Two Minute Torah Podcast

Vayeshev 5769 by Richard S. Moline

Shalom, this is Rich Moline, KOACH Director, welcoming you to another edition of KOACH's Two Minute Torah, a project of the College Department of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

Who is your favorite hero from Jewish history? Moses? Ben Gurion? Golda Meir? Emma Goldman? Sandy Koufax?

I'd tell you mine, but I don't know his name. He appears only in passing in this week's Torah portion, says only a few words, but is never identified. Yet, to me, he is one of the seminal figures in all of Jewish history.

Let's set the scene. Joseph is home with his father, Jacob, while his brothers are off tending to their flock. Picking up the text:

One time, when his brothers had gone to pasture their father's flock at Shechem, Israel (Jacob) said to Joseph: "Your brothers are pasturing at Shechem. Come, I will send you to them." He answered "Hineini" – "I am ready." And he said to him, "Go and see how the flocks are faring and bring me back word..."

When he (Joseph) reached Shechem, a man came upon him wandering in the field. The man asked him "Mah t'vakesh?" – "What are you looking for?" He (Joseph) answered "I am looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are sheparding?" The man said: "They have gone from here, for I heard them say: ‘Let us go to Dotan.'" So Joseph…found them at Dotan. (Genesis 37:12-17)

Responding to his father's request, Joseph goes to find his brothers. As he searches for them, a total stranger appears, seemingly aware that Joseph is either lost or looking for someone. He asks a simple question: Mah t'vakesh? – What are you looking for? When he finds out that Joseph is looking for his brothers, this anonymous man is able to help. He sends Joseph off to meet his brothers and the rest, as they say, is history.

When he finds them, his brothers place Joseph in a pit and sell him to a wandering band of Ishmaelites. This leads to Joseph eventually ending up in Egypt and ultimately saving the Jewish people from extinction. And it's all because this anonymous man asking, "Mah t'vakesh – What are you looking for?" – made a difference.

How many times do we pass people on the street, in the store, on the road who look confused or lost? How many times do people walk into our synagogue or our Hillel and seem overwhelmed? How many times do we do think about acting like this anonymous person in our parashah and say Mah t'vakesh? – How can I help? Sadly, I predict, not often enough.

By finding Joseph and offering assistance, this man, this ish, creates history. Were it not for him, there migh not have been a future at all for the Jewish people. It's hard to fathom that our interactions with others can produce such historical results. But each life is a world, and our sensitivity to others, our ability to ask, Mah t'vakesh – How can I help? – can create a history that can last far into the future.