Sometimes
it's hard to know what the right words are to say. In a person’s life it can be especially
difficult at powerful and important moments; we can find ourselves, sometimes,
searching for those words that sum up exactly how we are feeling and that
express everything we want to say to another person. And sometimes it's about sharing more than
words in our interactions with other people.
This
week in our Torah we read the continuation of the reunion of Joseph and his
brothers. And we see now that we've
reached the peak moment as Judah pleads with Joseph to allow the brothers to
return to Jacob and especially take Benjamin with him. But then Joseph can no longer control himself,
and he cries out having everyone leave the room and then he tells his brothers
that he is really Joseph.
He
reveals himself to them, speaks to them, invites them forward, and even says to
them: ‘I am your brother Joseph, he whom you sold into Egypt. Now do not be
distressed or reproach Yourselves because you sold me hither; it was to save
life that God sent me ahead of you’ (Gen. 45:4-5). Joseph continues ‘God has sent me ahead of
you to ensure Your survival on earth, and to save your lives in an
extraordinary deliverance. So, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He
has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his household, and ruler over the
whole land of Egypt’ (Gen 45:7-8).
Joseph's
words make it very clear that he bears no grudge against his brothers, and that
he has forgiven them completely. And in
fact, Joseph now sees it is all as part of God's plan and God's will. But the brothers are still unable to respond;
they still don't know what to say; and it is only when we read: ‘With that he
embraced his brother Benjamin around the neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on
his neck. He kissed all his brothers and
wept upon them; only then were his brothers able to talk to him’ (Gen 45:14-15).
In this
situation Joseph's words were simply not sufficient. It was only with the embrace, the kiss, and
the weeping that the brothers finally knew that they had been forgiven. Only then could they open up and speak back
to their brother Joseph. Words were
important and laid the foundations, but it took more than words for Joseph’s brothers
to truly open up and to believe him. We
always need to be conscious of how we use our words, but we need to be equally
conscious about our actions and the message that they express and give to
others.
0 comments:
Post a Comment