Genesis Panel 5: Isaac Blessing Jacob

Esau

The Torah recounts that Isaac, realizing he is nearing death, decides to give his blessing and sends Esau to hunt. Esau is strong, a hairy hunter, and Isaac instructs him to go hunting.

However, in that moment, Jacob sneaks in, covering his right arm with a skin so that his blind father will think it is Esau and bless him instead. If Esau were to turn, he would only see Isaac, as Jacob is hiding behind a wall and out of view.

Isaac

Isaac has four scrolls on his lap, each representing a question he asks Jacob. The first scroll is rolled differently from the others, with a double roll, symbolizing a double question. Isaac’s first question is, “Are you Esau?” This suggests that Isaac already knows it is Jacob.

Isaac is connected to Geburah, the aspect of judgment. When he was 37 years old, Isaac was almost sacrificed by Abraham, which symbolizes fire, and this is reflected in the colors of his tunic. The triangle on Isaac’s chair, with a Shin symbol on top, points upward and represents fire. Isaac is showing his left hand to Jacob, symbolizing the side of judgment, or Geburah.

Jacob

Jacob, on the other hand, represents the balance of both sides; his clothing is a mix of red and blue. Abraham represents the right side, Chesed (kindness), and Isaac represents the left side, Geburah (judgment), while Jacob is seen as ambidextrous, meaning he can embody both Chesed and Geburah. Therefore, when Isaac is in the position of judgment, Jacob hides his left hand (the judgment side) and faces his father only with kindness, symbolized by the skin he places on his arm.

An Arrow on His Left Leg

Additionally, Jacob has an arrow on his left leg, starting from the ankle and traveling upward along his shoulder to his head. This represents the name change Jacob would later experience when he wrestles with the angel. Jacob comes from the Hebrew word Ekeb, meaning heel or ankle. After wrestling with the angel, his name is changed to Israel, meaning “direct to God” or “Rosh Li” (my head), symbolizing his spiritual growth from the lowest part of his body, the heel, to the highest part, the head.

Left Hand

Jacob hides his left hand, which holds a staff. The staff has 12 sprouts, each representing one of the 12 tribes of Israel that will emerge later. It also has a leaf, symbolizing his daughter Dinah. The phrase at the top of the panel is the blessing Isaac gives to Jacob.