L’chi lach, to a land that I will show you
Leich l’cha, to a place you do not know
L’chi lach, on your journey I will bless you
And (you shall be a blessing)3x l’chi lach
L’chi lach, and I shall make your name great
Leich l’cha, and all shall praise your name
L’chi lach, to the place that I will show you
(L’sim-chat cha-yim)3x l’chi lach
Debbie Friedman, based on Genesis 12
Our ancestors were “wandering Arameans.” We have wandered through every country. We are a people of immigrants and refugees. Today’s portion is no different. Today’s portion is about dreams. The dreams of a people of immigrants, of people on a journey.
Jacob was a dreamer. Joseph was also a dreamer. He was an interpreter of dreams. You remember the story. Seven fat cows and seven skinny cows coming out of the Nile. I still hear it in the music of Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Something Elvis might have sung, Or Donny Osmond.
But Joseph knew that those seven fat cows and seven skinny cows meant that there were going to be economic plenty followed by economic hardship, that real debilitating famine was coming to the land. Pharaoh made him viceroy, Pharaoh’s chief advisor and so Joseph helped Egypt prepare. He built storehouses and saved grain. And when that inevitable economic downturn happened, Egypt was ready. Egypt had enough food to go around—and to share. Others did not.
That’s where our story picks up. “All the world came to Joseph to procure rations because the famine had become severe throughout the world.”
Reading this, I didn’t know if I was reading the Torah or a modern political text. This is Human Rights Shabbat, something organized by a rabbinic group, Truah, Rabbis for Human Rights, that I am a member of. I have participated in this event together with 500 congregations in North America since its inception in 2008. This year is no exception—although I hesitated. You may remember the year we talked about Fair Trade Chocolate and tasted samples. Or the year we talked about Tomato Rabbis. Or the year we studied some Talmud and the Declaration of Human Rights and compared it to our own Bill of Rights.
But this morning’s text is so appropriate for today, we couldn’t have planned it any better if we had tried. The Zohar teaches that when we went down to Egypt it is more than a physical going down, it is a spiritual going down as well. And that seems to be where we are—there has been a spiritual lowering, driven I believe by a fear of lack of resources. The truth is there is enough to go around. Enough food. Enough jobs. Enough love. There is abundant love.
This portion is perfect for honoring the Pitzeles. They are not going down to Egypt—but they are economic refugees of a sort. They are going down to Cincinnati—in pursuit of better economic options. A new, better paying more secure job has lured them away. After decades of working in IT with Sears, it is time to move on.
And while we are incredibly sad for us and we will miss them, we wish them well—many blessings, a new spiritual home in one of the many synagogues in Cincinnati and wonderful, make that great ice cream—at an ice cream shop called Graters. We will call them up shortly and shower them with gifts and blessings. Abundant blessings.
Personally, I will always be grateful to the Pitzeles—from that first field trip that first week we lived in Elgin, to Skokie, to learn Jewish Chicago—the Hungarian, Rosenblums, Taboun Grill and lunch with Rea, and a stop at a bead store, to breakfasts at Panera, to Women’s seders and art projects, to Sukkot happenings at the synagogue and at their home and Latke Lunches. And especially week in and week out Saturday morning davenning.
But back to our text. Jacob told his sons that they couldn’t just be look at one another, they had to act. They had to go to Egypt and procure food. But Jacob, being practical did not let his youngest, Benjamin go with them. So 10 set out—much like the Pitzeles—or like so many other refugees we have seen in our lifetime. Dreamers. Dreaming of food.
Listen to the language of the text. (Read 5-20)
What does that teach us?
Jews have a mandate, a moral obligation to welcome the stranger. 36 times in the Torah it teaches us this. Many Jewish organization have worked diligently on this very topic, based on this topic for generations. They include, HIAS, The Joint Distribution Committee, The Religious Action Center, T’ruah, AJWS to name a few. Most Jewish federations, including JUF, http://www.juf.org/guide/detail.aspx?id=31850 have a refugee resettlement division. 351 Jewish congregations have actively taken on helping to resettle Syrian refugees.
Many of those organizations take their mandate from this very portion—and from the days when the borders of this great nation were closed. Who can forget the tragedy of the Saint Louis, (even if we are not old enough) that refugee ship turned away from these shores and sent back to Europe.
According to the US Holocaust Museum, “Roosevelt was not alone in his reluctance to change US Immigration policy. Roosevelt was not alone in his reluctance to challenge the mood of the nation on the immigration issue. Three months before the St. Louis sailed, Congressional leaders in both US houses allowed to die in committee a bill sponsored by Senator Robert Wagner (D-N.Y.) and Representative Edith Rogers (R-Mass.). This bill would have admitted 20,000 Jewish children from Germany above the existing quota.”
So while we wish the Pitzeles well, we also think about all those children who have been deemed DREAMERs, children who came to country—much like the children of Jacob—800,000 of them in this nation of plenty. 800,000 of them who like Jacob’s sons came dreamed for a better life with enough food and health care and love. 800,000 of them who were brought by their parents looking for the American dream. They didn’t have paperwork, much like many of our own immigrant ancestors who arrived on these shores having fled war and pogroms, with just the clothes on their backs, under a load of hay as the original Simon Klein did. These dreamers have been educated in our schools, hold jobs and pay taxes, contribute in meaningful ways to our society and the American dream. We urge Congress to pass a bi-partisan DREAM Act, one of which was introduced by Senators Lindsey Graham, Dick Durbin, Jeff Flake and Chuck Shummer.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/1615
Please join with me in singing, The Journey Blessing as we wish the Pitzeles abundant blessing and abundant love.
Tefilat HaDerech—Journey Blessing
May you be blessed as you go on our way
May you be guided in peace
May you be blessed with health and joy
May this your blessing, amen.
May you be sheltered by the wings of peace
May you be kept in safety and in love
May grace and compassion find their
way to your soul
May this be your blessing, amen.
Amen, may this be our blessing, amen.