Friday Voices: Parashat Vayeishev

by Dara Amram This week’s torah portion, Vayeishev, describes six prophetic dreams. Here we see that Joseph has a gift for reading dreams, but it's a talent that is primarily a passive one, where dream intuitions are given to him and he doesn’t need to think about anything. Joseph is asked to interpret the dreams of the two fellow prisoners who are with him. First, Pharaoh’s cupbearer discloses his dream. He saw a vine with three branches that brought forth grapes. He was holding Pharaoh’s cup in his hand and was squeezing the grapes into the cup and handed it to Pharaoh. Joseph’s interpretation is that in three days the cupbearer would be restored to his position. Then Pharaoh’s chief baker relates his dream. He saw three baskets of bread on his head. In the uppermost basket were all manners of baked goods for Pharaoh. The birds were eating from the upper basket. Joseph’s interpretation is that the baker would not be restored to his former position but would be executed in three days. Why does Joseph interpret two dreams, almost identical in nature, in two extremely different ways? If we analyze the dreams carefully, we see a major difference in the manner that the two men reacted in their dreams. The cupbearer pressed the grapes and was performing his duty. The baker stood by idly and allowed the birds to eat the bread. The former acted. The latter was inactive. That gave Joseph his clue. A person who has life in him is active. He is doing. He is performing. Not sitting hopelessly without functioning. A person who is not active and is not doing is really not living. We have chosen to be a part of sisterhood because we believe in WRJ and its ideals. We are all active in our sisterhoods whether it is taking on a leadership role, participating behind-the-scenes, or actively attending sisterhood programs. As we move into celebrating our Centennial, we realize that WRJ has sustained itself for 100 years because of the forward thinking, active women who made dreams a reality. Sisterhood women do not sit hopelessly waiting for someone else to step up. Programs and events on the local and district level, as well as in North America, Israel, and South Africa only happen because each of you are active women, women who do and women who perform. We are from all corners of the world and during this Centennial year we will come together as one to experience and promote the vision of WRJ. We are truly living our dreams, “Inspired by the Past. Committed to the Future.” Dara Amram is a WRJ Board Member who is Membership Co-Chair for the Department of Service to Sisterhoods & Districts, and Vice President of Marketing and Communications for WRJ Southeast District.