Vayigash - December 22, 2012

I apologize for this entry being so late.

We had a wonderful discussion last week about parashat Vayigash and also our Haftarah portion from Ezekiel.  In the portion Joseph and his brothers reunite, Jacob learns that Joseph is still alive, Jacob and Joseph are reunited, and we get a census of the household of Israel (Jacob) who go into Egypt.  It is there that they will remain until the exodus.

In Ezekiel we read also of the reunification of the Jewish people, specifically those tribes of the Southern kingdom, Judah, and the Northern Kingdom represented by Ephraim (one of the ½ tribes of Joseph).  In essence like our parashah, the brothers are reuniting.  Our Haftarah portion focused on the ingathering of the exiles (or diaspora), the return to Israel, under a Davidic monarchy when the Messiah or Messianic age will come.

There was a question as to whether or not this was the first reference to the ingathering at the “end of days.”    The first textual reference is actually from Deuteronomy.  Then according the historical timeline we would have Isaiah’s verses and then Ezekiel and Jeremiah are roughly during the same period.

Moses discusses this “ingathering of exiles” in Deuteronomy 30:1-5

30:1	There shall come a time when you shall experience all the words of blessing and curse that I have presented to you. There, among the nations where God will have banished you, you will reflect on the situation.
30:2	You will then return to God your Lord, and you will obey Him, doing everything that I am commanding you today. You and your children [will repent] with all your heart and with all your soul.
30:3	God will then bring back your remnants and have mercy on you. God your Lord will once again gather you from among all the nations where He scattered you.
30:4	Even if your diaspora is at the ends of the heavens, God your Lord will gather you up from there and He will take you back.
30:5	God your Lord will then bring you to the land that your ancestors occupied, and you too will occupy it. God will be good to you and make you flourish even more than your ancestors.

Isaiah 11:11-12

11 And it shall come to pass in That day, That the Lord will set His hand again the second time to Recover the Remnant of His people, That shall Remain from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

 12 And He will set up an Ensign for the nations in, and will assemble the Dispersed of Israel, and Gather together the Scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

Jeremiah 29:14

And I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will return your captivity and gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will return you to the place whence I exiled you.

Shabbat Shalom!!

Rabbi Brigitte Rosenberg

This week's Torah portion - Vayigash - December 22, 2012

This week’s Torah portion is Vayigash.

Parashat Vayigash, Genesis 44:18-47:27

This continues our journey through Joseph’s life.  In this parashah, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers.

What significant things happen in our parashah?

What does Joseph do?  What do his brothers do?

At the end of this parashah, who is in Egypt?

Haftarah, Ezekiel 37:15-28

What is going on in this Haftarah?

Are there images that connect it to the parashah?  How?

Rabbi Rosenberg

Parashat Mikeitz - December 15

So here we were last week in Parashat Mikeitz.  Joseph remains in the prison, in the bor, the pit. He has hit bottom. His situation is hopeless. He has trusted the Sar Ha-Mashkim, the butler, to recommend him to Pharaoh, that he might be released from his oppressive and unjust imprisonment. But what happens? The word "va-yishka-hehu" (Genesis 40:23) concludes last Parashat Vayeishev: the ungrateful butler has forgotten him. For this entire week we inhabit the space between the two parashot, living in this tension:

The whole history of the Jewish people hangs in the balance. Without Joseph as a power in Egypt, perhaps Jacob's family will not come to Egypt where they will become a great nation. Nor would they leave in the Exodus, receive the Torah and go on to the Promised Land, and more. Perhaps I would not be writing this note, and you would not be reading it.

Then come Pharaoh's dreams which none of his wise men can interpret. Shall the butler take the chance of reminding Pharoah of the transgressions for which he was originally sent to prison? He does come forward, saying    "Et hata-i ani mazkir ha-yom," (I make mention of my sins today) (Genesis 41:9) and goes on to tell Pharaoh about the young Hebrew that he met in the prison who knows how to interpret dreams and who may know how to interpret Pharoah's dreams too.

As they say, the rest is history. Joseph is rushed to Pharaoh's presence, interprets the dreams and becomes the instrument of Israel's redemption. The five words of the butler are the "cruse of oil" that lasts for eight days, maybe the most crucial words ever spoken by anyone in all Jewish history. And he's not even Jewish!

Five words that change history: Et hata-ai ani mazkir ha-yom. Why does the butler step forward now? He takes a great risk. Why? There is a deep mystery here. Does he really want to help Pharaoh? Does he feel guilty about forgetting Joseph? What if it doesn't work out? Then certainly he might be in real trouble again!

We will never know the reason for his stepping forward at that time and saying those words, but one thing we know: without them we are stuck in the pit, perhaps forever. It's not the only factor, of course. Much could have gone wrong even after the Sar ha-mashkim spoke out, just as the Maccabees could have lost their struggle. Maybe salvation could have come from elsewhere. Maybe, maybe not. But without them, in both cases, where are we? Without the Sar Ha-Mashkim, without Hanukkah, without the Maccabees, there might be no Judaism, no Jewish people. Five little words!

In the legend of Hana and seven sons, (another true myth whether it happened or not!) the mother is the hero who stands firm, disregarding personal suffering. Both stories are intergenerational. Each person can be the hero who finds a way to the small cruse of oil and steps up to light the light.

Five little words in Parashat Miketz which is almost always the Parashat Ha-Shavuah of the Shabbat of Hanukkah. The butler who risks, the Maccabees who undertake the impossible, are both instances of the cruse of oil that seems at first to have no staying power but which lasts and lights a flame that grows larger and larger.

We also looked into the relationship between Joseph, his appointed wife Asenat, and how their lives paralleled each other to the point of their coming together.  We also saw a parallel with Asenat’s history and a possible foreshadowing of Moses coming into the picture in Exodus.  The Torah contains so many intricate story lines that cross over each other and layer is such a way as to provide seemingly endless opportunities for interpretation.

This Shabbat we will look to resolve the story of Joseph and his brothers.  Just as Joseph put his brothers through some tests of loyalty, so did King Solomon in the related Haftarah from First Kings 3:15-4:2 and  in Zacharyiah2:14 – 4:7 when Joshua was tested by the dubious accusations of a namely Accuser this past week.  We had a lot to cover this past Shabbat.

Parashat Vayigash is taken from Genesis 44:18 – 47:27.  The Haftarah for this Shabbat is Ezekiel 37:15 – 28.

Cantor Eichaker

Upcoming study - Parashat Mikeitz

Parashat Mikeitz - Genesis/Bereishit  41-44:17

Haftarah I Kings 3:15-4:1

Shabbat During Chanukah Haftarah Zechariah 2:14-4:7

Torah study will focus on Zechariah, but we want to give you both Haftarah portions.  If you read through both, here are some questions to consider.  If you have other questions or would like to start the discussion, please start adding your thoughts and comments.  We will check them before Torah study and use them to guide our discussion.

 I Kings

How does this passage relate to the parashah?

What motifs, if any are repeated between the two?

 Zechariah

How does this passage relate to the holiday of Chanukah?

Are there Chanukah motifs that appear?

What familiar phrase appears in this Haftarah portion?

Parashat Vayeishev - December 8, 2012

Parashat Vayeishev

Genesis 37:1-40:21

Amos 2:6-3:8

To recap last week’s parashah and haftarah, Vayeishev begins the Joseph story.  In this parashah, we have three distinct narratives –

1.       The story of Joseph and his brothers.  We have the famous colored tunic which Jacob gives to his son.  The brothers do not appreciate their brother or their father’s favoritism and seek to do away with him.  They first speak of killing him, but Reuven talks them out of it and suggests throwing him into a pit, for which he will later come and rescue Joseph.  Meanwhile the brothers decide to sell Joseph to some Ishmaelites who take him to Egypt where he is sold into Potiphar’s household.  Reuven, returning and not finding Joseph, rents his clothes thinking he is dead, and asks the brothers what happened.  They say they sold him and then take the tunic, drench it in goat’s blood and give it to their father.  They simply ask, “is this your son’s tunic?”  From which Jacob infers that Joseph is dead and he, too, rents his clothes and mourns his beloved son.

2.       The story of Judah and Tamar.  Tamar is married to Judah’s son Er, but he dies because he did not fulfill his husbandly duties.  Tamar then marries Judah’s next son Onen, because of the laws of Levirite (technically this law has not yet been given in the Torah narrative, but it assumes and assures that a man who dies without an heir, will be granted one via his widow marry his next of kin.  The first child of their union, is an heir to the deceased husband and then any subsequent children are heirs to the second husband).  Onen dies for the same reason as his brother, he does not fulfill his husbandly duties (hence the sin of Onen- spilling/wasting the seed).  Judah does not want to marry his youngest son, Shelah, to Tamar, so he asks her to wait until Shelah is older.  Judah forgets or ignores his promise to marry Shelah to Tamar, so Tamar takes matters into her own hands.  She disguises herself as a prostitute, knowing that Judah will be on the road, and he comes upon her, does not recognize her, and they have relations.  Before doing so, she asks for payment, he says he will send her payment but in the meantime leaves with her his staff, cord, and seal.  He sends a servant with the payment but cannot find her.  Later, Judah hears that Tamar is pregnant and brings her to court on adultery charges.  Instead of revealing the name of the father she pulls out the staff, cord, and seal and says, “these belong to the father.”  Judah recognizes them and admits that he is the father and that he was in the wrong by not marrying Tamar and Shelah and that she was right.  Later Tamar gives birth to Perez and Zerach.  Zerach’s arm comes out first and a red cord is tied around it to mark him as the first born, but he pulls it back into the womb and his brother, Perez, is born first.  From Perez we have the lineage of King David. 

3.       We return to the story of Joseph.  Time has passed and Joseph has been in Potiphar’s household.  We are told that God has been with Joseph and he has found favor with him.  Joseph we are told is handsome.  Potiphar’s wife has taken a liking to Joseph and constantly asks him to “lie with her.”  Joseph repeatedly says no.  One day, she is a little more aggressive, as she takes hold of his clothing while being suggestive.  Joseph pulls away, his clothing still in her hand, and runs from her.  She then uses his clothing to accuse him of trying to “lie with her.”  Potiphar has Joseph thrown into jail.  It is hear that we learn more of Joseph’s God given ability to interpret dreams, and he interprets the dreams of Pharaoh’s cup bearer and baker.  Both interpretations come true – the baker is executed and the cup bearer returns to court.  Joseph asked the cup bearer to remember him and recall him to Pharaoh, but as the story ends the cup bearer does not remember this promise.

What do these three stories have in common?

There is deception that is going on.  We also see punishment for those who deceive – “what comes around goes around” – in that Judah was a ring leader in the deception over Joseph and then he himself is deceived by Tamar.  Is this punishment?

We also see the important motif of clothing.  Clothing is utilized in all three of these stories to “bear witness” to what happened or what one wants someone else to think happened, i.e. in the assumptions made over Joseph’s clothing.

In Torah study a question was asked about the renting of clothing upon thinking one dead, and this is where the tradition comes from of renting one’s clothing (or today utilizing a kriah ribbon) to mark/acknowledge the death of a loved one (child, parent, spouse, sibling).

The haftarah portion comes from Amos.

Amos was a prophet born in the Southern kingdom of Judah, but he spent most of his time in the Northern kingdom of Israel.  As with most prophets no one was really interested in hearing what he had to say.

His message is one about behavior and punishment.  In this particular section he is speaking out against the ills of society, mainly that Israel has become wealthy but is doing despicable things with that wealth.  They are not taking care of the poor, they are not listening to prophets, and are so debase that they are forcing Nazarites to drink wine.  (A Nazarite is one who takes an extra vow or oath, for a specific period of time, to God.  During this period he/she cannot cut his/her hair, go near a corpse, nor eat or drink anything from grapes.)

Amos tells the people that when bad things will befall them it is because God is punishing them for their behavior.  A difficult theological statement, as we question does God really punish in that way for our behavior?

One could say yes, based on the Torah portion.  It is God who causes Judah’s son’s to die because they are not fulfilling their duty of procreation with Tamar.  Judah could be said to have been punished for his earlier actions.  And, we also see that God is with Joseph, as Joseph continues to acknowledge his relationship with and devotion to God.  This is why he won’t “lie with” Potiphar’s wife, because it would not be good in God’s eyes, and he is always careful to acknowledge that his gift of dream interpretation comes from God.

Rabbi Brigitte Rosenberg

Vayishlach 12/1/12

Good Morning!

This past Shabbat, we explored Vayishlach.  This portion in Genesis is filled with interesting encounters – Jacob wrestles with a human/angel/God, the name change, Jacob and Esau meet up again, Esau and Jacob part ways, the rape of Dinah, another interaction between Jacob and God, and the lineage of Esau.  Our Haftarah portion came from Hosea 11:7-12:12.

Of course, given our discussions, we only made it through the first part of the portion.  We spent some time discussing Jacobs encounter with the stranger in the night… whether it was a human, angel (a messenger of God), or God.  What it means to have a name change, what it means to “struggle with God”, and what the implications of having a permanent mark (in this case Jacob’s hip-socket) after an event.

We touched on the Jewish concept of angels – that they are a separate being, created by God, usually acting as a messenger of God.  They never were human and are separate from the Christian concept of angels.  We need to have a class (or two, or three) just on the topic of angels to fully give a complete review of the Jewish concept.

We also had an interesting discussion about the preparation for the meeting between Jacob and Esau.  The fear and anxiety on behalf of Jacob must have been intense.  The interaction itself seemed quite touching to us all, but then … as we explored rabbinic commentary on the dots above the Hebrew word “and he kissed him”, we found there was much more to discuss than the text itself… but also how rabbinic commentary has an impact on our understanding of the text.  What was the original intent and how are we to know what is actually meant when there are no “keys” to give us a clue why certain items are added or removed?

So we were left thinking about how we interpret text, how others interpret it, and how we are supposed to know the original intent.  Luckily, as part of a Reform congregation, we are permitted to interpret for ourselves.  However, we know there is much to learn and discuss along the way. 

May your “struggles” (as with Jacob) always leave you stronger.

Have a wonderful week and a fantastic celebration of Chanukah!

This coming Shabbat is Vayeishev – Gen. 37:1 – 40:23  with the Haftarah from Amos 2:6 – 3:8. 

Rabbi Shapiro

Vayeitzei

Before Jacob leaves B’er Sheva , God promises in Gen. 28:15 to bring him back to the Land, which God does in Gen. 31:3.  What a great foreshadowing in this section.  Here we have exile or banishment.  This is a punishment akin to being sent to one’s room.  It also is a forced wilderness experience in order to reflect on one’s deeds.  Prison system…

By the way, there are three Haftorot assigned to Parashat Vayeitzei depending upon whether one is Ashkenazic, Sephardic or the various traditional sects;  / Hosea 11:7 -12:12 and / or Hosea 12:13 - 14:10 Page 1292 or an optional reading – Ovadyah 1:1-21  Page 1329 (page numbers are from the JPS TANACH).

According to Hosea, God will call the exiled Israelites from exile to return to their Land (Hosea 11:10-11). There are all kinds of deceptions that go on in Genesis.  What can this say about the essence of humankind?   Hosea 12:8 condemns traders who deal dishonestly by using false scales to deceive other people.  So as you can see, there are a few lines that can be drawn between the Torah and Haftarah.  These connections help us focus in on larger messages of the Parasha so see if you can contemplate these macro-messages and look into your own life style to see if you can enhance or amend what you do on a daily basis.

We also find that Jacob (while in Haran with Lavan) toiled for over seven years while waiting to marry his beloved Rachel (not that he did not love Leah, he just was more attracted to the younger Rachel).  While working for Lavan he developed breading skills and management skills that allowed him to emerge stronger (on many levels).  Striking out on his own fulfills the blessing that God had said to him at the beginning of this story.  There is a deeper message here.  In Genesis 13:2 Abraham flourished in Egypt departing “very rich in cattle, silver and gold.”  In Genesis 26:16 Isaac prospered among the Philistines to the extent that their king disinvited him from the community – “Go away from us, for you have become far too big for us.”  There is no trace of animus toward material success or gain in the Torah.  On the contrary, it highlights a sign of God’s favor.  Challenging us to use our gifts as a way of expressing gratitude by helping others.  If we are blessed with the ability to amass great material wealth, we need to acknowledge the Source of that material and those people who have helped us attain, grow and manage it.

Gratitude and piety go hand in hand.  Strength and humility are sibling to the family of the righteous.

Cantor Eichaker

Toldot

This past Shabbat, we explored Toldot from Genesis, and the opening of Malachi, our assigned Haftarah.  Below is a recap of our discussion.

In Toldot, we discussed the birth of Esau and Jacob, and how we were informed from early on that there would be a struggle between the elder and the younger, and ultimately the younger would be served by the elder.  We questioned the actions of Esau, in selling his birthright for that “red stuff” – did he believe that he was really offering up his birthright, was this childs’ play,  or was he almost forced by his gut need for food.  We discussed those plays on words in the text, as well.

We then turned to Malachi and pondered the society in which he lived that would prompt such words.  We saw the connection to our Torah text in the mention of the struggles of the brothers.  We considered his words and those of our High Holy Days liturgy – what is demanded of us and how do we respond?  Do we give our best, or do we simply do what is required, or do we do less and hope no one will notice (or even not care if they do?).  We wondered if other communities recognized our god, among their gods, or if Malachi was just trying to guilt the people into action.

We returned then to our Torah text and dissected the trickery of Isaac into believing that Jacob was Esau, and thus Jacob received the blessing in place of his brother.  We had a lively discussion about responsibility, deceit, and carrying out God’s will.  Was Rebecca simply carrying out what she thought was God’s plan, or was she simply favoring one child over the other?  Why was Jacob willing to do carry this through?  Was Isaac really fooled? 

Time forced a close to our discussion, but there is much more to explore within the depths of this portion…we do not have to wait until next year… any day is a good day to study Torah.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Rabbi Shapiro

Chayei Sarah

So Sarah dies at the age of 127 in Kiriat – Arba, now known as Hevron.  Abraham buys the burial site there – the cave of Machpelah – from the Hittites.

In time, Abraham decides that a wife should be found for his son Isaac.  Abraham directs his senior servant, Eliezer, to search for this Wife, cautioning hi not to take a Canaanite woman.   The servant travels to Aram – Naharaim to the city of Nachor, the land of Abraham’s kin.  Upon arrival the servant prays to God to direct him to the woman chosen for Isaac.  Rebaccah, the daughter of B’tueil who is the son of Nachor, Abraham’s brother, comes to the well.  Through her words and deeds, Eliezer knows that she is the answer to his search  The servant is welcomed into B’tueil’s house and after conferring with B’tueil and his son Lavan, it is agreed that Rebecca will go to Canaan to become Isaac’s wife.

Abraham takes another wife, Keturah, who bears him six children.  Before dying, he wills all his possessions to Isaac and gives gifts to his other children.  When Abraham dies, Isaac and Ishmael bury him in the Cave of Machpeilah beside Sarah.  

The section closes with the naming of Ismael’s twelve sons.  Ishmaeil dies at the age of 137.

The Haftarah for this section is found in First Kings 1:1-31.

In the sedrah, Abraham is old and dying.  In the Haftarah, David is old and dying.  The once mighty and agile David is unable to keep himself warm or care for himself.  Similarly, the once well-traveled Avraham must send a servant to find a wife for Isaac; he can no longer travel.  The comparison between the two is underscored further because the same expression for “old advanced in years” is used  both in Genesis 24:1 and First Kings 1:1.

Both texts provide examples of the failure of the law of primogeniture (the right of the eldest child to inherit the leadership role in the family) in biblical times.  Solomon assumes the kingship even though he is not David’s oldest living child.  Similarly, Isaac takes over his father’s position even though Ishmael is Avraham’s oldest living child.

I asked Myra Rosenthal to offer some perspective on her preparations and presentation of last week’s Torah study so that those of you who are interested in preparing a session in honor or in memory of a loved one may do so.

“Actually there are two great resources, the cantor and the internet.  The cantor,  will email or give you a handout called Teaching Haftarah.  It contains a synopsis of the Haftarah, insights from tradition, strategies for analyzing the text, and, importantly, connects the text to the sedra.  Actually, there's a lot more, but that's basically all you need. 

There are some great resources on the internet (not that what the cantor gives you isn't great).  The Fuchsberg Center for Conservative Judaism in Jerusalem offers a commentary on the Haftarah at uscj.org.il/haftarah.  The Reform Movement's web page, Family Shabbat Table Talk, offers commentary and discussion questions.  It goes back ten years, so there's a lot to mine.  You can find that on uahc.org/shabbat.

I have fun just typing in the Torah portion and the Haftarah portion names on the internet and seeing what comes up.  That's how I got the fascinating information on Kings 1 and 2.  You have to weed through the information; some is good and others not.

There are lots of good books which offer terrific information.  Deane Thompson has a library full of them.  The library also has lots.  Some TANACHIM have great commentaries you could use.

The process isn't hard.  You read the Torah portion and the Haftarah portion and oftentimes the rest fall into place.  Once you finish summarizing each, the group can take over and search the connection.  The cantor and the rabbis are there to help you out so you are not alone.  It's a great way to remember or honor someone.  And it's a great way to learn the Torah and Haftarah.  

This Shabbat we study Parashat Toldot, Genesis 25:19 – 28:9 beginning on page 48 in the JPS TANACH and Malachi 1:1 – 2:7 found beginning on page 1405 in the JPS TANACH.

Cantor Eichaker

Welcome to our blog

Good Afternoon!  Welcome to our UH Torah Chat blog.  Each Monday, following our Shabbat morning Torah study, we will post an update on what was studied on Shabbat.  For those who couldn't attend it is an opportunity to still learn and this gives us the opportunity to address any questions that were asked that needed further thought before answering.

Our hope is that the learning will continue online through this blog and online conversation.

Last week's discussion of Vayera and it's haftarah will be posted tomorrow - sorry for the delay!

We look forward to this online learning journey!

Rabbi Rosenberg, Cantor Eichaker, and Rabbi Shapiro