Calling all young men and women, age 19 - 24:
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with
Joseph's Memory
Is An Inspiration
Project
Otzma
RABBI ARNIE SLEUTELBERG SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
Spend 10 exciting months working side by side with the people of Israel
on the program that gives you the most opportunities to explore Israeli life.
• Study Hebrew on a kibbutz
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• Lend a hand during harvesting season on a new kibbutz
or moshav in the Arava
• Live and work in Yavne, Detroit's Project Renewal city
• Tour the country
Now accepting applications.
Limited space available.
For more information or an application,
call the Michigan/Israel Connection, (810) 645-7878
i7D.Y111 0/7 1111,9
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(formerly the Israel Desk)
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T
hirteen years ago when I
traveled to Cincinnati in
order to interview for ad-
mittance into the rabbinic
program at Hebrew Union Col-
lege, I was asked by one of the
members of the interview com-
mittee who was my favorite bib-
lical personage. My answer was
Joseph. I explained that I con-
sidered Joseph to be sensitive,
caring and loving, devoted to his
people, bright and articulate,
forgiving and talented. I ad-
mired him very much.
In this week's sedrah,
Vayechi, we learn of Joseph's
death at 110 years of age, a ripe
old age.
Drawing on ancient as well
as modern midrash, I would
like to offer Joseph's eulogy, in
the hope that his memory
might inspire us all toward bet-
ter living.
Joseph was a dreamer, a vi-
sionary from the time of his
youth. He was the favorite son
of his father, Jacob, and the
most hated by his brothers, due
to jealousy and envy. He was
handsome and radiant and by
age 17 quite sophisticated.
Joseph was, even as a young
man, full of grace. After in-
flaming the wrath of his broth-
ers, Joseph was sold into
slavery to the Ishmaelites who
were carrying spices and balm.
Even in transit, Joseph was
blessed as these fragrances
made for a pleasant journey.
After his arrival in Egypt,
Joseph became a chosen and
beloved servant of Pharoah. In
fact , Joseph was called to
Pharoah to interpret Pharoah's
dreams. Joseph explained
these dreams, predicted seven
years of agricultural plenty in
Egypt, to be followed by seven
years of famine. He then of-
fered advice as to how Pharoah
could handle this difficulty.
Joseph suggested the appoint-
ment of a commissioner of sup-
plies who could organize a
reserve store of food during the
years of plenty. Pharoah was
impressed by Joseph's mature
wisdom, and appointed him to
be in charge of the food bank.
Along with these duties, he su-
pervised the king's personal es-
tates and was further put in
charge of all the land of Egypt.
Blessed with outstanding
beauty, Joseph could have
"known" most anyone—many
tried to seduce him, yet Joseph
remained morally steadfast.
The rabbis praised Joseph's
morality in the face of tempta-
tion and further praised his love
for his father, his loyalty to his
family and his modesty despite
his high position. The rabbis
also carefully point out his
"faults" in order to discourage
Israelites from taking on these
attributes. The rabbis say that
Joseph's troubles were due to
such acts as painting his eyes,
curling his hair and walking
with a swagger. I fail to see the
"faults" or the connection and
more than that, value Joseph's
individuality.
Even the Koran devotes an
entire sutra to the remarkable
attributes of the fine human be-
ing named Joseph. Philo was
moved by Joseph's character
and wrote "... he lived 110 years
and then died at a good old age,
having enjoyed the greatest per-
fection of beauty and wisdom
and eloquence of speech. The
beauty of his person is testified
to by the violent love with which
he inflamed the wife of the eu-
Shabbat Vayechi:
Genesis
47:28-50:26
I Kings 2:1-12.
noch; his wisdom by the even-
ness of his conduct in the
indescribable variety of cir-
cumstances that attended the
whole of his life, by which he
wrought regularity among
things that were irregular and
harmony among things that
were discordant. His eloquence
of speech is displayed in his in-
terpretation of the dreams, in
his affability in ordinary con-
versation, and by the persua-
sion which followed his words;
in consequence of which his sub-
jects all obeyed him cheerfully
and voluntarily rather than
from any compulsion.
"Of these 110 years he spent
17, till the expiration of his boy-
hood, in his father's house; in
13 he passed amid unforeseen
events, being plotted against,
sold, and becoming a slave and
having false accusations
brought against him, and being
thrown into prisons; and the re-
maining 80 years he spent in
authority and in all manner of
prosperity, being the 1-0 ost ex-
cellent manager al-:d
trator, both of scarcAy and
plenty, and the most competent
of all men to manage affairs un-