Dear TBZ Community:
This Shabbat we read the final Torah portion of Genesis, parashat Vayechi, a moment of transition in the story of the people of Israel. We move from the narratives of our patriarchs and matriarchs and the story of Joseph, to a new chapter that will lead us into the slavery, suffering, and eventual redemption story of Exodus. But just before we enter this dark chapter, Torah offers us a profound message of resilience and forgiveness— one that feels especially timely as we look around at a world heavy with pain and loss: from the fires ravaging California, to the ongoing war in Israel and Gaza, the return of two more hostages who should have returned alive, the continued devastation and humanitarian disaster in Gaza, and the senseless New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans, among so many other tragedies. At times, the suffering around us feels unbearable, and we may even feel numb to it. In this moment, Vayechi might offer us a powerful reminder: we can choose healing and resilience even in the face of overwhelming grief.
In the story, we encounter a profound moment as Jacob (now known by the name Israel) dies. His passing creates a renewed sense of fear for Joseph’s brothers. Having wronged Joseph years earlier, they now wonder: with their father gone, will Joseph finally seek vengeance for the betrayal they once committed? As the Torah tells us in Genesis 50:15:
וַיִּרְאוּ אֲחֵי-יוֹסֵף, כִּי-מֵת אֲבִיהֶם, וַיֹּאמְרוּ, לוּ יִשְׂטְמֵנוּ יוֹסֵף; וְהָשֵׁב יָשִׁיב, לָנוּ, אֵת כָּל-הָרָעָה, אֲשֶׁר גָּמַלְנוּ אֹתוֹ?
When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrong that we did him?”
This fear and guilt that the brothers carry is deeply rooted in their past actions. Their betrayal of Joseph, the violence they inflicted upon him, and the years of deception and trauma have left them paralyzed.
In the Midrash we learn:
As they were returning from the burial of their father, they saw their brother go to the pit into which they had hurled him, in order to bless it. He blessed the pit with the benediction “Blessed be the place where God performed a miracle for me,”
When the brothers beheld this they cried out: Now that our father is dead, Joseph will hate us and will fully requite us for all the evil which we did unto him. (Tanchuma Vayechi 17:5)
The brothers’ fear is not without cause. Confronted with the pit—the very site of their past cruelty—they anticipate that their history will inevitably bring them to a place of reckoning. But instead of seeking vengeance, Joseph chooses blessing, healing. He chooses forgiveness.
We can understand Joseph’s act of forgiveness not just as letting go of the past; it is about choosing to move forward. By transforming the trauma of the pit into a place of blessing, Joseph shows us that healing is possible, even in the most painful of circumstances.
In response to his brothers’ fear, Joseph says:
וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יוֹסֵף אַל־תִּירָאוּ כִּי הֲתַחַת אֱלֹהִים אָנִי
וְאַתֶּם חֲשַׁבְתֶּם עָלַי רָעָה אֱלֹהִים חֲשָׁבָהּ לְטֹבָה לְמַעַן עֲשֹׂה כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה לְהַחֲיֹת עַם־רָב
But Joseph said to them, “Have no fear! Am I a substitute for God? Although you intended me harm, God intended it for good, so as to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.”
Joseph’s story is not about erasing the past but about reframing it—turning what was once a site of trauma into a place of possibility. In this way, he models a profound kind of forgiveness: not for the sake of the wrongdoers alone, but for the sake of his own healing and the collective good.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a lifelong advocate for reconciliation, writes in The Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World:
“Forgiveness is not just about saying, ‘I forgive you.’ It’s about changing the way we see the other. It’s about letting go of the power the wrongdoer has over us and allowing ourselves to be freed from that power. It’s about creating space for healing to occur, for a new way of being to emerge.”
Joseph’s act of forgiveness exemplifies this radical transformation. Through his choice to heal, he reclaims his own power and chooses a new story—a story of redemption. Tutu’s words remind us that healing is not just about forgiving others; it is about freeing ourselves from the grip of past wrongs and choosing a future rooted in hope, compassion, and possibility.
In a time of continued darkness and fear for our future, it is easy to feel overwhelmed, to be drawn into cycles of anger, pain, and despair. But Joseph’s moment of choice offers us a reminder: we can choose not to fall back into the pit. Even in our darkest moments, we have the power to choose healing, to forgive, and to create something new.
There is another straightforward teaching here: revenge does not win, revenge is not a sign of strength. Healing, forgiveness, and resilience are the true sources of strength. In our world, there are many forces that seek to divide us, to pull us into cycles of anger and retribution, to create narratives of hate and revenge. But like Joseph, we have the power to choose a different path. We are called to move from trauma to hope, from division to community, from anger to forgiveness.
As we continue to hold in our hearts those suffering in Southern California, I’ve been in touch with colleagues and friends, including Rabbi Sharon at Ikar and Cantor Ruth Berman Harris from the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center, where the synagogue has tragically burned down. You can visit their websites for ways to support the communities affected in L.A.
May this Shabbat bring us peace, strength, and clarity. May we find the courage to forgive, to heal, and to move forward, knowing that we do not walk this journey alone.
May God bring blessing and comfort to all of us and our loved ones. May we find strength, courage, and patience, and open our hearts with generosity. May all those who are ill find healing.
May the hostages soon be returned to their families and friends; may peace prevail, and may the leaders of the world know to prioritize life. May those working for peace be granted strength and courage to continue their sacred work, and may we soon see peace and dignity for all.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rav Claudia