Recap for 7 Tevet 5776 (Parsha Vayigash)

This Shabbos we discussed parsha Vayigash, including commentary from Rav Yeager. We studied tractate Sotah and held a Siyum. And we discussed why Hashem seems to be hidden, and several other topics. David Schlesinger led discussion.

This Shabbos we studied the very last part of tractate Sotah. We discussed how a woman would be required to drink a certain potion, in order to tell if she had been unfaithful to her husband. We discussed how later this practice was discontinued, because it was no longer thought to work. After completing the daf, we held a Siyum to celebrate the finishing of this tractate. The Siyum was held in memory of David’s uncle Micah, whose yeirzeit is coming up soon. The Siyum was also held in honor of David’s cousin, who has a new baby boy.

This Shabbos we discussed parsha Vayigash including commentary from Rav Yeager. We discussed how in the parsha, Joseph demands that Benjamin remain behind in Egypt as a slave. We discussed how this was done in order to test the brothers, to see how they would react to leaving a son of Rachel in slavery. We discussed how this situation was similar to leaving Joseph in the pit to be sold into slavery, as Joseph was also a son of Rachel and very much favored by his father.

We discussed how the ultimate t’shuvah is to be in the very same situation again, but this time to make the right decision. The brothers passed the test and refused to leave Benjamin. In fact, Judah offered to take the place of Benjamin. And this time around, the brothers showed great concern for their father, Jacob, and how it would affect Jacob to lose Benjamin.  We discussed how Jacob favored Benjamin, just as he had favored Joseph, to be the best antidote to Esau.  Having passed the test, Joseph began to think differently about his brothers, which led to him forgiving them and inviting them to come to Egypt where they would be able to make a good living in Goshen.

We discussed that it was at the point that Joseph could see that his dream came true, that he knew we had become a nation and that we would no longer be excluding people. We discussed how up until that point, with each generation, a brother had been excluded and a brother had been chosen. From amongst Abraham’s children, Ishmuel was excluded, and Isaac was chosen. Then from amongst Isaac's children, Esau was excluded, and Jacob was chosen. Jacob initially choose Joseph, however Joseph knew that now we were a nation and that none of his brothers would be excluded. This is all why today, as Jews we are descendants of all the children of Jacob, but we are not descendants of all the children of Isaac, or all the children of Abraham.

We discussed why the brothers had thrown Joseph in the pit in the first place. The brothers were concerned that Joseph was too much into the physical, for our faith to continue through to his descendants. What the brothers did not realize, was that Joseph actually applied spirituality to the physical. Nevertheless, his brothers felt that Joseph should be excluded, as had been Ishmael and Esau. The brothers did not think Jacob would choose the right brother(s) to continue our faith, noting that in the past generations the father did not play the best role in choosing the right sons. The brothers felt they had a responsibility to make sure our faith did not flow through Joseph to his descendants.

We discussed how the brothers were also very concerned about Joseph’s dream, and that they would be attacked by Joseph. The brothers felt that it was simply self-defense to put Joseph in the pit, and that they were doing the right thing.

Norm shared how Joseph first changed his thoughts and then changed his actions. Joseph changed his beliefs about his brothers, once he could see that his dream had become true. Joseph began to believe we were a nation that would include descendants from all his brothers, who had done t’shuvah.

Norm shared how changing our thoughts and believes can lead to behavior changes, but that it can be very difficult to change our beliefs. In our personal lives it may be beneficial to us to try to control our thoughts and not only what we do, as controlling thoughts can help lead to changes in behavior. We discussed how Judaism is about action and doing, but changing our thoughts can be a strategy that leads to this.

We discussed how in the parsha, Joseph instructs his brothers to not tell the whole truth. He instructs them to tell Pharaoh that they are only there to be shepherds. We discussed whether or not this means we do not have to tell the whole truth when people ask us questions? Of course in court we may be required to tell the whole truth, but in real life this is not always the case. As an example, David commented that if someone asks what we do for a living, we don’t necessarily have to tell them everything.

We discussed how nowadays we are done excluding people from our faith, as was done to Ishmael and Esau. If it appears that someone has strayed from our faith, it is important that we accept them and welcome them back, rather than judging them and rejecting their return. We discussed how in Judaism we are always Jewish no matter what. It is important that we do outreach and try to attract people back into our way of life.

This Shabbos we had a discussion about animals. We discussed how amongst all animals, the strongest is considered the lion. However, David shared a story from his dad about how an elephant showed his disagreement to a lion! We discussed how Joseph was considered an Ox, which is the strongest of domestic animals.

This Shabbos we also discussed some more why Hashem seems to be hidden in our world which hasn’t always been the case. Seth pointed out that Hashem has always remained hidden, but being “hidden” is relative to the times people were living in. Seth pointed out that back in time, when Hashem would perform miracles such as splitting of the sea, it could be easily explained away as having been caused by the stars and planets or something like that.

Today, we have a greater understanding of the stars and planets, so that Hashem has to maintain what seems to be a better job of hiding.  Hashem wants us to be able to explain away the evidence of his existence if this is what we choose to do.  However, he also wants us to be able to see that the evidence of his existence is convincing.  It is definitely a balancing act that depends on the times, but if a balance is not maintained this takes away free will and we are forced to believe one way or another.

David commented that perhaps in the beginning Hashem had to show us certain things, similar to a parent teaching a child. And later in history, just like a child grows up, we should already know these things and it is no longer necessary for Hashem to be so obvious. Perhaps it is a combination of both Seth's and David's comments that explain why Hashem has remained hidden at the level that he does.
Finally, happy birthday to Gabriel Itkowitz, and to my father, Yoseph ben Abraham.  

This is a summary of what we discussed.  No halachic rulings are intended or should be inferred.