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20

December 24 • 2009

Judy
Sprader

John
Edwards

Spirituality

TORAH PORTION

Judah's Fervid Plea

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

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hat I love about this week's for his family's sake — finally taking
Torah portion, Vayigash,
responsibility for all the times in the
is that it is real. The emo-
past that he was irresponsible. And
tions are raw and tangible. The char-
yet, did he really threaten him? That
acters are fully exposed. Everything is
moment could have been so different.
put on the table and the truth comes
I have imagined Judah as a corn-
out. Rarely is the Torah so honest or
passionate man, one who suggested
so open about its characters and their the sale of Joseph to the passing trad-
emotions, and this emotional aspect
ers to save his brother from death;
draws us in further.
one who learned from
Much has been written
his mistakes through the
about the climactic moment
incident with Tamar. Like
of the portion where Joseph,
his brother Joseph who
unable to contain his feel-
demonstrates growth in
ings any longer, reveals his
this chapter, Judah, too,
identity to his brothers. We
represents true progress
are there with him as he
in terms of maturity and
blurts out, "I am Joseph!"
responsibility.
From our first meeting
To this end, his state-
with Joseph the dreamer, he
ment to Joseph in verse 43,
Rabbi Marla
has matured from a spoiled
"How can I go home to my
Hor nsten
child into a man. It is engag-
father without the lad ..."
Specia I to the
ing, powerful, even hearten-
is pleading and desperate.
Jewis h News
ing, to participate in his
It suggests that the open-
growth and to understand
ing, unwritten moment of
what it means for him and his family.
conversation between the brothers is
And yet, we generally pay little
not a threat at all, but is itself a plea,
attention to the brothers and their
an anguish-filled petition for his
feelings — and how they react to
brother's life.
Joseph's survival. It is easy to disre-
Envisioning this moment as a
gard them for the portion feels like
genuine and passionate call for help
it is about Joseph. But we can't forget
serves to heal the mistakes of the
the brothers. They are equally impor- past, rather perpetuate the cycle
tant characters — equally compel-
of loss that had filled their family
ling in the drama.
until now I certainly do not envy
Imagine, for example, what it takes Judah at this moment. We will never
to be Judah. What must he be feel-
know which approach he takes, the
ing as he is singled out to speak with
midrashic threat or the desperate
Joseph? Do his emotions overtake
plea, but we can be sure that his
him as Joseph's will later on? "Don't
words were passionate and emotional,
be mad at what I have to say:' he
something rarely seen in Torah, but
begins, but then there is a kind of
which make this portion unique and
break in the text and we don't hear
very real to us today. fl
the conversation.
In the midrash, the rabbis envi-
Rabbi Marla R. Hornsten is a rabbi at
sion a dispute so powerful that the
Temple Israel in West Bloomfield.
angels descend from heaven to wit-
ness the confrontation between "Judah
Conversations
the Lion and Joseph the Bull." Judah
Why do you think this Torah
threatens revenge should they not
portion is so emotive compared
bring Benjamin home. In the past, a
to others? What do you
Pharaoh was struck with leprosy for
think Judah is feeling as he
keeping Sarah in his palace overnight.
approaches Joseph to speak on
And in the not too distant past, two of
behalf of his brothers? Why do
the brothers wiped out an entire city
you think the rabbis envisioned
in revenge for their sister. (Midrash
Judah threatening Joseph
Tanchuma; Bereshit Rabbah)
instead of pleading for his
On the one hand, I like the notion
brother's life?
of Judah confronting a man of power