Kevin Bemel ·
How to Tell When Repentance is Genuine
“Now, please, let your servant remain in place of the youth as a servant to my lord, and let the youth go up with his brothers.” (Bereshis/Genesis 44:33). Judah begs Joseph to enslave him instead of Benjamin for Jacob’s sake. Is this brotherly love or what?
The parsha for this Sabbath is Vayigash. In it, we find that the brothers have learned their lesson when Judah steps forward to take Benjamin’s place as a slave. Overcome with emotion Joseph clears the room and reveals himself to his brothers.
Joseph convinces his brothers to bring Jacob and their households to Egypt where he will take care of them. At first, Jacob does not believe his sons when they say Joseph is still alive. However, the brothers finally convince him and they load up the wagons and move to Egypt where they settle in Goshen.
The famine comes and it is harsh. The Egyptians spend all of their money buying food then sell their animals, land, and finally themselves so that they will live. Only the priests are exempt.
At the beginning of this week's parsha Judah gives us a sterling example of how to do teshuva, variously translated as repentance or return.
In his last encounter with the brothers Joseph, now Viceroy of Egypt, told them not to appear before him again without their youngest brother. Jacob, who thinks Joseph was torn apart by wild beasts, fears letting Benjamin go to Egypt lest he lose him too.
Jacob's sons sit on the horns of a dilemma. They need food to survive but they must honor their father Jacob. In the words of the song, “When an irresistible force such as me meets an old immovable object like you . . . something’s gotta give.”
Demonstrating true leadership, Judah guarantees Jacob that Benjamin will be safe. He commits to changing his behavior. As a result, Jacob agrees to let Benjamin go.
Repentance is Genuine When Behavior Changes
When Joseph manipulates events to make it look like Benjamin is a thief and condemns him to slavery Judah steps forward to take his place. Little does he know that by doing so he is making amends to Joseph who sees by this act Judah’s genuine reformation.
The process is the same for you. First, admit your mistake. Next, commit to change. Finally, ask for forgiveness and make amends to anyone who was hurt by your behavior. If someone as great as Judah, the progenitor of the royal line of Israel, can humble himself so can all of us.
Please briefly share one obstacle to internalizing change…
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Every year beginning on Simchas Torah, the cycle of reading the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, ends and begins again. Each Sabbath a portion known as a sedra or parsha is read. It is named after the first significant word or two with which this weekly reading begins.
What verse in the Old Testament would you like to know more about? Ask a question and I will answer it in a future Parsha Nugget!
