As we've mentioned on several occasions throughout our S.A.L.T. series, Chazal identify the mysterious man/being who attacked Yaakov in the middle of the night as "Saro shel Esav," Esav's heavenly angel. One source, however, appears at first glance to indicate otherwise. Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer 36 writes that when the angel changed Yaakov's name to Yisrael (32:29), he responded to Yaakov's request that the angel reveal his name (despite the fact that the Torah records this request as occurring only after the name change). The angel gave Yaakov his own name, Yisrael - this was the angel's name!!
So, who was this "Yisrael"? Was this not Esav's heavenly angel?
We can perhaps explain this Midrash by taking a closer look at the entire encounter. Assuming this was, in fact, Esav's "sar," what did he want? Why had he come? One direction taken on this issue suggests that this struggle involved the blessing that Yaakov had stolen from his brother. Recall that Yaakov had fled Canaan upon learning that Esav wished to kill him for seizing the blessing intended for himself. Now, in Parashat Vayishlach, Yaakov returns to Canaan without this issue having been resolved. What will happen? Has Esav forgotten and forgiven, granting Yaakov the birthright, or does he remain committed to his pledge to fight his brother to the death to retrieve the blessing? Esav's angel thus confronts Yaakov just as he crosses into Canaan. Yaakov overpowers the angel and does not let him free "until you bless me." What blessing does Yaakov want? He demands here confirmation of the blessing that he received from his father through deception. Esav's angel must now bring this conflict to an end, by formally conceding defeat and acknowledging Yaakov's right to the blessing. He therefore gives Yaakov his own name, the name of Yisrael. Many commentators explain that whereas "Yaakov" connotes trickery and deceit, "Yisrael" refers to straightforward dominion and authority. This authority that Esav had presumed to be his own, Yitzchak's blessing of, "you shall be master over your brother," is now formally transferred to Yaakov.
Yaakov therefore declares, "For I have seen God face to face, and my life has been saved" (32:31). This statement clearly corresponds to his prayer earlier in the parasha (32:12), "Please save me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esav." Yaakov now realizes that he not only survived a late-night attack by a stranger, but his original prayer for deliverance from Esav has been answered. The issue of the birthright has been resolved, Yaakov has won the title of "Yisrael" that Esav had until now held as his own.