Closing Message - Rav Steven
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I was thinking about the many reunions of all kinds we are longing for – and sensing they are not far from now – as we read of Yaakov’s reunion with Yosef in this past week’s parashah, Vayigash, and anticipating reading of his meeting Yosef’s sons, the grandsons Yaakov had never met, in this coming week’s parashah, Vayehi. The common theme is the literal seeing of faces, the simple full face-to-face encounter with loved ones we perhaps took for granted before this pandemic.
Yaakov, meeting Yosef, says “amutah hapaam aharei r’oti et panekha ki od’kha hai” – I can die now after seeing your face, as you are still alive. And again, meeting Efrayim and Menashe, Yaakov says to Yosef, “r’oh fanekha lo filalti, v’hineh herah oti Elohim gam et zarekha” – I never dared to think I would see your face, and now God has shown me your children, too.
We feel the power of the seeing-the-face encounter and the emotions it evokes.
The Siftei Hakhamim, a commentary on Rashi, focuses not only on the relief Yaakov felt at seeing Yosef, but the dreams Yaakov allowed to flood back into his consciousness. On Yaakov’s expression, “I can die now, seeing your face”, the Siftei Hakhamim comments, “it’s not that Yaakov wanted to die… on the contrary, having merited seeing Yosef’s face, he saw fit to pray that he should live, in order that he could rejoice for as many days as the days of their suffering” (parahprasing Psalm 90:15 – “give us joy for as many days as you afflicted us”).
Yaakov, seeing Yosef, didn't stop at relief. He renewed his lease on life – he allowed himself to dream of better times ahead.
When we reconnect with those we love, when we see their full faces, may we not just feel the relief, but may we allow ourselves to pray for, to dream of, joyful days ahead, days far outnumbering the days of affliction we are experiencing.
May we look to those days and, continuing to be vigilant and diligent, do our part to bring them safely and speedily.
Reminder to all to take good care of ourselves and each other. Try to do something specific today that strengthens you, and something else that strengthens someone else.
