Vayishlach, וַיִּשְׁלַח

The sun shone for him, for Yaakov. It shines for you, too. Rest in that loving light. It was made for you, to heal you. (Click image to read more)

I claim my right to be blessed. This is the hutzpah of knowing the truth of God’s love for you. (Click image to read more)

It is partly the struggle that teaches us, the experience of standing face to face with some other, the experience of holding our own while another person holds their own. (Click image to read more)

You are capable. Go out and conquer the world. (Click image to read more)

(Originally published in December 2020) Yaakov’s struggle with a “man” the night before he meets up with his brother Esav can be read as a rebirth.   It is a transformative experience at the end of which he receives a name change, as if born anew with a fresh way of being in the world.   

I was taking a walk the other day, feeling a little glum, when I noticed the ginkgo tree up the street. The sky was blue and the sun was shining on it just so, making its yellow leaves radiant and aglow. I stopped in wonder and thought, “Thank you, God, for this gift today.” I