To start, I would just like to recognize how nice it is to be back in action this week. While Hanukkah and Shabbat were observed, the week felt so empty with a blog and nice Shabbat dinner with the family. Also, I nice mazal tov to all my fellow cast and crew members with two great performances of "Romeo and Juliet".
Jumping back into Torah, we will explore another tale of Joseph and his brothers. As Genesis is heading toward its close, we open this parshat with Benjamin being taken into custody. Joseph has accused his brothers of being spies. Unknowing of their relationship, Judah appears before his brother. He pleads for Benjamin's liberation. Suddenly, Joseph cries out the truth. In shock, Judah goes to tell the others. Vayigash closes with the moving of the Israelites. Joseph successfully appeals to Pharaoh to let his family move into Goshen, Egypt finest portion of land. To conclude a warm and fuzzy family reunion, the Israelites leave their famished land and return to Joseph and his flourishing Egypt.
What if Joseph had not been as accommodating? Perhaps, Joseph would have sentenced all his brothers to imprisonment or worse death. It is their fault that Joseph was a slave and Egypt without even a family to call on for support. In fact, Jacob could have been just as much in a fury. Reuben, Simeon, and all the rest of his sons proclaimed his pride and joy, Joseph, a dead man. Rachel could be equally annoyed. She worked for hours diligently weaving her son's beautiful rainbow coat. Now, she is informed that her son's ruined the gorgeous coat by staining it with blood. Right then and there, the Israelites could have stayed angry and the Jews would not have made it past Joseph's time.
Instead, they forgave each other. Forgiveness is a beautiful aspect of the human mind. Betrayal can presents itself right before our eyes, yet the human mind searches for the good within people's rough exoskeletons of cruelty. Where do we halt forgiving? My mother always tells me not to become a human doormat. She would tell me, "Never let people walk all you!" When is forgiving just not right? When hateful, sorry is not enough for us, yet we despise when someone refuses to accept an apology.
If we are all our own judges, how do we determine who to forgive? Family was obvious for Joseph and still pretty easy for us. Generally, people are a slight bit stingier to forgive with friends. What about a stranger on the street? Do we forgive Joe who bumped into us? I say yes. We never know just what Joe on the street may have to offer. Relentless having a grudge upon him may cause our family to have a famine.
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