B'nei Israel Congregation - San José, Costa Rica |
VAYESHEV 5765
Genesis 37:1 - 40:23
TORAH'S MESSAGE - by Rabbi Daniela Szuster
This week’s parashah tells us that Iaacob loved Iosef more than all of his other sons, and he gave him an ornamented robe as token of his love. Iosef’s brothers envied him very much and did not like it when he would tell them meticulously about his dreams. They decided to get rid of Iosef, and the first thing they did was to take from him the ornamented robe given by his father. Somehow they believed that if they took that garment, Iosef would loose all of his charm as favorite son. They believed that by taking that robe, they would win him over and he would stop developing his dreaming spirit. In a few days we will begin the beautiful holiday of Hanukah. Such holiday reminds us that Israel’s enemies believe that the essential is what is in sight, Jerusalem’s great Temple. For that reason, the Greeks and many other enemies tried to remove our people's clothing, ornaments and the bricks from the building. They believed that, in this way, they would conquer us. But like Iosef, Israel’s people continued dreaming, continued living even though they might loose their Temple. When the Chashmonaim opened the Temple they did not fill it with objects or ornaments, but with light - and the miracle was that the light remained lit longer than expected. That light, thank G-d, is what kept us alive and allows us to continue until today. As it is written on Pirkei Avot: “Don’t pay attention to the vessel, but to its content.” (Pirkei Avot 4:27)
Shabbat Shalom
SERMON - by Rabbi Rami Pavolotzky
This week’s parashah, Vayeshev, begins with the story of Josef’s dreams as a youth. Twice, the 17-year-old boy dreams that his brothers and parents would kneel before him.
Josef not only had the dreams, but told his brothers and father about them. His father rebuked him and his brothers envied and hated him. Everyone understood that Josef’s fate was to become a ruler – a ruler over his own family, as well.
These proud and selfish dreams led his brothers to think of a way to kill Josef. Finally, they decided to sell him as a slave, and a caravan of merchants took him to Egypt as part of their merchandise.
Nobody discusses the veracity of the dreams: everyone knows that Josef later became second after the pharaoh of Egypt, and that his brothers knelt before him, although not recognizing him. What is doubtful are the traits of young Josef: the eagerness to subdue, the wish for absolute power, the denial to share authority. Dreams and actions such as these can surely make you despicable to others, and you can end in an empty well.
I believe that it is proper for our congregation to dream on this Shabbat, to interpret and share dreams, and try to make them happen. Next Monday we will hold the annual General Assembly, at which officers are formally elected to guide the work of the community throughout next year.
For hundreds of years our people have organized into communities, and in each one of them there were – and still are – people who give of their time, their money, and their work on behalf of the Jewish people, to assure the continuity of their millennial existence upon the earth. Without them, we would not be here.
The Jewish people need honest, persevering leaders, full to the brim with passion for their work. In our congregation we have this kind of leaders, who day by day must make decisions regarding the community’s future.
Next Monday, B’nei Israel’s membership will decide, not only who will be the actual people that will lead the community, but also the way and the model of community we wish to follow. It is the highest obligation of each member of the congregation to attend the General Assembly, to know what the Board of Directors does, and what they intend to do.
The General Assembly must not become a social gathering, which ends “as soon as possible”. It must be the starting point for serious, responsible planning for the community’s coming year.
The community’s decisions are not made by the Rabbis, nor by the secretary, nor by an outside donor. The community’s decisions are made by the community itself. How we are going to educate our children; how we are going to strengthen our Jewish identity; how we are going to express our Jewish identity within the community environment; what kind of relations will we develop with the rest of the Jewish community in Costa Rica and the community in general, and with the rest of the world; how we are going to show our commitment to Israel; how we are going to continue building our cemetery. All of these questions are too important to have them answered always by “the same people”, as some of you might say.
It’s not possible to be Jewish in loneliness, without a family and without a community. Being members of a Jewish community force us to attend, participate, express our disagreement when we believe it’s necessary, and always support the community’s work, especially in such a small community as ours. Every one of us has beautiful dreams in our hearts. Many of them have to do with Judaism in general and with the congregation in particular. These dreams, like Josef’s dreams, should be achieved in a responsible way. If the dreams are selfish, unreal and impossible to achieve, they can lead us to an empty well, to being hated by our own brothers. But when we share and discuss our dreams, when we all work together to find the best way to accomplish them, then we can grow more and more, as happened with Josef’s mature dreams in Egypt.
May G-d grant us that next Monday’s General Assembly will be the starting point of a vibrant, intense debate, and solid action, of planning and growth for the community this coming year. May we dream together and may some of our dreams come true.
Shabbat Shalom!
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Address:
700 meters West of Pops in the Sabana, on the old road to Escazu, corner building at your left. |