Parshat Vayigash; Genesis 44:18- 47:27; by Rabbi Denise L. Eger

This week’s dramatic Torah portion recalls Joseph’s grand revelation. His brothers had come to Egypt to escape the famine and plead with the great vizier of Egypt for food. Although Joseph does not reveal his true identity right away and even toys with them a bit, he can no longer stand the deception and the secret. This is the week we read of the moment when Joseph reveals himself to his brothers.

“I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” (Gen 45:3). In his simple statement Joseph is transported back to his family of origin. He had built a tremendous life in Egypt, second only to the Pharaoh. He brought himself up from slavery and prison to the heights and glory of the royal courts of Egypt. (A hint of Moses’ life yet to come.) But in that moment of revelation, one can hear the longing to be part of his family of origin and a longing for his father. Remember at one time, Joseph was his father’s favored son. His father doted on him, relied on him, and lavished him with special gifts including the many colored tunic! Although Joseph had adopted Egyptian ways, an Egyptian name, acquired an Egyptian wife—Joseph was still a Hebrew. He knew his roots. He kept his connection to his God alive even in the midst of the grandeur of his life in Egypt. Even the Pharaoh on many occasions noted that Joseph was filled with the spirit and wisdom of his God!

And now face to face with his brothers and the power to wreck havoc upon their lives and seek revenge against them for their acts of cruelty toward him so many years ago, Joseph reveals his true identity and embraces his brothers. This moment of truth, this powerful instance of reunion speaks to the nature of Joseph’s inner character. He could have really meted out his form of justice in acts of retribution. As last week’s parasha ended Joseph does test his brothers’ capacity for truth and sincerity with a bit of a trial that would keep his full brother Benjamin close to Joseph.

This week’s portion opens with Judah’s eloquent and respectful intervention that pleads for his youngest brother’s life. Judah who had sold Joseph into slavery once so long ago, now pleads to keep the youngest brother free and alive. We can imagine that in that speech, in Judah’s plea that Joseph realizes they all have changed, including the brothers. They all have grown and matured. It seems at least the brothers have learned something from their mistakes so long ago. Judah is willing to put himself in place of his younger brother.

Joseph’s bond with his brothers is profound. The damage of the initial act of selling young Joseph into slavery is put into perspective by Joseph himself with his words of revelation to his brothers. “And now be not distressed, nor reproach yourselves for having sold me here, for it was to be a provider that God sent me ahead of you.” (Gen. 45:5).

Parshat Mikketz; Genesis 41:1 -44:17 By Rabbi Denise L. Eger

Our torah portion this week delves into the core of the Joseph story. We see him rise from prison interpreting the Pharaoh’s dreams to become Viceroy of all Egypt. He executes a plan to save Egypt from the impending famine thus solidifying his own power and his authority.

Upon elevating Joseph, Pharaoh gives Joseph a ring from his own hand and place a gold chain around his neck. He dresses him royal clothes and bestows a special name upon him. Pharaoh gives him the name Zaphenath-paneah. In Egyptian according to the commentary in Eytz Hayim, these words mean God speaks and he lives. Traditional commentators such as Rashi and Rashbam explain the name as meaning he who explains what is hidden. In Bereshit Rabba 90.4 the rabbis further deepen the meanings of this name by attributing an interpretation to each letter! The tzadi stands for tzofeh, seer; the pe for podeh, redeemer; nun for navi, prophet; tav for tomek, supporter; pe for poter, interpreter of dreams; ‘Ayn for ‘Arum, clever: nun for navon, discreet and chet for Chakahm, wise.

Like many of us Joseph had two names—his Hebrew name and his secular name.

This new name is connected to Joseph’s powers of dream interpretation. For Joseph describes his ability to interpret Pharaoh’s dream as coming from God! As well as the dream itself a message from the Divine to Pharaoh. Joseph could have easily boasted of his own power and ability. But Joseph throughout the parasha conveys the idea that God is working through him. Indeed Pharaoh recognizes this and says, “ Could we find another like him – a man in who is the spirit of God?” (Gen 41:38).

And through the rest of the Parasha Joseph continues to let God work through him. Even when he is tempted to test and toy with his brothers and trick them in the end he lets God’s spirit work through him to bring about a healing and reconciliation with his estranged family.

Joseph’s story reminds us that God can work through us if we are open to it. Reading story during the week of Chanukah we must also remember that Maccabees too called upon God’s spirit to bring them success in their battle against oppression. God sent strength and commitment to the Maccabees and their faith helped to reclaim and recapture the holiest ground and sacred space of the Temple. As the haftarah teaches us, “Not by might, not by power but by My spirit alone.

Taken together these sections of our Scripture along with the lessons of the Chanukah story remind us that we can let the spirit of God work through us in every situation. When we recite a blessing, when we perform a mitzvah we are letting God’s spirit work through us. When we are challenged by anger or frustration, we should
take the time to stop and let God’s spirit work through you. And certainly as the Chanukah season is upon us, when the light of the menorah reaches out to each person and brings a warm beam of love and peace to behold, we ought to take that inside and feel the spirit of God warming us and lifting us up in peace.

Happy Chanukah!

Parshat Vayishlach; Genesis 32:4 – 36:43, By Rabbi Denise L. Eger

This week’s portion contains the powerful and I think, sad story of Dinah, only daughter of Jacob. We read in the Torah much about Jacob’s twelve sons who will become the progenitors of the twelve tribes of the people Israel. But only in this week’s portion, Vayishlach, do we hear of the story of Dinah, daughter of Leah and Jacob.

Dinah’s story is one of so many emotions. Dinah leaves her family’s encampment to explore the area and to visit the “daughters of the land.” Perhaps Dinah wanted to just make a few friends. In a family full of brothers it might have been nice to have a few girl friends. But the tradition doesn’t view her sojourn as such. Since girls of marriageable age would not have been permitted to roam the city freely, the tradition interprets her actions as willful and promiscuous. Is this the rabbis’ way to blame the victim?

Hamor, prince of Shechem, son of the chief of Shechem see Dinah and rapes her. The text tells us that “He saw her, took her and lay with her by force” (Gen 34:2). The repetitive style and use of these words convey the harshness of Hamor’s actions. But Dinah is silent. Her voice is not heard in the text. Her reaction is not recorded. The silence of the Torah in regard to Dinah is overwhelming! But Hamor’s voice demands that his father get Dinah as a wife.

This theme of silence in the face of such violence and cruelty and pain is extended to Dinah’s father, Jacob. “Jacob kept silent until they (the sons) came home (Gen 34:5).” Did Jacob really have nothing to say? Did he not want to give voice to his pain and the pain that his daughter must have experienced?

But Jacob’s sons, Dinah’s brothers. do come from the fields once the news traveled to them. But their own voices are silenced because they are busy listening to the voices of Shechem and Hamor asking for Dinah in marriage. But more than just wanting Dinah for marriage, they propose some kind of tribal confederation. Jacob and his family will be able to own land, and the women of Shechem would be eligible to marry Jacob’s sons as well.

But it seems the brothers have a response to this request which include quasi-conversion for the Shechemites. Circumcision, sign of the covenant of Jacob’s family is required for intermarriage. “Only on this condition will we agree with you; that you will become like us in that every male among you is circumcised” (Gen 34:15). This Shechem and Hamor agree to and they convince the town’s men to agree as well.

Simeon and Levi, the full brothers of Dinah, use this as an opportunity to take revenge upon Shechem and Hamor for the heinous actions toward their sister. On the third day after all the town’s men have been circumcised, when they were weak, the brothers killed all of the men of the town and rescued their sister Dinah, who had been held there—essentially kidnapped by Shechem. But again her voice is not heard. Her story of her captivity not addressed. Her feelings, her voice is silent.

Then the other brothers pillage the town perhaps in payment or restitution for the evil done to their sister and their family name.

All in all, this is a difficult moment in our torah. An initial evil of rape, leads to more pain and violence. And most of all the silences in the story are deafening. And all Jacob can do is to admonish his sons for their actions. While their voices conclude this story with a question to their father-“Should our sister be treated like a whore?” Again the answer is left hanging—silenced.

And so we learn perhaps from this that there must be a different way to treat our family members. We learn that the pain is shared. We learn that what happens to one of us in a family affects all of us in our family. We learn that silence does not bring us a way to resolve, nor forgive. Perhaps if we had heard Dinah’s voice, her pain, or her perspective the story might have unfolded differently. Perhaps if Jacob had been more concerned about his daughter or the brothers’ give more voice to their fears and worries and concerns the story might be different.

Although Jacob’s name has been changed to Israel and he has perhaps changed his trickster ways, we see that his sons have only learned too well that method of being in the world. Simeon and Levi used the ruse of circumcision as a way to wreak revenge upon Shechem and Hamor. But these deceptions are part of an ongoing pattern in the Jacob cycle of stories. First, Jacob took advantage of his brother Esau who sold him the birthright. Then he tricked his father into giving him Esau’s blessing. Then Jacob was tricked by Laban as Leah was switched out for Rachel. But Jacob manipulated Laban’s goat herd so that he too became wealthy. Then Rachel lies to Laban when she stole the household idols. Now Simeon and Levi use this same kind of deception to trick the rapist, Shechem and his father Hamor, so that they will be weakened when they seek revenge for the evil done to their sister.

Children learn from our actions and the environment we create for them. Perhaps this is the strongest message of all from this week’s parasha.