This week’s Torah portion is called “Vayeshev,” “and he settled.” (referring to Jacob settling in the land.) *

We meet Joseph who is favored by his father, Jacob, and thus resented by his ten older  brothers. It doesn’t help matters when Jacob gives Joseph a special coat of many colors or when Joseph has prophetic dreams showing his father and brothers bowing down to him. 

When the brothers are tending the flocks and see Joseph approaching, they throw him into a pit with the intention to kill “the dreamer.” 

One brother, Judah, convinces the others to instead sell him to a caravan going down to Egypt. In Egypt Joseph runs the household of a high ranking officer in Pharaoh's court but then ends up in prison when he is falsely accused of seducing his master's wife. There he uses his prophetic abilities to interpret the dreams of Pharaoh's baker and butler who are also imprisoned and foretells the butler gaining his freedom and the baker his death. Both happen.   

There are many teachings from this Torah portion having to do with parental favoritism and sibling rivalry. But the deeper meaning is about the journeys of our souls. 

The experience in the pit refers to our struggles in the abyss when we feel forsaken by G-D. As we evolve we learn this is just a false perception as we are never forsaken. 

The coat of many colors refers to the various emanations of the Divine Light that we all have within us called sefirot in Hebrew. These spheres of Light carry within them the Divine Attributes which we then bring into the world through our thoughts, words and actions.

They include Divine wisdom, understanding and knowledge, kindness, strength, beauty, eternity, glory, foundation and  sovereignty. 

By tapping into or aligning with the energy of Vayeshev, we can receive help to integrate and utilize the Divine Attributes in our daily lives. 

Rabbi David

* Every week a section of the Torah is read throughout the week. There are always many levels of understanding with each week's portion. The Torah portions also have energies that can be utilized to help us navigate though our daily lives not only during the week the specific portion is read but any time it is needed.

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