Shaky Ground, Shaky Times

I feel a little wobbly. Anti-Jewish hatred, Israel in the line of fire, a country polarized by its political views and the list goes on.

I find solid footing knowing, it’s not our first rodeo. It’s happened before, hundreds, indeed thousands of times before in varying measure.

The end of this week’s Torah portion begins the prototype of the wobbliness and sets the stage for the solid footing. It’s known as Golus – Exile.

The Jewish People have arrived in Egypt, they settle in, things are good in Goshen. Jacob dies in old age, the brothers bury him in Israel.

Now Joseph lies on his death bed and he informs the Jewish People that rough times are coming. Rest assured, they will be redeemed because G-d will surely remember them.

He too passes and as we read in next week’s portion a new Pharoah arises who knew not Joseph. The slavery creeps in and before long a war of forced labor and extermination begins.

Ultimately, a leader arises and the Jewish People are redeemed by G-d through Moses.  Many lessons to be learned along the way.

***

But I digress. At the end of this week’s Portion which also ends the book of Bereishis we read of Joseph’s passing and his being embalmed (not consistent with Jewish Law) and sunk in a coffin to the bottom of the Nile.

Are these the words of encouragement that a nation are to take as encouragement into the slavery that was setting in?

***

In just 30 days we will commemorate 70 years of leadership of a Joseph in our generation. I speak of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Not Joseph of old but the Joseph in our time.  

The Rebbe lived through an earlier Egypt during World War II and as Moses did then, the Rebbe did for our times and lifted a generation from the ashes.

In the 80’s and early 90’s the Rebbe like Joseph told of challenging times and of the ultimate redemption. Although the Rebbe yearned for Israel as Joseph did, the Rebbe along with the previous Rebbe were buried in Montefiore Cemetery in Queens NY. 

In doing so (as the Rebbe taught this lesson about Joseph and about his predecessor) the Rebbe reminded us that we are not alone. We have his promise and his vision that the wobbliness will come to an end.  That we can find solid footing on his promise alone and the fact that he hasn’t abandoned us by final eternal rest in Israel. Rather he like Joseph remains in Exile until the time will come to raise the coffin from the Nile and journey together with Moshiach to Israel with world peace.

So if you are feeling wobbly, find your solid footing in the last verse of Bereishis. If you are feeling uncertain, find strength and certainty in our history and in the promises of Joseph of old and Joseph in our times.

More details of activities surrounding this 70th Milestone are forthcoming.

Good Shabbos!