Sometimes, I sit back and wonder about how I got involved in WRJ. I think my story is like that of many other members. The story of this week’s parashah, Shemot, relates to my journey, and perhaps yours, in finding a place in WRJ.
The parashah begins
Just when we need it the most, we come to Vayechi. We are closing the chapter on 2020, a year filled with division, death, and destruction. Everything we knew, everything we did—STOPPED! There were no Onegs. No gatherings. No coffee meetups.
Parashah Vayigash is the culmination of the drama between Joseph, son of Jacob, and his brothers. In a pique of hatred and jealousy, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery and had him carried off to Egypt when he was 17 years old.
Vayigash begins years
Joseph, one of our more famous Biblical heroes, performs center stage again in Mikeitz, this weekly parashah, as the great dream interpreter brought from jail to listen to the daunting Pharaoh’s dreams and deduce their meaning.
In a society where women lack power and influence, how can they create change and get people to follow the correct path? That is the question that confronted Tamar in this week’s Torah portion, Vayeishev. Tamar married Judah’s oldest son, Er.
To say that a lot happens in parashah Vayishlach would be a serious understatement. Jacob returns to Canaan, wrestles with a mysterious man, has his name changed, and reunites with Esau. Dinah is raped by Shechem, and her brothers take revenge.
[Rachel] said to Jacob, “Give me children, and if you don’t, I will die.” (Genesis 30:1)
So many of our matriarchs confronted infertility, or “barrenness.” After the visit by the divine messengers, Sarah conceived and gave birth to Isaac.
I now realize the real definition of “retirement” (which began this past July) is “time to go through memorabilia and look over your life!”
I have done just that, and, in the process, I stumbled upon a precious piece of my past.
Every year, at our WRJ Board Meeting, we get a list of weekly Torah portions and women sign up to write Voices articles. I approach this with some trepidation because, for me, this is completely outside my comfort zone.
Vayeira, (Genesis 18:1–22:24) There is a lot to unpack in this portion.
We are familiar with it. We read the Akeidah (Genesis 22:1), the binding of Isaac, on the High Holy Days every year.