Torah Portion

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Don Cohen

IND

Shelley Nadiv

Green Sunday Co-Chair

Green Sunday Co- Chair

Stand Up For What Is Right,
Even When It Is Unpopular

to his father."
Rabbi Yitzchak tells us that had
Reuben known that his behavior and
intentions were to be recorded in the
Torah for all to see and ponder, he
would certainly not have been intimi-
dated by the opinion of his brothers
n this week's Torah portion, we
and their decision to harm Joseph. He
are presented with the story of
would have personally taken hold of
Joseph's brothers conspiring to
Joseph and carried him to safety,
kill him and then, at the last
rather than attempting to resort to
moment, deciding to sell him into
coming back to rescue him behind the
slavery instead.
backs of his brothers.
As the brothers discuss their plan to
How often do we find ourselves in a
murder Joseph, the Torah tells us that
situation where we know that an
unpopular opinion is right and just
(Genesis 37.21-22), "Reuben heard
and saved him from their
but we are afraid to voice
hands and said: 'Let us not
this opinion or to insist upon
it because we are intimidated
kill him.'
'And Reuben said to them:
and afraid?
How often do we succumb
'Spill no blood, throw him
into this pit that is in the
to public opinion or other
wilderness — do not lay a
social pressure rather than to
hand on him' — so as to save
assert ourselves in favor of an
him from their hands to
unpopular, but proper and
correct position? If, in such a
return him to his father."
RABBI
Later, in Egypt, when they
situation, we can imagine
ELIEZER
are accused of being spies and
our efforts being recorded for
COHEN
imprisoned, Reuben reminds
all times, would we be so
Special to the
cautious and afraid to voice
them (Genesis 42:22): ". . .
didn't I tell you: 'Don't sin
our opinion and to act on it
Jewish. News
against the lad' — but you
to do what is right?
Reuben's tentative and cau-
didn't listen to me . . .
Reuben tried to convince his broth-
tious attempt did indeed save Joseph
ers not to harm Joseph at all; but,
from immediate death. However, had
finally, at their refusal to listen, had to
he known his behavior was being
resort to having him put in the pit
recorded in the Torah and had acted
with the intention of later saving him.
accordingly, imagine what might have
He was successful in keeping his
been.
brothers from actively killing Joseph,
but in his absence the others sold
Joseph into slavery. Thus, when
Reuben returned (Genesis 37:29) "...
behold Joseph was not in the pit."
There is a very insightful midrash
relating to Reuben's attempt to save
his brother Joseph from harm and to
Why are we so afraid of what
save his other brothers from their
others think of us? Why is being
intended villainy.
" popular" quite often more
The midrash states ("Midrash
important than being "right,"
Rabah," Leviticus 34:8), "Rabbi
"good" or even "heroic"? Why do
Yitzchak said: 'The Torah teaches us
we
acquiesce so often when we
proper conduct, that when a person
know we really shouldn't? Why
behaves properly he should do it with
do we allow others to determine
a joyous heart, for if Reuben had
our opinions and our actions?
known that God would write about
him: And Reuben heard and saved
him from their hands . . . he would
have picked him up and carried him

Shabbat Vayeshev:
Genesis 37:1-40:23;
Amos 2:6-3.

I

Conversation

Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Congregation
Or Chadash.

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