He sends a message to his brother, Esau, offering the hand of peace.

However, he learns that Esau is advancing on him with an ‘army’ of 400 men. He adopts a three-pronged strategy. He prays for Divine assistance. He sends a tribute of animals to ‘appease’ his brother. Finally, in case all else fails, he prepares for ‘war’.

The sages teach that this is a blueprint for Jewish survival in exile. Prayer is always important. Diplomacy is essential.

Finally, as a last resort, we may bear arms in self-defence or in protection of our identity and culture.

Happily, Jacob's diplomacy paid off and Esau was placated and mended his differences with his brother.

However, before Jacob encountered Esau, he was engaged in a ‘fight’ with Esau’s Guardian Angel.

The fight lasted all night, and ended with Jacob’s thigh being dislocated. However, in no other way was Jacob harmed.

To remind us of this incident, to this day, it is forbidden to eat from the sinew of the thighbone.

(Don’t worry, kosher meat will not contain this). Jacob is eventually healed by the sun in the morning. (As Rupert Murdoch might have said, “it was the sun what done it”).

This, too, is symbolic of the struggle between Jacob’s children and their enemies.

Despite the suffering at the hands of their foes, the Jewish Nation will remain unbowed until the ‘dawn’, ie the Messianic age.

From today (starting with Maariv on Thursday) we say tal umotor — a prayer for rain — in the Amidah.

In Israel, they began earlier as they require a longer rainy season.

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