RABBI WEIN ON PARSHAS VAYISHLACH

In this week’s Parsha, Yaakov sends emissaries to meet his brother Eisav. Midrash, as its want, supplies differing opinions as to who these emissaries were. In fact, Midrash again, as is usual with its insights, offers contradictory views. One interpretation is that the emissaries were humans, servants and allies of Yaakov. A second view is that they were angels, heavenly messengers employed by Yaakov to safeguard him and his family from the malevolence of Eisav. So which interpretation is true?