Dear Friends,
I love puns and wordplay in good writing, and Torah surely has plenty of it.
Note, for example, in this week’s Torah portion, which begins the narrative of Joseph, commencing with Jacob draping him in his “coat of many colors.” (Genesis 37:3). We recall that Joseph's brothers were envious of Joseph because Jacob played favorites, elevating Joseph, so the coat episode only added to the enmity. Soon thereafter, when the brothers’ were out with the flocks, they conspired against him and threw him into a pit, but first they stripped him of his coat. Later, Reuven, who had been away, found Joseph gone and discovered what his vicious brothers had done. Reuven immediately tore his own garment. Finally, the brothers dilled a goat and dipped Joseph’s coat into its blood so they could present it as evidence of Joseph’s death. Jacob exclaimed, “My son’s coat!” Then he, too, tore his clothes.
Clothing clearly is a motif of this story – as well as how we cover ourselves when we behave, or misbehave. Commonly, we describe devious spycraft as cloak and dagger work. Later in the Joseph narrative, after the turn of fate when Joseph has become vizier of Egypt, his brothers will not recognize him because he was garbed as an Egyptian priest. Yet, Joseph will recognize his brothers as they were dressed as shepherds.
Costume is more than mere dress. It is presentation and message in theater. It is demonstration of rank and stature in social, political, or military circles. It is expression of confidence or the lack thereof in work and professional settings. And it conveys who is the home team and who is the visitor in athletics, especially when one team is wearing pinstripes!
Torah reminds us that we should be careful to recognize and differentiate between the costumed person and the person behind the costume. Coats go on and off, become sullied or cleaned, repaired or replaced, but the person within it must stand on her or his own. Ultimately, Joseph did ascend to lofty heights in the Egyptian palace, but the reader still sees the same precocious lad who was devoted to his father, irrespective of the outer layers.
Thus, Torah asks us to look carefully at ourselves. Though we can dress up or dress down – it is vital that we know who we are!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Doug Kohn
I love puns and wordplay in good writing, and Torah surely has plenty of it.
Note, for example, in this week’s Torah portion, which begins the narrative of Joseph, commencing with Jacob draping him in his “coat of many colors.” (Genesis 37:3). We recall that Joseph's brothers were envious of Joseph because Jacob played favorites, elevating Joseph, so the coat episode only added to the enmity. Soon thereafter, when the brothers’ were out with the flocks, they conspired against him and threw him into a pit, but first they stripped him of his coat. Later, Reuven, who had been away, found Joseph gone and discovered what his vicious brothers had done. Reuven immediately tore his own garment. Finally, the brothers dilled a goat and dipped Joseph’s coat into its blood so they could present it as evidence of Joseph’s death. Jacob exclaimed, “My son’s coat!” Then he, too, tore his clothes.
Clothing clearly is a motif of this story – as well as how we cover ourselves when we behave, or misbehave. Commonly, we describe devious spycraft as cloak and dagger work. Later in the Joseph narrative, after the turn of fate when Joseph has become vizier of Egypt, his brothers will not recognize him because he was garbed as an Egyptian priest. Yet, Joseph will recognize his brothers as they were dressed as shepherds.
Costume is more than mere dress. It is presentation and message in theater. It is demonstration of rank and stature in social, political, or military circles. It is expression of confidence or the lack thereof in work and professional settings. And it conveys who is the home team and who is the visitor in athletics, especially when one team is wearing pinstripes!
Torah reminds us that we should be careful to recognize and differentiate between the costumed person and the person behind the costume. Coats go on and off, become sullied or cleaned, repaired or replaced, but the person within it must stand on her or his own. Ultimately, Joseph did ascend to lofty heights in the Egyptian palace, but the reader still sees the same precocious lad who was devoted to his father, irrespective of the outer layers.
Thus, Torah asks us to look carefully at ourselves. Though we can dress up or dress down – it is vital that we know who we are!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Doug Kohn
