Two Minute Torah Podcast

Vayeshev 5773 by Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal

One of the greatest challenges I have as a rabbi is remembering the names of everyone I encounter in my community. I have to say, it would be a lot easier if people wore the same clothes every time I meet them. While it would be great if I could remember people's facial features, the quality of their voice, something distinctive about their appearance, or even a special personality trait or interest, that would instantly help me with name recall, I am often distracted by people's clothing - and that usually does me no good once they've changed into something else.

Clothing is also a major distraction for the characters in this week's Torah portion, Vayeshev. As my daughter, Renana, discovered as she prepared for her bat mitzvah this week, clothing plays a key role in each of the portion's three major stories.

In the opening story, the beautiful coat bestowed by Jacob on his favorite son, Joseph, evokes jealousy. It comes back later as the instrument of his brothers' deception of their father, covered in blood, making Jacob believe that Joseph has been killed by a wild beast.

Next Judah's daughter-in-law, Tamar, disguises herself as a prostitute, wearing a veil and seducing him, so that he will provide her with a promised son. He leaves his staff and ring as a promise of payment, which Tamar uses to prove his paternity, and therefore his responsibility for her and her offspring.

Finally, Joseph, now a servant to Potiphar in Egypt, resists seduction by his master's wife. But as he flees from her, she rips his shirt, which she uses to convince her husband that Joseph was the attacker. This leads to Joseph's imprisonment.

In each story, clothing is the instrument of deception. Jacob, Judah, and Potiphar are all persuaded by what turns out to be circumstantial evidence, causing much anguish in each case. As readers, we are surprised by how quickly the characters jump to conclusions.

Of course, our tradition teaches in Pirkei Avot, "Al tistakel bakankan, eleh b'mah sheyesh bo-don't judge the vessel, but rather what's inside it." But this applies not only to how we judge people, but situations as well.

The stories in the Torah, and many other texts in our tradition, train us well in that regard. They are multi-layered, complicated moral tales that often show characters and situations that are shades of gray rather than black and white morality tales. In this, I think our tradition does us a great service in preparing for life, since in life the morality of people or situations is also rarely so clear.

As we move through life, we should challenge ourselves to slow down and look for the full story. We need to train ourselves to look not only at what we see clearly, but what isn't so apparent.

I wish you a good week, and Shabbat Shalom.