Each week after Shabbat (sabbath) lunch at our synagogue we take a moment to learn from a member of our community. The minhag (tradition) is typically to look at the Torah portion read the following week (as we start to read the next section on Shabbat afternoon). Last week I had the opportunity to teach for our community and am happy to share that learning here for you, too.
I’m pretty excited to talk about parashat Va’yeishev. To me, this next chapter of communal memory – we’ll be learning again about how we ended up in Egypt; about Joseph’s relationship with Jacob, and his relationships with his brothers, about Joseph’s dreams and the beginning of his time in Egypt.
But, I don’t want to talk about any of that. I want to focus on four p’sukim (verses) that I imagine most of us gloss right over when we read this story. In a story-book version, I don’t think this would even be included, but, this passage became an influential part of my life several years ago. My dear friend, teacher, and colleague, Rabbi Jeremy Winaker, taught this passage in the context of the students and interns we worked with at University of Delaware Hillel, and this understanding continues to guide me.
In B’reshit (Genesis) 37, Jacob instructs Joseph to go and see how his brothers are doing while they are out in Schechem pasturing their fathers’ flock, and to report back to Jacob. 14“When he reached Schechem, 15a man came upon him wandering in the fields. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?” 16He answered, “I am looking for my brothers. Could you tell me where they are pasturing?” 17The man said, “They have gone from here, for I heard them say: Let us go to Dotan.” Do Joseph followed his brothers and found them at Dotan.”
So, what’s the deal with this “man”? It’s seems to be a bit more than a coincidence. I believe that there are not superfluous stories in the Torah, so this man must be there for a reason. Maimonodies argued that this man is actually an angel sent by God to help direct Joseph to find his brothers. The brief interaction could have simply had the man point Joseph along the way – let’s think about this exchange.
First, our man/angel finds Joseph. Then he asks him a question. Finally, he directs him along his way, directs him on the next step of his journey which is integral to setting the course of Jewish history.
I spend a lot of time thinking about how we build community and those three acts: finding, asking, and directing, shape my understanding of how to build community and my interactions with people. First, I find them – there are a lot of ways to find people; in my role as a synagogue membership director it’s pretty straightforward, someone calls or comes in and poof – they’re found! Then I ask them. Anyone who has called to ask me about membership or come on a tour knows that I ask a lot of questions. The answers to these questions help me understand what people are looking for in a community as well as their interests and passions. This understanding allows me to give them a better picture of our community and how it meets their needs. Finding, Asking, and Directing appen in those brief conversations, and, when someone chooses to sustain their connection with our community, the knowledge from those conversations allows me to help them find the spaces/activities/options that will help them to feel that they are an integral part of the Aliyah family.
We all encounter (find) people in life and have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with them (asking questions is a great way to do this) which all us to connect (direct) them as they move forward. This isn’t something that applies only to our synagogue, only to professionals, or only to a specific community. And, we all have encountered people who have been angels in our lives as well – those who have helped us along our own journeys.