“What Is Your Name?”
In an enigmatic story, in this weeks Parsha, Yaakov wrestles through the night with a mysterious angel of Eisav.
At the height of the struggle, Yaakov asks a simple but powerful question: “What is your name?” The angel answers; “I have no name.” Our sages explain that this nameless angel represents the Yetzer Hara, the evil inclination.
Why doesn’t it have a name? Because, at its core, it has no real substance, no lasting value, and no enduring identity. The Yetzer Hara never introduces itself directly. It arrives as a flash of temptation, something that feels good, looks appealing, or seems harmless in the moment.
It can completely take us over. But when we pause long enough to ask Yaakov’s question,
“What is your name? What are you really offering me? What will remain of this tomorrow?”
It has no answer.
There is no name. Nothing that’s permanent. Nothing that lasts. The Sages teach:
איזהו חכם הרואה את הנולד
“Who is wise? One who sees what is born from his actions.”
In the moment of wrongdoing, everything can feel exciting, easy, or justified. But wisdom lies in looking ahead. What will this choice look like in a day? A week? A month? The supposed sweetness of the Yetzer Hara evaporates quickly, leaving nothing behind, because it had no true identity to begin with.
In contrast, the Yetzer Tov, our good inclination, guides us toward choices with depth, meaning, and long-term blessing. Those actions carry a name, a legacy, a direction, a purpose.
May we always have the clarity of Yaakov: To ask the right questions, to look beyond the moment, and to choose the path that has real meaning and substance.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Zalman and Esty
