotheism Osnat Elnatan, UJA-Federation of New York
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| Making Today Matter Erica Brown, Partnership for Jewish Life & Learning
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Family and Fun
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Comforting Dina Rabbi Laura Geller, Women of Reform Judaism
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| Parshat Vayishlah Quiz Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies
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| Parshat Vayishlah Challah Julie Seltzer
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| Parshat Vayishlah for Families Torah Topics for Today
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| Being Content With What You Have Torah Topics for Today |
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| Israel Means To Struggle With God Torah Topics for Today |
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Return to the index of weekly Torah portions.
Avraham
Pronounced: AHVR-rah-ham, Origin: Hebrew, Abraham in the Torah, considered the first Jew.
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Haftarah
Pronounced: hahf-TOErah or hahf-TOE-ruh, Origin: Hebrew, a selection from one of the biblical books of the Prophets that is read in synagogue immediately following the Torah reading.
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Torah
Pronunced: TORE-uh, Origin: Hebrew, the Five Books of Moses.
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