The Bent Yud
בראשית לב,יא: קָטֹנְתִּי מִּכֹל הַחֲסָדִּ ים וּמִּכָל־הָאֱמֶּׁת אֲשֶּׁׁר עָשִּיתָ אֶּׁת־עַבְדֶּׁךָ
The Baal HaTurim writes that Yud of the word קטנתי is written with a יוד כפופה (a bent Yud) indicating that Yaacov was humbly saying “although I was granted ten blessings, I am fearful that my sins cause me to forfeit the protection of HaShem.”
Yaacov was blessed by Yitzchak with ten blessings (see 27,28).
This Yud is one of eighty-three written as bend Yuds in the Torah. See following illustration of some of the opinions regarding how this letter is drawn.
Protection against battle
בראשית לב,יב: הַצִּילֵנִּי נָא מִּיַד אָחִּי מִּיַד עֵשָו כִּי־יָרֵא אָנֹכִּי אֹתוֹ פֶּׁן־יָבוֹא וְהִּכַנִּי אֵם עַל־בָנִּים
The Baal haTurim points out that the word והכני (and strike me) appears twice in Tanach: one here and once when Golyas announced "Im yuchak lehilochem bi vehikani ... " (If he [Yisrael's champion] is able to fight me and strike me down.” The Baal HaTurim says that just as Yaacov was afraid, so too, was Dovid. Just as Yaakov was pursued (by his brother), so too was Dovid. Just as Yaacov made war against Golyas, so too did Yaacov prepare himself for war. Just as Yaacov was saved from Eisav (by the Divine Hand), so too Dovid was saved from Golyas. Indeed, it was the merit of Yaacov that stood Dovid in good stead.
Eight Mems
בראשית לב ,טו : עִּזִּים מָאתַיִּם וּתְיָשִּׁ ים עֶּׁשְ רִּ ים רְ חֵלִּים מָאתַיִּם וְאֵילִּים עֶּׁשְ רִּ ים:
Every word in this Pasuk, the Baal haTurim observes, ends with a 'Mem', as do all the words in the Pasuk in Pinchas (29:33 [the Korban Musaf of Succos]) "u'Minchosom ve'niskeihem, la'porim ve'la'kevosim ... ".
'Altogether, there are eight Memin', he adds, and correspondingly, eight kings ruled in Edom before King Shaul ascended the throne of Yisrael (as the Torah records in the final paragraph of this Parshah).
Alternatively, he concludes, the 'Memin' hint to the fact that all the animals listed here were blemished (ba'alei mumin). He did this in order to prevent Eisav from bringing them as Korbanos. (Finding favor in Eisav's eyes is one thing. Showering him with merits is another).
The Angel Touched Him
בראשית לב ,כו : וַיַרְ א כִּי לֹא יָכֹל לוֹ וַיִּגַע בְכַף־יְרֵכוֹ וַתֵקַע כַף־יֶּׁרֶּׁךְ יַעֲקֹב בְהֵאָבְקוֹ עִּמוֹ
The Baal haTurim points out that the angel wanted to see if Yaacov was also an angel. Thus, he touched his leg joints because angels do not have (knee) joints.
The Yerushalmi (Berachos 1,1) derives from the verse of the Divine Chariot “their legs were a straight leg” (Ezkiel 1,7) that angels do not have joints in their legs. The Baal haTurim’s comment also explains why the verse states ויגע (he touched) and not ויך (and he struck).
The Angel Touched Him
בראשית לה ,ב,ג: וְהַחֲלִּיפוּ שִּמְלֹתֵיכֶּׁם: ג וְנָקוּמָה וְנַעֲלֶּׁה בֵ ית־אֵ -ל
The Baal haTurim points that “And switch your clothing, And we will rise and go up to Beis Ei'L” - This alludes to the changing into more respectable clothing in preparation for prayer.
The Gemara (Shabbos 10a) provides several examples of how the Amoraim would prepare for prayer based on the verse (Amos 4,12) “Prepare yourself to go towards your G-d.”
