Literary Devices – Bereshit 32/0

Literary Devices – Bereshit 32

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Key Words

אדון ועבד (master and servant)

Tanakh Lab demonstrates that the words “אדון” and "עבד" appear frequently in the narrative of Yaakov’s reunion with Esav in Bereshit 32-33.¹ This language underscores Yaakov’s mistrust of Esav and his need to be strategically deferential when relating to him. On the backdrop of the prophetic promise of Esav’s eventual subservience to Yaakov (25:23) and Yaakov's taking Yitzchak’s blessing "Be master over your brothers" (27:29), such subservience is very ironic.²

פנים (face / before)

• Tanakh Lab demonstrates that the word that appears with greatest frequency in both Chapter 32 alone and in the unit of Chapters 32-33 is "פנים".‎³  The term is used in the context of "going before", "appeasing the face" and "seeing the face" which all relate to submission to authority.⁴ The word, thus, highlights the motif of Yaakov’s ironic subservience to Esav so prevalent in this unit, as discussed above.
• More broadly, though, the keyword of “פנים” relates to the most prominent theme of Yaakov’s narrative: deceit and revelation. While the first part of the Yaakov narrative revolves around concealment,⁵ in these climactic chapters of his narrative, Yaakov experiences a powerful revelation of Hashem followed by a face-to-face encounter with Esav.  This symbolizes a trajectory away from cunning and concealment, toward looking things in the face.  This is perhaps reflected by Rashi’s comment on the change of Yaakov’s name to Yisrael in this chapter:  “לא יאמרו עליך עוד שהברכות בעקיבה וברמייה, כי אם בשררה ובגילוי פנים"

מנחה and מחנה (tribute and camp)

When looking at Chapter 32 alone, Tanakh Lab demonstrates that, relative to the rest of Sefer Bereshit, מחנה (camp) is the word that appears with most significant frequency in the unit. The similar sounding מנחה (tribute) is also a frequently appearing word. These two words play off each other, as the first alludes to Yaakov’s military preparations for his encounter with Esav, while the second refers to the gift he sends to appease Esav.

ירך (thigh)

In the smaller unit of Yaakov's encounter with the "man/angel" in Bereshit 32:23-33, the word which appears to be most significant is "ירך", thigh.

Wordplay

Da'at Mikra points out that all of the terms for Esav’s land in Bereshit 32:4 "שֵׂעִיר שְׂדֵה אֱדוֹם" are plays on Esav’s names and descriptors.

• שֵׂעִיר – The land is referred to as שֵׂעִיר as Esav was an "אִישׁ שָׂעִר" (Bereshit 27:11)
• שְׂדֵה – The word "שדה" recalls the description of Esav an "אִישׁ שָׂדֶה" (Bereshit 25:27)
•  אֱדוֹם – The name Edom  alludes to Esav's being an "אַדְמוֹנִי" (Bereshit 25:25).

Symbolism

The chapter might have several symbolic motifs:

Struggle with the Man/Angel

Rashi, Radak, and R. Yosef Bekhor Shor state that when the man/angel explains Yaakov's change of name to Yisrael: "כִּי שָׂרִיתָ עִם אֱלֹהִים וְעִם אֲנָשִׁים" (you have striven with God and with men), he is referring to Yaakov's earlier struggles with both Esav and Lavan. This reflects that the current struggle with the angel is the culmination of many years of challenges that have characterized Yaakov's life. Yaakov's new name attests to this constant striving with others.

Night

It is noteworthy that the episode with the man/angel, like the revelation of Hashem in Chapter 28, takes place at night. The motif of revelation at night in Yaakov’s story represents the concealment/deceit and challenge with which he consistently grapples.

Two Camps

Robert Alter suggests, in his commentary on Bereshit, that the two camps referred to in verses 3, 8, and 11 represent the “law of binary division” that characterizes Yaakov’s life: twin brothers in conflict, two sisters in conflict, flocks of animals divided into two groups, and now the division of his family and property into two camps. 

¹ The word "אדון" appears 8 times, and the word "עבד" nine times.

² The fact that the text refers to Esav and Yaakov as brothers 7 times in this unit, and Yaakov nonetheless feels the need to pose as "servant", further highlights Yaakov's fear that Esav was perhaps not ready to view him as "brother". [Interestingly, despite his fears, Esav does in fact refer to Yaakov as "my brother" in Bereshit 33:9.  See Rashbam that throughout the story Esav had no evil intent; Yaakov's fears stemmed from his own insecurities and were unwarranted.]

³ In Bereshit 32:21 it appears a full four times! Additionally, Chapter 32 concludes with Yaakov naming the place "Peniel" (or Penuel) because “I saw God face to face and my life was saved".

⁴ See commentators on verse 21.

⁵ The key drama of Yaakov’s life is his presentation of himself as Esav, followed by Lavan’s deception of him by presenting Leah as Rachel.