The Torah writes (32:33), בני יאכלו לא כן על בכף נגע כי הזה היום עד הירך כף על אשר הנשה גיד את ישראל הנשה בגיד יעקב ירך, "Therefore, Bnei Yisrael mustn’t eat the gid hanasheh...until this day, because the malach struck Yaakov on the gid hanasheh." This prohibition was given to remind us that Yaakov was smitten by the malach in his battle. Wouldn’t it be better to commemorate that Yaakov won the battle against the malach? Why do we remember specifically that Yaakov was wounded in battle?
The same question can be asked regarding the name ישראל. The malach said to Yaakov (32:29) עם שרית כי ישראל אם כי שמך עוד יאמר יעקב לא ותוכל אנשים ועם אלקים, "Your name shall no longer be called Yaakov, but ישראל because you have battled (שרית) with [an angel of] Hashem and with men, and you have prevailed." Why is Yaakov/Yisrael remembered for the battle (שרית), and not for the success (ותוכל)?
We can answer that it is because the struggles are most precious to Hashem. More than winning and succeeding, the battle we put up against the yetzer hara is precious to Hashem.
