Why Wasn't He "Yisrael?" Torah Portion of the Week, VaYishlach

VaYishlach begins with the telling of Yaakov's (Jacob) fear of meeting his older, threatening brother, Essau, and the steps he takes to protect his family and possessions.  And then in the dark of the night, just a few hours before the fateful meeting, there's a dramatic struggle between Yaakov and a "man."  Jacob, though injured, prevails and is given a new name by his adversary... Yisrael, (Israel.)

כט וַיֹּאמֶר, לֹא יַעֲקֹב יֵאָמֵר עוֹד שִׁמְךָ--כִּי, אִם-יִשְׂרָאֵל: כִּי-שָׂרִיתָ עִם-אֱלֹהִים וְעִם-אֲנָשִׁים, וַתּוּכָל. 29 And he said: 'Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed.'

Now, if we were writing this for the movies, it's pretty obvious that there would be a dramatic transformation, Clark Kent into Superman, and the wimpy Jacob would become the powerful Israel and easily defeat the evil and powerful Essau, and we'd all live happily ever after. Right? OK, but that's not what happened.

Clark Kent Jacob, broadcasting his fear, met Essau.  All of the conventional commentators delve into the punishments he got for the phrase "your servant."

Where was that new, powerful Israel?  What happened to Superman?  Why did Jacob ignore the message from G-d?

Nothing's new.  We're called the State of Israel and we act like a Jacob.  Arutz 7 has had a poll asking who's the greatest Jewish warrior of all time?  King David has gotten the most votes.  King David wrote: "Yisrael, batach b'Hashem."  "Israel, trust in G-d."

To be a "Yisrael," strong and invincible, we must trust in G-d.  The strategy our third forefather used against Essau was Jacob's, dividing his possessions, giving presents and praying.  Unfortunately, we're still using the same methods.  We must fight like a Yisrael, taking King David's advice.  Only then, will we achieve true peace.