Before he could return from his exile, Jacob had to face his fears and wrestle with God. The outcome of the struggle was a blessing, as signified by a new name, “Israel” (יִשְׂרָאֵל), meaning one who who perseveres (שָׂרָה) with God (אֵל). Jacob finally prevailed with God when the power of his faith overcame the pain of his past… Jacob’s story teaches that before we can return from our place of exile, we have to face our fears and wrestle over who we really are.
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Vayishlach Shavuah Tov Podcast:
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In 
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Our Torah reading for this week (i.e., parashat 
In last week’s Torah reading (i.e., 
Shalom chaverim yakarim. In this “Daily Dvar broadcast” (see link below) I discuss what I have called the “blessing of holy desperation” (ברכת יֵאוּשׁ הקדוש), which I define as that very special blessing of needing God so viscerally that you would otherwise fall apart or even self-destruct apart from his ongoing intervention in your life. It is this great blessing of “brokenness” that reveals God’s compassion and grace in our lives… I hope you will find it helpful.
As people of faith in the LORD, we profoundly feel the tension between affirming both that our loving Creator sustains all things by the word of his power and also acknowledging the ongoing depravity of human beings and how that results in suffering, heartache, and pain in this world. In the following theological audio discussion, I ponder some questions that arise when we seriously consider these matters.
“The fear of the LORD is the first principle of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and correction” (Prov. 1:7). In this “Daily Dvar” broadcast I discuss how reverence or respect is axiomatic for a genuinely good life. Fearing God expresses the confidence that life is a sacred trust and that each soul is answerable to the Creator. Such godly reverence infers that nothing is trivial or inconsequential, and that all things will be accounted before the bar of divine truth. I hope you will find it helpful, friends.
