Parashat Vayeshev 5784

by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields

Parashat Vayeshev is one of the more well known Torah Readings, since it was a Broadway musical, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Joseph is the favorite son, and the brother that no one likes. He has many dreams that can be interpreted as his brothers bowing down to him, and worshiping him. Joseph seems like the younger sibling who has no filter, and does not realize that maybe his brothers do not like him very much, and that perhaps he should keep his dreams to himself. Jacob, as father, should realize that by showing Joseph such favoritism, his brothers are resentful of him, and they bully him. The brothers bring their bullying to the horrible level of causing Joseph physical harm, by conspiring to kill him, tearing up his beloved coat of many colors, and throwing Joseph into a pit, selling him into slavery, and then lying to their father that he was killed. This is terrible behavior, and bullying at its worst. This story is an important lesson to all of us. We cannot be innocent bystanders to bullying. It is all of our responsibility, arevut, to stand up to the bully, and speak out against the bully. Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Ba’Zeh – All the people of Israel are responsible for one another.