The nature of Jacob’s encounter at the ford of Jabbok – often referred to as “Jacob wrestling with an angel” – is among the great mysteries of Genesis. From rabbinic interpretations to medieval commentators to modern biblical scholars, none (but one) have offered a compelling reading nor an explanation for why this scene announces the beginning of the Children of Israel. Abraham Ibn Ezra (c. 1090 - c. 1165) rejected the received wisdom that the angel injured Jacob’s hip and presented three clues to understand the true nature of this encounter (Spoiler: Jacob and the Angel did not actually wrestle and it’s not about the hip). In this class, via the first decoding of Ibn Ezra’s clues, we will reveal not only the proper reading of these difficult verses but also how our understanding the origin of the children of Israel informs the entire epic of Genesis and Exodus.

Yaron Milgrom nearly received his doctorate in Medieval Jewish Mysticism from New York University before falling in love with the Bay Area and its produce. He still reads a lot of Torah and sometimes chants it at The Kitchen (less often than his kids). This class (and the forthcoming book) is the result of preparing Rimon, his daughter, for her Bat Mitzvah.

Exclusively for Kitchen members
Included in Kitchen Membership

Taught by Kitchen-ite Yaron Milgrom
Tuesdays, 7:00–8:30 PM
Oct 28; Nov 4, 11, 18; Dec 2, 9, 16
The Kitchen Office — 2601 Mission Street, Suite 201, San Francisco, CA