Vayigash
When we rearrange silent , we get listen
1. Our nation faced a horrific tragedy last Friday. As a parent, I felt very emotional about it. Being sad and expressing grief are important and healthy emotions. The Torah can be used as a healing document to help people cope and deal with intense situations.
2. What does it mean that the Torah can be a healing document?
After a serious tragedy and traumatic event, it is spiritually and mentally healthy to seek council. Sometimes these counselors can be the same person sometimes they are not. Everyone needs someone that they can openly and freely express and explore their emotions with, without being guarded or defensive.
3. The Torah discuses a healing process when experiencing grief and sorrow. It proscribes time periods of morning after the death of a close family member and other behaviors to aid with grief. It also models healthy behaviors for dealing with intense emotional experiences.
In this week’s parshah several poignant emotional moments transpire. Joseph reveals himself to his brothers as the viceroy of Egypt. His brothers and his father thought he was dead and were overwhelmed with numerous emotions including guilt, anger, grief and confusion.
Joseph comforts his brothers by telling them not to blame each other and that he does not blame them. Yosef creates a safe open space for the brothers to explore there feelings. He hugs and openly weeps with them. After he hugs and cries with each of his brothers individually, only then does he discuss it further.
4. The tachlus of humanity is Humanity. Being a friend and a listener is to be humane. We need to each act as active listeners for each other and allow family, friends and communities to express their feelings in a kind and caring environment. Many times what people need is not a brilliant mind that speaks but a special heart that listens.
1. Our nation faced a horrific tragedy last Friday. As a parent, I felt very emotional about it. Being sad and expressing grief are important and healthy emotions. The Torah can be used as a healing document to help people cope and deal with intense situations.
2. What does it mean that the Torah can be a healing document?
After a serious tragedy and traumatic event, it is spiritually and mentally healthy to seek council. Sometimes these counselors can be the same person sometimes they are not. Everyone needs someone that they can openly and freely express and explore their emotions with, without being guarded or defensive.
3. The Torah discuses a healing process when experiencing grief and sorrow. It proscribes time periods of morning after the death of a close family member and other behaviors to aid with grief. It also models healthy behaviors for dealing with intense emotional experiences.
In this week’s parshah several poignant emotional moments transpire. Joseph reveals himself to his brothers as the viceroy of Egypt. His brothers and his father thought he was dead and were overwhelmed with numerous emotions including guilt, anger, grief and confusion.
Joseph comforts his brothers by telling them not to blame each other and that he does not blame them. Yosef creates a safe open space for the brothers to explore there feelings. He hugs and openly weeps with them. After he hugs and cries with each of his brothers individually, only then does he discuss it further.
4. The tachlus of humanity is Humanity. Being a friend and a listener is to be humane. We need to each act as active listeners for each other and allow family, friends and communities to express their feelings in a kind and caring environment. Many times what people need is not a brilliant mind that speaks but a special heart that listens.
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