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Vayigash (Shabbat Sat.23rd Dec. – 5th Tevet) Laibl's Weekly Parsha Video

655 views · Published 18 December 2017 · 1:35 · Indexed 8 November 2026

Channel: Spiritgrow · 2017 · Education

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Vayigash (Shabbat Sat.23rd Dec. – 5th Tevet) 
Laibl's Weekly Parsha Video

Stand Up 
SUMMARY: To ‘stand up’ to a world that acts cynically and hurtfully to Jewish people, and other beleaguered minorities, one has to exercise courage and faith in one’s principles. Yehuda did just that in confronting the Viceroy of Egypt.  And this alone set into play a chain of events that led to the reconciliation between Joseph and his brothers and reunion of Jacob with his long lost son, Joseph. Be strong when the odds are stacked against you.  Success sets into play events that must conclude in success.

Notes:
When the world thinks one way and you think another, it is hard to stand up to the majority view.  It is hard to take a principled stand when everyone is morally goofing around and being slack. It takes strength of character and courage.
 
Joseph in his guise of viceroy of Egypt appears to shame, demoralize and even imprison his brothers. Will they stand up to him? They shamed him when he, Joseph, was a youngster, even selling him off and claiming to their father that he had died. All through jealousy. Did any one of his brothers stand up to the others to defend Joseph?

So Joseph is providing every opportunity for the brothers to do Teshuva – to stand up with moral strength and courage – to make amends for the past.

And finally Yehuda does exactly that and approaches Joseph threatening war if he, Joseph, doesn’t release the imprisoned brothers.  This is the moment Joseph is waiting for and this leads to the reconciliation and ultimate redemption of the brothers.

In our own lives we are afforded opportunities to stand up for our principles and beliefs. Will you find the courage to argue a minority view in a majority setting?  Will you stand up as a Jew, when needed, in a host society?  Will you defend Israel in a world that impugns its integrity with ease?

We need to learn from Yehuda’s act to ‘stand up’ to Joseph.  We are Yehudim – the descendants of Yehuda.

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