Well Chanukah has fallen upon
us. With that come the numerous discussions of what to get the kids. “One big
gift or several small ones”, begins our discussion. Now that one of our
children has still enmeshed on the bar/bat Mitzvah circuit, has several after
school activities during the week, and we are tired of being at the whim of her
friends parents for scheduling and carpooling due to their ability to
communicate instantly; we have finally succumbed. We bought our daughter a cell
phone. No, it was not a Blackberry, nor was it an I Phone. We agreed that she
only required the simplest of phone plans and the simplest of phones. When she opened
her gift she expressed a tinge of disappointment because the box didn’t say
Blackberry or I Phone. When she asked us why we didn’t get her one of those “smart
phones”, we told her that she did not need a data plan and therefore those
smart phones were pointless without a data plan. She looked up and thoughtfully
asked us, “What’s a data plan?” My wife and I smiled at each other knowing that
our wisdom paid off. After we explained what a data plan was, we posed a question
to our daughter. “If you agree that you don’t need a data plan, then why do you
want a Blackberry or an I Phone?” Once again my wife and I smiled at each other
when we heard our twelve year old daughter’s response. “Well”, she began, “the
other kids have that, and it looks nice.” Needless to say, giving our daughter
a phone turned into a long discussion about judging things based upon looks.
This week's Parsha is Mikeitz. Interestingly, it is all
about an individual who does not appear as expected. It is about a prisoner, who
looks different, who doesn't where such nice clothes, who probably does not
speak the language so fluently, who certainly doesn't sound as educated as the
Royal class. It is about the most unlikely of men rising to power and
prominence in the most powerful country of the time. Joseph, a convict and a
homeless man, is asked to interpret Pharaoh's dream. He interprets the dream.
Pharaoh is impressed and puts Joseph in charge of the economic program that the
dream foretold. While managing this program, and building up storehouses in
order to prevent the famine in Egypt, his brothers come down to buy food.
Joseph recognizes them, but they do not recognize him. Wanting to see his
youngest brother Benjamin and his father Yaakov, Joseph arranges for the brothers
to return home. One brother must remain in Egypt. Then, in order to redeem
their brother, all the brothers including Benjamin must return to Egypt. After
that, Joseph frames Benjamin, keeping in Egypt. The Parsha concludes with the
brothers returning to their father and conveying what happened to Benjamin.
It
is interesting to note how misleading appearances are throughout the Parsha. No
one can interpret Pharaoh's dream of seven fat cows and seven skinny cows or
seven healthy sheaves of corn and seven dried out diseased sheaves of corn. The
wine steward remembers Joseph, the homeless convict who might be able to
interpret dreams. So what happens? Vayishlach
Paroh Bayikrah et Yosef Vairitzuhu Min ha'bor, Va'Yigalach VaiChaleif Simlotav,
Vayavoh El Paroh- So Pharaoh sent and
summoned Joseph, and they rushed him from the dungeon. He shaved and changed
his clothes, and he came to Pharaoh. (Gen 41:14). Perhaps Pharaoh would be
disinclined to listen to a smelly, scraggly, unkempt convict. However if Yosef
looked presentable then maybe the chances of Pharaoh listening would
improve. Do we think Pharaoh was that
superficial? Do we think that Pharaoh was not aware that no matter how dressed
up and cleaned up, Yosef wasn't homeless? Do we think that Pharaoh was not
aware that no matter how dressed up and cleaned up Yosef wasn't still a
convict? Do we think that Pharaoh was not aware of the fact that no matter how
dressed up and cleaned up Yosef appeared, Yosef was still non-Egyptian.? Of
course Pharaoh was aware that this man was a prisoner, was a foreigner, and
without any aristocratic upbringing. Yet Pharoah listened. Why? Looking past
appearances, past clothes, past all the superficialities that we think we are
supposed to express, Pharaoh was able to see into Yosef's soul. For his part,
Yosef was able to reveal his soul even through the superficiality, even through
the clothing, and the after-shave. When asked to interpret the dream, Yosef's
response to Pharaoh revealed his nature and his soul. "Biladai
Elohim Ya'Aneh et Sh'lom Paroh- That
is beyond me; it is God who will respond with Pharaoh's welfare." (Gen
41:16) Yosef had become a humble thoughtful individual who was no longer
arrogant.
When the brothers show up in Egypt, again appearances are
not what they seem. While Yosef recognizes his brothers, they do not recognize
him. What did they see? They saw a man dressed in royal clothing bearing
Pharaoh's signet ring. They saw a man in charge and second only to Pharaoh in
terms of power. They saw power, they saw status, and they saw wealth.
Ironically, with their own flesh and blood, they were not able to look past the
superficialities and see the soul of this man. They were not able to listen to
this man's questions about their father (43:27). Nor were they able to listen
to this man's questions about their younger brother. "Hazeh Achichem Hakaton, Asher Amartem Eilai? Vayomer, Elohim Yachncha
B'ni - Is this your little brother of
whom you spoke to me? And he said, "God be gracious to you, my son."
(43:29) The brothers did not hear the overly curious or polite nature of the
questions, or the overly concerned tone of the questions.
We
learn from the Parsha the problem of evaluating others based upon appearances
and status symbols. From the Parsha, we learn the amount of effort required to
see past superficialities and to discover the essence of people's souls. This
Parsha is always read on Chanukah, a holiday which is all about a group of Jews
that fought against the superficialities of the larger society. As the Chanukah
candles burn in our homes, keep in mind the essence of those holy lights. These
holy lights are an expression of the essence of our Jewish souls. These lights
are not the superficial expressions by which we judge others and respect
others due to looks, clothes, and status and cell phones. Hopefully, our daughter has learned this
valuable lesson as well.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
No comments:
Post a Comment