Beth HaDerech; Messianic Jewish Congregation, Toronto, Canada

Be like Yosef, a great Torah teacher!

Weekly Sidra: Mikeitz (at the end) Torah Portion: Bereshit / Genesis 41:1-44:17 Haftorah: Zecharya / Zechariah 2:14-4:7 Yosef and Asenath had two sons, the first of whom Joseph called Manasseh, for God had made him forget all his toil and all his father's house, and the second of whom he called Ephraim, for God had made him fruitful in the land of his affliction. (Genesis 41:50–52.) No matter how great the person, no matter how important his task, it is the family that must come first. Yes, Yosef was, literally, saving the world; but his greatness lay in the fact that despite his busy schedule, he found time to properly raise his children. The most impressive achievement of Yosef was not that his economic policies averted a looming catastrophe via Ruach HaKodesh (Spirit of Holiness). It was that he was the father of Ephraim and Menashe, the first Israeli children born and successfully raised in a foreign environment, the first Israelis to have actual contact with their grandfather and the only grandchildren of Yaakov who merited inclusion as members of the twelve tribes. It is no wonder that Jewish parents have, for thousands of years, been blessing their children, praying that they be like Ephraim and Menashe. To our world of fast food, microwaves, fast computers and the pursuit of relaxation and pleasure, this phrase of the Shema (Deut 6.5 Hear O...