## Zohar, Vayishlach

###### Zohar, Vayishlach 16:1
[Zohar, Vayishlach 16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zohar/s/Vayishlach/r/16:1)

רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי הֲווּ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא, אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי לְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וַדַּאי הָא דְּאֲמַרְתְּ דְּיַעֲקֹב שְׁלֵימָא דְּאֲבָהָן אִיהוּ, וְאִיהוּ אָחִיד לְכָל סִטְרִין, וְקָרָא שְׁמֵיהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּכְתִיב לא יִקָּרֵא שִׁמְךָ עוֹד יַעֲקֹב כִּי אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל יִהְיֶה שְׁמֶךָ. וּכְתִיב וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל. אַמַּאי אַהֲדַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְקָרָא לֵיהּ יַעֲקֹב בְּכַמָּה זִמְנִין, וְכֹלָּא קָרוּן לֵיהּ יַעֲקֹב כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין. אִי הָכִי, מַהוּ וְלא יִקָּרֵא שִׁמְךָ עוֹד יַעֲקֹב.

**The Zohar; London, Soncino Press, 1933:**
As R. Eleazar and R. Jose were once walking on the road, the latter said to R. Eleazar: ‘Assuredly it is as you said, that Jacob was the consummation of the patriarchs and that he was attached to all the sides and so his name was called Israel. But how comes it that God afterwards again called him many times by the name of Jacob, and that he is commonly called Jacob just as before?’


###### Zohar, Vayishlach 16:2
[Zohar, Vayishlach 16:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zohar/s/Vayishlach/r/16:2)

אָמַר לֵיהּ, שַׁפִּיר קָא אֲמַרְתְּ. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (ישעיהו מ״ב:י״ג) יְיָ כַּגִּבּוֹר יֵצֵא כְּאִישׁ מִלְחָמוֹת יָעִיר קִנְאָה, הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ. אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּגִּבּוֹר יֵצֵא, גִּבּוֹר מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. כְּאִישׁ מִלְחָמוֹת, אִישׁ מִלְחָמוֹת מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ.

**The Zohar; London, Soncino Press, 1933:**
R. Eleazar replied: ‘That is a good question. To find an answer, consider the verse: “The Lord will go forth as a mighty one, he will stir up jealousy like a warrior” (Is. 42, 12). Why say *as* a mighty one, seeing that He is a mighty one; and why say *like* a warrior, seeing that He is a warrior?’


###### Zohar, Vayishlach 16:3
[Zohar, Vayishlach 16:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zohar/s/Vayishlach/r/16:3)

אֶלָּא הָא אִתְּמָר יְיָ בְּכָל אֲתַר רַחֲמֵי אִיהוּ, וַדַּאי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, יְיָ שְׁמֵיהּ אִיהוּ, דִּכְתִיב, (ישעיהו מ״ב:ח׳) אֲנִי יְיָ הוּא שְׁמִי, וְחָמִינָן דִּלְזִמְנִין אִתְקְרֵי שְׁמֵיהּ אֱלהִים וְהוּא דִינָא בְּכָל אֲתַר. אֶלָּא בְּזִמְנָא דְאַסְגִיאוּ זַכָּאִין בְּעַלְמָא, יְיָ שְׁמֵיהּ וְאִתְקְרֵי בִּשְׁמָא דְרַחֲמֵי. וּבְזִמְנָא דְאַסְגִיאוּ חַיָּיבִין בְּעַלְמָא, אֱלֹהִים שְׁמֵיהּ וְאִתְקְרֵי בִּשְׁמָא דֵּאֱלהִים. כָּךְ בְּזִמְנָא דְיַעֲקֹב לָא הֲוָה בֵּין שָׂנְאִין וְלָא הֲוָה בְּאַרְעָא אָחֳרָא, קָרֵי לֵיהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְכַד הֲוָה בֵּין שָׂנְאִין, אוֹ בְּאַרְעָא אָחֳרָא קָרֵי לֵיהּ יַעֲקֹב.

**The Zohar; London, Soncino Press, 1933:**
But the truth is that, as we have learned, the name *TETRAGRAMMATON* (Lord) is everywhere expressive of the attribute of mercy. Now, assuredly, God is named *TETRAGRAMMATON* (Lord), as it is written: “I am the Lord *TETRAGRAMMATON”* (*Ibid*. 8). Yet we see that at times His name is called Elohim (*God*), which is everywhere expressive of judgement. The explanation is that when the righteous are numerous among mankind, He is called by the name of *TETRAGRAMMATON* (Lord), the name which implies mercy, but when sinners abound, He is called by the name of *Elohim* (God). Similarly with Jacob. When he is not among enemies, or in a strange land, his name is Israel, but when he is among enemies or in a strange land he is called Jacob.’


###### Zohar, Vayishlach 16:4
[Zohar, Vayishlach 16:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zohar/s/Vayishlach/r/16:4)

אָמַר לֵיהּ, עֲדַיִין לָא אִתְיַישְׁבָא מִלָּה. דִּכְתִיב לֹא יִקָּרֵא, וְהָא אֲנַן קָרִינָן לֵיהּ. וּמַאי דַאֲמַרְתְּ דְּכַד הֲוָה בֵּין שָׂנְאִין אוֹ בְּאַרְעָא אָחֳרָא קָרֵי לֵיהּ יַעֲקֹב. תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב, (בראשית ל״ז:א׳) וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מְגוּרֵי אָבִיו בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן, וְהָא לָא הֲוָה בְּאַרְעָא אָחֳרָא.

**The Zohar; London, Soncino Press, 1933:**
R. Jose rejoined: ‘This does not quite solve the difficulty, seeing that it is written: “thy name shall no more be called Jacob״, and yet all the time we do call him Jacob; as for your remark that he is only called Jacob when among enemies or in a strange land, do we not find it written: “And Jacob dwelt in the land of his father’s sojournings in the land of Canaan” (Gen. 37, 1), which was not a strange land?’


###### Zohar, Vayishlach 16:5
[Zohar, Vayishlach 16:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zohar/s/Vayishlach/r/16:5)

אָמַר לֵיהּ, הָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא אִתְּמָר, כְּמָה דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְזִמְנִין אִתְקְרֵי יְיָ, וּלְזִמְנִין אִתְקְרֵי אֱלֹהִים. הָכִי נָמֵי לְזִמְנִין אִקְרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְזִמְנִין אִקְרֵי יַעֲקֹב וְכֹלָּא בְּדַרְגִּין יְדִיעָן. וּמַה דְּאִתְּמָר לא יִקָּרֵא שִׁמְךָ עוֹד יַעֲקֹב, לְאִתְיַשְּׁבָא בִּשְׁמָא דָא.

**The Zohar; London, Soncino Press, 1933:**
R. Eleazar replied: ‘Just as the names “Lord” and “God” indicate different degrees, so the names Jacob and Israel indicate different degrees; and as for the words “thy name shall no more be called Jacob״, that signifies merely that Jacob should not be his fixed name.’


###### Zohar, Vayishlach 16:6
[Zohar, Vayishlach 16:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zohar/s/Vayishlach/r/16:6)

אָמַר לֵיהּ, אִי הָכִי, הָא כְּתִיב, (בראשית י״ז:ה׳) וְלֹא יִקָּרֵא עוֹד אֶת שִׁמְךָ אַבְרָם וְהָיָה שִׁמְךָ אַבְרָהָם. אָמַר לֵיהּ, הָתָם כְּתִיב וְהָיָה. וְעַל דָּא קָיְימָא בְּהַהוּא שְׁמָא. אֲבָל הָכָא לָא כְּתִיב וְהָיָה, אֶלָּא כִּי אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל יִהְיֶה שְׁמֶךָ. וְלָא כְּתִיב וְהָיָה שִׁמְךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֲפִילּוּ בְּזִמְנָא חָדָא סַגֵּי לֵיהּ, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן דִּלְזִמְנִין כָּךְ וּלְזִמְנִין כָּךְ. וְכַד אִתְעַטְּרוּ בְּנוֹי בְּכֹהֲנֵי וְלֵיוָאֵי וְאִסְתַּלְּקוּ בְּדַרְגִּין עִלָּאִין, כְּדֵין אִתְעַטַּר בִּשְׁמָא דָא תָּדִיר.

**The Zohar; London, Soncino Press, 1933:**
Said R. Jose: ‘If that is so, how is it that the name of Abraham became fixed after God had said: “Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham” (*Ibid.* 17, 5).’ R. Eleazar replied: ‘It is because there it is written: “but thy name shall be (*vehayah*), that is, always, whereas here it is written: “but Israel shall be (yihyeh) thy name״, that is, at least on one occasion, if not oftener. When, however, his posterity were crowned with priests and Levites, and were raised to high degrees, he was invested with the name of Israel in perpetuity.’