Dear TBZ community,
This secular new year and new decade begins with uncertainty and in this week's parsha,
Vayigash
, we encounter a moment of uncertainty and a moment of approach, of coming closer.
Joseph’s brothers don’t know their fate as Joseph does not let them go back to their father, Jacob. In this moment of uncertainty, Judah approaches his brother Joseph with a plea for forgiveness. Even though Judah doesn't know he is speaking to his brother, he feels compelled to express his pain to Joseph and begs him to allow them to return home. Chapter 44, verses 18 to 34 are a moving description of Judah’s feelings and vulnerability. This is a moment of
tshuva
, of repentance for Judah.
The first word of this week’s parsha:
Vaygiash
, is translated as
he approached, he went up, he got closer.
The first verse
44:18
reads:
וַיִּגַּ֨שׁ אֵלָ֜יו יְהוּדָ֗ה וַיֹּאמֶר֮ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִי֒ יְדַבֶּר־נָ֨א עַבְדְּךָ֤ דָבָר֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י וְאַל־יִ֥חַר אַפְּךָ֖ בְּעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֥י כָמ֖וֹךָ כְּפַרְעֹֽה׃
Then Judah went up to him and said, “Please, my lord, let your servant appeal to my lord, and do not be impatient with your servant, you who are the equal of Pharaoh.”
Chizkuni
, a thirteenth century commentator explains:
ויגש אליו יהודה,
“Yehudah approached him;”
seeing that he could not remove every official surrounding Joseph, as Joseph did later on, he had no choice but to approach him face to face.
This is a moment of radical change for Judah as he approaches Joseph
“face to face”.
Earlier in their story, Judah saves Joseph from death, but Judah doesn't fully stand up and save Joseph from being sold. When Joseph is in the pit, Judah doesn't see his brother’s face -- his face of fear, his face of helplessness. Judah doesn't see him. Although he doesn't kill him, he doesn't save him either. He actively doesn't stand up for Joseph. He
stands by
.
It is in this week’s
parsha
, and in Judah’s plea to his brother, that Judah is capable of being truly honest. By facing truth he can
stand up
for what is right and do
teshuva
.
Perhaps we could say that Judah goes from being a
bystander
to an
upstander
. (It is perhaps through the story of Judah and Tamar that he learn this lesson, but that is for another
D’var Torah
, or ask Ezra Klauber for his
D’var Torah
from his Bar Mitzvah two weeks ago). The moment that he is able to truly
lageshet
- to come closer - to approach truth - to approach the world, to approach himself, to approach his brother, face to face, is when he can stand up for what is right.
It is also by coming close to each other, face to face, that we can respond to uncertainty and fear. Earlier this week, in the message I sent to our community in response to rising antisemtic attacks in New York City, I encouraged you to actively reach out to friends and fellow members. I encouraged you to come to TBZ, because our response to hatred is not hiding or more hatred, but it is love and light and community and living a life inspired by Torah.
This week, I invite you to take one more step to come closer to one another.
In which ways do you actively do an act of “
Lageshet
”.
What is your “
Vayigash”
moment?
Moments where you see others face to face, moments where you stand for what's right, moments where you see smiles and tears, moments where you do
teshuva
.
How can we approach this world and its uncertainty face to face and with compassion.
May this shabbat bring renewal and blessings to all of you and your loved ones.
May we come close to one another, in truth and honesty and face to face.
May we have a joyful Shabbat!
Shabbat Shalom,
