When you Choose Shabbat, you choose to learn that every Shabbat is different and special. This week we read from Parashat Vayeshev (Genesis 37:1 through 40:23), the ninth weekly Torah portion in the annual cycle of Torah readings. According to Wikipedia, Vayeshev contains 5,972 Hebrew letters, 1,558 words, 112 verses and 190 lines of the Torah Scroll. Vayeshev (וַיֵּשֶׁב), translated as “and he lived“, tells of how Jacob’s other sons sold Joseph into captivity in Egypt, how Judah wronged his daughter-in-law Tamar who then tricked him into fulfilling his oath and how Joseph served Potiphar and was imprisoned when falsely accused of assaulting Potiphar’s wife.
Rabbi Michael D Klein of Temple Torat Emet offers his insights on this week’s Torah reading, Vayeshev for Shabbat December 21, 2024 aka the 20th of Kislev 5785:
“The 3 Sedrot – Vayetze, Vayishlach, and this week’s sedra Vayeshev, I like to refer to as the action sedrot. Each Sedra is framed by an action word , Vayetze -and he went out, Vayishlach- and he sent, Vayeshev- and he lived -and relates a fascinating narrative which makes this section of Genesis about our ancestors and their challenges in the early history of our people. In particular, Vayeshev, relates the story of Joseph and his deteriorating relationship with his older brothers who were jealous of his special status with their father Jacob. He was, at that time, the only son of beloved wife Rachel. Instead of shielding Joseph from the anger of his brethren, Jacob has a special coat made for him and sends him out into the field to spy on them. They immediately plot against him and seek to kill him but instead sell him as a slave to the Ishmaelites who eventually sell him as a slave to the Egyptians- to Potiphar, the chief of Pharaoh’s guards.
Many questions arise from this story. Why would Jacob, who himself was a victim of parent favoritism, not learn from his own experiences and be more mindful of the jealousy he was creating by his actions? Why would he send Joseph out to spy on the brothers? Why would he allow Joseph to publicly relate his dreams thus creating more animosity?
The Rabbi’s commentaries mostly suggest that nothing that occurs in this narrative happens by chance. Yosef needed to suffer in order to truly appreciate his status and understand that his dreams were divinely inspired. They suggest that the caravan of Ishmaelite traders did not just appear by chance and that the household of Potiphar to which Joseph was sold was also not by chance. Every part of the story has special influence on Joseph’s eventual fate. What do we learn from this?
Our ancestors are never portrayed as perfect people. They were people of action and faith who persevered despite adverse conditions. We need to emulate these characteristics in our own lives and thereby connect to our ancestors. Thus, no matter the situation that life deals us, we are able to overcome adversity and thrive passing these traits to our progeny for generations to come.”
Questions for Consideration:
- Why does Joseph imprison Shimon of all the brothers?
- Why is Levi designated to discover the money which was placed in the sacks of his brethren?
- Why did Joseph choose the names Menashe and Efrayim for his two sons?
- According to tradition who was Asnat, the wife of Joseph?
Rabbi Michael D. Klein attended Yeshiva College of South Florida and served as Torah Reader, Hebrew teacher, Chazzan and spiritual leader of various synagogues throughout South Florida. In January 2015 he became Ritual Director, Bnai/Bnot Mitzvah instructor and 7th grade Hebrew instructor for Temple Torat Emet of Boynton Beach. In October 2019 he was accepted into an accelerated track and received his smicha from Yeshiva Adath Wolkowisk and has been the Rabbinic leadership of Temple Torat Emet since August 2020. In September of 2022 he was appointed Rabbinic and Spiritual Advisor of the Florida Region of FJMC.
Choose Shabbat; choose to celebrate, to light candles, sing songs and learn a little Torah.
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