CHOCHMAS NASHIM: Egypt to Cedarhurst
Pharaohs Rule, G-d Rules More
By: Suri Davis
I heard a lecture from Rabbi Y.Y. Jacobson about missions.
We learn from the parsha that Yosef was sold into slavery by his brothers. He then became a servant in the household of Potiphar an officer in Pharoah’s court, where he was accused falsely of seduction and thrown into jail. In jail, he sees two fellow jailbirds who are tzibrochen/unhappy. He asks them why this is so. Really? Two people on death row in Egypt’s jail and Yosef wants to know why they are unhappy one morning?
The answer comes in a later torah portion where Yosef reveals himself to his brothers. Genesis 45:5:
The brothers sold Yosef into slavery, they put their father into mourning for over twenty years and Yosef comforts his brothers saying don’t be angry at yourselves for selling me into slavery, “It was not you who sent me here, but G-d, who made an advisor to Pharoah.” It was all part of G-d’s plan. It was not your doing, it was G-d’s doing.
When an object is sold, that object is passive, it is merely chattel transferred between seller and buyer, it has no say in the matter. Yosef was saying I was not sold, G-d sent me on a mission. I was not passive, I was actively sent as a messenger in G-d’s plan. Perspective. Do we feel like we are sold with no say in what happens, or do we feel that no matter what happens we are on G-d’s mission. That is Yosef’s perspective, keeping focused on G-d. First when he conveys his dreams to his brothers, he mentions G-d had him dream. When he was seduced by Potiphars wife, he screams out “how can I sin against G-d.” When he interprets Pharaoh’s dream, he said G-d will interpret Pharoah’s dream, building up to the crescendo of his meeting with his brothers with no feelings of ill will towards them understanding that all that was unfolding was the will of G-d set in motions decades before. So that he could save his family from famine and move towards the destiny of slavery.
In Genesis 42:8 Yosef recognizes his brothers, but they do not recognize him. That is a metaphor, in that they never recognized him. They knew he was the black sheep of the family, that he never fit in. They rejected him rather than bringing him close as a brother.
So often we see others who don’t fit in as brothers. We reject them rather than understanding that Jews come in all shapes and sizes, the most brilliant of them from Einstein down were black sheeps, thought differently than others, were more creative, were not socially like others but unique unto themselves, and we reject them as a result, push them away as family, friends, neighbors rather than embracing their uniqueness.
These are the loners like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, working in their garage on inventions that others would find unusual and alien, but are supremely creative. Rather than crush this creativity, we are to embrace and celebrate it. Remember that as difficult as it may be to bring someone special close, think how difficult it is for those who are special not to have a coterie of friends with whom they can share their days and stories and feelings.
I have to say I felt a bit like Joseph this week. I was being considered for the position of Associate Judge in Cedarhurst court. I have been a resident of the Five Towns community all my life. I have sponsored the Cedarhurst gazebo concerts for twenty years. I have supported the Cedarhurst government by sending out their important messages for 18 years even before they had their own email system and continue to do so. I support the Cedarhurst stores by ensuring that I advertise only local stores, or businesses in Israel who don’t compete with Cedarhust businesses and refuse advertising dollars from Brooklyn businesses who compete locally. When there arose people who wanted to run opposite Cedarhurst village government candidates, I refused their advertising dollars to support local government. When people asked my opinion and to write about the Pearsall Avenue project, I remained silent to support local government.
It was extremely surprising then, that the very capable candidate Christina Sardo was appointed Associate Judge. Do you know her? She is the village court’s prosecutor for several years. I am sure she is lovely and very capable, but they passed over an opportunity to show gratitude for my patronage. And I am left understanding as we all do, that all is fair in love, war and politics. But ONE THING IS ALSO CERTAIN, I am where I am supposed to be and all is for the good, and this is the story of Joseph.
Good Shabbos.
Chag sameach.
-Suri