Vayigash – A thought for the week by Mike Lewis

Who do you think you are?

Are we the Children of the Covenant with Abraham?

Are we the Children of Israel (Jacob)?

Or perhaps we are just Jews; descendants of Judah and by that token his children.

Judah is not always recognised as a key part of our Sedra, Vayigash, this week. He has matured. We see him change from the brother who sold Joseph to a father who understands his daughter in law and now makes a passionate plea to this unknown Vizier of Egypt. He is sent ahead by Jacob to Goshen and it is suggested that he was to set up schools, houses of study. He is preparing for the future.

We cannot know our children’s lives. Khalil Gibran, the Lebanese poet, wrote

Their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

But we can pave the way for them.