In this week's Torah portion, Vayigash, Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers in one of the most moving events of the entire Torah. Incredible lessons can be learned from Joseph and the way he lived his life; lessons that are very relevant to our lives today. So why Joseph more than any of the other great Jewish forefather and leader? It's because Joseph was the first descendant of Abraham to really leave the realm of solitude and holiness, and venture into the immoral abyss of a land like Egypt for such a long time, and at such a young age. True, his father Jacob also entered a tough situation under his evil father-in-law Laban. In that respect, our Sages teach us that Joseph & Jacob were extremely close, their connection & destiny intertwined, as it says: "All that happened to Jacob, happened to Joseph" (both had important dreams, both were hated by their brothers, and the list goes on.)
But nothing compares to the life of Joseph. After being sold by his very own brothers to a caravan heading for Egypt, Joseph goes through struggle after struggle, test after test. At the young age of 17, he is solicited constantly by his employer's wife, and yet he resists time and again. And this lady couldn't have been the only one. It is said that Joseph had an indescribable beauty, such that whenever he would walk on the street, women would stop what they were doing just to catch sight of him, and would often injure themselves in the process! And yet Joseph stayed true to his belief in G-d and moral path. He knew that he wasn't brought to Egypt by chance. He knew that he was in prison for a reason (12 years for a crime he never committed). And he knew that he was placed in control over the entire Egyptian nation, 2nd only to Pharaoh, for a reason. Joseph not only accepted his tough situations with good faith and a smile, he embraced them with the full knowledge that he was placed there for a special mission, one that would contribute to creating a better world, that G-d could be proud of. Ultimately, it was Joseph whose plan ended up saving - not only the Egyptian people - but the entire world during the great famine of his time. Instead of succumbing to Egypt's temptations, or wallowing in self pity over the unfair hardships he had endured, Joseph shined, turning the darkness in his life into light.
We sit thousands of years later in front of a computer screen, on the verge of the year 2012. And yet the example of the life of Joseph rings truer now than ever. As a whole, the Jewish people have not diverted from the path of our forefather Joseph. Just like Joseph helped the people of his time spiritually as well as physically, Jews throughout history have done the same. Spiritually, the Torah of the Jews ultimately revolutionized western thinking, as the 2nd president of the U.S. John Adams once said: "I will insist the Hebrews have [contributed] more to civilize men than any other nation."
Which brings me to the physical part. This week, the week of Joseph, the one who sustained the entire world with food in his time, I came across videos online of various people who have dedicated their lives to helping others, often starting organizations from scratch. Many that I came across were Jewish (see here for a very inspiring example, as well as here). And it seemed that everywhere I looked this week, I was seeing people who help others. And then I experienced it myself. After spending a day just watching videos of this (hey it's winter break ;), my mother took me into "the field of duty." She runs the gemach AKA The Jewish gift closet, where items are donated by the community, and given to those in need. As we lugged tables, chairs, a rug, etc. to downtown San Diego late at night, I wasn't feeling so cheery to be quite honest. "Man, I thought you felt inspired by those videos to change the world!?" I thought. But after all of the hard work, as we readied to leave, the old & lonely man in his once (truly) empty apartment, gave us a big smile. He would now have a cover against the cold - a thick blanket we had brought him. I realized that we have to fix the world one person at a time, with one deed at a time.
Judaism asks us to try our best in 2 areas: Our relationship with man, and our relationship with G-d. Both are important, and both benefit the realm of the other. Through being a spiritually sensitive person, learning Torah, praying, doing mitzvot, one learns and feels the needs of others, and the importance of being kind and helping another. For every soul is important, every act crucial. "Save a life, and you've saved a world" (the Talmud). And on the other hand, as Hillel said: "Don't do onto another, what you would not want done to yourself. This is the whole Torah, the rest is but commentary." At times in Torah, the Jewish people are called by the name of Yoseph (Hebrew for Joseph). Kabbalah teaches us that our forefathers bestowed their spiritual essence onto their descendants - to us. We can and must stay spiritually and morally upright even in Egypt, today's selfish and materialistic society, and be a light onto those around us, like our father Joseph.
Shabbat Shalom!
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