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VaYigash 5768/2007: "Closer, Come Closer"

Submitted by Rabbi Menachem Creditor [Berkeley, CA] on Sun, Dec 23, 2007

An often overlooked message of the Joseph stories is the theology implicit in the way he explains the story to his brothers upon disclosing his identity. Joseph says:  read more »

Rabbi Menachem Creditor is rabbi of Congregation Netivot Shalom in Berkeley, CA. He is also founder of ShefaNetwork: (The Conservative Movement Dreaming from Within), co-founder of KeshetRabbis (The Alliance of Gay-Friendly Conservative and Masorti Rabbis), and author of TheTisch, an electronic commentary on Jewish Spirituality. He is a popular speaker at synagogues, college campuses, and various communities on questions of Jewish Identity, Leadership, and Spirituality. As one half of Shirav, a Jewish folk-music group, he has spread passion, comfort, and joy to audiences around North America and Israel.
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Israel is Born in Egypt

Submitted by Abe Mezrich [New York, NY] on Fri, Dec 14, 2007

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Jacob and his sons come down to Egypt. They are fleeing from famine. This flight begins the time of the Jewish people in that land.

And the verse says, And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen…and they took possession of it.

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Note how the verse says they. They took possession of it.

Before, Israel was not a they. Israel was a man. Israel was the name that God gave to Jacob, the patriarch, God's angel telling him: Your name will no more be called Jacob, but Israel.  read more »

Abe Mezrich is a new-York based writer and lecturer, and the author of a weekly dvar Torah. Contact him at amezrich@gmail.com.
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My Weekly Drash (a mini D'var Torah) - Vayigash

Submitted by Daniel M. Kimmel [Brookline, MA] on Thu, Dec 13, 2007
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Film director Garry Marshall tells the story of actor Richard Gere taking him to meet the Dalai Lama. Gere introduced Marshall as "the funniest man you ever met." Marshall had no idea how to live up to that and blurted out to the Buddhist spiritual leader, "We're both the same age." The Dalai Lama replied, "And we've both done pretty well for ourselves." Meeting celebrities or high officials can be intimidating since we're usually not invited to relate to them person to person. Such is the case this week in Parshah Vayigash when Joseph takes his father to meet the Pharaoh.  read more »

I'm a film critic in Boston (Worcester Telegram and Gazette, Variety, Jewish Advocate), lecturer (Suffolk University, private groups) and MC for the New England Region of the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs. My one paragraph drashes are for my brotherhood newsletter. You may use them for your own.

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Got Oil?

Submitted by Jack Kustanowitz [Silver Spring, MD] on Fri, Nov 30, 2007
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My son has a funny and slightly troubling habit of sneaking out of his room after getting tucked in -- funny because he's so insistent on trying, and slightly troubling because he's only 2 and a half. Last night I found him playing at the top of the stairs (having gotten through the child-proof gate on his room), and told him to go back to his room. Why?  read more »

Jack is an Internet professional living in Silver Spring, MD. He is a proud alum of the Frisch School in Paramus, NJ as well as Boston University, where he was active at BU Hillel.

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