Humility

“Before Honour there is Humility.” – Proverbs 15:33

Humility, in my opinion, is one of the lessons of Parashat “Miketz.”

The story begins with Yosef’s childhood.

As it unfolds, we learn that, unlike his brothers, Yosef has been blessed with sublime foresight, wisdom and abilities. Unfortunately for him, since he was not the oldest, he had little, if any, say in everyday life or important matters that pertained to him as well. Imagine how frustrating it must have been for him having to follow the advice and directives of those who did not share his level of acuity. His older brothers must have felt it as well.

To add insult to injury, Yosef was also Ya’akov’s favourite son. The reason could be double fold. The first might be related to Yosef being his son from his beloved wife, Rachel. The second, he must have recognized Yosef’s talents from early on and thus preferred him over the others. Or was it perhaps because “he had been born to him in his old age,” as Bre’sheet 37 :3 tells us? Whatever the reason, Ya’akov never made his preferential attitude towards Yosef a secret much to the disdain of his older children. As a token of his love for Yosef, Ya’akov made an “ornate striped robe” for him.

That gesture by Ya’akov, naturally, was resented by his other sons. It developed into great, unbearable hatred which, as the story in Bresheet tells us, ignited in the brothers a burning desire to hurt Yosef and wish to dispose of him.

There is a question that is begging to be asked here. Why would an “ornate striped robe,” propagate such a deep-seated hatred towards Yosef?

Rachel Sivilia undertook the task of finding out. In her article entitled, “Joseph’s ornate robe, brotherly jealousy just because of a robe?” (http://www.daat.ac.il/daat/ktav_et/maamarim/sivilia6.pdf) Sivilia, states that she decided to research the clothing closet of that period according to their soc ial class . What prompted her to engage in it was a picture she saw of a wall painting in a tomb from ancient Egypt. It depicted a group portrait of a family or tribe who were on their way to Egypt to purchase wheat. What caught her attention was their garb. They were all wearing ornate striped robes of different fabrics and different colours.

According to Sivilia, different robes, their texture, their splashy hues were the marks of the social class of those who wore them. She, therefore, concludes that the robe given to Yosef was not only exceptional to the status of Yosef’s brothers but to that of Ya’akov as well. It classified him as nobility. He was their superior. It gave him the confirmation that he was above them.

It did not, however, stop at merely feeling superior. Yosef was not apprehensive about expressing his overflowing pride, arrogance and vanity through his dreams of dominance and preeminence.

It was evident that Yosef had not yet mastered the art of humility.

We can only imagine the frustration, jealousy and sense of revenge that brewed through his brothers like a burning fire. The eruption was imminent. As we know, they sold him to a convoy of Yishmaelites who took him to Egypt where he was sold as a slave to a man named Potifar.

The turning point Yosef’s life’s journey, the journey towards reaching maturity, adulthood, ridding himself of his vanity and above all reaching that point of rare integration between his exceptional talents and humility seems to have happened when Yosef was in prison. He was jailed following following the episode with Potifar’s wife who accused him of sexual harassment.

Even after all the hardships that he has endured, Yosef does not lose his faith in G-d. In prison, he ascends to a higher spiritual level when he realizes that his special gifts and abilities come from G-d. “The answers lie with G-d,” he tells Pharaoh’s wine steward and chef when they ask him to interpret their dreams. From the depth of his awareness of the source of his powers, sprouted his salvation.

“I cannot do it," Yosef, similarly, replied to Pharaoh, "but G-d will give Pharaoh the answer he desires" (Bresheet 41:16) is what Yosef answers Pharaoh when the latter asks him to explain  his dream. He has undoubtedly learned the importance of being modest and humble. Just then, when Yosef insists that his solution does not come from his ability but from G-d, just then Pharaoh finds him worthy of being freed from prison and serve as his right-hand man.

Is Yosef, perhaps, what Pharaoh was looking for, not just a talented man but a man of honour, a man who practices humility “one in whom is the spirit of God ?” (Genesis 41:38).

Shavua tov and Chodesh tov.

“And he took one of the stones of that place…”

“There will always be rocks in the road ahead of us. They will be stumbling blocks or steppingstones; it all depends on how you use them.”

Friedrich Nietzsche

I was seven years old when I first learned about the story of Ya’akov’s (Jacob) dream. It has captivated me ever since.

Imagine Jacob, a fugitive who is forced to leave his home and his family, a man who is doomed to a life of wandering after stealing the first born right from Esau. A man, so it seems, who is well on his way to becoming a "tragic hero."

At one point, he decides to follow the advice of his mother and visit his uncle, Laban, who lives in Haran. Haran is outside of the boundaries of Eretz Yisrael.

Needless to add that his journey is perilous and carries him through unfamiliar terrains. It takes much courage and determination to embark on such an undertaking.

Additionally, it is essential to preface here that in ancient times, the prevalent belief was that G-d dwelt and was present only within the boundaries of Eretz Yisrael. ”Eretz Yisrael is the House of G-d” (Or Ha Chayim Shemot 20:2). “He who dwells in Eretz Yisrael is like one who has a G-d, and he who dwells outside of the Land is like one who does not have a G-d.” (Ketuvot 110b).  

I can only imagine the emotional agitation and the storm that rages within Ya’akob as he is getting ready to spend the night in no man’s land, alone and consumed by the fear that G-d is not there to watch over him.  

After he finds a place to rest and sleep, Ya’akov puts a stone under his head and falls asleep. We all know that a hard stone could never take the place of a comfortable, soft pillow.

The question that is begging to be asked is, why would Jacob do that? Surely, he could use something less harsh in place of a pillow.

What role does the bulky stone under Ya’akov’s head have in this story?

The answer has everything to do with the dream that Ya’akov is about to dream. In it, he sees a ladder placed on earth, its head reaching the sky and the angels of G-d are climbing and descending it.

“Dad,” I asked my father after reading that dream for the first time at the age of seven, “where do angels dwell?” “In heaven, of course,” came the obvious answer. “So, why,” I persisted in my innocent way, “does it say that the angels first climbed the ladder and then came down? If they are in heaven above, don’t they need to come down first and then climb up?”

My father was speechless. “I have read this story so many times,” he admitted, “but the question that you raise never occurred to me.” He decided to go and see Rabbi Sokolover, the then chief rabbi of Ra’anana, my home town.

“What a wise girl,“ I remember the rabbi saying when my father posed the question to him. Rash”i and a seven years old girl ask the same question. Rash”i, “continued the rabbi, “explains that the angels that descended were those that accompanied Ya’akov on his journey throughout Eretz Yisrael. As he was about to leave Eretz Yisrael those bid him farewell and he was joined by the angels of foreign lands who were entrusted with guarding him. As the dream continues, Ya’akov suddenly experiences G-d who blesses him, promises to give him the land upon which he lies, and pledges to watch over him and protect him. Through his dream, Ya’akov learns that G-d’s presence, his guardianship and the protection of his angels continue to cloak him with a blanket of security and ensure his well-being. It must have been quite a relief for his forlorn soul.

Back to the stone that Ya’akov put under his head. I believe that it plays a very important role in this episode The hard stone, naturally, causes Ya’akov’s head to be tilted. Tilting the head is one way of showing respect. In a symbolic way, the stone prepared Ya’akov to the revelation of G-d, something that Ya’akov had never expected.

Moreover, unbeknown to him, Ya’akov spent the night in what we learn is a holy place. He takes the stone upon which he rested his head, sets up a monument, pours oil on it and names the place Beit El where a House of G-d will one day be erected. He also vows to give one tenth of his possessions to charity should he return to Eretz Yisrael safely.

The stone, as many perceive it, represents the lowest point in nature – the power of the inanimate. Frankly, how many of us truly look at or regard stones as bearing any significance?

However, as the episode above suggests, even stones, can be of value and capable of absorbing sanctity and divinity. Not only do they not disturb the revelation of G-d, they support and facilitate it as well as join it.

In the words of Nietzche, I hope that, like Ya'akov, we all turn the rocks/stones which could threaten to become the stumbling blocks on the journey of our life into stepping stones and veer our experiences along that path into rewarding and meaningful encounters which will lead us to a life of fulfillment and sheer bliss.

Shavua tov  to all. ❤ ❤ ❤

Falling in Love with Eretz Yisrael

                                                                                  

Have you ever been in love?

Do you recall the first time you got butterflies in your stomach merely thinking about that special one? Remember the first time your heart skipped a beat or when you felt that rush of adrenaline because you experienced someone who meant the world to you? Remember the welling in your eyes and growing lump in your throat at the sheer mention of the one that touched every fiber of your being?  How about wanting to give all of you, surrender yourself unconditionally to the one, that very special one, who wants nothing but your loyalty in return?                                                                          

 

Now, imagine reliving this feeling every single day of your life!

Eretz Yisrael, you do all of that to many. The warm feeling of your embracing brown earth always welcomes our tired bones. It refreshes them, soothes our hearts and ignites the spark of an ancient covenant signed with the blood of our forefathers. Your green pastures where our ancestors roamed call us to roll in them. Your flowing milk and honey are the elixir of our being, the fountain of eternal youth which revives our ancient, wandering souls

The Spirit of G-d that always hovers over you cloaks our essence. The silent melodious prayers of Jacob's angels please our soul's ears.

There are days when we fight. There are moments when we doubt each other. There occasions when we don't speak to one another and there are dreary days and years of long, forced absences that separate us.  Even during those times, however, our hearts never left you.  They plead with you from the niches of the Kotel, they echo from the highest mountains and the deepest valleys asking you to remember us, to pray for us and to bless us. They repeatedly vow:

"If I forget thee O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.  Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I remember thee not; if I set not Jerusalem above my chiefest joy."

אם אשכחך ירושלים תשכח ימיני תדבק לשוני לחיכי אם לא אזכרכי אם לא אעלה את ירושלים על ראש שמחתי

And then comes that one day when, like a forgiving merciful mother, you collect us back from all four corners of the world, cradle us like babies in your loving arms and make us fall in love with you over and over again.

To live you, to love you and to experience you, Eretz Yisrael, is utter bliss and the most exalted blessing of them all. For many of us, you are and forever will remain our first love.