Shabbat Shalom GRJC

Weekly Emails to the Congregation

Parshat Vayechi 2007

Shabbat Shalom to the GRJC family,

We light candles on Friday at 4:13 PM.  Friday evening services will begin at 8 PM.  Saturday morning services will begin at 9 AM.  Cantor Ayelet Piatigorsky will be with us this Shabbat.

JUNIOR CONGREGATION!  Saturday morning at 10 AM.

We read this Shabbat from the beginning of parshat Vayechi, the last parasha in Sefer Braysheet (Book of Genesis).  It feels like yesterday that we began the reading of the Torah, and now we have come to the end of the first of the five books.  We will say, “Chazak, Chazak, ve’Nitchazek!” when we finish this week’s reading.  This phrase means, “Strength, Strength, and may we be strengthened.”  It is our hope that we will have the energy to complete reading and studying the next books of the Torah.

The events that have transpired from creation until the death of Joseph and Jacob in Egypt have linked our destiny to the land of Egypt.  Abraham went down to Egypt during a famine just as Joseph’s brothers did.  God told Isaac not to go down to Egypt when there was a famine.  Then, Joseph is taken against his will down to Egypt.  God tells Jacob not to worry about going down to Egypt, since God will make a great nation from Jacob’s offspring.

It appears from the stories in Genesis that Egypt is a place that our ancestors went to supply themselves with food.  In Joseph’s case, his destiny became to supply others with food in Egypt.  At the same time, Egypt lacks the spiritual connection of the Land of Canaan, the Holy Land.  Canaan was the place where Abraham went to follow and worship God.  For this reason, the Israelite nation must eventually return to the Land of Canaan.  God tells Jacob’s offspring that his offspring will become numerous and return to the Holy Land.  We see this message conveyed in the words of Joseph toward the end of Genesis, Chapter 50.  Even before Pharaoh enslaves the Israelites, their eventual freedom is secure.

The promise to return raises some difficult questions.  First, why does God cause the enslavement to happen?  Remember that God gave an earlier prophecy to Abraham that the people would be slaves in a land not their own. (See Genesis Chapter 15, verses 13-14.)   From a theological point of view, it is difficult to understand why the people had to serve the Egyptians before going free as a people.  Perhaps God gives the earlier prophecy to encourage all the people to “maintain their faith” throughout the events that will impact the Israelites.(See the Oxford Study Bible commentary on Genesis 15:13-14)  Does this mean, then, that God does not direct the events that impact the Israelites, or that God desires the Israelites to serve as slaves in Egypt?

When we confront the period of slavery in Egypt, we can think about how difficult periods of our lives have challenged our faith, our sense of self and community, as well as our vision of the future.  Sometimes we can see these sad times before they come, and sometimes they come unannounced.  May we all have the courage, the faith, and the strength to weather life’s storms, and may there always be some light after the sky clears.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. JUNIOR CONGREGATION – Saturday morning at 10 AM.
2. HEBREW SCHOOL – There will be no Hebrew school this Sunday and through New Year’s Day.
3. ADULT EDUCATION – There will not be an adult education class this Sunday or next Sunday.

I will be away Wednesday and Thursday of this coming week.  Wishing everyone a good Shabbat and safe traveling if you will be heading out of town next week.

With blessings,
,

Rabbi Tow

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