(in honor of my mother, the most compassionate person I know, on her 74th birthday)

Every few years, someone asks me the reality-show question: If I were to be stranded on a deserted island, what three items would I like to have with me. While two of the items seem to change over the years, the one that has remained constant is a Hebrew copy of the Tanakh, comprised of the Torah, the books of the Prophets; and the Hagiography, i.e. other writings of holiness such as the Book of Job). When queried thereafter about my choices, my response regarding the Tanakh remains unaltered: It is the greatest book ever written! That all-time best-seller makes a great novel, a fantastic history book, a wonderful compilation of biographies, a top notch military training manual, a self-help guide and a multi-layered mystery.

While the amount of knowledge that can be gleaned from the Bible is endless, there are several themes that run throughout the work. One of these is forgiveness; a measure epitomized in the story of Joseph who represents the sphere of Foundation, Yessod.

Almost everyone knows the story of Joseph and his technicolor coat. His biography is one that cannot help but cause frustration and anger at the beginning, and tears of emotion at the end. Although the story is read at least once a year (as part of the weekly Torah portion recited each Sabbath), and despite the fact that I know the ending, I always make sure to have a box of tissues in my lap during that reading. For those of you who may not remember the story, here is a very brief summary of the Joseph story (have your tissues ready).

The 11th of 12 sons; he is his father, Jacob’s, favorite and therefore envied by his siblings. Joseph’s prophetic abilities only serve to aggravate the situation, especially when he relates his dream that not only his siblings but his parents, as well, will fall under his sovereignty. Joseph, sent by his father, goes looking for his brothers who are herding their sheep. Upon finding them, they connive to kill him but, in the end, only throw him into a dry, snake and scorpion infested pit. Thereafter, his brothers sell him as a slave to a passing caravan on its way to Egypt. In Egypt he finds himself serving in Pharoah’s palace. Ostensibly discarding his past, he changes his name (relinquishes his tribal membership), his language (he now speaks Egyptian) and his culture (he assimilates; now perming his hair and paying too much attention to his physique - ego gratification). Pharoah’s wife attempts to seduce him but Joseph literally flees for his life. Angered by this, (remember: hell knows no wrath like a woman scorned), she lies to her husband saying that Joseph attempted to seduce her. Joseph is thrown into a rat-scorpion-serpent infested dungeon where he quickly rises in status to become the warden. During his stay there, he correctly interprets the dreams of two inmates, Pharoah’s winemaker and baker. But upon being set free, the winemaker forgets to put in a good word about Joseph and the latter remains imprisoned for several more years. Pharoah has nightmares and needs a dream interpreter; Joseph is “remembered,” brought before Pharoah, interprets the dreams and advises Pharoah how to handle the matter – seven years of agricultural abundance followed by seven years of famine. Pharoah appoints Joseph Vice Pharoah and the latter builds the infrastructure to store the immeasurable grain that is to be collected during the seven plentiful years. Thereafter, famine overtakes the entire Middle-east. Joseph sells the stored grain to the Egyptians first for money, then for their cattle, their land and, finally, for their selves as slaves. Everyone is subservient to Pharoah, thanks to Joseph’s excellent economic program. With widespread famine, Jacob sends all but his youngest son, Benjamin (born after Joseph’s “death”) to Egypt to purchase grain. Since everyone in need of food comes to Joseph, the brothers are brought before him and he recognizes them. After interrogating them and declaring them spies, he keeps them together for three days in order to eavesdrop on their discussions. They talk about their guilt regarding what they did to Joseph as a boy, their lack of compassion and how they caused their father irreparable anguish. The next line (Genesis 17:24) relates that Joseph turned away from them and cried. He thereafter frees them, sells them grain and asks them to return with Benjamin, imprisoning one brother as collateral until they return. He secretly has their money returned to their travel packs. After returning to their father’s house and after having used up the grain, Jacob sends them back, disheartened, with Benjamin. The story repeats itself only, this time, in addition to the money being returned to their packs Joseph’s servants also stash his divination chalice in Benjamin’s pack. Upon their departure, Joseph sends his steward after them saying that whoever has stolen the chalice will be taken as a prisoner. The cup is found in Benjamin’s pack and the brothers, fearing their father would die upon learning that Benjamin has been imprisoned, all return to Egypt. Judah pleads for Benjamin’s release, offering himself in his youngest brother’s stead. It is at this turning point that Joseph, soaked with tears of compassion, tells all of his servants to leave and reveals his true identity to his brothers.

Wow! What a story! What a whirlwind of emotion Joseph’s revelation must have been for everyone, only to repeat itself soon after when Jacob is brought down to Egypt and sets his eyes on the son he was sure had been killed decades before!

As stated, Joseph, or Yossef, represents the sphere of Yessod (yeh-SOAD), Foundation. This is a middle pillar, balancing the right (mercy-positive) and left (judgment-negative) sides of the Tree of Life. It represents the equilibrium between two parts of a duality. Seeing that each sphere contains all of the attributes that have come before it, this ninth sphere is a very complex one. It is both generative and reflective. Yessod is the foundation of that which will come after, i.e. children, as well as our ability to take a good look at ourselves as depicted in the sphere that is (structurally) directly above it, Tiferet (teef-EH-ret), Beauty (attributed to Jacob).

The connection between Jacob and Joseph goes beyond favoritism. Abraham, the first Patriarch transferred his knowledge of Kabbalah to his deserving son, Isaac, who transferred it to his deserving son, Jacob. Unlike his father and grandfather, both of whom had only two sons, Jacob sired twelve but imparted the Kabbalah only to Joseph. This is depicted in the renowned coat of many colors that Jacob presents to his eleventh son. It was this knowledge that separated Joseph from his other brothers and aroused their jealously.

In observing the laws of family purity, Joseph actively took control over his lower place of consciousness, his animal character, his ego. Were he alive today, he would probably be a supermodel: perfect physique, long curly hair, great tan, well pampered and groomed. Since childhood, Joseph experienced great hardships caused, in large part, by his brothers’ venomous envy. Yet, at the moment of truth, despite having the power to have them all killed and buried, Joseph not only reveals himself to them and forgives them, but he is unable to contain his tears when doing so. The same theme is found in the story of Jacob and Esau, this time the latter forgiving his brother for taking the birthright and receiving their father’s blessing.

Yosef - spelled yod, vav, samekh, p(f)ei - contains within it a portion of the masculine (yod-heh) and feminine (vav-heh) attributes of the ineffable name Y-H-V(W)-H of G-d, i.e. the yod and the vav. Thus, while being a strong leader of the greatest empire on earth, he also had the ability to show strong emotion, an aspect attributed to the feminine side. In addition, the numerology of Yosef equals 12, representing a complete cycle, a unity (12 tribes of Israel, 12 months in a year, 12 astrological signs, all integral parts of one another). The sum of 12 (1+2) = 3, is a number representing total balance (think of a triangle) an attribute he shared only with his father, Jacob.

Joseph was the 11th of twelve brothers. 1+1 = 2, attesting to duality. He represents both 10 and 1. The character represented by the one, enabled him to be in unity with G-d and thus receive prophetic dreams and divine protection. The character represented by the ten, including all of the knowledge and skill gained from his antecedents, enabled him to rule as the Pharoah’s right hand, provide sustenance for the Egyptians and people in surrounding areas and deal compassionately with his siblings when they came to Egypt.

Throughout the saga, we read how Joseph gracefully accepts all that happens to him, knowing that everything is from G-d. Imagine how you would feel if you were Joseph. When was the last time you were unequivocally, down-right, absolutely, indescribably angry at someone? Were you aware of the amount of time and energy you expended obsessing over the matter? Did you notice how physically and emotionally drained you felt during that time? Were you still as angry one year later as when the matter first occurred?

Anger is an interesting thing. First of all, it is very subjective and egocentric. Secondly, if not dealt with, it can lead to severe illness.

In the Joseph story, we never hear about Joseph being angry toward his brothers for what they did to him. Nor was he ever fearful of any of the situations in which he found himself. On the contrary, Joseph is the one who cries over his brothers and who shows them utmost compassion. Even the tricks he plays on them by returning their money and putting the chalice in Benjamin’s pack is done with the knowledge that nobody would get hurt in the end and that at least the brothers would re-consider their actions. By understanding that G-d was directly involved in each and every thing he did, Joseph had no need to be angry or fearful of anything.

When we get passed the “I am right, you/he/she/they are wrong” stage, when we understand that there is a reason for everything and that the reason is not just to satiate our desires or placate our egos, we might better be able to refrain from becoming angry. Try to remember how many times you were angry at something that turned out to be only a miscommunication. Then remember how good it felt when the “air was clear.”

We all know that we are responsible for our actions and that different situations are given to us as tests. May we all merit understanding the lessons of Joseph: to be pure in body and mind, let compassion rule anger and always know that there is a reason for every test that G-d gives us, even if we ourselves don’t understand it at that exact moment. Can there be a better foundation than acting with compassion and forgiveness at all times and passing these down and around to everyone else? By doing this, you will be more fulfilled and you will leave a positive mark on the world and humanity. This is truly a tikkun olam (Tee-KOON Oh-LAHM), a rectification of and for the world.

©Ayala Ben-Menachem, Kislev, 3765, November 2004, Reprinted with the permission of the Kabbalah Education Network