<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal">When I was studying Zoology in college back in the 70s, I
did some research on Yaakov’s battle with the malach. <span></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">The big question I had was “why should Yaakov Avinu get hit
in the gid hanasheh (sciatic nerve)? Why not somewhere else in the body?”<span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:9pt;line-height:normal;vertical-align:baseline">As I learned in my Anatomy and Physiology class, there are several nerves that branch off from the sciatic
nerve. One of these is the pudendal nerve. This is one of the nerves responsible
for sexual function (and other actions).<span></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Current research follows:<span></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;vertical-align:baseline">The pudendal nerve is found in the pelvis. It
is the biggest division of the pudendal plexus (a network of nerves) and is
located behind the sacrospinous ligament, near the tailbone. The nerve extends from the sacral plexus, through the pudendal canal,
the perineum, and the gluteal area. These are structures located near the
genital, rectal, and gluteal (buttock) regions.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:9pt;line-height:normal;vertical-align:baseline"><span></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">(see: <a href="https://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/pudendal-nerve"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration-line:none">https://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/pudendal-nerve</span></a>)<span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">The peripheral nerves supply the bladder,
anal canal, and perineal skin. The pudendal nerve is the primary somatic nerve
to this region. Motor fibers in the pudendal nerve innervate the
bulbocavernosus muscle, external urethral sphincter, external anal sphincter,
and pelvic floor muscles.<span></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:12pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:12pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">(see: <a href="http://www.humanneurophysiology.com/sacralmonitoring.htm">www.humanneurophysiology.com/sacralmonitoring.htm</a>)</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:12pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:12pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:12pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">I also remember that one of the meforshim
(commentators) on Chumash had a similar answer. (Sorry, I can’t remember where
I saw this, it’s been over 40 years).<span></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:12pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:12pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">At any rate, it makes sense that Yaakov would be hit
there, as a reminder that his marriage to Rachel after his marriage to her
sister Leah would not hold up when he entered Eretz Yisrael. (not long after this episode, Rachel died in childbirth of Binyamin).<span></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:12pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:12pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Aside from feeling the psychological pain of Rachel’s
death, perhaps Yaakov also had to feel physical pain. <span></span></p><div><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div><div>Chaim Tatel</div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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