Defined by Our Wounds - Va'Yishlakh 5771

When we hurt we often don't focus on the choices before, rather we focus on the pain.  Jacob is wounded in this week's Torah portion, yet at the same time he is also blessed by the 'Eish' he wrestles in the middle of the night.  So, is it our wounds that define us, or is it the decisions that we make after we survive the wound?  These scars are not just to be found on our bodies, but even within our social fabric. Beyond anger, there are many choices regarding how we respond to the wounds and scars of life.  How we respond to them is how we find our way to the blessings we might be.