Spirituality
TORAH PORTION
David H. Colburn, J.D. & Robert S. Colburn
are pleased to announce the formation of
• • •
• •
Sometimes, It Isn't
Good To Be 'Green'
colbumeolburn
INSURANCE & RISK SERVICES
Shabbat Vayeshev: Genesis 37:1-
40:20; Amos 2:6-3:8.
L
ately, all we seem to be hear-
All this color; all misused; all misplaced
ing is that we should "go
and misunderstood.
green." Now, some might say
All of these colors combined leave
that means that we should root for the
us with a sense of blackness. Black,
Spartans. Being a Wolverine, I find that
for many cultures, signifies mourning.
unconscionable.
When we lose someone we love, we
Today, in a time when the effects of
wear a black ribbon to show that we are
global warming are becoming more
a principal mourner. Jacob, we could
apparent every day, "going green" means say, was engulfed in blackness once he
that we should be mindful of the envi-
heard of the death of his son. The broth-
ronment and choose to be better stew-
ers were surely shrouded in blackness
ards of the planet.
after having heaved Joseph into
One of my favorite
a pit and succumbing to their
midrashim is from
envy.
Midrash Ecclesiastes
Jealousy is dangerous. It can
Rabbah. It is as much a
lead us to do horrible things
word of advice as it is a
that we would otherwise not
warning. We learn that
even fathom. It is a driving
when God created the
force, but not a positive force.
first human beings, He
We should never allow our-
showed them the beauty
selves to be overcome with
and bounty of the Garden
jealousy and give it the power
of Eden and warned them
Rabbi
to choose our behavior. We
to treat the garden with
Jennifer T.
need to look inward, not out-
great care. God told them
Kaluzny
ward. If anything, we should
that the world was created
Special to the
try to be the kind of loving,
for them; and if they take
Jewish News
kind and successful people that
advantage and destroy the
we would envy. That takes hard
world, there will not be another created
work, but it is always better to work
in its place. The "go green" reminders
hard and achieve then to be lackluster,
and exhortations we are hearing now
lazy and green with envy.
are reminiscent of this valuable infor-
Joseph's brothers are tragic examples
mation given to us thousands of years
of what can happen when jealousy takes
ago by God. We have not heeded the
over rational thought. We must always
warning.
keep our feelings of envy in check, real-
Green can also be a way of describ-
ize what we are jealous of and work to
ing someone who is jealous. Sometimes be or acquire whatever it is that we want
we have the blues; other times we are
— and replace the feelings of envy with
red hot with anger, and other situa-
feelings of accomplishment. Just like we
tions in life make us green with envy.
have this one world, we have just one
Shakespeare included this expression in life to live. Let's all work to fill it with
Othello. Iago warns Othello of jealousy
beautiful color and light and strive to
and refers to it as the "green-eyed mon-
eliminate the blackness.
ster" that mocks that which it feeds off.
In this case, green is not the color you
Jennifer Kaluzny is a rabbi at Temple
want to be.
Israel in West Bloomfield.
This week's portion is all about color.
Joseph receives a beautiful coat of many
colors from his father, Jacob. His broth-
Conversations
ers, in turn, become green with envy.
Have you ever allowed jealousy
They are jealous of the affection and
to overcome you? What could
favoritism that their father is showing
Joseph's brothers have done
Joseph, and they decide to do away with
instead of throwing hirri into the
him. The beautiful coat is then stained
pit? How can we discuss the feel-
with red goat's blood and returned to
ings with have with others before
their father as proof that his beloved
they become a problem?
Joseph has been killed by wild beasts.
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