Parashat: Vaishlaj en Inglés. 5786

After his return to Israel, Jacob, who represents spiritual perfection, after having spent twenty years working in Haran for Laban (in a world of idolatry), sends messengers to his brother Esau to make peace with him. However, Esau confronts him with four hundred warriors, indicating his intention to continue fighting. To meet with Esau, Jacob protects himself with three things: prayer (tefillah), sending gifts to Esau, and strategically preparing for the confrontation (he divides his people into two factions, so that if Esau kills one, the other survives). At the moment Jacob meets Esau, he bows before him, but he is really bowing to the Shekhinah, which saves him when Esau tries to kill him, something like, “todah haShem, todah haShem, todah haShem…”