The Awakening Self


The Hebrew word Yisrael, or Israel, has been used in the Judaic tradition as a label for the Judaic "tribe" as a whole, and for the land that the tradition has held as sacred.

The name Yisrael was first used in Genesis 32 in the story of Jacob wrestling with a "stranger" from Heaven. In this story Jacob is at a crossroads in his life and he heads off alone in the middle of the night and ends up wrestling with a divine force in order to receive a blessing. This blessing finally was given to Jacob in the form of a new name, Yisrael.

This name has several mystical meanings that all relate to the process described in the story (Gordis, 1995). These definitions include: One who wrestles or struggles with the Divine; one who yearns for the Divine; the song of the Divine; and the Awakening Self (the Self that struggles to awaken to it's true oneness with the Divine).

A mystical translation of this biblical story reveals the archetypal psycho-spiritual pattern of our struggle to awaken to our true Self and the Divine:

In the middle of the night Jacob arose


and sent his loved ones and all his possessions


across the river of struggles.


Jacob remained alone.


A stranger appeared and wrestled with him


until the break of day.


The stranger saw that Jacob was strong in faith


and touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh,


causing a great strain.


The stranger said:


"Let me leave for the dawn is breaking."


Jacob told the stranger:


"I will not let go until I am blessed."


The stranger replied:


"Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel,


the one who strives to awaken


and know the truth of the Divine."


Jacob asked the stranger's name.


The stranger replied:


"Why do you seek my name?"


He then blessed Jacob.


Jacob named the place Divine Face and said:


"I have seen the Divine face to face,


and my soul has withstood it."


The sun rose and was shinning on him


as he continued on his way.


- Genesis 32:23-32


REFERENCES

Gordis, D. (1995). God was not in the fire. New York: Scribner.

*Image: Jacob wrestling with the Angel of God

*Originally published on KabbalahBlog hosted by Enlightenment.com