A panoramic view of Parshas Vayishlach with a focus on the following question:
Vayishlach seems to contain many "unrelated" stories, from Yaakov's showdown with Eisav, to Dinah's capture, to Rochel's death, to Reuvein's sin, etc. What they all ostensibly have in common is that they are trials Yaakov Avinu experienced.
However, the Parsha signs off with the passage of Eisav's progeny, conclusively completing the second of two Eisav-themed bookends. In other words, the Parsha begins and ends with Eisav, suggesting that, indeed, these stories are all a unit within the larger battle with Eisav.
What is striking though is that the trials recorded in Vayishlach do not mark the end of Yaakov's trials, especially as the greatest one has yet to come; Mechiras Yosef. Although the Midrashim learn a lot from the juxtaposition between Mechiras Yosef and the Toldos Eisav, what is clear is that Mechiras Yosef is a unit all its own.
We will eventually get to that story in Parshas Vayeishev, but the task for now is to understand Parshas Vayishlach. What is this Parsha about? Do the "trials" of Vayishlach have a unifying theme?
