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Rabbi's Message 
January 2001

"Well then, love your suffering. Do not resist it, do not flee from it. 
It is only our aversion that hurts, nothing else."- Herman Hess 

I don't know about you guys, but I am pretty happy to bid farewell to the year 2000. Don't
get me wrong, it's been interesting. Filled with activity and life lessons; transitions and
challenges, emotions and growth. Moving from one country to another; going long distance
with a boyfriend; a car accident here… an illness there; nursing a parent through a life
threatening disease. It has been a year of a great many things, but for me, anyway, it hasn't
been much fun. I have done my best to keep my chin up; to look at the lessons behind the
challenges and remain grateful for all of the wonderful blessings bestowed on me and those
I love. And I am, truly, so grateful. But every so often over the course of this strange year, I
have given in to the frustration. Why does life have to be so difficult? Enough with the
challenges, I'm faklempt…I want to have some fun! 

And it was in this state of mind that I turned to the torah portion for the first week of
January _ Vayigash. This is the grand finale of the Joseph saga. After being the favorite
child, after being betrayed by his brothers _ tossed into a ditch, sold into slavery, gaining
favor with his master and resisting seduction by his master's wife; after being wrongly
accused by the bitter old lady and thrown into jail; after predicting from dreams and
watching them come true with the death of one of his cellmates; after being released from
jail because of his dream analysis skills and becoming Pharaoh's buddy and rising to the top
of the court of Egypt; after saving the country from famine with his intuition and
intelligence…after all of these things, we reach this week's portion. Joseph stands before his
brothers (who have no idea with whom they are talking). They have come to him in order to
beg for support in the time of famine; hungry, desperate, groveling before him. "Hah!" the
reader says "you little fleabag, good for nothing meanies. You thought you had gotten off
home free from betraying your brother. He's gonna nail you now!" Joseph stands tall behind
his anonymity looking at his brothers. They have aged poorly. They are hungry. Of course,
he is older too. Plenty of gray in his hair from the many close calls. Lines around his eyes
from pain and stress. A little heaviness to his mouth, weighted with layers of sadness and
betrayal. The reader says expectantly, "Ooooh, now tell'm who you are and where they can
go." And Joseph can't keep his secret any longer; he stands alone before his brothers and
begins to weep uncontrollably. He says, "I am Joseph…[and his} brothers were terrified of
his presence…and he said to them `Come near to me, I pray you', and they came near. And
he said `I am Yosef your brother who you sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved,
nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here; for God did send me before you to
preserve life…to save your lives. So now it was not you that sent me here, but God.'" 

Okay, hold on. Wait a minute. What happened to the boom…POW…"I'll tell you what you
can do with your famine!" Joseph, Joe _ buddy _ a little revenge please. You're gonna let
them off the hook? Just like that? "Hey, guys, you tried to kill me, but I'm cool with it now."
You're gonna stand there and cry like a sissy? What is this?

I found the year 2000 rough, and not once was I sold into slavery or put in jail. Someone cut
me off on the freeway and I was ready to shoot them and here is Joseph ready to forgive
his brothers completely. Is there a lesson here? You bet. To begin with, bad times are not forever. Things change, years finish, there are times for struggle and there are times for fun; there will always be more fun around the corner if we can work through the challenges. If we can embrace the tough times, they are destined to make way for the good times. More importantly, God works in mysterious ways. So often, the things that look like disasters end up being the passages to our greatest happiness. 

Joseph explained to his brothers that they were only helping God to do God's will in
promoting the greatest success for Joseph and the survival of his family. They were to feel
no guilt, for they were only pawns in God's bigger plan. Were we to look at our struggles
this way, with the faith that our greatest good is the intention behind each dilemma, they
would cease to become struggles. They might become fun. Looking back on your life, think
about how many seemingly horrific situations ended up being for the best, allowing you to
become who you are today rather than the limited person you thought you wanted to be.
Our man Joe is a great role model for healthy living. He released his anger of the past (his
baggage, if you will). He always worked to his full spiritual and intellectual potential,
regardless of the perceived obstructions before him. He followed his intuition. And when it
was all said and done, he had a good, long cry. Yes, I am relieved that this year is ending.
At the same time, I do believe that it is through the lessons I have learned; the struggles I
have grappled with and the challenges I have overcome, that God has guided me to a higher
experience of my self. Fun will be that much sweeter for having gone through the rough
spot. The rough spot is God's gift, enabling me to truly save myself in the long run. Happy
2001. 

By Student Rabbi Karen Deitsch