Yosef and Yehuda: Models of Moral Leadership

Transcription

1 J a n u a ry 6, This week s parasha, VaYigash, presents the story of the reunification of Ya akov s sons and the family s move from the Land of Cana an to Egypt. At the end of last week s parasha, Yosef set up a ruse in which Binyamin was accused of stealing a royal goblet. Our parasha opens with Yehuda s plea to Yosef on behalf of Binyamin in the moments before Yosef s revelation of his true identity to his brothers. In this moment, Yosef and Yehuda demonstrate that they have become the leaders of b nei yisrael Yosef through his position of power in Egyptian society and Yehuda through his commitment to responsibility for Binyamin s safety and his follow through on that commitment. This week s haftarah a passage from Sefer Yechezkel relates a prophecy that describes a future time for b nei yisrael. In this famous prophecy, Hashem commands Ezekiel to make a demonstration to the people involving two wooden tablets. On one tablet, Ezekiel is to inscribe, For Yehuda and the Children of Israel, his compatriots. On the other tablet, Ezekiel is to inscribe, For Yosef, the wooden tablet of Ephraim, and all the Children of Israel, his compatriots. Hashem commands Ezekiel to bring the two tablets together in his hands and at that moment the two tablets will become one. Rabbi Samson Rafael Hirsch Hashem tells Ezekiel to explain to b nei yisrael that this demonstration represents Hashem s commitment to His people He will unify a nation that has become spread out and steeped in moral pollution of the surrounding base societies. Rav Samson Rafael Hirsch explains that the prophecy is describing two camps within the nation of Israel one identified with Yosef and one identified with Yehuda. Although one camp is identified with Yosef and one with Yehuda, each camp is not living in accordance with the ideals of its namesake their connection to these patriarchs represents their respective shortcomings. According to Rav Hirsch, the prophecy records Hashem s commitment to unify the nation by rehabilitating the values of each of these camps and reconnecting the people to their namesakes. Rav Hirsch s explanation of this prophecy begs the question - what respective philosophies or value systems do Yosef and Yehuda Shabbat Parshat Vayigash Candle Lighting: 4:46 Shabbat Ends: 6:04 MHA Illustrated Torah Scroll Benefactors Mr. and Mrs. Josh Kahane and Mr. and Mrs. Marlin Graber Sefer Bereishis Sponsors Dr. and Mrs. Bradley Karasik and Family Parshat Vayigash Sponsor Mr. and Mrs. Jon Wogan Yosef and Yehuda: Models of Moral Leadership represent? Asked in another way, in what quality are the two camps described in Yechezkel s vision deficient? In the prophecy, what is stopping the Yosef camp from joining with the Yehuda camp? In a passage in Sefer Hoshea, the prophet speaks extensively about the shortcoming associated with the camp of Yosef described in this prophetic time they place too much trust in other nations and place little trust in Hashem. This description of the camp of Yosef connects with what we know about the value system that Yosef HaTzadik exemplified he is the committed Jew in exile. He remained moral even in the face of an opportunity for sin with the wife of Potiphar. He pronounced his belief and trust in Hashem in his conveying the interpretation of the dreams of Paroh. The quality that exemplifies the camp of Yosef is placing trust in Hashem even in exile when G-d s Providence is less apparent. In a passage in his sefer, the prophet Isaiah speaks extensively about the shortcoming associated with the camp of Yehuda punctilious observance of the mitzvot coupled with a complete lack of commitment to honesty and truth. He castigates the camp of Yehuda for the fact that their performance of mitzvot does not lead to a greater enlightenment or commitment to emet truth and chesed loving-kindness. Our patriarch, Yehuda, is a paragon of the cultivating of truth and honesty through commitment to Hashem s will. When Tamar confronted him with his sin, Yehuda instantly admitted the sin and took responsibility for her welfare. When pressed to return to Egypt to retrieve his brother, Shimon, Yehuda made an honest and reasoned commitment to his father to take Binyamin to Egypt and to return him home safely. The quality that exemplifies the camp of Yehuda is growth in understanding and allegiance to truth and honesty through the performance of mitzvot. Returning to our question what is preventing the reunification of the camps associated with Yosef and Yehuda in the time of Ezekiel? The answer is that the moral shortcomings of the people keep them from being a united people. The prophet presents an inspiring solution to this problem Hashem will lead the people in moral development and this growth will create the opportunity for reunification. Indeed, this prophecy serves as a model for all situations of disharmony within the various camps of b nei yisrael personal and communal moral growth is a powerful agent for national harmony. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Benjy Owen ח' ''' 'ש'"'''"' ' ' ' '

2 2 J ח' ''' 'ש'"'''"' ' ' ' ' a n u a ry 6, A d m i n i s t r a t o r C o r n e r T i n k e r B o x M r s. A l l i s o n S h e p p a r d D i r e c t o r o f T e c h n o l o g y On rainy or cold days when we can t go outside and run around, you might hear my son, Owen, ask me, Hey Mom, do you want to dinker with me? Of course, he means tinker with his tinker box that I put together for him. But, when he was smaller, he pronounced the word with a d, and so the name dinker box has lasted long-past his ability to say the word correctly. The name sounds funny, but I want to share with you some information about one of my favorite DIY children s toys. For several years now, in educating young children we have trends that encourage less rote memorization and repetitive learning. Lately, in hopes of creating a future community of designers and inventors, educators seek to provide opportunities for student to develop patience, problem-solving skills, and innovation through promoting a creative tinkering spirit. This trend, also called the Make Movement or Maker Culture has its roots in the Do It Yourself (DIY) trend to which many adults can relate as they make weekend trips to Home Depot and Lowes. A great way to help little kids develop creative problem-solving skills is a Tinker Box. There are currently several subscription boxes on the retail market (e.g., Tinker Crate, Kiwi Crate, etc.). But, I have found that creating my own tinker boxes with Owen s help to be both cheaper and more satisfying. To create a tinker box, I bought a couple of fishing tackle boxes from a local retail store. Then, I filled the box with small tools and components which Owen could put together and create small projects. There are many, many articles and Pinterest boards dedicated to helping moms and dads create their own tinker boxes or inventor boxes, but in my experience, the items below are most frequently used by my 5- year-old. Washi tape is a must. You can find it just about everywhere these days from Target to Michael s craft store. Washi tape is a thin, semi-transparent tape, invented in Japan, usually made of natural fibers and printed with fun colors or patterns. Mostly the reason that we like to use it is because it s really easy for little fingers to tear off a piece to use in a project! (The cheaper tapes are sometimes easier to tear, but they are not as sticky, so may not hold as well.) Toothpicks (with adult supervision) Wine corks function as great connectors because they are relatively soft. Toothpicks and pipe cleaners can be easily embedded. Rubber bands, string, yarn Art supplies: pipe cleaners, googly eyes, white glue, popsicle sticks, decorative beads and buttons Child-friendly scissors Small ruler or tape measure Small screws, nuts, or bolts Other recycled household materials: paper towel tubes, Glue gun (We don t keep this item in the tinker box, but often we use it in lieu of white glue to attach especially heavy items). So, what do you do when you have put all of your materials together? Let your child s imagination take over! Create with

3 3 ' ח' ''' 'ש'"'''"' ' ' ' J a n u a ry 6, them. Sometimes, I consult an article, book or a Pinterest board for a structured tinkering activity, but for very small children (ages 3-4), no rules or structure is necessary. As your child gets older, you can try talking to them about using their tinkering to solve a problem or have an end result in mind. Further reading on the topic: Tinkerlab: Hands on Guide: Little Inventors. S p o t l i g h t O n 2 n d G r a d e C h u m a s h Rabbi Yosef Hauser Judaic Studies Principal Grades 1-8 2nd Grade Judaic Studies Teacher What is the Chumash? How do I learn a pasuk (verse)? What stories are in the Chumash? These are the questions that the second graders learn the answers to during their second grade year. They learn the structure of the Chumash; how it is organized and become comfortable using the text. Second graders become detectives and learn how to solve the mystery of the Chumash. In second grade, the students are introduced to the world of the Chumash in many different ways. They learn how to break apart and translate Hebrew verbs through the L havin U Lihaskil curriculum. They learn how to translate pasukim and understand the content of the Torah story by using smartboard technology. The smartboard provides the students with an exciting hands-on experience to help them visualize and manipulate the words. This technology helps them understand clearly every pasuk they learn. Also, through the smartboard, the students play games that enable them to strengthen their skills in a fun and exciting way. The second graders don t just learn Chumash skills. They also learn how to use their critical thinking skills to examine the stories of the Torah. Through discussion and examination of each pasuk, the students learn to see the Torah as a living text that teaches them how to live their lives as a Torah Jew. To a second grader, the Torah isn t an ancient text but a new one that is relevant to their lives today! Before each holiday of the year, the second graders learn about it using the Tal AM curriculum. This curriculum is an exciting program that provides them with songs and workbooks that help them understand the laws, customs and stories that relate the each holiday using easy and comprehensible Hebrew. Each holiday comes alive and becomes relevant through the learning of how celebrate it and why. In second grade, the students learn to be active Jews participating both in Torah learning and Torah observance through different projects, exciting discussions and fun games. Being in second grade is the best!

4 4 J ח' ''' 'ש'"'''"' ' ' ' ' a n u a ry 6, Support the school and shop on Amazon Smile for all your Chanukah gifts! Amazon sends the school a portion of all the sales made through the MHA s Amazon Smile link. MHA s Amazon Link: j76vgss Please link your Kroger card to MHA. Kroger requires that every Kroger Card be re-enrolled in its Community Rewards program at the beginning of the year. To keep sending money to the MHA or to sign up for MHA, follow these easy steps. Go to krogercommunityrewards.com. Sign-In to your Kroger account or register for a Kroger online account, and enter your Kroger Card details. Select Community -> Community Rewards- > View Your Rewards Details. Make sure the school is selected, or search to add the school. Scan your card every time you make a purchase, and the school receives quarterly payouts from Kroger! (It is 100% anonymous, the school does not see any personal info). The MHA is in search of a home for a female dorm student for the remainder of the school year. Hosts will be compensated. If you re interested please contact Rabbi Gersten at or ygersten@mhafyos.org.

5 5 J ח' ''' 'ש'"'''"' ' ' ' ' a n u a ry 6, Community News Mazel Tov to Julianne McDonnell, the MHA s 1 st Grade Assistant, on the birth of a baby boy! He was named George Tillman, and born on New Year s Day. Mazel Tov to Eli Osdoba, CYHSB 12 and Phoebe Cutler of Miami on their recent engagement. Eli is the son of Sandra Osdoba and Matt Osdoba z l of Memphis, and Phoebe Cutler is the daughter of David Cutler of Chicago and Joelle Lallouz of Miami. Mazel Tov also to Eli s siblings and MHA students/ graduates Mendel, Rena, Shira and Simcha. Our condolences to the Belsky family on the passing of Rabbi Meir Belsky. Rabbi Belsky founded the Yeshiva of the South and served as its head for 20 years. May the Belsky family be comforted among the mourners of Zion. Dates to Remember Sunday, Jan 8th Fast of Tevet Saturday, Jan 14th Alumni Game, MHA Gym Sunday, Jan 15th 5:00pm CYHSB Steak Dinner Monday, Jan 16th Teacher-in-Service, No School Sunday, Jan 22nd 10:00am, 1st Grade Siddur Play, MHA Gym February 24-25th MHA Scholar in Residence Shabbaton Camp Shemesh is excited to announce its 15th season! We are thrilled to bring back Sports Camp for boys entering Grades 3-6. The 2017 Camp Shemesh Dates are June 12- July 28. More details to come. Please Michelle Katz with any questions mkatz@mhafyos.org

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8 23rd Annual Steak Dinner Presented by Cooper Yeshiva High School for Boys Sunday, January 15th, 2017 at 5:00pm* Please make your reservations by calling the school at or by ing (please include your dinner preference of steak, chicken, or fish when making your reservation) Single: $50 Couple $100 *Dinner is being served early this year to accommodate the 8:00pm Memphis Grizzlies game S. W h i t e S t a t i o n R d. M e m p h i s, T N Picture of the Week 5th Grader Maytal Nelson learned how to press olives to make olive oil with the help of Rabbi Levi Klein. To advertise in the MHA/FYOS Reporter contact Ms. Erica Stoltz at estoltz@mhafyos.org or Check us out on the webwww.mhafyos.org and Facebook!