Weekly Torah Portion

Shabbat Mebarechim Hachodesh

Prepared by Rabbi Stephen Texon

Dear Friends,

After reading through the trials, tribulations and life changing episodes of the 3 Patriarchs and 4 Matriarchs, we arrive this week at the amazing saga of Joseph and his brothers. This is a saga of immense proportions and incredible lessons for all of us. We can identify with Joseph in all his struggles for survival, recognition, achievement, reconciliation and peace. It was a long struggle with setback after setback, but in spite of almost overwhelming hardship Joseph not only emerged victorious, but he saved the integrity of his family and saved the great Egyptian Empire from economic ruin. In a sense he actually saved the world because Egypt ruled the ancient world during his lifetime. 

The greatest lesson to be learned from the Joseph saga, is his steadfast faith in Divine Providence as the power that guided his steps and shaped his ultimate triumphant destiny. Simply put, he never gave up whether it was in the pit into which he was thrown by his brothers, or the prison cell into which he was thrown by his Egyptian master Potifar, after being falsely accused of rape. Joseph never gave in to intense anger or despair but with almost superhuman will and determination rose literally from the pits of life to the highest echelon of Egyptian society, becoming the Viceroy of Egypt, second in command to the Pharaoh himself.

The lesson is also a model for all of us in maintaining sanity and serenity as we confront life's challenges, and we move forward with G-d's Divine intervention on our behalf. G-d's supreme intervention on our behalf was His deliverance of the Jewish   people from Egypt and from Egyptian slavery which is the bedrock of our faith, "Yetziat Mitzrayim", the Exodus, which we will read in the coming weeks. 

May Almighty G-d continue to guide our steps, and give us the sanity and serenity to face all of our challenges ahead with strength and perseverance!

Shabbat Shalom!