Yakov Avinu

Yakov Avinu is a very complicated personality. On the one hand, he is forced to deal with very low people such as Lavan and Eisav. But on the other hand, he's on the level to fight with a spiritual being like an angel.

It is obvious that Yakov had attained a very high level of holiness as was also attested by the dream that he had with the ladder and the angels.

The manner in which he was able to be so connected to the spiritual world and at the same time, have his feet on the ground to deal with pure evil, is both remarkable and an example of something we are to strive towards.

The Rabbis have a saying that יעקב לא מת. The Pasuk in the Torah was ויקרבו ימי ישראל למות, that Yisrael was going to die but not Yakov. The של״ה הקודש said that this was learned from the words, ותחי רוח יעקב , that Yakov's spirit lived. At that time, he had תחיית המתים and he never died. He was very much like אליהו הנביא in that he comes on numerous occasions to help his children.

We say מעשה אבות סימן לבנים, that what happened to the Avot is a sign for the children. There is a great deal to be learned from Yakov Avinu. Shabbat Shalom