וְאֵ֣ל שַׁדַּ֗י יִתֵּ֨ן לָכֶ֤ם רַחֲמִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הָאִ֔ישׁ וְשִׁלַּ֥ח לָכֶ֛ם אֶת־אֲחִיכֶ֥ם אַחֵ֖ר וְאֶת־בִּנְיָמִ֑ין וַאֲנִ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁכֹ֖לְתִּי שָׁכָֽלְתִּי׃
And may El Shaddai give you mercy before the man, that he may release unto you your other brother and Binyamin. And as for me, if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
Classical midrash on the invocation of the Name El Shaddai in a moment of crisis.
Sefaria · Bereshit Rabbah (context of the chapter)
וְאֵל שַׁדַּי יִתֵּן לָכֶם רַחֲמִים. יַעֲקֹב קָרָא בְּשֵׁם שֶׁל רַחֲמִים בִּשְׁעַת הַצָּרָה.
English of Core Text: “And may El Shaddai give you mercy.” Yaakov invoked the Name associated with mercy at the moment of crisis.
On the daf / in context: The midrashic tradition notes that Yaakov, facing the possible loss of a second son, turns to the divine Name that promises sufficiency and compassion, resigning himself to whatever Heaven decrees.
Type of Learning: Derash on the verse (classic midrash) — not a formal named middah of the 13.
What Is Learned: In the face of potential further bereavement, Yaakov appeals to El Shaddai for mercy while accepting the possibility that he may again be left childless of those he most fears to lose.