Torah Tidbit

Parashah Vayechi (And he lived), Genesis 47:28 – 50:26

Jacob and all his family settle in Egypt.  Jacob blesses his sons and grandsons, providing some glimpses into the far future.  Jacob dies and is buried with Leah back in the land of Canaan.  Joseph and the brothers live in relative comfort and unity, seeing several generations of descendants.

Joseph’s brothers perceived that their father was dead, and they said, “Perhaps Joseph will nurse hatred against us and then he will surely repay us all the evil the we did him.”….But Joseph said to them, “Fear not, for am I instead of God?  Although you intended me harm, God intended it for good: in order to accomplish – it is as clear as this day – that a vast people be kept alive.” – Genesis 50:15,19-20.

Walking the Walk

After Jacob’s passing, the brothers noticed that they weren’t meeting as often with Joseph, which naturally happens after the parents, who provide a glue for the children, have left this world (R Hirsch).  The new situation revives the old fears of Joseph using his power to get his revenge on the brothers.  

However, Joseph’s response to his brothers’ plea for mercy is once again a wonderful example of emuna in action.  When comparing this response to the one on the day he revealed himself to them (45:4-11), some new perspectives are added:

– Am I instead of God?  – Joseph could have lashed out at the “sticks” (his brothers), but instead looked to and worked with the One wielding the sticks (God).  Had he acted in place of God, by naturally taking revenge on his brothers (which would not have been questioned by contemporary society), God’s plans would be disrupted and he would not perceive how miraculously God manipulates things to make all come to pass.  Joseph’s on-going use of emuna only strengthened his gratitude to his Creator and how insignificant he is in the sight of all that God does.  

– Although you intended harm, God used it for good – Shalom Arush reminds us throughout his book that we are all used as messengers – actors on a stage – delivering experiences to each other that, whether for good or harm, are orchestrated and then leveraged by God for our present and future growth.  

– it is as clear as this very day – The more we exercise emuna, the more we see God’s hand working in our lives and the world around us.  Over time, with enough consistent exercise, the evidence becomes overwhelming and irrefutable.  No great leaps of faith or fancy, but rather tiny baby steps of logical concrete observation and analysis, each step can be reviewed and compared with all those taken previously.

From Our Grandfathers

“In 1991 Pvt. Don Malarkey of Oregon wrote of the summer of 1942, ‘So this was the beginning of the most momentous experience of my life, as a member of E Company (101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army).  There is not a day that has passed since that I do not thank Adolf Hitler for allowing me to be associated with the most talented and inspiring group of men that I have ever known.’   Every member of Easy interviewed by this author for this book said something similar.”  – Band of Brothers, Stephen E. Ambrose