Here we are and time for Week 2 of my new Weekly Series: Seeking Truth and Wholeness, Oils and the Bible. Our weekly reading this week is called: Parashas Mikeitz.
Weekly Torah Reading so you can read along
Parashas Mikeitz: Genesis 41:1 – 44:17
Joseph and the Pharaoh’s dream
This week’s story is about how Joseph was able to leverage his skills in divination to interpret Pharaoh’s dream. Joseph, however, does not attribute what he says about the dream to his own skills. He attributes them to G-d and that it is all about G-d’s view of Pharaoh’s welfare. The dream is about how Egypt will go through 7 years of plenty and then 7 years of famine. Joseph is put in charge of ensuring no one goes hungry because of his interpretation and suggestion of a plan. The lesson here is that in life we can worry and fret over what will come to pass or we can always be prepared. The oil for worry and scarcity is ABUNDANCE. This blend is one that opens your mind up to prosperity and attracts other people to you!
This isn’t the first time Joseph is able to achieve success. He seems to create success no matter what situation he is in. If you remember last week he was in prison but he wasn’t just someone ‘in prison’…he actually became the head of the prison. He had a swagger about him and seemed to be able to do pretty much anything.
How did he do this? All to often we put the weight of our own success on our shoulders completely. However, there are larger forces at play. G-d wants for each of us to reach our potential and to do so in a way that awakens our purpose but also serves Him. We truly can do anything with an unwavering faith in G-d. Even living in a foreign land without his family and having been given so much power, Joseph never faltered from his service to G-d. Yet he is almost in a place where this is hidden behind a mask. He is able to reach his highest potential but also serves disconnected from his Jewish people. It is for this reason that he names his children Ephraim and Manasseh. As we now live spread out from other Jews, this is an incredibly important theme and also a huge theme of Chanukah (every year this portion is read on Chanukah). Do we live a public Jewish life or do we live an assimilated one out in our exile? Do we become so ambitious in our path to success that we forget or flat out reject our spirituality or do we connect once more with our spiritual side along side our path to prosperity? It is this inner conflict we ALL deal with daily but likely more-so at this time of year during Chanukah when we are to live a more public Jewish life. Indeed just putting this weekly study on my blog was a huge step for me!
Reuniting with his brothers: no excuses
Later in the portion, Joseph is able to see his brothers again after 22 years of separation since they sold him into slavery. The interesting thing is that even though he is very powerful, he doesn’t seek out his family. He waits until they come to him to fulfill the dream he had way back when he was still living with them – when they would bow to him. When they arrived in Egypt looking for food, they didn’t know it was him, but Joseph knew who they were. They cried out, as it is written (Gen 42:21): “Aval (Indeed) – we are guilty concerning our brother inasmuch as we saw his heartfelt anguish when he pleased with us and we paid no heed; that is why this anguish has come upon us.” They could have just blamed their fate on who they thought was a mad Egyptian official, but instead they searched their own souls and looked inside themselves for their part to play in this turn of events.
The Hebrew word Aval can also be translated to ‘but’. But this double meaning teaches us something very profound. When we are dealt an unfortunate hand, we can either look internally to see what we have done wrong and grow and change from it and realize our full potential, or we can shift blame to others or outside forces…this is basically making excuses for our own character flaws. In this particular case – the meaning of the word here is definitely INDEED….no ifs, ands or buts about it…no excuses. This allows them to be accountable. I really appreciate this commentary from Torah for Your Table:
“That which we chose to forget, G-d will remember, but that which we choose to remember and do teshuvah (this is a broader definition than repentance and has to do with not only asking for forgiveness but turning the deed into something good) on, G-d will not only forget, but he will cancel the evil decree – the painful consequences of our sin – and convert the transgression into merit.”
What emotions might be behind achieving our highest potential?
1. Feeling powerless.
The blend: Highest Potential helps to clear our thoughts and hearts of any road blocks and allows for focused intentions. It also provides empowerment to achieve what we must.
2. Feeling like you are not good enough.
Humility blend creates a place where healing can begin and where we can draw closer to G-d. Humility blend allows us to express our best when applied across the chest.
May we all have the strength and faith to reach our highest potential by being humble, teachable and with an ability to rise above our excuses. I leave you with this interesting verse from Ecclesiastes which is part of Chapter 3…for every season:
“What is occurring occurred long since, and what is to occur occurred long since: and G-d seeks the pursued.” – Ecclesiastes 3:15
Connie Woodward says
Lindsey,
Your series “Seeking Truth and Wholeness” is great!
pat says
This is the 2nd blog I read………… I LOVE this whole idea of blending Torah with essential oils!!! Would love to connect!