Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 13 Tevet, 5784
Parsha Va-Yehi (Genesis 47:28 – 50:26)
Second Portion: Genesis 48:10 – 48:16

Good morning!  For those who celebrate – Merry Christmas!  May our days all have meaning within us – regardless of our spiritual backgrounds and identities!

Yesterday’s Torah Thoughts were A LOT.  Restoration. Healing. Repair.  Thank you to everyone who reached out to share the impact the words had on them!  As we approach the fullness of the light of this Chaos/Repair moon cycle, things are getting VERY interesting!

We left off yesterday with Israel inquiring about his grandkids – Ephraim and Menasseh. Israel asked Joseph to bring them close to him.  Let’s dig in:

10Now Israel’s eyes had become heavy with age, [to the extent that] he could not see. So he drew them near to him, and he kissed them and embraced them.

11And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not expected to see [even] your face, and behold, God has shown me your children too.”

Israel is fully in his divinity here. He never expected to see Joseph again – but his willingness to let Benjamin go has resulted in not JUST Joseph – but Joseph’s offspring.

What is interesting to me is the word “shown.”  I am curious – and we don’t REALLY know for sure – but were Israel’s eyes open to be able to SEE his grandkids? The context seems to indicate this is true.  For me, when I read “I had not expected to see your face” Israel was talking about laying eyes on Joseph.  That tells me – this was an “eye opening” experience for Israel.

My takeaway here. I think what this is showing us – Israel – EVEN IN his divinity – can still have his eyes opened.

My brain often reflects on Jacob having his eyes opened and becoming Israel.  The Torah seems to challenge this assumption.  We can be worldy (Jacob) have our eyes opened and become Godly (Israel).  And.  We can be Godly (Israel) and STILL have our eyes opened. It’s not either/or – it’s both/and.

And I often get into a space where I think and feel like I am being “spiritual” and refuse to acknowledge my eyes can be opened. I often think “oh, I am done here!” Maybe I engage with someone who I help them unlock something within them – and feel good about that growth for them.  But never stop to consider their unlocking could ALSO unlock something in me. And. Vice Versa.

Ok – let’s keep going.

12And Joseph took them out from upon his [Jacob’s] knees, and he prostrated himself to the ground.

13And Joseph took them both, Ephraim at his right, from Israel’s left, and Manasseh at his left, from Israel’s right, and he brought [them] near to him.

Ok. This is odd. So Israel is grateful. His eyes are opened. I wonder if Joseph saw this as a miracle (he likely did) – and he took the children off Israel’s knees (the Torah insinuates Jacob – but the Torah doesn’t mention specifically either Jacob or Israel’s name here) – and he prostrates himself on the ground.

This would seem to indicate this was indeed a miracle. Israel’s eyes were opened.

Now verse 13 requires some visualization.

Joseph is facing Israel.
Ephraim is on Joseph’s right, Menasseh is on Joseph’s left.

Close your eyes and picture that from Joseph’s perspective.

Now. As Israel is looking at Joseph and his kids, Ephraim is on Israel’s right, and Menasseh is on Israel’s left.

And. Joseph brings the boys back close to Israel.

My question here – why? Why does the Torah mention this? What is the significance of this? Why does the order here matter?  And why does the Torah remind us that depending on perspective (Joseph vs. Israel) – the order is DIFFERENT?

I wonder if this is confirmation of what we learned earlier in Genesis. Almost like a review. We talked about different perspectives. Jacob and Esau’s reality.  Jacob was afraid of Esau, where Esau may have been at peace with Jacob. Is this confirmation the Torah is reminding us there is a multiverse of realities?

Let’s bring this within us. Maybe today, as the light of the moon reaches it’s fullness in chaos and repair.  Here is a question for us to consider TODAY:

In reflecting on the chaos of our lives these past two weeks – what patterns emerge where we need to be open to a DIFFERENT perspective and reality from someone else – as opposed to forcing them into OUR reality?

Because here is the question about verse 13:

13And Joseph took them both, Ephraim at his right, from Israel’s left, and Manasseh at his left, from Israel’s right, and he brought [them] near to him.

As we read verse 13, was Ephraim on the left or right? Was Manasseh on the left or right?

The ONLY truth is (as Rabbi Meir likes to say the answer to most questions about the Torah) – “It depends.”

We hate the answer “it depends” don’t we?

Was Ephraim on the left or right? Was Manasseh on the left or right?  It depends. On what?

Perspective.

If I insert myself into this scene. I can make an argument for either.

And. I can do it in a way that invalidates someone’s truth.

If I fight for Manasseh – and say he is on the left? I am validating Israel, and invalidating Joseph.

If I say he is on the right, I am validating Joseph, and invalidating Israel.

And yet, the question is valid. It all depends on perspective:

• From Israel’s perspective, Manasseh was on the right
• From Joseph’s perspective Manasseh was on the left

And what about from Manasseh’s perspective?  What would HIS truth be? Now this is where I think it gets fascinating:

• If Manasseh uses his eyes – he sees Israel. He sees Israel to the right of him. Manasseh might answer “I am on the left.” Which would validate his father’s perspective, right?
• If Manasseh looks BEYOND his eyes – to his consciousness? There are many more possibilities:
  • Manasseh could see Israel to the right, but move his consciousness into Israel – and gain perspective that Manasseh is on the right.
  • Manasseh could see Israel to the right, but move his consciousness into his father Joseph and confirm that Manasseh is on the left.
  • Manasseh could see Israel to the right, but move his consciousness into the past to when he was sitting on Israel’s lap, and confirm he was on the right.
  • Manasseh COULD see Israel to the right, move his consciousness between BOTH realities, AND his past, and determine – there is no “right” answer to the question. He can choose to see it as both/and.

This;. This is the lesson of the Torah. PERSPECTIVE. So many of us fight for “right” or “wrong.” And this is about JUDGMENT.  We do this WITHIN ourselves. We do this with others. I go back to our FIRST lesson in Genesis that we took away on 25 Tishri.

The Path of Ascension begins with curiosity and not judgement

• The Path of Imprisonment begins with judgment and not curiosity

This. So today. On Christmas.  Where are we judging? Where do we need to see life as both/and?   Let’s keep going.

14But Israel stretched out his right hand and placed [it] on Ephraim’s head, although he was the younger, and his left hand [he placed] on Manasseh’s head. He guided his hands deliberately, for Manasseh was the firstborn.

15And he blessed Joseph and said, “God, before Whom my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, walked, God Who sustained me as long as I am alive, until this day,

16may the angel who redeemed me from all harm bless the youths, and may they be called by my name and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, and may they multiply abundantly like fish, in the midst of the land.”

Whoa. Israel seems to VALIDATE Joseph here, doesn’t he? He can RECOGNIZE his reality and his perspective is different.  It isn’t even ABOUT left or right. It’s about older/younger.

The left hand was for the older. The right was for the younger. Or was it? Because the Torah says “even though” which feels like the Torah is saying the right is for the older – the left for the younger.  Again – the Torah is seemingly turning these notions of right/wrong on their head, aren’t they?

What if? Right/wrong is a human concept and not of the Torah? What if – each moment – just “is?”

How would this impact our lives moving forward? This is the question!

Those are my thoughts today! What about you? What are yours?

Here are my thoughts from the previous two years:

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 9 Tevet, 5783

As we continue our journey towards slavery in the Torah, I’m really reflecting on a few pieces of this passage.

It feels like we just got finished reading about the amazing reconciliation between Joseph and his family; but now we are not dwelling on that. We are moving forward. Jacob is about to pass away, and he is leaving his blessing on the family before he goes.

As I reflect on yesterday and the amazing day at the mummers parade, I think this is an important message. It was great to experience the parade and the many amazing memories. Someone asked me the highlights. Here they are:

• The highlights were certainly getting to live almost every moment of the dream I had as a 9 year old boy watching the parade.
• I got to face time a little boy in Iraq; his family was at the parade and was showing him my costume. That was super cool.
• Getting to connect with kids who are today where I was when I was 9 was also cool.
• Got to meet a woman whose dad passed away last year who was a mummer, and got his start in the group I was with. When I told her it was my first parade – she almost cried. It was cool.
• I got to meet a 95 year old woman who this was her 85th parade. We shared stories.
• Getting to hear the music and just experience the moments we’re incredible.
• Being asked for a ton of pictures; feeling wanted and seen was also really neat.
• Getting to dance all day was awesome!

It was just perfect!

And as much as I want to stay in that moment, I need to move forward.

What is the blessing I can take with me? It’s blessing my 9 year old inner child. He feels seen. He feels wanted. He feels more healed than he did on December 31, 2022.

And my 50 year old self? The same. I feel blessed. I feel ready to move forward. To release the past more, and live in the present moment.

I can appreciate the experience from yesterday, but like many other things I’ve experienced this past year; Live Music, Steampunk, Mining for Herkimer Diamonds, Spiritual Growth, rebuilding a new friend network, connecting with my chosen family at Westtown; I can’t hold on. I need to appreciate that and at the same time keep moving forward and doing the work.

And I need to appreciate there may be a descent here back into slavery. And, appreciate that even if that is true and does happen, I will be freed from that as well.

It’s all about cycles. This month; the month of Tevet is all about chaos and repair and things hanging in the balance. I’m excited for the next steps of my life. And I’m grateful for all of you walking with me!

Enjoy your week!

And. Send positive energy because my body feels every year of my 50 years right now. Lol.

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for Tevet 9, 5782

Todays portion begins with Jacob growing old; his eyes became heavy with age, and he could not see. (Sound familiar?)

Joseph brings the two boys to Jacob and he kissed and hugged them. Israel responds “I didn’t even expect to see your face, and – look! God has shown me your children too!”

What a miracle it was that Jacob was able to reconnect with Joseph; and that he also was able to connect with Grandkids he never imagined.

Joseph then took the boys and rearranged them; so that Jacob could place hands on them to bless them. Joseph put Ephraim on his right (Israel’s left) and Manasseh on his left (Israel’s right) and brought them to Jacob. He did this so Jacob would place his right hand on the first born.

Then; in an interesting twist, Jacob crosses his arms to bless the children in the opposite order in which they were born; he puts his left hand on Manasseh even though he was on Israel’s right. He put his right hand in Ephraim even though he was on Jacob’s left.

Why?

Rabbi Elimelech of Lyzhansk writes; “Manasseh – Menasheh in Hebrew – received his name because ‘God has caused me to forget (NaSHani) all my hardships and all that was in my father’s house.’ This expressed how Joseph was pained to find himself in a place which made him forget his fathers house. Ephraim was named, because ‘God has made me fruitful (hiPH’Rani) in the land of my subjugation, expressing how Joseph had succeeded in Egypt.

Manasseh and Ephraim represent two approaches to the Exile. One approach is transcendence, to long to leave the Exile and return to your “father’s house.” The other is action, to realize that there is a mission to be carried out there and to toil to succeed.

Manasseh was the firstborn because first of all you need to feel ‘out of place’ in exile, to ensure that you do not become seduced by it. But the primary purpose of being in exile is to succeed in your spiritual mission here – which is why Jacob wished to bless Ephraim first.”

Rabbi Elimelech then expands this further;

“Rendered literally, the verse reads, ‘He switched his hands BECAUSE Manasseh was the firstborn.’ The logic seems inverted here: the verse should have said that he switched his hands DESPITE THE FACT that Manasseh was older.

But the Torah wishes to teach us a lesson in respectful behavior. Jacob could have easily moved the boys themselves into the desired positions, but this would have embarrassed Manasseh by “demoting” him to the lesser position on Jacob’s left. Therefore, Jacob employed the more subtle and sensitive approach of switching his own hands.”

There is one more kabbalistic interpretation; “Joseph’s wife Asenath was the child produced from Shechem’s unlawful union with Dinah (who was later adopted by Potiphar). Asenath was this half kedushah (holiness) from her innocent mother and half Kelippah (evil), from her father. Her kelippah passed onto her firstborn Manasseh, whereas Ephraim, her second child inhereted her kedushah. Recognizing this spiritual blemish, Jacob switched hands to give preference to Ephraim.”

That’s fascinating information for such a small passage that was always a little confusing for me!

The Torah concludes with something else; Jacob blessing Joseph; but seemingly the blessing was meant for Ephraim and Manasseh. The blessing was “may the angel whom you always sent to redeem me from all harm bless these lads! May they be called by my name and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase in the land like fish!”

What an interesting blessing – Joseph was blessed but the blessing seemed to be about his two kids. Nachmanides says this is because “The biggest blessing for a father is that his children will be successful.” So the blessing for the children was really a blessing for Joseph!

What are your thoughts? I would love to know!