midrash

And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had. Then Jakkob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when he saw that he did not prevail against him, he touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jakkob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, "Let me go, for the day breaks."
But he said, "I will not let you go unless You bless me!"


And Jakkob sent his family and companions over the ford of Jabbok.
Then he was left alone to do battle with his God. And he wrestled with him through the night. When he saw that he could not overcome him, he touched the socket of his hip and wounded the divinity who then released him from his grip and walked away, forever after limping…

But when dawn finally broke he would not release the struggling god who had wounded him. No, he clung to him with all his might, this divine suffering, until one could not tell where the wounded man ended and suffering divinity began…

And when dawn finally broke, Jakkob walked away limping. But Jakkob did not continue across the ford of Jabbok. He returned every night to that same spot where he had been wounded, and waited for the man to return…

Jakkob, alone at last with his demons, grapples with himself in the deafening darkness. Finally, as the shadows begin to recede, he strikes out selfwards, inflicting a mortal wound on his past…