Parshat Vayeshev- Do you know where you come from?

Parshat Vayeishev 5771

We all have a deep and intense yearning to connect with our roots. We all want to connect with the history, concepts and ideas of what made us who we are. Memory is sometimes so incredible, but at other times so fleeting. People tend to do whatever it takes to capture a memory. But sometimes pictures just don’t cut it.

Yosef, like the rest of our forefathers, was blessed with the ability of rising to the top. Yosef went from being a slave to becoming a master practically overnight. Yosef fought a battle with his evil inclination when his master’s wife constantly tried to seduce Yosef into lying with her. When she grabs Yosef’s garb, the Midrash says that he saw his father’s face and he ran.

“Now Israel loved Yosef more than all his sons since he was a child of his old age… (37:3)”

What is the Torah trying to tell us when it says that Yosef was “a child of his old age”? RASHI points out that Yaakov was in his old age when Yosef was born, which allowed Yaakov to teach Yosef all the Torah he had learned in the Yeshiva of Shem and Eber. Yosef, unlike the other sons had a deep and intense connection with Yaakov, and thus, Yosef becomes so special because of the roots that Yaakov had fervently given to him.

Yosef’s memory served him very well. Right when his evil inclination had the most potential to completely destroy any progress and any liveliness that Yosef had developed, he saw his father’s face and he remembered his roots.

We have all encountered obstacles that may cloud our emotions, cloud our decisions and cloud our current and future identity. In the depths of confusion, we must remember the fabulous teaching of Yosef: we must connect with our roots when confronting uncertainty and we must remember why we are standing, where, and when.

We are a people who live in the now. The now is not a bad thing, but it can also be a crutch. We are a nation that has been through roller coaster rides since conception, but we cannot forget our roots. We cannot forget, that at one point things were shalem (whole). We cannot forget that at one point, the shades were open and G-d was clear in the world. Sometimes, we may feel abandoned by HaShem, but holy siblings, sometimes He feels abandoned by us. Connect and start over. Remember where you come from. You are a Jew and don’t let anyone suppress that.

Baruch HaShem, I experienced many new things during the two and a half years I spent at Binghamton University. In my present life, where I am studying at YU and have begun the sweet bond of marriage with Rachael, I have attained an aspect of knowledge that I consider priceless. My roots started in a basement in Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel. My roots were inspired through tears, sweat and hard work. This Pesach I will be back in the place (Eretz Yisrael), the place which epitomizes our roots.

This week I will try to: …re-establish my roots and I will constantly remind myself of where I came from even in the hardest times. Even when I feel like its “OKAY” to slip “just-this-once”, I will remember my roots. Call someone who has contributed to your growth as a person (Rabbi/friend).

By default when one gives enough attention to roots, something magnificent is bound to flourish.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to Lev HaTorah for all that they have done for the world. In order to be “vayeishev” (settle) in Israel first we need to “vayetzay” (rid ourselves of) our negativity then “vayishlach” (send) to channel positivity.

Shabbat Shalom!

Edited by: Rachael B. Goldberg-Rothstein