AWAY FROM HOME

There is a Talmudic dictum about the unpredictability of life, in general, and the fate of man, in particular.  The sages remarked that one’s position can change suddenly, m’igra rama l’beira amikta, from a high roof to a deep pit. In the case of Joseph, this was true on many levels. On the fateful day his father Jacob sent him to enquire about the welfare of his brothers and the flocks, Joseph was accosted by his siblings, stripped of his beautiful coat and cast into a pit in the field. Then matters deteriorated even further. Joseph was hoisted from the pit and sold as a slave to a passing caravan on its way to Egypt. When he arrived in Egypt, he was sold to Potiphar who was either the chief butcher/caterer or executioner of Pharaoh. Just a few days before, he had been the ‘apple of his father’s eye’, the favourite son who enjoyed a position of status in the home.  Now, at the tender age of seventeen, he was a nobody: a Hebrew slave in a foreign land with no standing in society and no one to plead his case. He had indeed fallen from a “high roof to a deep pit.” But Joseph was an enterprising young man who possessed that difficult-to-translate attribute of chein. In a short time he became the chief servant of the home. His master trusted him with everything, including the bookkeeping (according to one Aramaic translation). He seemed to bring blessing and good fortune in his wake and soon he began to enjoy his new surrounds. He dressed well and groomed himself as if he was of the noble classes.  But miles away, his heartbroken father mourned him, believing that he had been consumed by a wild beast.  This contrast – the grieving father and the happy-go-lucky son was too stark for the Almighty. Had Joseph forgotten his family? Was he content to “live it up” in Egypt while Jacob remained inconsolable in the Land of Canaan? Would Joseph stick to the values he had learned at home when he was challenged or would he succumb to the pressures of Egyptian society?

The test that would answer these questions came in the form of Potiphar’s wife who had fallen madly in lust with the handsome Joseph. She made her feelings known to the young slave and was bold enough to ask him to lie with her. She appeared in a dazzling array of attractive outfits, each more seductive than the other, in order to tempt Joseph to be with her. But he refused, saying, “Behold my master does not concern himself with anything in the home and he has handed control of everything to me. There is no servant greater than me in this house and he has not deprived me of anything except you, for you are his wife. So how can I do this very evil thing and sin to God?” (Bereishit 39:8-9). He endured her indecent proposals for a full year. Then the test was notched up a few degrees. On a certain day, everyone left the house to attend a religious ceremony and Joseph was left alone with Potiphar’s wife who had feigned illness. She grabbed his garments and demanded he lie with her. Suddenly Joseph was at the edge of a precipice. If he surrendered to her he would keep his job and perhaps even climb higher. No one would know of his indiscretion. He was far from home and far from the morals he had acquired in the home of his father Jacob and grandfather Isaac. But if he turned and ran, his mistress would accuse him of rape and he would be thrown into a dungeon or worse. He had everything to lose and nothing to gain if he refused her. In that moment, Joseph saw his father’s face before him. He saw that his choice would determine whether he would be counted amongst the tribes of Israel or omitted from the family tree altogether. And he realised that no matter the consequences, there was no way he could commit adultery and live with himself. He chose to flee and everything he feared came true. He was arrested and thrown into the dungeon. He was now even lower than a slave but spiritually he had earned himself the title of Yoseph HaTzaddik, Joseph the Righteous. In the upper realms where truth reigns supreme, he had climbed out of a deep pit and ascended a high roof.

Joseph’s test is a recurring theme in the life of every Jew, albeit on a lower scale. It is easy to be a good, moral Jew at home. It is easy to observe mitzvoth in a familiar setting where such behaviour is the norm. It is easy to remain committed to one’s values when they are not challenged. But what happens when the Jew, especially the impressionable young adult, leaves the comfort of his home and community and ventures out into the “real world”? Will he or she succumb to the temptations of the fleeting physical world? Will the young Hebrew conform to the local culture and assimilate to its way of life or will he choose to remain true to his beliefs and values? In some generations, this was a purely theoretical discussion. Jews, in certain times and places, were not welcome to become part of Gentile society even if they did attempt to leave the fold.  They had no choice but to remain in their ghettoes or shtetls. But with the coming of Emancipation in Western Europe and Enlightenment in Eastern Europe, the Jew was suddenly faced with several choices and they appeared most attractive. Many succumbed and were lost for all time to the Jewish people. But many followed in the footsteps of Joseph and, although they suffered physically, their souls were saved.

In our global world, the challenge has become even greater. There are very few obstacles or barriers to the Jew’s full inclusion into society. He has equal rights in his host country. He works side-by-side with his non-Jewish fellow citizens and he participates fully in the political, recreational and financial arenas of the western world. There are many different forms of temptation, be they sexual, monetary or otherwise.  When faced with a dilemma, will the modern Jew give in or will he conjure, before his eyes, a picture of “Jacob”, the patriarch who represents truth and integrity in the face of adversity? It behooves us to instil in our children and students the correct values and the power to withstand these challenges before they present themselves. They too can become as righteous as Joseph.

When I lived in Jerusalem for a number of months in 2014, I often found myself asking this question: how would the religious people of this city (or other such communities in Israel) fare in the Diaspora? It is VERY easy to be an observant Jew in Israel, in general, and Jerusalem, in particular. There are supermarkets where every product is kosher; there are myriad food outlets and restaurants; there are minyanim around the clock; there are seforim (religious book) stores on every corner; there are yeshivas and seminaries and shiurim in abundant supply and there are many potential Jewish spouses to choose. You cannot avoid the Jewishness of the place. Take Chanukah as an example: there is no need to travel to a specialised store to purchase olive oil, wicks or a menorah. Every neighbourhood supermarket or mini-market stocks them and there are options to suit every taste and pocket. Living there is like being Joseph at home with Jacob. It’s warm and comforting. But living in the Diaspora is like being Joseph in Potiphar’s mansion. Judaism is not served to you on a plate. You have to fight for it and appreciate it and treasure it. So, although it is true that living in Israel has myriad challenges (which I do not underestimate), it is certainly easier from a Jewish point of view. And, although living in South Africa has many benefits (least of all domestic help and a two-day weekend!), it is more challenging to be observant here because the air you breathe is not Jewish. Our Sages tell us not to place ourselves in challenging situations but if we are, we must make the correct choice and emulate Joseph. Our future as Jews depend upon it.

Lee, Chani Merryl & Naomi join me in wishing you Shabbat Shalom.  Rabbi Liebenberg

Rabbi’s YouTube message for Shabbat (from 2021):  https://youtu.be/VethixsnrSY