Rabbi Amy Schwartzman
This week’s Torah portion is Vayigash: Genesis 44:18 – 47:27.
This week’s Torah portion, Vayigash, sits in the middle of one of the longest sagas of our Torah.
The story of Joseph and his brothers begins when Joseph, a gifted yet immature young man, is living with his family in Canaan. He is doted on by his father, Jacob, while he spews predictions about his future power that come in the form of his dreams. His brothers loathe him and in a moment of anger, throw him into a pit and eventually sell him into slavery.
Joseph ends up in Egypt, where we watch him make mistakes and begin to mature. His many gifts, in particular his ability to interpret dreams, lead him to the Pharaoh who elevates him to a position of power. In time there is a famine in the region, which Joseph both predicted and prepared for and before long his brothers appear before him in need of help and food. Now a member of Pharaoh’s court, the brothers don’t recognize Joseph, but Joseph knows each one of them.
In last week’s parasha, we saw Joseph struggle with an array of feelings this moment brings on. We can imagine the roller coaster of emotions he must have endured — revenge, distrust, anger, confusion, and even longing. This week, as Joseph works through his feelings, we see the themes of regret, repentance and reconciliation. The climax of the story is here when Joseph reveals himself to his brother in a heartfelt, emotional moment of reunion. The entire family is reunited including the now elderly Jacob. They settle and prosper in Egypt, which will lead us to our next significant story, the Exodus.
Our parasha is so intriguing, so human and so dramatic that it overflows with commentaries, midrashim and sermons, all of which offer insights into our complex ancestorial family. Most focus on our protagonist, Joseph, and on his growth and development. Like so many, I love the person Joseph becomes. I am inspired by his maturity, rejecting revenge and ultimately offering reconciliation. As is often the case, this ancient saga speaks to us, guiding and instructing us with insights and truths as relevant today as they were in our long-ago, some would say mythic, past. We face the issues of trust, resentment, retaliation, and amends every day in our own lives, our communities, in the challenges within our cherished nation and in the conflict in our beloved Israel and the Middle East.
Joseph’s most edifying moment emerges when he realizes that he is part of a larger story. He understands the “long game” for his family and sees his experiences with his brothers and in Egypt in a new light. Looking beyond himself, he understands the profound responsibility he has in the arc of the history of our people.
How many of us have found ourselves in moments when we face a similar choice. We might respond to a situation, possibly an offense, driven by personal needs. We might be tempted to act in a way that keeps us at the center of the story. Like Joseph, though, we could choose to look at the situation from a different view. We could climb up to the balcony to see the full spectrum of players, the surrounding needs and even the expansive landscape of the story. From this place, we see ourselves as part of a much greater reality. From this lens, we can see the long view of the impact of our actions.
As we read Parashat Vayigash this Shabbat, may we be inspired to follow Joseph’s lead. May we embrace reconciliation over revenge, harmony over hatred, and patience and peace now and in the new year.
Rabbi Amy Schwartzman is the senior rabbi of Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church, Virginia.
