Many years ago when my grandparents were well into their seventies, they were once taking a walk near their apartment building when they were assaulted in broad daylight. It all happened so fast, that before they knew it, my grandmother was thrown to the ground and had a broken finger and a bruised face, and my grandfather was in such shock and disbelief that he didn’t even have a chance to see the attacker, who made off with my grandmother’s handbag. My grandmother ended up in hospital and the attacker was never caught, but we were relieved that she wasn’t hurt more seriously and was able to make a quick recovery.
Another grandfather of mine, although this one is from several generations back, was also assaulted and attacked, although he was attacked in the middle of the night. This time my ancestor fought off his attacker and was able to prevent his attacker from causing him serious bodily harm. In fact, he was even able to subdue his attacker and get his attacker to concede. My grandfather was left with an injured thigh and dislocated hip, yet he quickly recovered and was able to move on in life, with a new realization of the strength that G-d had given him to deal with challenges in life.
The grandfather of mine is actually a relative of yours too, as his name is Yaakov, or Jacob, one of the Biblical ancestors, who long before the UN existed and roughly about 4,000 years ago, was living in Israel and on the run trying to stave off an impending attack by his well armed brother Esau. The Torah tells us that after Jacob helped his entire family cross the river, he realized that he had forgotten some small items on the other side of the river. He quickly went back to retrieve his possessions and it was at this point when he felt he was alone that he was attacked by the angel of Esau. The angel fought tooth and nail throughout the night, but eventually Jacob won and prevailed. It was at this point of time that Jacob was given a new name, Yisroel, or Israel, which is derived from several Hebrew words which mean “one who has struggled with an angel and people and won”. This name then went on become the eternal name of the Jewish people.
As a tribute to his survival and the fact that he was only injured from this terrible fight and not critically hurt or killed, we do not eat some of the hindquarters of Kosher animals that are next to the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve or in Hebrew referred to as the Gid Hanasheh, is perhaps just a small detail in the story of Jacob’s big fight, and not reflective of the fact that the story of the Jewish people almost ended right there. Yet it is precisely the reminder being in some obscure detail of refraining from eating the area around the Sciatic Nerve, that serves as an eternal reminder to the Jewish people that G-d’s help and assistance in life is also in the details of Israel’s ordeal and not just in the general picture.
Our sages tell us that Jacob’s fight and his subsequent renaming to Israel, was a lesson to him and to all of his descendants who bear his name, Israel. It is a lesson and a reminder, that yes at times we may be attacked, at times we may be beaten and hurt, we may be slammed in the UN, or we may be blasted in the media, yet ultimately, G-d will help us live up to our name Yisroel, we will struggle but we will overcome, we may come out limping but we will always bounce back.
Yesterday at the UN, we had just eight friends stand up together with Israel, and among them were the USA, Canada, Panama, the Czech Republic, and several Pacific Islands. I would like say thank you to all of these countries for having the courage to stand by Israel. As a British Citizen, I am disappointed in my own country’s lack of support for Israel and disappointed in the the way Europe voted. But when I look at this story in the context of the people, I know that we will live up to our name Yisroel of dealing with struggles, persevering, and overcoming. We will continue with the mission of the Jewish people as entrusted to us in the Torah, and we will keep trucking. Yes, the going is tough sometimes, Israel just finished a mini war last week, only to have a crisis at the UN this week, but as a people and as individuals we must realize and remember the unbreakable spirit of Israel the Jewish people, and use that spirit to forge ahead in adding light, Mitzvoth and good deeds into the world around us.
Yesterday the Israeli ambassador to the UN, Mr Ron Prosor, reminded the UN that no UN Resolution can undo or change 4,000 years of Jewish History. This Shabbos, let us remind ourselves of our 4,000 year old history, let us remind ourselves about Jacob and of Israel the Jewish people. Let us make sure that we tap into the 4,000 year history we have with Israel and with the mission that we were entrusted with by G-d and let us bounce back as Jacob did, with renewed determination and resilience to fulfill our mandate and mission. Let us perhaps take one area of our Judaism where we feel that we struggle with and are locked in an eternal struggle, to tap into the spiritual strength that we have been entrusted with and make another push to succeed. Let us add light and meaning in the world around us so that Am Yisroel Chai in our lives and in Israel!
Shabbat Shalom