There are many ways to refer to our uniquely accomplished, restless and sometimes even outrageous nation, but the name Yisrael (Israel) is by far the most common. Sometimes referred to as Klal Yisrael, Knesset Yisrael or Bnei Yisrael, the first time Am Yisrael comes up in the Torah is ironically when Pharaoh thinks of them as a threat (Shemot 1:9).
Yisrael, of course, is the name of (or, at least, one of the names of) our forefather. Given that the Torah explains why Yaakov received this name, it should be easier to understand why we, too, are called by that name: He struggled with G-d (or at least His angelic forces) and man and prevailed. This sounds true enough to our nature, but it is not just our nature. More importantly, it is also our calling. As Rashi famously points out at the beginning of Parashat Vayeshev, Yisrael is not meant to rest, but must constantly struggle to improve G-d’s world. We can only rest if and when that world reaches its intended perfection. And just as we struggle with others who impede our mission, we must also struggle with G-d. Meaning, G-d has invited us to accomplish our holy goals most effectively by petitioning Him directly. This invitation should remind us that He is our essential partner. For, more than anything else, we can only know what we are to struggle for by studying His Torah.
Without that partnership, we are no longer Yisrael. But with it, we become Am HaNetzach, the eternal people who defy the laws of history and will live to see all of our G-dly visions fulfilled.
