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Drash for Shabbat Vayeshev By Patti Sorkow - November 30, 2007 The parasha this week, Vayeshev (Genesis 37:1 - 40:23), encompasses the story of Jacob's youngest and favorite son, Joseph, who is gifted in dream interpretation and prophecy. His father gives him the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat and has him spy on his brothers. The jealous brothers sell Joseph into slavery and tell their father he's been murdered. Jacob is left with inconsolable grief. It includes the story of Tamar, Judah's daughter-in-law. Her story of harlotry and deceit is a pause from Joseph's and teaches the role she plays in furthering the Davidic line. Finally, Joseph is a slave in Egypt who refuses the overtures of his master's wife. She retaliates and he is sent to prison. There, his dream interpretation skills are further revealed and interpreted outcomes actualize. Not only is this parasha worthy of daytime television, there are countless messages to interpret and lessons to be learned. We are presented with dream interpretation, prophecy and fate in Joseph's life. These notions require a release of the need for concrete, visible, earthly truth, and the opening of one's mind to the acceptance of a greater truth. This truth challenges our faith and encompasses that which cannot be explained. A more modern dream interpreter was Carl Jung. Jung saw the unconscious as spiritual. He believed that dreams were a way of communicating and acquainting ourselves with the unconscious, that dreams offered a solution to problems we face in our waking life. Whether or not you agree with Jung, there is great merit in allowing yourself to look within. We should allow ourselves to look into our own dreams and to recognize when perhaps, fate has played a hand in our own lives. Perhaps if we can give ourselves a focused moment to think on our dreams or to see the influence of fate in our lives, we will become able to listen to our unconscious, to the still, small voice within…to that which brings us closer to God. Shabbat Shalom.
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