‘Proportionality’ in a historical context — and just what of that ‘Joseph the Dreamer’ — A savage beast .
We speak of Jospeh’s path, “homeward” and “bound”. . .
Kislev, it could be a month of illumination . . .
And just what of the Biblical Joseph, ‘the Dreamer’ —
“A Savage Beast has devoured him” — is there a way home again?
The terrible costs of war, and the road to home. The sufferings along the way are just a small taste of what Hell has to offer.
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What of Joseph ‘the Dreamer’ — searching for his family — just where has he gone . . . “A Savage Beast has devoured him”
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הָאִישׁ֙ נָסְע֣וּ מִזֶּ֔ה כִּ֤י שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ אֹֽמְרִ֔ים נֵלְכָ֖ה דֹּתָ֑יְנָה וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ יוֹסֵף֙ אַחַ֣ר אֶחָ֔יו וַיִּמְצָאֵ֖ם בְּדֹתָֽן׃
The man said, “They have gone from here, for I heard them say: Let us go to Dothan.” So Joseph followed his brothers and found them at Dothan.
וַיִּרְא֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ מֵרָחֹ֑ק וּבְטֶ֙רֶם֙ יִקְרַ֣ב אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּֽתְנַכְּל֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ לַהֲמִיתֽוֹ׃
They saw him from afar, and before he came close to them they conspired to kill him.
וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֑יו הִנֵּ֗ה בַּ֛עַל הַחֲלֹמ֥וֹת הַלָּזֶ֖ה בָּֽא׃
They said to one another, “Here comes that dreamer!
וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ לְכ֣וּ וְנַֽהַרְגֵ֗הוּ וְנַשְׁלִכֵ֙הוּ֙ בְּאַחַ֣ד הַבֹּר֔וֹת וְאָמַ֕רְנוּ חַיָּ֥ה רָעָ֖ה אֲכָלָ֑תְהוּ וְנִרְאֶ֕ה מַה־יִּהְי֖וּ חֲלֹמֹתָֽיו׃
Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and we can say, ‘A savage beast devoured him.’ We shall see what becomes of his dreams!”
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Kislev, it could be a month of illumination . . .
And just what of the Biblical Joseph, ‘the Dreamer’ —
“A Savage Beast has devoured him” — is there a way home again?
R’ Seth
