יום רביעי, דצמבר 05, 2007

The un edited and better version of my Dvar Torah for Limmud

As commentators show, the deed of the fathers is a sign for the sons (Ma`ase Avot Siman Le`Vanim), meaning the deeds of the forefathers is a sign or significant to the generations to come, it assumes some similarities and a long historical perspective. The sons of Jacob are rivals as their mothers were, and their Father Jacob and his twin brother Esau.
In Genesis 28 11-12 Jacob climbs a ladder up to the sky. Some commentators see not the ladder reaching the sky, but Yaakov himself seeing the angels ascending and descending on it.

And he lighted upon the place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took one of the stones of the place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep.
And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top (Head in Hebrew) of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

If so, the image is quit clear: Jacob’s feet are on the ground, and his head in heavens, what a wonderful metaphor for a person who feels at home at both practical and spiritual worlds.
In which manner does Joseph bear a resemblance to his father?

Jaccob standing on earth in his head up in the sky with the angels is marking in his presence heaven and earth. That space becomes his territory. Joseph symbolise the transition from the lowest mark, to the highest, from a pit, from prison to the highest position in Egypt and to Mashiach Ben Yoseph. He also transform from the beautiful loved son, the desirable young man, to the foreign Hebrew man Pharon trust, to become the hated brother in his youth to the mean Egyptian who hides a goblet, mentally torturing his brothers and his own father, Jacob just to see Benjamin his brother. Jacob mourned the “death” of Joseph, and Joseph probably knew that. We can assume Joseph felt close to his father so why doesn’t he find a way to inform him he is alive?

In his commentary on the Torah, Nachmanides (Ramban) poses this question: Why didn't Joseph try to contact his father during all his time in Egypt? After all, the distance between the land of Israel and Egypt is only "six days" of travelling, according to Nachmanides' calculations. Why, when he became the head of Potiphar's household -- and could easily do such a thing -- didn't Joseph send a letter to his father, informing him that he was alive and well? Certainly, once he became viceroy, the second most powerful man in Egypt, he could have done anything he wanted. All those many years of Jacob languishing, mourning for his favorite son, could have been avoided. Didn't Joseph miss his father just as much? How could he be apart from him all those years?

There many answers to this question, I would argue Joseph wasn’t certain whether or not he want to belong to his family after his brothers sold him, Only after noticing how much his brother care about young Benjamin and his old father Jacob is till alive, allows him to cry few times and to realize he would like to join his family once again. The book of Genesis focuses on Individuals, families and communities, as it is reflected Joseph life story, from caring about his dreams, his family he shows responsibility towards his all nation.

On Chanukah we celebrate the festival of lights, of miracles, of the small and larger miracles and of transitions, few won many, a small amount of oil was enough for eight days. The main mitzvah of Chanukah is practiced not in synagogues, as in other holydays, but amongst families and friends. This Chanucka we pray individuals, families and communities with the families and friends of Gilad Shalit, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldvesser, for their immediate and safe return.

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