Voices for WRJ: Vayigash

by Renee Morris Roth This week’s parashah, Vayigash, begins with the discovery of a silver goblet in Benjamin’s bag. Joseph insists that Benjamin stay a slave in Egypt and his brothers are to return home to their father. Judah begs Joseph to allow him to stay a slave in Egypt and Benjamin (Jacob’s favorite) to return to his father. At this point, Joseph can no longer keep his secret, and cries out to his brothers, “I am Joseph,” and he inquires about his father’s well-being. The brothers are shocked to be in Joseph’s presence. Joseph eases their guilt by explaining to them that it was not they who sent Joseph to Egypt to be a slave, but God did so in order to make life better. Joseph tells them to hurry to get their father and bring him to Egypt. All the brothers hug one another and weep. The brothers return home and tell Jacob that Joseph is still alive. Jacob wants to see Joseph before his death and God speaks to Jacob, assuring him that God will go with him. The father and son are reunited and Jacob says that he can now die since he has seen Joseph alive. Joseph speaks to Pharaoh and it is agreed that the family can live in Goshen due to the famine in Canaan. Pharaoh tells Joseph to appoint capable men to be chief clerks over Pharaoh’s herds. Jacob’s family settles there and becomes fruitful and multiplies. The Joseph Cycle prompts thoughts of sibling rivalry at its very worst. As much as we may fight or disagree with siblings, or our children may fight and disagree with each other, I’m pretty sure that we have not taken it to the extent of selling siblings into slavery or tossing one into a pit- even if we may have considered it for just a minute! This week’s parashah does point out the apprehension we feel when we have been apart from someone we have had a disagreement with, and how difficult it is to meet again and reconcile. In our temple families, we may have some sibling rivalry between auxiliary organizations. Hopefully, tensions between our sisterhoods and brotherhoods are mostly friendly. Perhaps there are friendly membership competitions between the two. Maybe we have game nights or Brotherhood/Sisterhood Nights Out or any number of programs together. It is always best when our organizations get along nicely and support each other’s programs and membership efforts. This is always best for the health of our temple families. I am personally looking forward to hearing many new programming ideas at the upcoming WRJ Assembly in San Diego next week and learning about the many ways that we can promote healthy relationships among the auxiliary organizations of our temple families. Renee Morris Roth is WRJ Southwest District Immediate Past President and a member of Temple Shalom in Dallas, TX.