This week's parsha
Unless otherwise noted, "This week's Parsha" comprises articles taken from contributors to the Chabad.org website. We show the original author's name here, so that proper attribution is given. For the sake of brevity, footnotes cited in the original author's writings are omitted from this website. If you need to see the citations, please refer to the original articles on the Chabad.org website.
Anger Management 101
"But now do not be sad, and let it not trouble you that you sold me here, for it was to preserve life that G-d sent me before you... You did not send me here, but G-d, and He made me a father to Pharaoh, a lord over all his household, and a ruler over the entire land of Egypt... (Joseph to his brothers, Genesis 45:5, 8).
Needless to say, most people in a similar situation would have reacted very differently. In hindsight, G-d's hand in the events which led to Joseph being elevated to royalty is unmistakable. It is easy for us, however, to view the entire story objectively. But Joseph had suffered the agony of being sold into slavery and being alone in an alien country for over two decades because of his brothers' actions. His ability to see beyond his personal pain, and appreciate the Divine strategy which brought him to Pharaoh's palace, is a testament to Joseph's self-control and maturity of wisdom.
An Order to Circumcise
The Torah portion of Miketz relates how the seven years of plenty came to an end as foretold by Joseph, and "... the entire land of Egypt hungered, and the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians: 'Go to Joseph (and) do what he will tell you.'"
Commenting on the words "... do what he will tell you," the famed commenter Rashi states: "For Joseph was telling them to circumcise themselves, and when they came to Pharaoh and said 'this is what he tells us [to do],' Pharaoh replied: 'Why didn't you gather produce? Didn't [Joseph] notify you that the famine years were coming?' They said to Pharaoh, 'We indeed gathered much produce -- but it rotted!' He replied, "If that is the case, do everything he will tell you; you see that he decreed against the produce and it rotted -- what if he will decree against us and we die?!'"
Commenting on the words "... do what he will tell you," the famed commenter Rashi states: "For Joseph was telling them to circumcise themselves, and when they came to Pharaoh and said 'this is what he tells us [to do],' Pharaoh replied: 'Why didn't you gather produce? Didn't [Joseph] notify you that the famine years were coming?' They said to Pharaoh, 'We indeed gathered much produce -- but it rotted!' He replied, "If that is the case, do everything he will tell you; you see that he decreed against the produce and it rotted -- what if he will decree against us and we die?!'"
Staying on the Swing
Most children thrill to go on a swing. It is challenging to start off from the still position and slowly build up momentum. Gradually, the swing goes higher and higher. Watching the child swinging reveals an interesting point: in order to get really high on the upswing, one must develop a really strong downswing. After reaching the lowest point, at which there is the greatest momentum and energy, one swings up aloft to the highest point.
It is one of the ironies of life that in order to swing to the greatest height, it is necessary to plunge to the lowest point. It seems to be almost a law of nature that there is often a "descent" in order to "rise" -- a negative situation before the positive. In the Torah this principle is illustrated by the chain of events which begin in this week's Torah reading: the descent of Joseph into Egypt and his subsequent rise to greatness.
It is one of the ironies of life that in order to swing to the greatest height, it is necessary to plunge to the lowest point. It seems to be almost a law of nature that there is often a "descent" in order to "rise" -- a negative situation before the positive. In the Torah this principle is illustrated by the chain of events which begin in this week's Torah reading: the descent of Joseph into Egypt and his subsequent rise to greatness.
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