By Anne Greenbaum, WLCJ International Vice President and WLCJ Israel Chair
This past year I had the pleasure of studying the Book of Genesis with my grandson Manny. His bar mitzvah was December 28th. Shabbat morning we read Miketz. At Minchah, Manny read from this week’s parashah, Vayigash.
Manny is dyslexic so reading English is challenging and reading Hebrew is pretty hard. But numbers, equations, theories come easy. Manny plans to study physics like his grandfather (a physicist) and his father (our son). I told Manny that when the Torah was written (~3000 years ago) very few people could read or write. Being dyslexic was unheard of in Biblical time and throughout most history. As far as I can imagine, Manny would not have stood out back then as having any special difficulty.
Manny and I reviewed the entire 12 chapters of Bereshit (abbreviated format) with some added commentary from Rashi and Safta Anne. Vayigash is the 11th chapter. We noticed that dreams popped up a lot. “Manny,” I asked, “have you ever had a powerful dream?” He sat up straight, his eyes widened, he answered emphatically “YES!” “Would you mind telling me about it?” He answered, “I couldn’t read!” Manny knows about frustrations.
But he did in fact learn and he reads pretty well. We studied about Jacob’s family, especially the rivalry between 11 brothers. Manny learned they nearly murdered Joseph but instead threw him in a deep pit. Miraculously Joseph was sold as a slave. More miraculously, Joseph eventually reappeared in Egypt and became 2nd in command of the empire.
I asked Manny what part of Bereshit did he think he’d remember best. He said how Jacob during the famine sent his sons to Egypt to bring back food so the family wouldn’t starve and how the brothers came before the 2nd in command pleading for help. Manny was upset by how deviously Joseph negotiated with his unsuspecting brothers, so he and I tried to understand the motivation and connect with that. How are we the same? How are we different?
I asked myself: What part of Vayigash am I likely never to forget? I focused on when Jacob reluctantly but finally agrees to move his family to Egypt. A lot of packing and preparation began. Even today we dread moving. For sure back then people traveled on camels and asses. Joseph did have a snazzy chariot. Today we drive pretty nice cars. Still a lot of things have not changed. Parents and children still often disagree. Siblings still often have rivalries. Both back then and now people move a lot … maybe to escape famine, maybe to escape antisemitism, maybe just to find better climate or employment. Or maybe like Manny’s four grandparents, people move to live closer to their grandchildren.
I connected with Jacob. Even though Jacob was quite old he was brave and determined to make this arduous move to see his beloved son. However, surprisingly he did not go directly to Goshen. Jacob actually took a side-trip to Be’er Sheva. Why?
Jacob finds it necessary to visit the site where his own father, our patriarch Isaac, last made a sacrifice to God. Before going to Egypt, Jacob feels compelled to reconnect with his own God and God of his fathers. Eloheynu v’Elohei Avoteinu.
His family may be moving but Jacob is making certain they carry their faith and values with them. Jacob would do his best to see that his own grandchildren, wherever they move, would always be known as B’nai Yisrael.
I also sometimes find it helpful to take virtual side-trips and visit my long-buried ancestors. I’m reminded of their struggles, some foolishness, wisdom. So now I’m making an effort to share a bit of wisdom and some silliness with my own descendants. And some love.
Two years ago I tutored Manny’s sister Liliana Sarah for her bat mitzvah. When I grew up girls didn’t become a bat mitzvah. I watched older brothers endure their ordeal. Frankly, I was relieved I didn’t have to. But I did learn to chant haftarah when I was expecting our third child. I chanted it for her naming ceremony. Occasionally I chant Torah and haftarah now. My mother once told me a story. She was born in Massachusetts in 1918. When she was about 12, Massachusetts rescinded the law that female teachers must be single. The new law finally allowed women teachers to be married. Well, Mom’s very own teacher was old and unmarried. She expressed to the class her very great anger at this change of law. Expectations change.
I attended Yeshiva University High School for Girls in Manhattan. Most students were daughters of Holocaust survivors. Most of our Hebrew teachers were Holocaust survivors. Our secular studies were taught mostly by retired public school teachers, several with Ph.D.s. They set high expectations for us, except in Gemara/Talmud which we weren’t permitted to study. When I graduated high school in 1966 I studied Talmud at the Jewish Theological Seminary. I wasn’t aware that among the five other students in my class (taught by Rabbi Robert Gordis) were women who would be the first to be ordained by the Conservative Movement. We all have witnessed great changes. Our children and grandchildren will too. Prepare as best you can.
עוד אבינו חי. עם ישראל חי.
Ohd Avinu Chai. Am Yisrael Chai.
Our Ancestors continue to live. All people of Israel live.
Anne Greenbaum
WLCJ International Vice President and WLCJ Israel Chair
agreenbaum@wlcj.org
