Seeking our Fathers' Help

In the Parsha of Vayetze we spoke about why Abraham is referred to as Yaakov's father; Hashem refers to Himself saying, "I am the God of Abraham, your father." Then, when Yaakov faces off with Lavan about his treacherous ways, he says, "If not for the God of Abraham … you would have sent me off empty-handed." Thereafter, when Lavan confronts Yaakov about "kidnapping" his daughters, he ultimately makes a covenant with him, juxtaposing his own grandfather, Nachor with Yaakov's grandfather: "The gods of Abraham and Nachor shall judge who is in the right," Yaakov ultimately swearing in the name of the fear of his father, Isaac.

Things, though, change in the Parshah of Vayishlach. When Yaakov needs to confront his evil brother, Eisav, he prays to Hashem and asks for protection "in the name of the God of my  father, Abraham, and the name of the God of my father, Isaac."

It would seem that the message here is two-fold. Firstly, after having prior sworn in the name of the fear of his father, Isaac, the relationship morphed into a more loving one, the fear that all too emblemized Isaac having served him in his altercation with Lavan, changing the relationship Yaakov shared with his father.

Furthermore, it could be that the attribute Yaakov now needed was no longer the monotheism, and utter belief in one God represented by Avraham, but rather the steadfast tenacity of Isaac – which he would now need against Eisav who would not let Yaakov waiver in any sense of the word. Avraham was known to sometimes explain his deeds (for example, with Avimelech), whereas Yitzhak keeping Rivka as his wife required no explanation; later, too, when Avimelech comes to make a pact together with him and his general, Pichol, Yitzhak retorts, "Why have you come? All this time you didn't disguise your enmity for me!" It was perhaps this attribute that Yaakov now would need more than anything else with Eisav trying to ingrain himself in Yaakov's family; and ironically, for the sheer amount of livestock Yaakov gave him, Eisav had no choice but to separate and seek out larger, more vast pastureland.