Sometimes the truth is sitting right in front of us. Sometimes the solution to our problem is in the palm of our hands, but we just can’t see it. Luckily, we don’t move through this world alone. We have friends, family, and teachers who can help us gain perspective on our lives. We just need to learn to listen. In this week’s Torah portion, Miketz, Joseph’s brothers are blinded by denial. They have come down to Egypt in search of food due to the famine in Canaan, their own land. None of the eleven brothers recognizes that the Egyptian official standing in front of them is their brother, Joseph, who they sold into slavery years ago. Remember, they told their father he had died. They probably even convinced themselves that he had died. Joseph tries to give them a hint that he knows them by seating them in order of their age, from oldest to youngest, an order only a family member would know. But they are unable to notice this. It is not until Joseph, giving up on all subtleties, says to them,: “I am your brother, Joseph,” that they realize who he is. It took the shock of finding their long lost brother to open their eyes to reality. Do we miss important clues in our own lives? Do we hold back from new challenges because we are in denial about our abilities to handle new challenges? All of us can break out of denial into reality, but it is hard to do alone. We each have people in our own lives who can help us break free from unrealistic denial. Parents, teachers, brothers, and sisters are often able to help us see our own world properly. We just need to be open to them.
In your family’s discussion this week talk about what abilities you possess that you may be denying. Sometimes we don’t see the strengths and talents we have until someone points them out to us.
Family Discussion
• When have you learned a lesson about yourself from a friend?
• What makes it hard to listen when someone is giving you advice?
• How can we learn to be more open?
Upcoming Events:
Dear Families,