Parashat Vayigash Plaut p. 290
Source Sheet by Yair Robinson
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(1) So Israel set out with all that was his, and he came to Beer-sheba, where he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac’s [house]. (2) God called to Israel in a vision by night: “Jacob! Jacob!” He answered, “Here.” (3) “I am God, the God of your father’s [house]. Fear not to go down to Egypt, for I will make you there into a great nation. (4) I Myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I Myself will also bring you back; and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.” |
(א) וַיִּסַּ֤ע יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְכׇל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֖א בְּאֵ֣רָה שָּׁ֑בַע וַיִּזְבַּ֣ח זְבָחִ֔ים לֵאלֹהֵ֖י אָבִ֥יו יִצְחָֽק׃ (ב) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּמַרְאֹ֣ת הַלַּ֔יְלָה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֣ב ׀ יַעֲקֹ֑ב וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃ (ג) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָנֹכִ֥י הָאֵ֖ל אֱלֹהֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ אַל־תִּירָא֙ מֵרְדָ֣ה מִצְרַ֔יְמָה כִּֽי־לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל אֲשִֽׂימְךָ֥ שָֽׁם׃ (ד) אָנֹכִ֗י אֵרֵ֤ד עִמְּךָ֙ מִצְרַ֔יְמָה וְאָנֹכִ֖י אַֽעַלְךָ֣ גַם־עָלֹ֑ה וְיוֹסֵ֕ף יָשִׁ֥ית יָד֖וֹ עַל־עֵינֶֽיךָ׃ |
Jacob needing Bitachon–reassurance, that this decision in this moment of crisis is not permanent, and that his decendants will be okay.
What reassurances do we need?
Once there was a tailor, supposedly the best around, who was summoned by the wife of a wealthy officer to make a dress for a ball. He arrived with his fabrics, his scissors, his needle and thread, and made her such a dress that would be the envy of anyone around. The officer’s wife smiled as she saw it and tried it on…but it was a little too tight here…and a little too loose there…and the sparkle seemed to go out of the dress as well as the wife’s smile. As she complained of the fit and the finish the officer got impatient, berated the tailor, and threw him out of the house in disgrace. What was he to do? This had never happened before. He wandered in the cold, wondering about his reputation, how unhappy the officer and his wife had been, and was at a loss as to how he could make things better. While it was starting to get dark, he saw that there was still light from the house of study, so he entered, and upon finding the rabbi, poured his heart out, explaining to the rabbi what had happened and begging for assistance or advice, or maybe even the rabbi was willing to intervene? Instead, the rabbi turned to the tailor and told him: Go back and offer to remake the dress from scratch. Then tear it apart, and put it back together exactly as you had done it the first time. Puzzled but at a loss, the tailor agreed and went back, did exactly as the rabbi instructed, resewing the dress just as he had done before. This time, somehow, it fit perfectly, the sparkle was back in the dress and the eyes of the officer’s wife, and both she and the officer were thrilled.
Sometimes our efforts seem lacking, as if they’re not enough for ourselves or others; in fact, it sometimes seems as if the work we do to make this world better is woefully inadequate. But that feeling of inadequacy doesn’t mean it’s true. Whenever we strive, with our whole selves, to make the world better, it is enough. May we, therefore, never be discouraged by the enormity of the needs around us, and do what we can. Amen.