Words of Wisdom for Shabbat - Vayechi

We have now reached Vayechi, the final portion of the Book of B'reishit . Under Joseph's care, Jacob and sons are thriving in Egypt. As Jacob nears the end of his life, he blesses Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Jacob also blesses each of his own sons with blessings that are at once poetic and enigmatic. While their meanings may be somewhat obscure, Jacob's blessings are filled with intriguing imagery and startling characterisations of the sons.

Judaic scholar, Everett Fox, in his book, The Five Books of Moses, translates Jacob's blessing for Joseph in this way:
"Young wild-ass,
Yosef,
young wild- ass along a spring,
donkeys along a wall.
Bitterly they shot at him,
the archers assailed him,
yet firm remained his bow,
and agile stayed his arms and hands-
by means of the hands of Yaakov's Champion,
up there,
the Shepherd, the Stone of Yisrael.

By your father's God-
may he help you,
and Shaddai,
may he give-you-blessing:
Blessings of the heavens, from above,
blessings of Ocean crouching below,
blessings of breasts and womb!
May the blessings of your father transcend
the blessings of mountains eternal,
the bounds of hills without age.
May they fall upon the head of Yosef,
on the crown of the consecrated-one among his brothers."
(Genesis 49: 22-26)

Puzzling references and a very different picture of Joseph - neither the dream driven youth nor Pharaoh's protege. The Torah is full of surprises!

Everett Fox's approach to translation is fascinating and merits further examination in future posts. For this Shabbat, though, read aloud Jacob's blessing for Joseph with the intensity of expression which it deserves. What imagery! What power! What an amazing final portion in the wondrous book of B'reishit!

Chazak! Chazak! V'Nitchazeik

Shabbat Shalom - Rest and Renew

Words of Wisdom for Shabbat - Vayigash

The story of Joseph which has been unfolding over the two previous Parshot reaches a dramatic climax in this week's Parsha, Vayigash. Joseph has made it appear that Benjamin is a thief and threatens to enslave Jacob's beloved youngest son. Judah eloquently pleas for Benjamin's release by recounting in detail how Benjamin came to Egypt with his brothers at Joseph's request. Judah repeats several times that should Benjamin fail to return to Canaan, Jacob will die of grief. Judah offers himself as a slave to Joseph in place of Benjamin.

Joseph is overcome with emotion. After ordering his Egyptian attendants to leave the room, Joseph gives a loud wail and reveals his true identity to his brothers. The brothers stand speechless and fearful. Joseph calms his brothers by telling them that their selling him into slavery was all part of God's plan "to assure your survival in the land, and to keep you alive for a great deliverance." (Gen 45:7)*
Joseph instructs his brothers to bring Jacob back along with his whole family and his flocks to settle in the best land in Egypt. With this, Joseph and his brothers tearfully reunite.

End of scene. The orchestral theme rises in crescendo. Close-up of Joseph tearfully embracing first Benjamin, then the brothers. Cut! That's a wrap!

The Joseph story is certainly a high point in Torah Theatre and has inspired numerous commentaries.
Harvey J. Fields in his book, A Torah Commentary For Our Times, offers, among the commentaries on Vayigash, the following:

Judah's offer
With Judah's selfless offer of himself as a substitute for Benjamin, Joseph finally had irrefutable proof of change in his brothers' old attitudes. Judah exemplified their devotion to Jacob, their love for Benjamin, and their sincere repentance for their crime against Joseph himself." Convinced of their love, Joseph reveals himself to them. [Nachmanides] (Meir Zlotowitz, trans., Bereishis, Vol. VI, Art Scroll Tanach Series, New Mesorah Publications Ltd., 1981, p.1958)

Good out of evil
Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch comments: "Joseph repeatedly points out to his brothers how this whole chain of events clearly stands out as Divine Management. . . .The great Master of the world achieves everything from the smallest beginnings. . . .God it is who brings everything to service. Without knowing it and without wishing it, folly and sin are also used to serve God's ends." (On Genesis 45:11)

* From The Torah - A Modern Commentary Revised Edition, General Editor, W. Gunther Plaut, published by the Union for Reform Judaism

Shabbat Shalom - Rest and Renew

Words of Wisdom - Miketz

This week's Torah Portion, Miketz, continues the saga of Joseph. There are more dreams, more familial distress, and a hefty dose of deception. Joseph is released from prison to interpret Pharaoh's dreams. Based on the dream imagery, Joseph predicts that Egypt will have seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. He advises Pharaoh to store food during the good years, so that there will be food during the lean years. Pharaoh puts Joseph in charge of his land and its resources.

Famine strikes the land of Canaan where Jacob and his remaining sons live. Jacob sends ten of his sons to Egypt to seek food. Benjamin, the youngest son, remains behind.

In Egypt, the brothers request food from a powerful Egyptian whom they fail to recognize as their brother, Joseph. Joseph chooses not to reveal his identity and manipulates the situation so that Simeon is jailed as a "spy." Joseph will only free Simeon when the brothers return with Benjamin.

Despite Jacob's pleas to leave Benjamin at home, the brothers return with Benjamin to Egypt where - Joseph makes it appear that Benjamin has stolen a wine cup. Joseph, whom the brothers still believe to be a powerful Egyptian, tells them that he intends to keep Benjamin as a - gasp!- slave, while the other brothers return to Jacob in Canaan.

In The Torah - A Women's Commentary, Suzanne Singer's reflections on Miketz suggest:
"This parashah ends mid-action, leaving us to wonder: Will Joseph really enslave Benjamin? How will the brothers respond? Will Joseph reveal his true identity? The answers are not clear - because neither Joseph's motivation for putting his brothers through this ordeal, nor their commitment to ethical behavior, are fully actualized until the next parashah. Perhaps the Rabbis broke off the story here to suggest that our choices are moment-to-moment decisions, the path never certain until the time comes to act. This cliff-hanger ending is also a signal of hope, because *t'shuvah is always open to us."

*T'shuvah, according to Singer means "'return' - to the right path."

Shabbat Shalom - Rest and Renew