Friday, December 12, 2014

Text message Vayeshev

Parashat Vayeshev (and he sat down)

Jacob gives Joseph a wonderful garment, a Ktenonet pasim.
Many interpretations were given to that word. A tunic with stripes, a tunic with long sleeves, a colorful tunic.
Was this what Joseph needed?
Jacob's family was a family of cowboys. They had cattle; therefore, the tunic was not really appropriate to working in the field. And, in fact, Joseph ends up dreaming about stalks of grain and not about cattle.
Jacob's intention was, probably, to "help" Joseph to become the firstborn without suffering as he did.
Sometimes we have to understand that what we want is not what our kids need...

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

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