Yaakov Vs. Yisroel

Avrohom had a name change and went from Avrom to Avrohom.  Yaakov on the other hand, had his name switched to Yisroel but he retains his original name of Yaakov.  Why the double name?  What is the meaning behind the two names?  Yaakov is the name for when there is a fight against Esav, it is the name of being active in the world, grabbing onto the heel of Esav.  It is the name that represents the fight one must have to be successful against the yetzer harah.   Yisroel is the name when things are going smoothly, when there isn't a fight and ruchnious comes easy.  There are times when a person in a Yaakov mood and sometimes when a person is in a Yisroel mood, primarily it is the difference between the week and Shabbos.  However, both are messages in a person's life, we life with both the times when it’s hard to be holy and the times when it’s easy, we must wear two different garments to make it through life (based upon Likutay Sichos volume 3.)

On a national level, a Yaakov nation is a nation like all others, enlightened but still a regular nation.  It is a nation that struggles with internal issues like all others.  Yisroel is a holy nation, a nation that is like no other. It is a majestic, pure and righteous nation.  Rav Yeruchim Olshin points out that the Greeks told Klal Yisroel to write that they have no connection to the god of Yisroel.  In Al Hanissim in the bima portion when it comes to Purim, we say כשעמד עליהם, in Chanukah we say כשעמדה וכו' על עמך ישראל, the focus is on Yisroel.  Why the focus here on Yisroel?  It is the aforementioned idea, the Greeks didn't mind an enlightened nation, they were out to destroy a spiritual nation.  They said you can be Yaakov, not Yisroel.  The victory of Chanukah is the victory of Yisroel, the celebration of being an עם קדוש.