TOR,.,

THE SCENE

Happenings

For college age through
30-something. Send information to
ahitsky@thejewishnews.com .

HILLEL METRO, Detroit
Jan. 7 Saturday, 7 p.m. HMD party

with Young Adults of Adat Shalom.
Cost: $5 with RSVP, $7 at the door.
Havdalah service and karaoke DJ.
RSVP by Jan. 5 to Dina, (313) 577-
3495 or hillelpd@wayne.edu .

RSVP to Scott Fishel by Wednesday,
Jan. 11: (734) 482-0456 or
hillel@emich.edu .

MSU HILLEL, E. Lansing
Jan. 10 Tuesday, midnight. Broomball

at Munn Ice Arena. RSVP:
Marisa@msuhillel.org .

Jan. 11 Wednesday, 9 p.m. TAG wine

tasting at Beggars Banquet, East
Lansing. RSVP: Marisa@msuhillel.org

Jan. 13 Friday, 6 p.m. Services and

L'Chaim class at West Bloomfield JCC.
Contact Dina, (313) 577-3495 or hil-
lelpd@wayne.edu .

complimentary Latin Shabbat dinner
cosponsored by Adat Shalom
Synagogue. RSVP by Wednesday, Jan.
11, to Marisa@msuhillel.org .

EMU HILLEL, Ypsilanti
Jan. 12 Thursday 6 p.m. Alternative

U-M HILLEL, Ann Arbor
Jan. 9 Monday, 5 p.m. Hebrew conver-

spring break meeting to plan working
wih Habitat for Humanity in Florida.
Free pizza. RSVP to Jenn Stotter by
Wednesday, Jan. 1 1: (734) 482-0456 or
Jenn@emuhillel.org .

sation for all levels at Espresso Royale
on State Street. Refreshments.

Jan. 9 Monday, 7 p.m. Free Fitness

Jan. 13 Friday, 6:30 pm. Welcome Back

Jan. 10, 12 Tuesday and Thursday, 6-7

p.m. Tutor elementary school students
at Peace Neighborhood Center. Meet at
Hillel.

Shabbat services and free dinner.

PORTION

The Strength
Of Family Ties

Shabbat Vayigash:
Genesis 44:18-47:27;
Ezekiel 37:15-28.

his brothers' jealousy was
n this week's Torah
manifest.
portion, we have Yosef
All Yosef wanted was to be
revealing his identity
reunited with Binyomin and
to his brothers and the
live with him away from and
reunion of the entire family.
without any relationship with
The story leading up to this
his brothers (or father), who,
ultimate reconciliation is
as far as he knew, had done
perhaps one of the most
Rabbi Eliezer
what they could to eliminate
difficult parts of the Torah
Cohen
him.
to understand.
Special to the
When Yehudah steps for-
The willingness of Yosef's
Jewish News
ward and describes his
brothers to kill him
father's anguish at Yosef s
(Genesis 37:18-24) is
"disappearance,"Yosef real-
almost incomprehensible,
ized the truth and understood the true
but Yosef's behavior when he recog-
nizes them and accuses them of being feelings of the remorse of his brothers;
and he is overcome and reveals his
spies (Genesis 42:7 20) is also enig-
identity.
matic, as is his "setup" and accusation
He truly did not blame them nor
that his beloved brother Binyomin
hold a grudge. He now knew that all
stole his cup (Genesis 44:2-12).
along his father yearned for even any
What is even more astonishing is
news of him and his brothers deeply
the fact that even after he becomes
regretted their actions. All those years
second in command in Egypt, Yosef
of his own loneliness, doubts and
does not contact his father. If Yosef
anguish at being subject to the ulti-
were doing all this because of his
mate rejection were now revealed to
hatred of his brothers and to exact
be
based on his own misunderstand-
revenge for their selling him into slav-
ery, then, at least, his actions would be ing. Now, truly the family could unite
and reconcile.
understood, if not justified. But Yosef
Perhaps Yosef's lack of anger and
(Genesis
45:5;
says more than once
desire
for revenge against his brothers
"Do
not
be
sad
and
do
not
20):
50:19
is why tradition calls him Yosef the
be upset that you sold me here
tzadik,"the righteous." And perhaps
because God has sent me to bring life
now we can understand his behavior
[during the famine]." Yosef tries to
in these Torah portions. ❑
convince his brothers that he holds no
grudge and, in fact, doesn't even hold
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Congregation
them responsible for what they did; it
Or Chadash in Oak Park.
was "God's will." Even with revenge as
a motive, Yosef behaved wrongly
toward his brother Binyomin, who cer-
tainly played no role in his slavery.
Also, how could Yosef cause years of
Conversations
grief and pain to his father when he
Without the assumption that
had every means at his disposal to
Yosef also suspected his
make contact?
father's involvement in his
Yosef was trapped by his brothers
brothers' conspiracy, how can
and sold into slavery after he had
his behavior be explained?
done his father's bidding (Genesis
How would we have behaved
37:13-17). Yosef didn't know if his
in Yosef's situation? Why does
father was also part of the conspiracy.
the Torah tell us these stories
After all, the Torah reveals (in Genesis
about our progenitors?
37:10-11) that his father chastises him
for his dreams and did nothing when

I

-

APPLE TREE

Asara B'Tevet

A

fast day recalls the siege of Jerusalem.

Elizabeth Applebaum

Contributing Editor

• When: Tuesday, Jan. 10.

• What The Day Commemorates:
The siege of Jerusalem by the
Babylonians in 586 B.C.E. This ulti-
mately led to the destruction of the
first Temple and the loss of Jewish
sovereignty.

• How The Day Is Observed: This
is one of four minor fast days on the
Jewish calendar. While no food or
drink may be consumed from sunrise
to sunset, it is permissible to eat right
up to the fast, so you may want to rise
early for breakfast. Others prefer to eat
late the night before.

• Rituals For The Day: At morning

services, the cantor inserts the Aneynu
("Answer us") prayer in the repetition
of the Amidah or Shemonah Esrei. The

morning service includes the standard
Torah reading for a public fast day
(Exodus 32:11-14 and 34:1-10). Three
persons are called up. At points in the
reading, the congregation recites aloud
certain verses that are repeated by the
Torah reader.
In the afternoon service, the cantor
again inserts Aneynu in the Amidah,
but each worshipper also inserts
Aneynu in his or her silent recitation
of the Amidah. The service again
includes the Torah reading, but the
third person called up also reads the
Haftorah (Isaiah 55:6-56:8).

• Rules And Regulations: Pregnant
or nursing women are exempt from
the fast. Persons on medication should
consult with their physician and rabbi
before fasting. Work and all ordinary
activities are permitted. There is no
ceremony either to begin or end the
fast. ❑

-

January 5 • 2006

23