Our tenth grade daughter plays
on her high school basketball team.
Lately her basketball schedule seems to have taken a page out of the
University of Connecticut women’s basketball team. The UCONN women’s team, is a
perennial Division I basketball team having won numerous championships. During
the season, they are constantly traveling to and from games and tournaments.
Needless to say, they don’t spent a lot of time in class. Our daughter’s team
just finished the regular season and has won two playoff games and plays for
the league championship today and then she and her team head off to play in a
holiday tournament in New York with several other teams from New York, Boston,
and Florida. Needless to say she has and continues to miss classes. Among the
interesting traditions that my daughter and I do together is the postgame
analysis of her play and her team’s play.
Like most people, my daughter’s analysis focuses on the big glaring
statistics: most points and most rebounds. When we talk about key moments of
the game, she gravitates to a made shot, a missed free throw, a steal; she
focuses upon the big glaring “highlight” moment that would appear on ESPN’s
Sports Center. Of course, I am just the opposite. I don’t focus upon the
baskets made; I focus upon what occurred that allowed the baskets to be made.
Was the basket a result of a good pass? Was it a result of bad defense? Was it
a result of running the floor on a fast break? When I look at the key turning
point in the game; I look for the smallest detail: a change in tempo, a change
in the momentum, a turnover, a missed opportunity, a small seemingly minor
mistake that leads to a basket. For me, these moments are usually overlooked
and definitely would never appear on ESPN’s Sports Center highlights. For my daughter, it is another way to learn
about the game and understand that paying attention to the small details yields
large and important results.
This Shabbat we read from Parsha
VaYeishev. The focus of the narrative now shifts from Yaakov (aka. Israel) to
his most beloved son Yosef. Contextually, Yaakov is at a point in his life
where he has finished his spiritual and personal struggles. He now is at a calm
and settled point in his life, hence the name of the Parshah: Vayeishev – and he settled. We learn that Yaakov, like his parents, played
favorites. He showered Yosef, Rachel’s son, with a beautiful Kutonet Pasim – Coat of Many Colors. Yosef was a bit arrogant. This was manifested
in his dreams that portrayed his greatness and the subjugated his brothers and
his parents to his power. Needless to say, no one appreciated his dreams,
neither his brothers who wanted to kill him but instead threw him into an empty
pit, nor his father who sent Yosef back to his brothers knowing that they were angry
with him (Gen. 37:10-14). Yosef is then removed from the pit, sold as a slave
and worked in home of one of Pharaoh’s courtiers. As a slave, Yosef proved
invaluable to the welfare of the Courtier’s business dealings. Yosef managed
everything and the courtier profited greatly. The courtier’s wife however was a
bit bored and made a pass at Yosef. Yosef put her off and then was accused of
sexual harassment. Yosef was sent to prison. While in prison, Yosef helped the
warden manage the prison, and the warden did well. Yosef became known for an
ability to interpret dreams.
Certainly it was a “perfect
storm”, a chain of events that brought Yosef to Egypt. His brother’s hatred,
his father’s favoritism and later his aggravation with Yosef contributed to his
winding up in Egypt. The brother’s decision to sell Yosef rather than kill him
and the coincidence of the caravan’s arrival all contributed to Yosef’s winding
up in Egypt. However the moment, the
turning point in the narrative, that small seemingly minor detail that affected
the rest of Yosef’s life was the moment that Yosef, upon instructions from his
father, sought out his brother, and got lost.
Vayimtza’eihu Ish V’Hinei To’eh
BaSadeh And a certain man found him and
behold, he [Yosef] was wandering in
the field; VaYishaleihu Ha’Ish
Leimor: Mah T’Vakeish? And the man
asked him, saying: What are looking for? VaYomer Et Achai Anochi Mevakeish and He [Joseph] said I seeking
my brothers. Hagidah Nah Li: Eifo
Haim Ro’im. Tell me I pray, where do they feed their flocks? VaYomer HaIsh Nasu Mi’Zeh Ki Shamati Omrim
Leilcha Dotainah. And the man said they
traveled from here for I heard them say ‘Let us go to Dotham. VaYeilech Yosef Achar Echav Vayimtza’eim B’Dotan.
So Yosef went after his brother and found
them in Dothan. (Gen. 47:15-17). Between the dysfunctional environment of
home and the confrontation with his brothers (at the request of his father);
exist this very brief but incredibly important conversation between Yosef and
an unnamed man. How important is this conversation? Yosef’s entire future, God’s
prophesy and covenant with Avraham hinges upon this conversation and Yosef
finding his brothers and eventually winding up in Egypt. The turning point in
the narrative of Breishit hinges upon and unnamed man giving directions to
Yosef. The Talmudic Sages explain that this was not a chance passer- by but an “angel”;
a divine messenger of God.
For
the Talmudic Sages, implicitly, this narrative is about God’s involvement in a
person’s life. Certainly it is human
nature to focus upon the big glaring moments: the explanation of a dream, a
colorful coat, being thrown into a pit or being sold. God’s presence or absence
may appear to be obvious. For the Sages, the key to a relationship with God,
was being able to sense God’s presence in the smallest and seemingly innocuous moments
like a moment shared with an unnamed passerby who offers directions. The key is
for us to be open minded, and open hearted enough to see that turning point and
have the courage to see where it leads. It may lead to a new opportunity, it
may cause us to avoid being in the “wrong place at the wrong time”. For the Talmudic Sages, this is never
happenstance this is evidence of God’s involvement and we must learn to make
ourselves aware. Part of Yosef’s growing up involves increasing his awareness
of God’s presence. The same can be said for our teenage daughter. Part of her
growing up and maturation process is an increased awareness of God’s presence.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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