Vayeshev 1984
In the Torah portion Vayeshev we have one theme which seems to underlie
all the events that are described in the Torah portion Vayeshev:
the theme being insensitivity. Many times we find recorded how
the people portrayed in this Torah portion meant well, but they are
insensitive to the consequences of their actions. They did not
think them through carefully and they did not see what results would
flow from their actions or whether or not they could carry them
out. They acted but then became passive participants in the
scene. This point is illustrated very clearly in the two dreams
that Joseph interpreted after he was cast into prison. The "Tzar
Hamashkeem," the butler, and the "Tzar Hamofkeen," the baker, were
thrown into prison. The people who had these titles probably had
nothing to do with being a butler or baker, no more than the Lord
Chamberlain of England goes around making the King's bed. While
both were in prison they each had a dream which troubled them very
much. The butler dreamed that he saw a vine of three branches,
that it was budding and its blossoms shot forth and its clusters
brought forth ripe grapes. He then took the grapes and squeezed
them into the cup of Pharaoh and gave the cup to Pharaoh. Joseph
interpreted his dream to mean that in three days the king would restore
him to his position. The baker also had a dream. In the
dream there were three baskets filled with white bread on his
head. In the upper basket there were all sorts of dainty dishes
baked for Pharaoh. Joseph interpreted the dream to mean that in
three days the baker was going to be taken out and hung. Why
should Joseph have interpreted these two dreams so differently?
They seem very similar. Each talked about their respective
professions of the protagonists. They each had the skills of his
trade mentioned. The difference was in the case of the butler, he
was active, he was doing things, he was shown squeezing the grapes,
choosing between the blossoms and clusters and buds. In the case
of the baker, he was completely passive. He baked his bread and
then left it on the baskets on top of his head. He was so passive
that even the birds were not afraid of him and ate the goodies from the
top basket. The baker was pegged for death because he could not
respond. He was insensitive to what was going on around
him. This is the theme throughout the whole Sedra. Jacob
wanted to reward his son, Joseph, for learning with him, for studying
so diligently so he gave him a
coat, a special coat. He failed to realize the consequences of
his actions, to be sensitive to his other sons1 feelings. He
meant well. Joseph, too, was so insensitive to his
brothers. After all, isn't a person supposed to be proud of his
achievements? Shouldn't he take pride in his accomplishments and
ambition? After all, didn't his accomplishments bring such great
pleasure to his father? Joseph failed to be sensitive to his brothers.
In fact, until Joseph started to listen to the dreams of others he
could not fulfill his own dreams. Judah, too, was not sensitive,
was not aware of the consequences of his actions. He thought that
by selling Joseph into slavery he would win his father's love.
Instead, the exact opposite happened. Jacob went into mourning
and had less love to share than when Joseph was with them. Judah
thought he would be able to develop himself more without Joseph there,
but he just degenerated and Reuven, too, who always had good
intentions, wanted to save Joseph by strategem, by having him placed in
a pit. Why didn't he stay around? Why did he have to leave so
that when he returned Joseph was not there? Joseph, himself, later on
was partially responsible for the advances of Potifar's wife. After
all, why did he have to fix himself up and go near her when nobody was
home? Many times people mean well but they get themselves into
terrible fixes because they are so insensitive to the consequences of
our acts and the feelings of others. I remember once when I was a
teenager and belonged to a certain group. We all were interested
in a sports figure who was coming to visit Tacoma, a city about 30
miles from Seattle. I decided to rent a bus and go see him.
I put down a deposit and then proposed my plan to the group. I
was immediately pounced upon and really raked over the coals. I
was so hurt that I would not go near that group for weeks and, besides,
I lost my deposit. It was not until years later that I found I
was pounced on because several members of the group could not afford to
pay their share and no provisions were made for them. My idea was
wonderful, but I had been insensitive to the people there. It is
very important to be sensitive to the feelings of others and not just
be so enamored of your idea, even though it is right, that you fail to
see how other people will react to it. Sometimes very successful
people are not successful because of their ideas but because they can
anticipate
how people will react to ideas and, therefore, sell their ideas much
easier. I am reminded of the story they tell about a fellow who
had a very discerning wife. It once happened that the fellow was
at a party when one of the other people there asked him what he did. He
said he was a painter. The other guy said, "Oh, that's
wonderful. I have a house which needs its walls painted. I
will give you $900 to paint my house." The fellow said, “You don't
understand. I am a painter like Michelangelo.“ The guy looked at
him strangely and said, "What does that mean?” at which point the
painter's wife interjected, "Did you say $900?" The guy said,
"Yes." "Well," she said, "my husband said he is like Michelangelo
because for that money he will paint the ceilings, too." It
always pays to be sensitive to the feelings of others.