This week's Torah portion is Vayigash (Genesis 44:18-47:27). We are not yet slaves in Egypt. Judah and all the brothers have come to Egypt searching for food and while they meet Joseph, they do not yet know/recognize who he is. Last week, Joseph planted a goblet in Benjamin's pack to frame him for stealing - an excuse to keep his favorite (and only brother from the same mother) in Egypt with him as the rest of the brothers were preparing to go back to Canaan and Jacob. Judah (the one who was behind Joseph's alleged death) approaches Joseph to plead for Benjamin's release and to offer himself as a slave to the "Egyptian" Joseph. Joseph is so overcome by witnessing his brothers’ loyalty to one another that he finally reveals his identity by saying, "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?"
These acts of brotherly love, remorse, and forgiveness set into play the final steps that will cause us to become slaves in Egypt. The brothers rejoice in finding their lost, and not dead!, brother. They return to Canaan to tell Jacob the news and then return with Jacob to Egypt to settle. It is only a matter of time before every one of this generation, most particularly Joseph, has died. Then (in two weeks) we will read the fateful words in Exodus 1:8, "And there arose up a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph." From there our 400 years of slavery will begin.
We know, because it is in the Torah, that it was God's intention all along for the Israelites to become slaves, for Moses to become our leader, and for us to enter into the Promised Land. So this story had to play out as it did. But what does it mean for us today?
I often think of it as a cautionary tale - every individual action we take, every decision we make, leads to another and another and another. We have little control over "things" once they reach a certain point. Judah was the brother who encouraged the others to do away with Joseph. He felt he was able to control things on his end up to the point they told Jacob and eventually headed to Egypt for grain. After that... well we know what happened.
We are about to enter into a new year – 2024! For some reason, it still sounds futuristic to me. But what is very present is that we are living through one of the most difficult and confusing times of our lives. So what do we do? We remain aware that every decision we make will lead to another. We use our words wisely and we remember that both the big and the small actions that we take can and DO make a difference. We must also permit ourselves to change course if and when needed. The one thing we can’t do is to give up.
Shabbat Shalom
#BringThemHomeNOW #peace #OsehShalom #עושהשלום# שבתשלום
