The Hand and The Heel
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel (ekav).” (Genesis 3:15)
“Afterward his brother came forth with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel (ekav), so his name was called Ya’akov (Jacob); and Isaac was sixty years old when she gave birth to them.” (Genesis 25:26)
Heel in Hebrew is ayin-kof-vet – עקב. It is the root of the name of the third patriarch, Ya’akov (Jacob). In Hebrew Ya’akov is yod-ayin-kof-vet – יעקב. We could say that Ya’akov is the “heel” of the children of Adam and Chava (Eve) described in Genesis. If so, what is the meaning of the yod which prefixes the “heel” of Ya’akov’s name and what does the cryptic prophecy in Genesis mean?
The Yod – י
Yod is the 10th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is also the smallest letter in Hebrew, consisting of not much more than a dot. However, that does not make it any less important than any other letter. In fact, in Midrash Rabbah, a story is told that while King Solomon was writing his copy of the Torah, as was commanded of Kings of Israel, he left out a yod while writing the verse:
“He shall not multiply wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.” (Deuteronomy 17:17)
Because of this error, the midrash states that Solomon’s destiny was to have this command be his ultimate downfall. Indeed, “For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.” (1 Kings 11:4) The story also tells us that because of this error the yod was inserted elsewhere in the Torah by HaShem, specifically in the names of Sarah (who was previously Sarai) and Joshua (who was previously known as Hoshea). Could it be that this is also the case for Ya’akov?
The Name of HaShem
Yod is also the first letter of HaShem’s name: yod-hei-vav-hei and is believed to represent His wisdom (chokmah). This is because wisdom begins as a small “spark”, no bigger than the yod in the brain. It is by this wisdom that HaShem created the world (Proverbs 3:19). In fact, it is spoken in Kabbalah that the entire world was created through 10 “words” – illuminating the 10th yod. There were 10 plagues brought upon the Egyptians; there were 10 Commandments given at Sinai through a single word. The number 10 represents HaShem’s power over creation, for only He can bring about things that seem impossible!
The letter yod is also a depiction of a “hand” and represents the concentrated power of HaShem which he uses to protect His people, the children of Israel, the descendants of Ya’akov. It is believed that when HaShem adds the yod from His name to another word, it adds His constancy (enduring and unchanging nature) to whatever it has been added to. It would appear that the hand of HaShem is indeed upon the “heel” of who is the father of the nation of Israel.
The Seed of Woman
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your [the serpent’s] seed and her [Chava’s] seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.” (Genesis 3:15)
Is it not interesting that humanity, by-and-large, traces linage through the seed of man with one exception: the Jewish people? It is a common expression that if “your mother is Jewish, then you are Jewish.” Who else could be called “the seed of woman,” someone who is Jewish, and is also referred to as “heel” other than Ya’akov––the one named “heel” through whom all Jewish people today trace their linage, via their mothers.
There appears to be another mystery to this prophecy that the descendants of Ya’akov fit into as well. The “bruising” of the heel by the serpent. No other people in history have been chosen by HaShem. No other people in history have been persecuted more than the Jewish people. The serpent, the adversary, constantly strikes at the “heel,” but he only bruises or wounds them. He is not able to eradicate them.
The Heel and The Messiah
“…Nevertheless for them [the seed of woman] there shall be a medicine, but for thee [the serpent] there will be no medicine; and they shall make a remedy for the heel in the days of the King Meshiha [sic].” (Targum Jonathan – Genesis 3:15)
Targum Jonathan brings down an interesting interpretation to the prophecy of Genesis 3:15. The “wounds” or “bruises” sustained by the “seed of woman,” the Jewish people, will continue until the time of Messiah (Moshiach). The Messiah will provide the remedy and medicine for the “heel”. Who else or what else could be the remedy for the “heel” other than the hand (yod) of HaShem? This means that the Messiah and the hand of HaShem are one and the same!
HaShem’s wisdom, by which he formed creation by the smallest letter in Hebrew, the yod, is the remedy and medicine for the “heel”. HaShem himself is the Messiah who is the protector and redeemer of the descendants of Ya’akov, the children of Israel.
Sources
• The Letter Yod - Chabad
• Midrash Rabbah - Sefaria
• Rashi on Shemot 20:1
• Targum Jonathan on Genesis 3:15
©2024 Jesse Almanrode