1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:08,840 Speaker 1: Life Audio on today's episode of Timeless Wisdom. 2 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:12,480 Speaker 2: You know, it's very interesting what is the purpose of family? 3 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 2: It's an interesting question, what is the purpose of family? There? 4 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 2: Of course, people will have all sorts of answers, you know, 5 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 2: haven in a heartless world, and all sorts of things. 6 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 2: I would argue that there are many, but one that 7 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 2: I want to focus on here, at least in so 8 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 2: far as the siblings are concerned, not parents, is that 9 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:36,840 Speaker 2: that is where you work out the ability to deal 10 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 2: with the world. After all, that is your world when 11 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:44,480 Speaker 2: you're growing up. That is how you start to learn, 12 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:49,159 Speaker 2: for example, not to be selfish. Will you please share 13 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 2: the toy with your little sister. You have seventy six cookies? 14 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 2: Why are you eating all of them? Did you ever 15 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 2: see little kids hoard? It's incredible to watch. They will 16 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 2: take all twenty two cookies and they don't even eat 17 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 2: them because the cookies way more than the kid does. 18 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 2: But if one other kid wants a cookie, they run 19 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 2: away with the entire batch. How do you ever learn 20 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 2: to share? How do you learn you're not the center 21 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 2: of the universe. 22 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 1: That's coming up on Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. Welcome 23 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:29,199 Speaker 1: to Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. Here thousands of hours 24 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: of Dennis's lectures courses in classic radio programs. Had to 25 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 1: purchase Dennis Prager's Rational Bibles. Go to Dennisprager dot com. 26 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 2: Forty four all right, it's the drama. The drama here 27 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:49,559 Speaker 2: is extraordinary with Joseph and his brothers, the brothers having 28 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 2: been sent back. Now roops, sorry for the wind as 29 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 2: it were. Okay, the last thing I did, you will 30 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 2: recall is when Joseph is with his brothers and is 31 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:06,920 Speaker 2: served separately, or recall and the Egyptian rule that you 32 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 2: could not eat with non Egyptians. And I spoke about 33 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 2: how racism and a sense of superiority over the other 34 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 2: is universal it and is one of the most important 35 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 2: things that people have to come back. Okay. Then he 36 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 2: instructed this is forty four to one. Then he instructed, 37 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 2: this is Joseph his house steward, as follows. Fill the 38 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 2: men's bags with food as much as they can carry, 39 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 2: and put in each one's money in the mouth, each 40 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 2: one's money in the mouth of his bag. Put my 41 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 2: silver goblet in the mouth of the bag of the 42 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 2: youngest one, together with his money. For the rations, and 43 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:51,600 Speaker 2: he did as Joseph told him. So this is going 44 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 2: to be another test of the brothers caused by Joseph. 45 00:02:56,040 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 2: Here the goblet is made out of silver, and Sauna 46 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 2: points out one of the most interesting items I can imagine. 47 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:11,080 Speaker 2: It shows you the integrity of the text. You know, 48 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 2: one thing I have avoided entirely For those of you 49 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 2: who know about the documentary hypothesis, which scholars, oh, I 50 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 2: didn't put on my keypot. Thank you for reminding Melars 51 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 2: scholars generally secular scholars generally agree that there is a 52 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 2: that there are certain documents that compose the Torah, specifically 53 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 2: Jehovah Eloheim due toonomic jp D and priestly at any rate, 54 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 2: I have avoided that entirely because if it's true, it 55 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 2: doesn't bear on the meaning that I care about, and 56 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 2: if it's not true, it certainly doesn't matter. So that 57 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 2: is not the sort of thing that interests me. But 58 00:03:57,040 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 2: if you do believe it, if you do subscribe to 59 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 2: the documentary hypothesis, one thing you do have to acknowledge 60 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 2: is that whoever edited it, as they call him, r 61 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 2: adactor editor, was a genius in being able to interweave 62 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:21,359 Speaker 2: different traditions into the Genesis text or the Torri text generally. 63 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,279 Speaker 2: And I am now going to tell you something that 64 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 2: Sarna points out which shows this extraordinary ability. Between chapters 65 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 2: forty two and forty five, the word silver is mentioned 66 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 2: twenty times. The brothers sold Joseph for twenty pieces of silver. 67 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 2: It cannot be a coincidence, obviously, And what is the 68 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 2: point here? As the point is constantly made in the 69 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:58,840 Speaker 2: Book of Genesis, things come around. Isn't it incredible they 70 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 2: sold them for twenty pieces of silver. Now silver plays 71 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:04,920 Speaker 2: a role in their own enslavement and in making them 72 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 2: confront what they had done. Twenty there, twenty here. It's 73 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 2: like almost a seamless web has been made in the 74 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:18,360 Speaker 2: Torah story. Whether it's the Redactor, God, Moses, or whatever 75 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:22,840 Speaker 2: you wish to believe. I have not entered that particular issue. 76 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:26,159 Speaker 2: Now he puts the silver goblet. The silver goblet at 77 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:29,600 Speaker 2: has importance, And I'll tell you what it is. Verse three, 78 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 2: With the first light of morning, the men were sent 79 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 2: off with their pack animal. That's the brothers. They had 80 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,480 Speaker 2: just left the city and had not gone far. When 81 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 2: Joseph said to his steward up, go after the men, 82 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 2: And when you overtake them, say to them, why did 83 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:48,039 Speaker 2: you repay good with evil? It is the very one 84 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 2: from which my master drinks, and which he uses for divination. 85 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 2: It was a wicked thing for you to do. Remember, 86 00:05:56,480 --> 00:06:01,560 Speaker 2: they are now being blamed for stealing the silver goblet Joseph. Now, 87 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 2: this is a very interesting thing about the importance of 88 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 2: the silver goblet. This is not just any goblet. And 89 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 2: on this I have to read to you from another 90 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 2: book yet, a book on Genesis by Bruce Voter, who 91 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:21,119 Speaker 2: points out an interesting thing. This goblet is claimed here 92 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:25,039 Speaker 2: by Joseph to be used for his purposes of divination, 93 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:29,039 Speaker 2: to be able to divine things. Now, it's very interesting 94 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:35,240 Speaker 2: because the Torah later powerfully prohibits divination among Jews. It 95 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 2: is considered a pagan practice that Jews may not do, specifically, 96 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 2: tell the future. You cannot do that. In Judaism. It 97 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:46,839 Speaker 2: is prohibited by the Torah. It is considered to be 98 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 2: a pagan one of the pagan rites that should not 99 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 2: be done. Now, let me read to you about the 100 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 2: goblet and what they used to do with it in Egypt. 101 00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 2: From verses five and fifteen, we learned that Joseph was 102 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 2: practiced in divination, because he mentions it again when he 103 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 2: accuses the brothers about it. He mentions that this goblet 104 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:09,159 Speaker 2: was used for divination. The silver goblet was employed for 105 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 2: this purpose in addition to its being apparently his favorite 106 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 2: table cup. Perhaps divination was thought to go with the 107 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 2: office which Joseph held, or perhaps a talent of this 108 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 2: kind was simply part of the common tradition by which 109 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 2: he was remembered. Joseph is an interpreter of dreams, and 110 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 2: dream reading is another form of divination. The goblet would 111 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 2: indicate that what is in question here is water divination. 112 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 2: This will just give you an insight, among other things, 113 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 2: not only into an ancient life, but how ancient the 114 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 2: Torah text is, because we did not know of this 115 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 2: stuff until modern archaeology. The only way that Torah could 116 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 2: know of this is if the Toras's story is contemporaneous 117 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 2: with the event being described. That is how old our 118 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 2: Toras story is. Water divination was widespread in the ancient 119 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 2: Near East, where it assumed various forms. Water in the 120 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 2: cup might be mixed with a few drops of oil, 121 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 2: and the resulting configuration on its surface would be red 122 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 2: for its significance, or the shimmering surface itself might be 123 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 2: read as one reads a crystal ball, or it might 124 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 2: be the pattern of drops that fell from the goblet 125 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 2: when it was appended or tilted in pouring that provided 126 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 2: the means of augury of fortune telling. The biblical author 127 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:36,720 Speaker 2: records he does not judge Joseph's capacity as a diviner, 128 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 2: despite the fact, as I pointed out, that Israelite law 129 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 2: repudiated divination as a heathen superstition and a crime punishable 130 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:52,439 Speaker 2: by death Leviticus nineteen thirty one twenty six and Deuteronomy 131 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 2: eighteen ten to eleven. So, in other words, the cup 132 00:08:56,840 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 2: that he plants in one of the in in Benjamin's 133 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:07,440 Speaker 2: pack is a cup of extreme significance, and the silver 134 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 2: is greatly valued. What diverse are we up to? 135 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:14,320 Speaker 3: Five? 136 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 2: Actually it is the very one. Oh, are you're right? Six? 137 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 2: He overtook them, This is the steward going at Joseph's orders. 138 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:25,679 Speaker 2: Overtook the brothers and spoke those words to them. And 139 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 2: they said to him, why does my lord say SAP's things? 140 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 2: These poor brothers by now remember the first time they're accused. 141 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 2: They're accused of being spies. They have to go back 142 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 2: and leave a brother behind. I mean, they really are 143 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 2: going through the gauntlet here. If anybody has paid for 144 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 2: a sin, the brothers have definitely by now paid for 145 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:47,839 Speaker 2: their sin visa ve Joseph. But it is all if 146 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:50,320 Speaker 2: you don't take a cynical view. A cynical view would 147 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:52,720 Speaker 2: be that Joseph is playing with them like a cat 148 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:55,680 Speaker 2: plays with mice. That's the cynical view. By the way, 149 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:57,559 Speaker 2: I would not be surprised if there is a little 150 00:09:57,559 --> 00:10:00,320 Speaker 2: of that. Joseph would not be human. If he, no 151 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:02,959 Speaker 2: way whatsoever he wanted to get back at his brothers 152 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 2: and show the power he had over them, it would 153 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:08,079 Speaker 2: have been a think about it for a moment. Can 154 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 2: you imagine if the brothers had come and the first 155 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 2: time the brothers had come to Joseph and go, oh, 156 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:17,040 Speaker 2: my darling, brothers, I've missed you so much on your 157 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 2: brother Nothing would have been learned by the brothers, and 158 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 2: Joseph would have never assumed that they had done any penitents, 159 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 2: that they had changed in any way. There would be 160 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 2: no story, there'd be no lesson learned. And you wouldn't 161 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:35,119 Speaker 2: do it either. If you had been sold into slavery 162 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 2: by your siblings then became a king, as it were, 163 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:40,200 Speaker 2: and they showed up the first time you saw them. 164 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:43,880 Speaker 2: You wouldn't go, ah, All's, well, how you been? It 165 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 2: could not have happened, So I don't have a problem 166 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 2: in both that he had a brilliant scenario to figure 167 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 2: out were they really new people, better people? And he 168 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,680 Speaker 2: was playing with them because of some degree of anger 169 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 2: and working it out. Okay, Remember Prager's law of the 170 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 2: conservation of anger. It is I have a law, and 171 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:08,840 Speaker 2: it is this, When you get angry, you have to 172 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 2: express it. And if you don't express it at those 173 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 2: who made you angry, you'll express it at those who 174 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 2: don't make you angry. And it is always best to 175 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 2: express it at those who do make you angry, because 176 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 2: it's not fair to the others. If the boss mistreats 177 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 2: you at work and you come home and kick the dog, 178 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:25,320 Speaker 2: it's not fair to the dog. The dog, if he 179 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:28,439 Speaker 2: could speak, would say, it's not fair. You should kick 180 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:30,960 Speaker 2: the boss. Then you will be fired. We'll have no 181 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 2: food for me, so you might as well kick me. Actually, 182 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 2: now that I think of it, it's a very tough issue. 183 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 1: This episode of timeless wisdom will continue right after this, 184 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:49,040 Speaker 1: Now back to more of Dennis Frager's timeless wisdom. 185 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:55,720 Speaker 2: Okay, we are at verse. Let's see, why does my 186 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 2: lord yes? Now yes? Seven? And they said to him, 187 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:02,000 Speaker 2: that is the said to him. Why does my lord 188 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 2: say such things? How could we be accused of taking 189 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:08,600 Speaker 2: this most important goblet of this of the vizier of Egypt, 190 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 2: of this of this man. A far be it from 191 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 2: your servants to do anything of the kind. And now 192 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:17,560 Speaker 2: we may make a very good argument how it be 193 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:21,000 Speaker 2: impossible they would be idiots to have stolen it? Here 194 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:23,080 Speaker 2: we brought back to you from the land of Canan, 195 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 2: the money that we found in the mouths of our bags. 196 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:30,560 Speaker 2: Remember they got away with that a quote unquote theft. Correct. Now, 197 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:32,960 Speaker 2: why would somebody be a thief returns you money you 198 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 2: didn't know we stole in order to steal less money? Right? 199 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 2: I mean, it's absurd, It's an actual absurdity. Whereas the 200 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:42,120 Speaker 2: Talmud says a calva comer, if I'm not going to 201 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:44,560 Speaker 2: steal all that money, I'm certainly not going to steal 202 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 2: less money. Okay, So that we found out, how then 203 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:51,319 Speaker 2: could we have stolen any silver or gold from your 204 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:55,960 Speaker 2: master's house? Which now listen to this, whichever of your 205 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 2: servants it is found with shall die. The rest of us, 206 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:04,560 Speaker 2: moreover shall become slaves to my lord. The brothers were 207 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 2: known for big promises in case they were caught lying, 208 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:11,040 Speaker 2: as you may know right from Ruvein's earlier one, I'll 209 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:14,200 Speaker 2: kill my sons if I don't bring Benjamin back. Now, 210 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 2: we'll kill him and the rest of us will go 211 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 2: into slavery. You know, that's very dramatic sorts of promises, 212 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 2: but they had every right to do so. They hardly 213 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 2: thought any of the brothers had stolen the silver goblet 214 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 2: of Joseph. He replied, although what you are proposing is 215 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:33,520 Speaker 2: right only the one with whom it is found. It's 216 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 2: clearly a game that he was instructed by Joseph to 217 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 2: play again. It's to isolate the question, what will you 218 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 2: do with your youngest now? Right? You will bad to 219 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 2: your youngest before? How do you treat your youngest now? 220 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 2: That's what all these tests are about. Will you go 221 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:52,800 Speaker 2: back for Benjamin to bring him here? And how will 222 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 2: you treat him now? I'm going to see so the assistant, 223 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 2: the steward to Joseph is part of the game, and 224 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 2: says none. And I don't want any of you. I 225 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:05,440 Speaker 2: don't want any of you to be dead. Notice he 226 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 2: doesn't accept the death thing. He wants a replica of 227 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:15,880 Speaker 2: what happened to Joseph, sold into slavery. You see, not death, 228 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:20,440 Speaker 2: but sold into slavery. Only the one with whom it 229 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:24,120 Speaker 2: is found shall be my slave. That way, they're all 230 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 2: off the hook. And if they're the same as they 231 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 2: were with Joseph, they might say, oh, big deal, So 232 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 2: Benjamin will be a slave, but the rest of you 233 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 2: shall go free Verse eleven. So each one hastened to 234 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 2: lower his bag to the ground, and each one opened 235 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 2: the bag he searched, beginning with the oldest and ending 236 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 2: with the youngest, and the goblet turned up in Benjamin's bag. 237 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 2: Can you imagine their feeling. I mean, they had to go, 238 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 2: I give up. I can't take this anymore. I mean right, 239 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 2: I mean, they didn't take anything. The poor guys just 240 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:03,160 Speaker 2: went to Egypt to get food on trip one, and 241 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 2: they keep finding valuables in their bags that they never took. 242 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 2: I mean, I really, at this point, you have to 243 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:13,880 Speaker 2: start feeling bad for the brothers. So they go. You know, 244 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:19,840 Speaker 2: at this they rent their clothes, which is exactly what 245 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 2: Jacob did upon his learning about Joseph. Each reloaded his 246 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:29,680 Speaker 2: pack animal and they returned to the city. When Judah 247 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:31,920 Speaker 2: and his brothers re entered the house of Joseph, who 248 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 2: was still there, they threw themselves on the ground before him. 249 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 2: Joseph said to them, what is this deed you have done? 250 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 2: Do you not know that a man like me practices divination? No, 251 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 2: what you've taken my most important cup. And by the way, 252 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 2: it's a very interesting thing, you do wonder from this. 253 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 2: I have not seen a particular amount of commentary on this. 254 00:15:55,200 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 2: How Egyptianized did Joseph become? I mean, this gives you 255 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 2: an idea that the answer is he became somewhat egyptianized. 256 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:08,400 Speaker 2: This is I mean, this is it's almost like, you know, 257 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 2: he would have said to the brothers, let's see what 258 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 2: can I think of you know, oh yeah, please join 259 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 2: me in let and bowing down to some of our idols. 260 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 2: I mean that divination is, as I said, very proscribed, 261 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 2: prohibited by the Turrah. So, by the way, this too, incidentally, 262 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:30,760 Speaker 2: excuse me one second, this too is an interesting point. 263 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:35,080 Speaker 2: On another account. I think this argues again for the 264 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 2: authenticity of the text. If this was written by later 265 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 2: Jews trying to make Joseph into a great Jew, After all, 266 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 2: he is called in Jewish tradition yose Patsadi Joseph the Righteous, 267 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 2: then they never would have had him claim that he's 268 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:54,040 Speaker 2: a diviner. It's almost as if he'd say, did you 269 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 2: take my pigs? That's my favorite food. You see, they'll 270 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 2: think about it. I mean, this is much worse than that, 271 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:05,440 Speaker 2: much worse than that. And so it's an interesting thing 272 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:08,680 Speaker 2: he is acknowledging. Is this directly that that? Yes? 273 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:12,000 Speaker 4: What if that was the room though as a covering 274 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 4: to not to give away that I'm an idiot? 275 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:20,639 Speaker 2: All right, gift can I might? 276 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:22,000 Speaker 1: Right? 277 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:25,160 Speaker 2: Might it have been a ruse in order to reconfirm 278 00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 2: to the brothers I'm Egyptian? If there was the slightest 279 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 2: reason to suspect that the Brothers suspected he wasn't, I 280 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:34,520 Speaker 2: think your point would be well taken. We have no 281 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:37,159 Speaker 2: reason to assume they think the head of Egypt is 282 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 2: that brother Joseph. I think it's the last thing that 283 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 2: occurs to them. I think what we have here, You know, 284 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:43,879 Speaker 2: what I'm always afraid of is please write it down. 285 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:47,880 Speaker 2: I promised to stop after the chapter, okay, but please 286 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 2: do write it down, because a lot of times you 287 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:53,000 Speaker 2: folks forget the questions you want to ask. I think 288 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:56,720 Speaker 2: that this argues forcefully for the authenticity of the text, 289 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:00,840 Speaker 2: not for later reconstruction to point out some and it 290 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:04,720 Speaker 2: also shows you the battle of Judaism to Judaized Jews. 291 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 2: If Joseph is this deeply affected by Egypt in a 292 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 2: few years, how much more so will the Jews slaves 293 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:19,200 Speaker 2: be in hundreds of years? You see? So the monotheizing, 294 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 2: the elevating of the Jews to Monotheism is a very 295 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:27,399 Speaker 2: prolonged struggle, as we know later from all the relapses 296 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:31,280 Speaker 2: of Jews into idle worship and other pagan practices. It is, 297 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 2: in fact, from my perspective, and a daily battle in 298 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:40,200 Speaker 2: all people's lives whether they will be revert to paganism, 299 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:43,560 Speaker 2: which I think is much more natural than monotheism, which 300 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:46,960 Speaker 2: is a struggle at any rate. Twice he speaks to 301 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 2: them as being a diviner. We are up to verse 302 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:56,399 Speaker 2: thank you sixteen. Judah replied, what can we say to 303 00:18:56,520 --> 00:19:00,280 Speaker 2: my lord? A very human reaction here of Judah, and 304 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:02,760 Speaker 2: very you know, it's exactly if you wrote a play today, 305 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:06,119 Speaker 2: these are the words you would use. How can we plead? 306 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 2: How can we prove our innocence? He's right, what are 307 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:10,240 Speaker 2: you going to do? It's caught with it? What am 308 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:14,240 Speaker 2: I going to tell you? God? Now? Though he says, 309 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:18,560 Speaker 2: there's only one explanation, Judah in effect says, God has 310 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:23,639 Speaker 2: uncovered the crime of your servants. Now what does he 311 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 2: mean the crime of stealing the goblet? How could he 312 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 2: confess to a crime he never did? At this point, 313 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:34,000 Speaker 2: I think are the first uttered words about you know what? 314 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:37,600 Speaker 2: Or at least to Joseph, we are caught for our 315 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:41,120 Speaker 2: real crime, and that is the selling of our youngest brother, 316 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 2: our previous youngest brother to slavery, or killing him actually, 317 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:49,639 Speaker 2: because that they assumed they didn't know exactly what had 318 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:55,240 Speaker 2: happened to him. God has uncovered. God has uncovered the 319 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 2: crime of your servants. Here we are then slaves of 320 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:01,639 Speaker 2: my Lord, the rest of us, as much as he 321 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:05,960 Speaker 2: in whose possession the goblet was found. Now, notice he 322 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:08,199 Speaker 2: could have gotten away and said, oh my God, it's 323 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:12,359 Speaker 2: terrible for our youngest Benjamin. No, because now what the 324 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 2: steward said, he had promised that we'll all be slaves, 325 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 2: and in fact, please write it down. And in fact 326 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 2: he says, no, we are all your slaves. Notice though, 327 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:24,359 Speaker 2: that he didn't remind them of the bigger oath, that 328 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:28,280 Speaker 2: that one will be killed. Notice that that one has 329 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:33,199 Speaker 2: gone into Orwellian memory hole. It is very interesting how 330 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:35,879 Speaker 2: that is not repeated by anybody. Ah, why killed? Who 331 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 2: said anything about kill? But he replied, far be it 332 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:44,399 Speaker 2: from me to act us. This is Joseph replying, only 333 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 2: he in whose possession the goblet was found shall be 334 00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:53,480 Speaker 2: my slave, isolating the whole issue. What will you guys 335 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:58,720 Speaker 2: do now to save your skin? Because of again the 336 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:03,000 Speaker 2: favorite child the brothers remember, and all of this, Remember 337 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 2: the brothers had reason to resent Joseph. And Benjamin Jacob 338 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:11,679 Speaker 2: was not a egalitarian father. He was a poor parent emotionally, 339 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:17,320 Speaker 2: he clearly favored the two sons of Rachel. And so 340 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:21,200 Speaker 2: he is trying to see, have you guys risen above 341 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:24,920 Speaker 2: your envy of the sibling that is most favored. I'm 342 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:29,680 Speaker 2: isolating it to Benjamin. Only he in whose possession the 343 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:32,520 Speaker 2: goblet was found shall be my slave. The rest of 344 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:37,040 Speaker 2: you go back in peace to your father. Okay, then 345 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:41,800 Speaker 2: in what I must tell you, many commentators non Jewish 346 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:45,879 Speaker 2: Jewish consider one of the most eloquent pleas in literature 347 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:47,160 Speaker 2: now takes place. 348 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:50,920 Speaker 1: This episode of Timeless Wisdom will continue right after this. 349 00:21:56,520 --> 00:21:59,960 Speaker 1: Now back to more of Dennis Fragger's Timeless Wisdom. 350 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:04,639 Speaker 2: Verse eighteen. In the beginning of the Hebrew portion of Vayigosh, 351 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 2: then Judah went up to him and said, please, my Lord, 352 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:13,879 Speaker 2: let your servant appeal to by Lord, and do not 353 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:16,800 Speaker 2: be impatient with your servant. He uses the word servant, 354 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:19,440 Speaker 2: which is the same in Hebrew as slave in this 355 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:25,720 Speaker 2: plea thirteen times to make his position clear to Joseph. 356 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:31,080 Speaker 2: He also speaks about the father, uses that word Jacob 357 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:38,440 Speaker 2: fourteen times. He uses two basic things in repetition. We 358 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:42,200 Speaker 2: are your servants and please feel pity on our father. 359 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:46,960 Speaker 2: Father is mentioned fourteen times. Slave or servant is mentioned 360 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 2: thirteen times in this appeal. My lord asked his servants, 361 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:55,119 Speaker 2: have you a father or another brother? You see, this 362 00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:58,879 Speaker 2: is what he's building his part of his cason. We 363 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:02,240 Speaker 2: told my Lord that's you, Joseph. We have an old 364 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:04,760 Speaker 2: father and there is a child of his old age, 365 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:09,600 Speaker 2: the youngest his full brother is dead, although in Hebrew 366 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:12,960 Speaker 2: it just says, his brother is dead. I don't know 367 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:15,879 Speaker 2: why they added the word full. At most it should 368 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 2: have been in parentheses. The Hebrew is via chivemate and 369 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:23,200 Speaker 2: his brother is dead, so that he alone is left 370 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:28,000 Speaker 2: of his mother, and his father dotes on him. Now 371 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:34,920 Speaker 2: one second, because this is a touching thing. Well, actually, 372 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 2: it'll get to twenty seven and you'll see. I want 373 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:41,720 Speaker 2: to repeat that his brother is dead. Who's the brother, right? Okay, 374 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 2: you're with me. Great Joseph is brother parentheses, Joseph is dead. 375 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:51,119 Speaker 2: So he alone, that is Benjamin alone is left of 376 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:56,640 Speaker 2: his mother Rachel, and his father dotes on him. It's 377 00:23:56,840 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 2: you see again how that thing comes up this time. However, 378 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:04,040 Speaker 2: it has not done so much. We're angry, but to say, 379 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 2: have pity on the father. He dotes on this one 380 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:12,360 Speaker 2: child that's left of that woman, of that mother. Then 381 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 2: you said to your servants, bring him down to me. 382 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:18,920 Speaker 2: Judah is recapitulating the events that brought them to this 383 00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:23,560 Speaker 2: miserable spot here. Then you said to your servants, bring 384 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:25,880 Speaker 2: him down to me, that I may set eyes on him. 385 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 2: We said to my lord, the boy cannot leave his father. 386 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:31,080 Speaker 2: If he were to leave him, his father would die. 387 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:36,480 Speaker 2: But you said to your servants, unless your youngest brother 388 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:39,640 Speaker 2: comes down with you, don't let me see your faces. 389 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:44,480 Speaker 2: When we came back to your servant, my father, we 390 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 2: reported my lord's words to him. Later, our father said, 391 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 2: go back and procure some food for us. We answered, 392 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:53,920 Speaker 2: we can't go down. Only if our youngest brother is 393 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 2: with us, can we go down, For we may not 394 00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 2: show our faces to the man unless our youngest brother 395 00:24:59,359 --> 00:25:03,359 Speaker 2: is with us. Your servant, my father said to us, 396 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 2: as you know, my wife bore me two sons now, 397 00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:11,680 Speaker 2: but one is gone for me. And I said, a lass, 398 00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 2: we'll get to that in a moment, but one is 399 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:17,000 Speaker 2: gone for me. Listen to that sentence again. Look at 400 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:20,959 Speaker 2: the way he's recapitulating Judah. My father said to us, 401 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:24,240 Speaker 2: as you know, my wife bore me two sons, but 402 00:25:24,359 --> 00:25:29,959 Speaker 2: one is gone for me. Now, folks, this is uh. 403 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:32,920 Speaker 2: There's First of all, this was never recounted in the 404 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:37,440 Speaker 2: totrast story when Judah met when that's just me, When 405 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:39,720 Speaker 2: Jacob met with his sons on their return from the 406 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 2: first trip to Egypt, this dialogue never took place. This 407 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 2: is completely inserted here by Judah, and it is done 408 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:55,119 Speaker 2: again to evoke pity from Joseph for Jacob. It is 409 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:58,119 Speaker 2: also though, when you think about it, it evokes pity 410 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:02,600 Speaker 2: for the brothers. I mean, who were they born to 411 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:06,399 Speaker 2: if not wives of this man. It's very sad that 412 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 2: the brothers would walk around with that, with that view 413 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:13,119 Speaker 2: of themselves. I mean, look at it again, my wife, 414 00:26:13,359 --> 00:26:19,080 Speaker 2: what do you mean wife? What about wives? Right, mich Leiah. 415 00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:24,439 Speaker 2: It's a very sad thing that they had this self image. 416 00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:28,119 Speaker 2: There's a lot of pathos about the brothers here, and 417 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:31,720 Speaker 2: this is an example of it. Now, the question is 418 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:36,520 Speaker 2: did Jacob really say this? We have no obviously have 419 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:39,879 Speaker 2: no way of knowing. Did Jacob really say this or not? 420 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:45,560 Speaker 2: The fact is that whether he did or not, uh well, 421 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:48,800 Speaker 2: let me read to you what nahamal Lebovich brings in 422 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:57,560 Speaker 2: about this. It's a very interesting uh verse. This is 423 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:00,920 Speaker 2: what she writes. Judah here reported a convert between his 424 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 2: father and his ten children that we have no record 425 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:08,399 Speaker 2: of in the Turrah. Moreover, it is inconceivable that Jacob 426 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 2: should have uttered, in the presence of his ten sons, 427 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:16,200 Speaker 2: the children of Leah, Zilpah, and Bilha, such words as 428 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:20,680 Speaker 2: you know that my wife bore me two sons, who 429 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:25,560 Speaker 2: are you? How could Jacob have described Rachel to the 430 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:30,040 Speaker 2: children of his other wives as his wife, had he 431 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:35,679 Speaker 2: not been punished enough for showing favoritism to his son Joseph. Presumably, therefore, 432 00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 2: Jacob had not uttered these words, Judah had added them 433 00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:43,119 Speaker 2: for effect in order to arouse the compassion of the 434 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:48,120 Speaker 2: Egyptian governor he was taking the only son left by 435 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:52,119 Speaker 2: the only woman Jacob regarded as his wife. Even if 436 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:55,159 Speaker 2: Jacob had not uttered these words, Judah was giving a 437 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:59,879 Speaker 2: faithful picture of his father's feelings, which is very very 438 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:03,760 Speaker 2: said for the kids. I mean, that's not so sad 439 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:07,200 Speaker 2: about from which woman you came. It's said that it 440 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 2: mattered that much to the father. That's the point. I mean, 441 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,879 Speaker 2: a parent can love children who came from you know, 442 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:18,840 Speaker 2: who knows from whom. The question if the point here 443 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:22,080 Speaker 2: is that Jacob didn't, the point is that Jacob loved 444 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:25,159 Speaker 2: the children of Rachel more than all the others. And 445 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:27,320 Speaker 2: so whether he said it or not, and it would 446 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:29,199 Speaker 2: be I doubt if he would have said it. I mean, 447 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:33,200 Speaker 2: that degree of callousness is difficult to attribute to Jacob. 448 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:36,360 Speaker 2: It was inserted, as she points out, to evoke more 449 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 2: compassion for him, and I might add subconsciously for the brothers. 450 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:45,480 Speaker 2: It would be it would you. And it had to 451 00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:48,400 Speaker 2: have had an impact on Joseph. You know what, I 452 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:52,680 Speaker 2: never realized the favoritism. I mean, he's a glown man now, Joseph, 453 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:56,000 Speaker 2: and all of a sudden it's dawning on him. My god, 454 00:28:57,200 --> 00:29:01,760 Speaker 2: you guys have been a real victim in this family. 455 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 2: Only my brother Benjamin and I Will really loved. That's 456 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 2: what they're saying to him, not of course, knowing in 457 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:13,800 Speaker 2: any possible way that this is Joseph. It had to 458 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:17,200 Speaker 2: have an effect on Joseph hearing this about his brothers. 459 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:21,680 Speaker 2: At that age, when you're an adult, you understand, especially 460 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:25,520 Speaker 2: he's now a father, you understo. My god, you guys 461 00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:29,880 Speaker 2: were pained, not only I. I was obviously pained in 462 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 2: a pit, but you were pained in a different way. 463 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:38,240 Speaker 2: So that's a very powerful statement that verse twenty seven, 464 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:42,760 Speaker 2: Verse twenty eight, Verse twenty seven, your servant, my father 465 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:45,000 Speaker 2: said to us, as you know, my wife bore me 466 00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:47,880 Speaker 2: two sons twenty eight, but one is gone from me. 467 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:52,200 Speaker 2: And I said, alas he was torn by a beast, 468 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:56,120 Speaker 2: and I have not seen him since. According to As 469 00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:59,080 Speaker 2: Hurtz puts it, this is the first time Joseph learns 470 00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:02,880 Speaker 2: how he was reported to have died and what happened 471 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:05,479 Speaker 2: to him. He never knew why did the brothers report 472 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:09,120 Speaker 2: to Dad when they came back without me? And now 473 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:13,000 Speaker 2: he's finding out what in fact was believed or what 474 00:30:13,360 --> 00:30:17,360 Speaker 2: at least was believed by Jacob right, because the brothers 475 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:20,800 Speaker 2: knew they had dipped in the coat, into the into 476 00:30:20,880 --> 00:30:24,440 Speaker 2: the blood. If you take this one from me too, 477 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:27,680 Speaker 2: and he meets with disaster, this is still quoting Jacob 478 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:31,160 Speaker 2: to Joseph, you will send my white head down to Shaouhl. 479 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:36,840 Speaker 2: Remember the underworld in sorrow thirty Now, if I come 480 00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:39,400 Speaker 2: to your servant my father and the boy is not 481 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:43,480 Speaker 2: with us, since his own life is so bound up 482 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:45,640 Speaker 2: with his, when he sees that the boy is not 483 00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:49,280 Speaker 2: with us, he will die. This is Judah continuing his plea. 484 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:53,240 Speaker 2: If you do not let this boy go, our father 485 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:56,880 Speaker 2: will die, and your servants will send the whitehead of 486 00:30:56,920 --> 00:31:00,520 Speaker 2: your servant our father. Notice again how many times servant 487 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:05,280 Speaker 2: and father are used down to Shaohl in grief. Now 488 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:08,680 Speaker 2: your servant has pledged himself for the boy, to my father, saying, 489 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 2: if I do not bring him back to you. I 490 00:31:11,640 --> 00:31:16,920 Speaker 2: shall stand guilty before my father forever. Therefore, please let 491 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 2: your servant remain as a slave to my lord instead 492 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:23,400 Speaker 2: of the boy. And let the boy go back with 493 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:26,280 Speaker 2: his brothers. For how can I go back to my 494 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:30,120 Speaker 2: father unless the boy is with me? Let me not 495 00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:32,960 Speaker 2: be witnessed to the woe that would overtake my father? 496 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:37,880 Speaker 2: Is that powerful or is that powerful? You have your choice? Now? 497 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:43,120 Speaker 2: A very interesting thing. Do you remember how many times 498 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:48,040 Speaker 2: now I have shown you where what happens, what comes around, 499 00:31:48,640 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 2: or what goes around comes around? What did Judah offer 500 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:58,480 Speaker 2: himself to be slave? Please turn to Genesis thirty seven 501 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:07,120 Speaker 2: twenty six. It's actually eerie, how seamless the web is. 502 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:17,440 Speaker 2: Genesis thirty seven twenty six. This is when Joseph is 503 00:32:17,480 --> 00:32:20,480 Speaker 2: in the pit and the brothers are having a meal together. 504 00:32:20,840 --> 00:32:27,560 Speaker 2: You will recall twenty six. Then Judah said to his brothers, 505 00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:30,000 Speaker 2: what are we gained by killing our brother and coming 506 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:33,680 Speaker 2: up his blood? Come, let's sell him to the Israelites. 507 00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:40,440 Speaker 2: The brother who advocated selling Joseph as a slave now 508 00:32:40,640 --> 00:32:46,600 Speaker 2: offers himself to be the slave of his brother. Whoof incredible, 509 00:32:46,680 --> 00:32:50,480 Speaker 2: isn't it? It's just it's the sort. It's chilling to me. 510 00:32:51,040 --> 00:32:55,800 Speaker 2: How again the stuff comes around. Let me read to 511 00:32:55,880 --> 00:32:58,800 Speaker 2: you Sarna here the one here he is. It's exactly 512 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:05,320 Speaker 2: what he says. Okay h. Judah has learned the meaning 513 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:10,760 Speaker 2: of brotherhood. This is me and of responsibility. Family. Responsibility 514 00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:15,440 Speaker 2: does not come naturally, It too must be learned. Judah 515 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:19,080 Speaker 2: is the art typical penitent and one who has learned 516 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:25,280 Speaker 2: from his errors and sins. Judah has changed. Judah understands now. 517 00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:29,680 Speaker 2: I have responsibility to my brother, favorite favorite. I have 518 00:33:29,840 --> 00:33:33,040 Speaker 2: responsibility as an older brother to a younger brother. I 519 00:33:33,120 --> 00:33:36,800 Speaker 2: have a responsibility to a brother period. You know, it's 520 00:33:36,960 --> 00:33:41,280 Speaker 2: very interesting. What is the purpose of family? It's an 521 00:33:41,320 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 2: interesting question what is the purpose of family? There? Of course, 522 00:33:45,320 --> 00:33:48,400 Speaker 2: people will have all sorts of answers, you know, haven 523 00:33:48,480 --> 00:33:51,560 Speaker 2: in a heartless world, and all sorts of things. I 524 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:54,000 Speaker 2: would argue that there are many, but one that I 525 00:33:54,080 --> 00:33:57,760 Speaker 2: want to focus on here, at least in so far 526 00:33:57,880 --> 00:34:01,760 Speaker 2: as the siblings are concerned, not pants, is that that 527 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:04,280 Speaker 2: is where you work out the ability to deal with 528 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:08,520 Speaker 2: the world. After all, that is your world when you're 529 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:12,640 Speaker 2: growing up. That is how you start to learn, for example, 530 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 2: not to be selfish? Will you please share the toy 531 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:23,239 Speaker 2: with your little sister? You have seventy six cookies? Why 532 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:26,319 Speaker 2: are you eating all of them? Did you ever see 533 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:30,680 Speaker 2: little kids hoard? It's incredible to watch. They will take 534 00:34:30,760 --> 00:34:34,120 Speaker 2: all twenty two cookies and they don't even eat them 535 00:34:34,160 --> 00:34:37,440 Speaker 2: because the cookies way more than the kid does. But 536 00:34:37,640 --> 00:34:40,479 Speaker 2: if one other kid wants a cookie, they run away 537 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:44,400 Speaker 2: with the entire batch. How do you ever learn to share? 538 00:34:44,560 --> 00:34:46,920 Speaker 2: How do you learn you're not the center of the universe. 539 00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:52,120 Speaker 2: One way in which you can, not everybody does, is 540 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:55,879 Speaker 2: by how you work out things with your siblings. That's 541 00:34:55,920 --> 00:34:58,520 Speaker 2: one of the advantages, or at least so it is 542 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:03,200 Speaker 2: theoretically of a large family, not from forgetting parents entirely, 543 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:06,759 Speaker 2: talking about just the children, just the siblings. That's the 544 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:09,440 Speaker 2: community you work things out. And the truth is, if 545 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:12,000 Speaker 2: you can work things out with siblings, you are ahead 546 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:15,319 Speaker 2: of everybody, because it is much harder to work things 547 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:18,759 Speaker 2: out with siblings than it is with strangers. I mean, 548 00:35:18,920 --> 00:35:21,080 Speaker 2: that's the joke of it. I've always found it one 549 00:35:21,120 --> 00:35:24,560 Speaker 2: of the most bizarre things. Where you have close friends 550 00:35:24,920 --> 00:35:27,040 Speaker 2: and they will say, let's say two guys are very 551 00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:30,160 Speaker 2: close friends. Oh, I love him like a brother. Give 552 00:35:30,200 --> 00:35:32,920 Speaker 2: me a break. How many brothers love each other like 553 00:35:33,080 --> 00:35:36,120 Speaker 2: friends love each other? Are you kidding? Weddy? One out 554 00:35:36,120 --> 00:35:39,839 Speaker 2: of a hundred. You should have it the other way. 555 00:35:39,960 --> 00:35:42,040 Speaker 2: If brothers are close, they should go I love him 556 00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:45,359 Speaker 2: like a friend. That would make sense. I love her, 557 00:35:45,840 --> 00:35:49,160 Speaker 2: you know, not like a sister. Sisters and sisters have 558 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:51,920 Speaker 2: it sometimes and you know, like when they reach their seventies, 559 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:54,799 Speaker 2: Dan all of a sudden, Eh, maybe we can work 560 00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:58,120 Speaker 2: things out, dolling that you know, but give me it certainly, 561 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:03,239 Speaker 2: not as kids. That's my dress. I mean that is 562 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:06,920 Speaker 2: sisters are notorious. She's gonna wear my clothing again? Are 563 00:36:06,960 --> 00:36:12,480 Speaker 2: you kidding? And so it's part of the process. Judah 564 00:36:12,800 --> 00:36:15,640 Speaker 2: has learned, Hey, wait a minute, I have to take 565 00:36:15,680 --> 00:36:19,640 Speaker 2: care of younger brothers. These issues not do I love Benjamin? 566 00:36:19,840 --> 00:36:23,800 Speaker 2: It isn't do I resent Benjamin. It's what are my responsibilities? 567 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:28,560 Speaker 2: And it's true for parenting. The question isn't whether Jacob 568 00:36:28,680 --> 00:36:31,759 Speaker 2: loves his kids equally. That's between him and his own heart. 569 00:36:32,480 --> 00:36:34,479 Speaker 2: The question is do you show it to your kids? 570 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:38,520 Speaker 2: That's wrong. I mean, you know, it's an old age, 571 00:36:38,560 --> 00:36:42,480 Speaker 2: old philosophical, unspoken issue to parents love all their kids equally. 572 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:45,759 Speaker 2: Some do, some don't, or at least some will love 573 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:48,479 Speaker 2: them more equally, but clearly like some more than others, 574 00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:52,960 Speaker 2: which makes perfect sense. Some kids are more likable. Obviously. 575 00:36:53,040 --> 00:36:54,680 Speaker 2: If your kid brings you a lot of joy and 576 00:36:54,719 --> 00:36:57,160 Speaker 2: the other kid is in jail all the time, there's 577 00:36:57,239 --> 00:37:01,279 Speaker 2: a very good chance that former is more likeable. You 578 00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:06,879 Speaker 2: are hardly bizarre. I mean so there are responsibilities though 579 00:37:06,960 --> 00:37:11,640 Speaker 2: that are inherent to family. That's and that apparently is 580 00:37:11,719 --> 00:37:15,560 Speaker 2: what Judah has picked up here. He is also a penitent. 581 00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:20,320 Speaker 2: I see God knows our crime. I deserve to be 582 00:37:20,440 --> 00:37:23,040 Speaker 2: a slave, is almost what he's saying. Not only do 583 00:37:23,160 --> 00:37:25,399 Speaker 2: I owe my dad to get Benjamin back to him, 584 00:37:26,160 --> 00:37:28,960 Speaker 2: I deserve to be a slave. I think that that 585 00:37:29,120 --> 00:37:31,480 Speaker 2: is part of what Judah is even saying to himself. 586 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:34,600 Speaker 2: It's pretty clear to me now I'm paying the price 587 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:38,160 Speaker 2: for what happened a while ago in what I advocated 588 00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:42,279 Speaker 2: be done to our brother Joseph. So you have here 589 00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:45,560 Speaker 2: a very impressive man. There is a statement in Judaism 590 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:56,200 Speaker 2: bi macombe h Balchuvao maide ain't Sadiko made in the 591 00:37:56,360 --> 00:38:00,480 Speaker 2: spot on the on the level that a penitent stands 592 00:38:01,400 --> 00:38:06,640 Speaker 2: the most righteous person cannot stand the highest level in Judaism. 593 00:38:07,360 --> 00:38:11,640 Speaker 2: By this statement, the highest level of human achievement is 594 00:38:11,760 --> 00:38:14,560 Speaker 2: by the one who has done bad and truly repented 595 00:38:14,640 --> 00:38:17,800 Speaker 2: and become beautiful, rather than the one who is always beautiful. 596 00:38:19,320 --> 00:38:22,759 Speaker 2: To have sunk and then to have risen is the 597 00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:27,560 Speaker 2: highest madre ga, the highest level that the human can reach. 598 00:38:28,120 --> 00:38:31,400 Speaker 2: Judah is, as I wrote here, an archetype of that 599 00:38:32,800 --> 00:38:35,680 Speaker 2: sells his brother into slavery and now reaches the point 600 00:38:35,719 --> 00:38:39,160 Speaker 2: where he says, no, I will go into slavery rather 601 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:42,480 Speaker 2: than my brother. That's a big turnaround in life, and 602 00:38:42,600 --> 00:38:46,920 Speaker 2: it's very impressive. By the way. You know, it is Judah, 603 00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:51,200 Speaker 2: after all, after whom Jews are named. We're not Benjaminites 604 00:38:51,320 --> 00:38:57,440 Speaker 2: or Josephites or Rubenites, were Judah's Jews, So it's you 605 00:38:57,520 --> 00:39:03,200 Speaker 2: know there, it's named after as it were, this tribe 606 00:39:03,719 --> 00:39:07,000 Speaker 2: started by this son who reached an extraordinary level. 607 00:39:07,480 --> 00:39:10,719 Speaker 1: This episode of Timeless Wisdom will continue right after this. 608 00:39:16,320 --> 00:39:21,720 Speaker 1: Now back to more of Dennis Fragger's Timeless Wisdom, chapter 609 00:39:21,880 --> 00:39:22,520 Speaker 1: forty five. 610 00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:34,880 Speaker 2: The drama is this plea of Judah is has to 611 00:39:35,040 --> 00:39:39,160 Speaker 2: move Joseph on every level he sees the suffering of 612 00:39:39,239 --> 00:39:41,960 Speaker 2: his brothers. He sees that they have passed the test 613 00:39:42,040 --> 00:39:45,400 Speaker 2: with flying colors. Nobody argues with Judah, Hey, Judah, what 614 00:39:45,440 --> 00:39:47,920 Speaker 2: are you talking about. Let Benjamin be a slave. Nothing 615 00:39:49,200 --> 00:39:52,720 Speaker 2: they have changed. He is their brothers. He has played 616 00:39:52,760 --> 00:39:55,600 Speaker 2: with them enough. They too are in pain. And the 617 00:39:55,719 --> 00:40:01,919 Speaker 2: truth is, you know, it's a sad not totally sad, 618 00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:06,040 Speaker 2: but sad fact of life that we are capable of 619 00:40:06,719 --> 00:40:10,520 Speaker 2: loving people much more when we know that they are, 620 00:40:11,040 --> 00:40:14,759 Speaker 2: that they have pain too. The toughest people to love 621 00:40:16,360 --> 00:40:19,160 Speaker 2: because they're the toughest to empathize with, are those who 622 00:40:19,239 --> 00:40:23,040 Speaker 2: seem to go through life painlessly. If somebody opens to 623 00:40:23,160 --> 00:40:27,160 Speaker 2: you about their at cirrus, they're deep problems, don't you 624 00:40:27,280 --> 00:40:30,520 Speaker 2: immediately feel closer to them? Unless it's on an airplane. 625 00:40:31,680 --> 00:40:35,200 Speaker 2: See when it happens on an airplane, I actually, you know, 626 00:40:35,320 --> 00:40:40,279 Speaker 2: look for the escape door. That's then it's a bad 627 00:40:40,360 --> 00:40:44,240 Speaker 2: it's a somewhat sadistic thing, but outside of enclosed quarters 628 00:40:44,320 --> 00:40:48,120 Speaker 2: that cannot be left in all seriousness, you do immediately. 629 00:40:48,239 --> 00:40:51,040 Speaker 2: We all do feel closer to someone when they open up. 630 00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:57,000 Speaker 2: And that is that is partially because every one of 631 00:40:57,080 --> 00:41:01,680 Speaker 2: us has pain, and we resent all most the sense 632 00:41:02,080 --> 00:41:05,000 Speaker 2: how the hell did you get out of pain? I've 633 00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:07,120 Speaker 2: been in it my whole life, and you walk through 634 00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:11,080 Speaker 2: life you know, nothing bugs you. You've had everything for you. 635 00:41:11,560 --> 00:41:15,080 Speaker 2: That's terrible. That was Joseph's view of his brothers as 636 00:41:15,120 --> 00:41:18,120 Speaker 2: it were. Now he goes, wait a minute, what an 637 00:41:18,320 --> 00:41:22,680 Speaker 2: erroneous view of my brothers. They were in deep pain. 638 00:41:22,880 --> 00:41:25,480 Speaker 2: Then they're in deep pain now over the way they 639 00:41:25,560 --> 00:41:29,960 Speaker 2: were raised and I was raised. These are people and 640 00:41:30,520 --> 00:41:33,920 Speaker 2: he and so that's one element that immediately moves him. 641 00:41:34,360 --> 00:41:38,080 Speaker 2: The other is they're penitent. The other is the father. 642 00:41:38,920 --> 00:41:41,120 Speaker 2: He can't you know, the father, the father. The father 643 00:41:41,280 --> 00:41:44,719 Speaker 2: keeps being mentioned. And he's played with them enough. He 644 00:41:44,800 --> 00:41:47,520 Speaker 2: has gotten the revenge out of his system. In fact, 645 00:41:47,680 --> 00:41:50,200 Speaker 2: by now with the pola from Judah, he's probably a 646 00:41:50,239 --> 00:41:54,440 Speaker 2: little embarrassed at this point. He probably feels, uh, oh, 647 00:41:54,600 --> 00:41:56,439 Speaker 2: you know, I may have taken I may have played 648 00:41:56,480 --> 00:41:58,600 Speaker 2: a game too far. These people are in terrible pain. 649 00:41:59,560 --> 00:42:04,080 Speaker 2: And indeed that is what forty five implies, at least emotionally. 650 00:42:05,360 --> 00:42:10,920 Speaker 2: Chapter forty five, Joseph could no longer control himself before 651 00:42:11,080 --> 00:42:15,840 Speaker 2: all his attendants, and he cried out, have everyone withdraw 652 00:42:15,960 --> 00:42:21,160 Speaker 2: from me. So there was no one else about. When 653 00:42:21,280 --> 00:42:26,799 Speaker 2: Joseph made himself known to his brothers, his sobs were 654 00:42:26,840 --> 00:42:31,000 Speaker 2: so loud that the Egyptians could hear, and so the 655 00:42:31,120 --> 00:42:36,719 Speaker 2: news reached Pharaoh's palace. Joseph said to his brothers, I 656 00:42:36,880 --> 00:42:42,360 Speaker 2: am Joseph. Is my father still well? But his brothers 657 00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:46,520 Speaker 2: couldn't answer him, so dumbfounded were they on account of him. 658 00:42:48,440 --> 00:42:51,960 Speaker 2: At this point the brothers my suspicions, did not believe him. 659 00:42:53,280 --> 00:42:56,520 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, there is no parallel in any 660 00:42:56,560 --> 00:42:59,360 Speaker 2: of our lives that I can imagine, except someone you 661 00:42:59,400 --> 00:43:02,400 Speaker 2: would assume dead a long time ago, who is not 662 00:43:02,560 --> 00:43:05,400 Speaker 2: only that, but is it a totally different world as 663 00:43:05,480 --> 00:43:08,319 Speaker 2: one of its heads, And then announces, I am your 664 00:43:08,400 --> 00:43:09,840 Speaker 2: I am the one you thought was dead, and it 665 00:43:09,960 --> 00:43:14,200 Speaker 2: was your brother's. There's no possible reaction, so he speaks again. 666 00:43:15,320 --> 00:43:19,760 Speaker 2: Then Joseph said to his brothers, come forward to me. Now, notice, 667 00:43:19,800 --> 00:43:25,400 Speaker 2: of course, adding some degree of veracity to his claim, 668 00:43:25,840 --> 00:43:28,600 Speaker 2: there were no interpreters about. Remember he had spoken through 669 00:43:28,680 --> 00:43:32,680 Speaker 2: interpreters the whole time to act Egyptian. There is no 670 00:43:32,880 --> 00:43:36,960 Speaker 2: Egyptian now around him. He's communicating to them in their language. 671 00:43:38,840 --> 00:43:41,239 Speaker 2: Then Joseph said to his brothers, come forward, to me, 672 00:43:41,360 --> 00:43:44,359 Speaker 2: and when they came forward, he said, I am your 673 00:43:44,440 --> 00:43:49,960 Speaker 2: brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. I am your 674 00:43:50,000 --> 00:43:53,440 Speaker 2: brother Joseph is one of the most famous statements, of 675 00:43:53,520 --> 00:43:57,040 Speaker 2: course in Western literature, let alone of course, to Torah. 676 00:43:57,840 --> 00:44:02,000 Speaker 2: It was incidentally the name the phrase that Pope John 677 00:44:02,080 --> 00:44:05,800 Speaker 2: the twenty third used when he greeted Jewish leaders. I 678 00:44:05,840 --> 00:44:09,440 Speaker 2: think it was nineteen sixty three when they came to 679 00:44:09,520 --> 00:44:13,440 Speaker 2: the Vatican. And he was, of course, from certainly from 680 00:44:13,480 --> 00:44:18,560 Speaker 2: a Jewish perspective, one of the giants of history, a 681 00:44:18,680 --> 00:44:23,319 Speaker 2: man who wanted to atone for millennia of anti Semitism 682 00:44:23,760 --> 00:44:28,840 Speaker 2: that had taken place, often at the highest levels of 683 00:44:28,920 --> 00:44:33,200 Speaker 2: his own church. And he greeted the Jewish leaders, I 684 00:44:33,440 --> 00:44:37,840 Speaker 2: am your brother Joseph, because that was his baptismal name, Joseph. 685 00:44:39,400 --> 00:44:42,320 Speaker 2: You could imagine the Jews reaction the Pope of the 686 00:44:42,400 --> 00:44:46,520 Speaker 2: Catholic Church, after thousands of years, comes to a Jewish 687 00:44:46,560 --> 00:44:49,879 Speaker 2: group and goes, I am your brother Joseph. I may 688 00:44:50,040 --> 00:44:54,319 Speaker 2: look like a Catholic, I may look like the head, 689 00:44:54,800 --> 00:45:00,640 Speaker 2: powerful head of another world, but I am really your Joseph. 690 00:45:01,520 --> 00:45:04,960 Speaker 2: That's very powerful statement. I am your brother Joseph. Whom 691 00:45:05,000 --> 00:45:08,640 Speaker 2: you sold into Egypt. Now, do not be distressed. Can 692 00:45:08,719 --> 00:45:12,600 Speaker 2: you imagine that? Yeah, take it easy, guys, no problem, 693 00:45:14,040 --> 00:45:19,040 Speaker 2: or reproach yourselves. His first reaction here is a good one. 694 00:45:20,080 --> 00:45:23,920 Speaker 2: He says, don't be distressed or reproach yourselves because you 695 00:45:24,080 --> 00:45:30,160 Speaker 2: sold me hither. All right, now, that's very interesting. Don't 696 00:45:30,239 --> 00:45:34,800 Speaker 2: feel guilty about having sold me here. It was to 697 00:45:35,080 --> 00:45:40,960 Speaker 2: save life that God sent me ahead of you. I'm 698 00:45:40,960 --> 00:45:42,520 Speaker 2: going to talk about that in a moment. But he 699 00:45:42,640 --> 00:45:45,719 Speaker 2: now explains what it means to save life. God sent 700 00:45:45,800 --> 00:45:48,160 Speaker 2: me ahead of you. It is now two years that 701 00:45:48,239 --> 00:45:50,560 Speaker 2: there has been famine in the land, and there are 702 00:45:50,640 --> 00:45:52,840 Speaker 2: still five years to come in which there will be 703 00:45:53,000 --> 00:45:56,719 Speaker 2: no yield from tilling. God has sent me ahead of 704 00:45:56,800 --> 00:46:00,959 Speaker 2: you to ensure your survival on earth and to save 705 00:46:01,080 --> 00:46:07,960 Speaker 2: your lives in an extraordinary deliverance. So it was not 706 00:46:08,239 --> 00:46:11,560 Speaker 2: you who sent me here, but God. And He has 707 00:46:11,640 --> 00:46:15,280 Speaker 2: made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his household, 708 00:46:15,840 --> 00:46:22,319 Speaker 2: and ruler over the whole land of Egypt. Somehow get 709 00:46:22,360 --> 00:46:25,560 Speaker 2: into a home of somebody important, The only way was 710 00:46:25,600 --> 00:46:27,960 Speaker 2: as a slave. How did he get to be a slave? 711 00:46:28,320 --> 00:46:30,920 Speaker 2: And so on? God's hand is in all of it. 712 00:46:31,000 --> 00:46:36,600 Speaker 2: Now this is a very very difficult problem, and that 713 00:46:37,040 --> 00:46:40,759 Speaker 2: for people who take God and religion seriously. If in 714 00:46:40,880 --> 00:46:44,880 Speaker 2: fact God did it, what responsibility did the brothers have 715 00:46:45,080 --> 00:46:52,160 Speaker 2: for having done it? Are they guilty at all? It's 716 00:46:52,200 --> 00:46:57,240 Speaker 2: a difficult issue, and I don't contrary to my general 717 00:46:57,520 --> 00:47:00,759 Speaker 2: this deep desire, I don't have a beautiful answer for you. 718 00:47:01,520 --> 00:47:05,040 Speaker 2: I think it's a very real dilemma. Did God do 719 00:47:05,160 --> 00:47:07,160 Speaker 2: it or did the brothers do it? Or is there 720 00:47:07,239 --> 00:47:09,880 Speaker 2: some may lounge of the two? Which is what all 721 00:47:10,040 --> 00:47:14,400 Speaker 2: obviously I would ultimately come to God wanted him in 722 00:47:14,560 --> 00:47:24,320 Speaker 2: Egypt the UH. I never had a problem with the 723 00:47:24,440 --> 00:47:28,400 Speaker 2: concept that God knows the future and free will. I 724 00:47:28,520 --> 00:47:30,439 Speaker 2: don't have in a lot of people say, how could 725 00:47:30,440 --> 00:47:33,359 Speaker 2: there be free will and God know the future? If 726 00:47:33,400 --> 00:47:35,760 Speaker 2: God knows the future, God knows what you'll do tomorrow, 727 00:47:35,800 --> 00:47:38,080 Speaker 2: then how do you have free will tomorrow? Right, That's 728 00:47:38,120 --> 00:47:40,720 Speaker 2: the way the question is posed. I have no problem 729 00:47:40,800 --> 00:47:44,040 Speaker 2: with that, because, among other things, I believe God stands 730 00:47:44,080 --> 00:47:46,840 Speaker 2: outside of time. We even know through Einstein time is 731 00:47:47,080 --> 00:47:50,239 Speaker 2: relative anyway, So God stands outside and you do have 732 00:47:50,360 --> 00:47:52,480 Speaker 2: free will, I'll give it to you in a simplistic way, 733 00:47:52,640 --> 00:47:55,759 Speaker 2: not just simple simplistic. I acknowledge it, but it may help. 734 00:47:56,520 --> 00:48:01,200 Speaker 2: You are driving on the freeway, so there's an accident 735 00:48:01,320 --> 00:48:05,440 Speaker 2: in the other direction, so there's a huge backup of cars, right, 736 00:48:06,840 --> 00:48:09,880 Speaker 2: you know, as you drive, what the future of the 737 00:48:10,000 --> 00:48:12,840 Speaker 2: drivers on that side is. They're gonna have to stop 738 00:48:12,880 --> 00:48:17,840 Speaker 2: any moment because there is an accident. Do they not 739 00:48:18,000 --> 00:48:22,600 Speaker 2: have free will just because you know they'll stop? Of 740 00:48:22,680 --> 00:48:26,560 Speaker 2: course they have free will. They could crash theoretically, right, 741 00:48:27,719 --> 00:48:30,359 Speaker 2: but you know what they'll do. You're not God. Now, 742 00:48:30,440 --> 00:48:32,239 Speaker 2: if you're not God and you know what people do 743 00:48:32,320 --> 00:48:35,080 Speaker 2: and they still have free will, then clearly God, who 744 00:48:35,239 --> 00:48:37,399 Speaker 2: is God, can know what you'll do and you still 745 00:48:37,440 --> 00:48:40,600 Speaker 2: have free will. I don't have a problem with that, Okay. 746 00:48:42,560 --> 00:48:46,960 Speaker 2: What I do have a problem is with this because 747 00:48:47,040 --> 00:48:49,880 Speaker 2: this is not where God knows what the brothers will do. 748 00:48:50,640 --> 00:48:56,120 Speaker 2: The implication is God made the brothers do it. But 749 00:48:56,239 --> 00:48:58,880 Speaker 2: if God made the brothers do it, then they didn't 750 00:48:58,960 --> 00:49:03,600 Speaker 2: do something out free will whatever would have happened. Indeed, 751 00:49:03,680 --> 00:49:06,520 Speaker 2: by the way in that regard, Christians had a similar thing. 752 00:49:06,560 --> 00:49:08,920 Speaker 2: If I were in the medieval Christian world as a 753 00:49:09,000 --> 00:49:11,719 Speaker 2: Jew and they were all yelling at me for being 754 00:49:11,760 --> 00:49:14,560 Speaker 2: a christ killer, I would have said, it wouldn't have help. 755 00:49:14,600 --> 00:49:16,719 Speaker 2: They would have just gotten angrier. But I would have said, 756 00:49:17,239 --> 00:49:21,319 Speaker 2: on purely logical grounds if while I'd blame me all 757 00:49:21,360 --> 00:49:23,759 Speaker 2: you like, but if the Jews didn't kill him, you 758 00:49:23,840 --> 00:49:31,879 Speaker 2: would have no religion. No, because God sent his only son, 759 00:49:32,440 --> 00:49:37,000 Speaker 2: by classical Christian theology to be killed, I mean no 760 00:49:37,239 --> 00:49:40,479 Speaker 2: sacrilegi at all. If he'd had died in a nursing home, 761 00:49:40,840 --> 00:49:44,440 Speaker 2: this story would be very different. You don't die for 762 00:49:44,600 --> 00:49:49,480 Speaker 2: people's sins in your sleep. You die for people's sins 763 00:49:49,560 --> 00:49:52,840 Speaker 2: because you are killed by people doing bad things sinning. 764 00:49:55,080 --> 00:49:59,239 Speaker 2: So it's or hardly the only religion that has a 765 00:49:59,360 --> 00:50:02,960 Speaker 2: problem of where do you place blame? If God designed 766 00:50:02,960 --> 00:50:05,880 Speaker 2: it in advance to be a certain way. But it 767 00:50:06,000 --> 00:50:09,440 Speaker 2: is a problem. God wanted you to send me, he 768 00:50:09,600 --> 00:50:12,640 Speaker 2: tells them it. Don't reproach yourself. God wanted me to 769 00:50:12,719 --> 00:50:16,839 Speaker 2: come here. God, God had you do it as it were. 770 00:50:19,520 --> 00:50:22,799 Speaker 2: I don't have an answer except to say that at 771 00:50:22,880 --> 00:50:27,960 Speaker 2: extraordinary moments, in defining moments of history, perhaps indeed there 772 00:50:28,080 --> 00:50:33,000 Speaker 2: isn't absolute freedom of will. Perhaps indeed God intervenes at 773 00:50:33,120 --> 00:50:37,680 Speaker 2: certain times and just make certain things happen. That's true, 774 00:50:38,800 --> 00:50:41,080 Speaker 2: and that is probably what the text would want you 775 00:50:41,400 --> 00:50:44,520 Speaker 2: to see, not for you to learn that you don't 776 00:50:44,560 --> 00:50:47,520 Speaker 2: have to act out your life, because if we are 777 00:50:47,600 --> 00:50:50,600 Speaker 2: to all take this into our own lives as a lesson, 778 00:50:51,080 --> 00:50:54,719 Speaker 2: then it justifies anything you'll do. Oh, I shot him. 779 00:50:55,080 --> 00:50:59,920 Speaker 2: It was God's will. But that's absurd. It's a very 780 00:51:00,040 --> 00:51:04,120 Speaker 2: very difficult problem the God, the God intervening in human 781 00:51:04,160 --> 00:51:07,120 Speaker 2: affairs issue. See, we all want it. We want God 782 00:51:07,200 --> 00:51:09,960 Speaker 2: to help a loved one who was sick. And yet 783 00:51:10,000 --> 00:51:12,120 Speaker 2: what if God does it? It presents a lot of 784 00:51:12,239 --> 00:51:15,359 Speaker 2: problems to us because then why does it make us? 785 00:51:15,800 --> 00:51:21,320 Speaker 2: Are we just sophisticated robots? This is I'll take a 786 00:51:21,400 --> 00:51:24,680 Speaker 2: comment on this one. Yes, I don't know. 787 00:51:24,760 --> 00:51:25,719 Speaker 4: I understand that. 788 00:51:28,360 --> 00:51:30,719 Speaker 5: They have They have the free will well enough to 789 00:51:30,840 --> 00:51:34,680 Speaker 5: sound they chose to set off itself in the players 790 00:51:35,280 --> 00:51:39,080 Speaker 5: they say not because God's will. They attended the Egypt anyway, 791 00:51:39,680 --> 00:51:41,359 Speaker 5: Is it not that way to think? 792 00:51:41,440 --> 00:51:41,800 Speaker 6: Decided? 793 00:51:41,880 --> 00:51:42,040 Speaker 1: Is not? 794 00:51:42,280 --> 00:51:45,000 Speaker 4: So you would have known that another way? Maybe it's 795 00:51:45,000 --> 00:51:47,839 Speaker 4: a better way and history would have changed. I think 796 00:51:48,200 --> 00:51:48,840 Speaker 4: maybe not. 797 00:51:51,160 --> 00:51:54,360 Speaker 2: The way. Fine, I I think that that is a 798 00:51:54,800 --> 00:51:57,880 Speaker 2: does anybody have a problem with his solution? His solution 799 00:51:58,160 --> 00:52:02,520 Speaker 2: is God design that Joseph would end up in Egypt 800 00:52:02,800 --> 00:52:07,799 Speaker 2: to save them, Okay, but didn't design the manner that's 801 00:52:07,840 --> 00:52:10,120 Speaker 2: what you're saying, in which he would end up in Egypt, 802 00:52:10,680 --> 00:52:13,960 Speaker 2: so that the brothers did have free will, and uh, 803 00:52:14,239 --> 00:52:19,160 Speaker 2: and but so that. But but then Joseph is being 804 00:52:19,800 --> 00:52:24,680 Speaker 2: very generous and saying, don't reproach yourselves for selling me 805 00:52:24,800 --> 00:52:27,920 Speaker 2: into slavery, because if in fact you're right, he could 806 00:52:27,960 --> 00:52:29,680 Speaker 2: have said, you know, God would have had a much 807 00:52:29,760 --> 00:52:32,400 Speaker 2: more comfortable way for me to end up in Egypt. 808 00:52:36,280 --> 00:52:43,960 Speaker 2: He doesn't, right, But well, that's a separaation whether he's 809 00:52:43,960 --> 00:52:46,520 Speaker 2: a no all or be all or what. The fact 810 00:52:46,600 --> 00:52:50,800 Speaker 2: of the matter is, either he holds them responsible or 811 00:52:50,880 --> 00:52:54,520 Speaker 2: he doesn't hold them responsible, unless he's being super magnanimous, 812 00:52:54,960 --> 00:52:59,080 Speaker 2: which he might be. That I acknowledge that he is saying, 813 00:52:59,280 --> 00:53:02,920 Speaker 2: you're not respons now that I see what's happened, that I, 814 00:53:03,719 --> 00:53:06,120 Speaker 2: the child of Israel, ended up here to save you, 815 00:53:06,719 --> 00:53:10,200 Speaker 2: I clearly see the hand of God here. That's what 816 00:53:10,400 --> 00:53:14,000 Speaker 2: he's really saying, I think, And in which case the 817 00:53:14,160 --> 00:53:17,440 Speaker 2: selling seems to have been a divine plan. I like 818 00:53:17,560 --> 00:53:20,239 Speaker 2: your idea. It's just no, I just don't think that's 819 00:53:20,280 --> 00:53:23,600 Speaker 2: what Joseph is saying, unless which is really possible, he's 820 00:53:23,680 --> 00:53:26,839 Speaker 2: just being magnanimous. Listen, I don't know how I would 821 00:53:26,880 --> 00:53:28,560 Speaker 2: have ended up here, but I had to be here. 822 00:53:28,640 --> 00:53:31,520 Speaker 2: That was God's plan, and it just worked out that 823 00:53:31,640 --> 00:53:33,560 Speaker 2: this is the way it would be. Yes, but he's 824 00:53:34,040 --> 00:53:34,600 Speaker 2: the core of. 825 00:53:34,600 --> 00:53:38,600 Speaker 4: It that he was there at to say now or 826 00:53:38,719 --> 00:53:41,080 Speaker 4: that he's been done that act and he's still been 827 00:53:41,160 --> 00:53:46,080 Speaker 4: treating him the way he has and with some condictedness. 828 00:53:47,160 --> 00:53:50,040 Speaker 2: So therefore maybe he is being Yes, he might be 829 00:53:50,160 --> 00:53:52,920 Speaker 2: magnanimous because of the vindictiveness, is what you're saying. Anyway, 830 00:53:52,960 --> 00:53:54,800 Speaker 2: all I want to do is raise it. It's a 831 00:53:54,880 --> 00:53:58,399 Speaker 2: tough issue. Uh. The Rabbis and Judaism, by the way, 832 00:53:58,520 --> 00:54:01,120 Speaker 2: make it even tougher in some way. They hold at 833 00:54:01,160 --> 00:54:04,200 Speaker 2: the destruction, for example, of the two Temples the greatest 834 00:54:04,239 --> 00:54:07,640 Speaker 2: catastrophes in Jewish history, not just because theologically the temple 835 00:54:07,760 --> 00:54:11,560 Speaker 2: was destroyed massive amount of torture and rape and death 836 00:54:11,640 --> 00:54:15,840 Speaker 2: among Jews massive, I mean almost Tlacostian proportions, though not 837 00:54:16,000 --> 00:54:18,520 Speaker 2: in numbers because they weren't that many Jews like like 838 00:54:18,600 --> 00:54:23,040 Speaker 2: in Europe, but in proportion, and they argue that will 839 00:54:23,080 --> 00:54:27,080 Speaker 2: Metu Gallinu Meyerzano. Because of our sins we were exiled 840 00:54:27,120 --> 00:54:31,200 Speaker 2: from our land. Well, then were were the Greek and 841 00:54:31,400 --> 00:54:36,680 Speaker 2: Roman conquerors acting out God's will? In which case do 842 00:54:36,760 --> 00:54:37,399 Speaker 2: you blame them? 843 00:54:38,719 --> 00:54:38,919 Speaker 4: See? 844 00:54:38,960 --> 00:54:41,400 Speaker 2: These are very these are these are problems. I mean, 845 00:54:41,440 --> 00:54:43,760 Speaker 2: they may be solved. We would have been exiled anyway, 846 00:54:43,840 --> 00:54:45,839 Speaker 2: but they still had freedom of choice and the whether 847 00:54:45,960 --> 00:54:48,080 Speaker 2: or not they do it maybe maybe not. 848 00:54:48,239 --> 00:54:49,800 Speaker 4: Did you have a hand up, Yes, yeah, I just 849 00:54:49,960 --> 00:54:52,200 Speaker 4: it seems that one of the times have made them 850 00:54:52,200 --> 00:54:53,960 Speaker 4: evi enough to give them bod' begin. 851 00:54:55,040 --> 00:54:59,160 Speaker 2: That God would have that. It seemed that God had 852 00:54:59,239 --> 00:55:01,000 Speaker 2: to make them evil enough in order to do it. No, 853 00:55:01,120 --> 00:55:05,480 Speaker 2: I think that I don't see is a problem. I well, 854 00:55:05,520 --> 00:55:07,680 Speaker 2: you're right, Well, I see if if, in fact they 855 00:55:07,719 --> 00:55:10,200 Speaker 2: would not have done it without God's plan, then God 856 00:55:10,320 --> 00:55:13,919 Speaker 2: made them worse, which really would really would make would 857 00:55:13,920 --> 00:55:16,480 Speaker 2: would see it as a problem. All right, resolve it 858 00:55:16,560 --> 00:55:20,520 Speaker 2: as you will. I think your magnanimity idea is probably 859 00:55:20,600 --> 00:55:23,239 Speaker 2: the best. That look, I have to end up here, 860 00:55:23,360 --> 00:55:26,279 Speaker 2: and whatever road would be taken would be taken, would 861 00:55:26,320 --> 00:55:29,160 Speaker 2: probably be the best. But it is a problematic one 862 00:55:29,480 --> 00:55:32,560 Speaker 2: the hand of God. However, let me just tell you this, 863 00:55:34,080 --> 00:55:37,160 Speaker 2: if you have problems with the contradictions of freedom of 864 00:55:37,239 --> 00:55:42,040 Speaker 2: will in the Torah. Please understand that secular life presents 865 00:55:42,080 --> 00:55:45,760 Speaker 2: its own list of things that they that are argued 866 00:55:46,440 --> 00:55:49,920 Speaker 2: are against freedom of will. And I just made a 867 00:55:49,960 --> 00:56:00,120 Speaker 2: little list genes, environment, parents, help are are you know? 868 00:56:00,640 --> 00:56:03,520 Speaker 2: Is our freedom of will not circumscribed? Folks? If I 869 00:56:03,600 --> 00:56:07,160 Speaker 2: had wanted to be a track star, nothing would have 870 00:56:07,239 --> 00:56:09,000 Speaker 2: done it. I could not have done it with all 871 00:56:09,080 --> 00:56:11,319 Speaker 2: the work in the world. I was given the feet 872 00:56:11,400 --> 00:56:14,440 Speaker 2: of a talk show host. That is the way. No, 873 00:56:14,560 --> 00:56:17,120 Speaker 2: that is exactly what my pediatrist told me a couple 874 00:56:17,200 --> 00:56:21,400 Speaker 2: of years ago. I am in the perfect profession for 875 00:56:21,520 --> 00:56:26,239 Speaker 2: the feat that I have. Okay, I don't have the 876 00:56:26,320 --> 00:56:30,520 Speaker 2: freedom to run as fast as others will run. You 877 00:56:30,640 --> 00:56:34,200 Speaker 2: don't have the freedom to do a million things and 878 00:56:34,360 --> 00:56:38,480 Speaker 2: me to do I. Of course, our freedoms are circumscribed. 879 00:56:39,480 --> 00:56:41,600 Speaker 2: It is. It is a fact of life. But I 880 00:56:41,719 --> 00:56:46,040 Speaker 2: want to tell you what is even more remarkable. And 881 00:56:46,280 --> 00:56:48,160 Speaker 2: I wish this was my point, but it's not. I 882 00:56:48,320 --> 00:56:51,959 Speaker 2: learned this from Lev Shestov, and I forgot his book 883 00:56:53,440 --> 00:56:59,000 Speaker 2: and a Russian I believe, Russian Jewish philosopher, and he 884 00:56:59,200 --> 00:57:03,600 Speaker 2: noted that the only possible way to believe that people 885 00:57:03,719 --> 00:57:07,359 Speaker 2: have any freedom of choice is to believe in God. 886 00:57:09,560 --> 00:57:15,040 Speaker 2: A purely secular view of humanity ultimately argues that you 887 00:57:15,239 --> 00:57:20,080 Speaker 2: have no freedom, and he's right. Let me ask you 888 00:57:20,120 --> 00:57:23,320 Speaker 2: a simple question. Assume that you have no soul, because 889 00:57:23,360 --> 00:57:27,480 Speaker 2: the God issue implies a soul or something beyond the 890 00:57:27,520 --> 00:57:33,000 Speaker 2: physical other than genes and environment. Why do people do 891 00:57:33,080 --> 00:57:38,960 Speaker 2: anything if I don't know you signed up to take 892 00:57:39,000 --> 00:57:40,880 Speaker 2: this course. Why didn't you sign up to take this 893 00:57:41,040 --> 00:57:44,800 Speaker 2: course because you wanted to learn? You wanted to study 894 00:57:44,840 --> 00:57:47,320 Speaker 2: with me the Book of Genesis. You wanted to study 895 00:57:47,360 --> 00:57:49,440 Speaker 2: the book of Me for Genesis because this and the 896 00:57:49,480 --> 00:57:51,320 Speaker 2: reason this is me? And until you go back and back, 897 00:57:51,680 --> 00:57:54,200 Speaker 2: why you and not somebody else? Well, you were raised 898 00:57:54,640 --> 00:57:57,240 Speaker 2: in such a way that you have intellectual curiosity about 899 00:57:57,280 --> 00:58:02,440 Speaker 2: biblical stuff or whatever it might be. Ultimately, why do 900 00:58:02,560 --> 00:58:05,520 Speaker 2: we do anything if there is nothing in us that 901 00:58:06,320 --> 00:58:13,640 Speaker 2: shoun transcend genes and environment? His argument is only a 902 00:58:13,720 --> 00:58:17,960 Speaker 2: religious worldview, only a religious perspective on life, actually posits 903 00:58:18,000 --> 00:58:21,080 Speaker 2: that there is freedom. So I just want you to know, 904 00:58:21,160 --> 00:58:23,400 Speaker 2: with all our problems of God's will and so on, 905 00:58:23,800 --> 00:58:25,920 Speaker 2: the truth is one of the reasons that I did 906 00:58:26,000 --> 00:58:29,000 Speaker 2: come to religion was this argument. I do believe we 907 00:58:29,080 --> 00:58:32,520 Speaker 2: have some freedom. I don't believe that everything we do 908 00:58:33,000 --> 00:58:35,720 Speaker 2: is the product of genes and environment and we are 909 00:58:35,760 --> 00:58:40,080 Speaker 2: only sophisticated computers. I do believe there is a denis 910 00:58:40,600 --> 00:58:43,600 Speaker 2: that is more than the sum of its parts of 911 00:58:43,760 --> 00:58:47,960 Speaker 2: genes and environment. Okay, And I suspect that most of 912 00:58:48,040 --> 00:58:51,560 Speaker 2: you believe that about you, that you are more than 913 00:58:51,760 --> 00:58:55,040 Speaker 2: just the inputs in you, the physical and the environmental 914 00:58:55,120 --> 00:58:55,760 Speaker 2: inputs in you. 915 00:58:56,400 --> 00:58:57,040 Speaker 3: But what is that? 916 00:58:57,320 --> 00:59:02,640 Speaker 2: Who is the you? Who is jar? Is there a 917 00:59:02,800 --> 00:59:06,320 Speaker 2: you that is beyond that? And if you hold that 918 00:59:07,160 --> 00:59:09,760 Speaker 2: it's a religious conviction, because it's an act of faith, 919 00:59:10,040 --> 00:59:12,520 Speaker 2: you can't show it. You can't measure it, you can't 920 00:59:12,560 --> 00:59:15,040 Speaker 2: prove it, you can't demonstrate it, you can't put it 921 00:59:15,080 --> 00:59:18,720 Speaker 2: in a test to So this whole thing is a 922 00:59:18,800 --> 00:59:21,440 Speaker 2: difficult thing for whether you're secular, where I think it's 923 00:59:21,480 --> 00:59:24,000 Speaker 2: impossible to hold we have ultimate freedom of choice. And 924 00:59:24,160 --> 00:59:28,640 Speaker 2: by the way, that is why the more secular the society, 925 00:59:28,840 --> 00:59:34,240 Speaker 2: the less the people are likely to blame criminals. Because 926 00:59:34,320 --> 00:59:38,160 Speaker 2: if ultimately all we are is the product of genes 927 00:59:38,280 --> 00:59:42,960 Speaker 2: and heredity, heredity and environment, then it's really not right 928 00:59:43,040 --> 00:59:45,479 Speaker 2: to blame a rapist. It's really not right to blame 929 00:59:45,520 --> 00:59:50,680 Speaker 2: a serial murderer. And I mean this with no put down. 930 00:59:50,840 --> 00:59:53,040 Speaker 2: I reject it, but I mean it. I don't mean it. 931 00:59:53,120 --> 00:59:58,400 Speaker 2: I'm not arguing here, I'm describing, not arguing. Unless you 932 00:59:58,600 --> 01:00:01,520 Speaker 2: hold that in some way they're really is a freedom 933 01:00:01,560 --> 01:00:05,760 Speaker 2: of choice in the individual, then how do you blame anybody? 934 01:00:08,240 --> 01:00:10,680 Speaker 2: And indeed, we are living in a blame free thing. 935 01:00:11,080 --> 01:00:16,280 Speaker 2: That's in the final analysis, our secularized Western world produced 936 01:00:16,320 --> 01:00:23,040 Speaker 2: the jury that can't hold the Menendez boys guilty. If 937 01:00:23,280 --> 01:00:26,760 Speaker 2: if you have X input, you're gonna get why output. 938 01:00:27,360 --> 01:00:30,080 Speaker 2: That's the way the human is. You grow up with 939 01:00:30,160 --> 01:00:35,000 Speaker 2: these parents, then you murder them. It's just that's the 940 01:00:35,040 --> 01:00:39,120 Speaker 2: way it works. And that is why, by the way, 941 01:00:39,400 --> 01:00:40,880 Speaker 2: I will come to you in a moment, that is 942 01:00:41,000 --> 01:00:45,160 Speaker 2: why it tends to be the more religious in society 943 01:00:45,600 --> 01:00:50,640 Speaker 2: who are the most advocate of punished, punishing criminals. It's 944 01:00:50,680 --> 01:00:54,120 Speaker 2: not a coincidence. It's probably never been explained to you 945 01:00:54,280 --> 01:00:56,959 Speaker 2: this way because a lot of religious people themselves don't 946 01:00:57,000 --> 01:00:59,160 Speaker 2: realize why they feel this way. A lot of secular 947 01:00:59,200 --> 01:01:01,520 Speaker 2: people don't realize why they feel the other way. But 948 01:01:01,640 --> 01:01:06,160 Speaker 2: they're both acting out what, in fact is the philosophy 949 01:01:06,240 --> 01:01:10,440 Speaker 2: of their culture. A religious person in the Judeo Christian 950 01:01:10,520 --> 01:01:14,280 Speaker 2: culture holds that people tend to be responsible for their behavior. 951 01:01:15,520 --> 01:01:18,520 Speaker 2: The more educated you are at a secular university, the 952 01:01:18,640 --> 01:01:21,680 Speaker 2: more likely you are to believe that's not so. We 953 01:01:21,800 --> 01:01:27,640 Speaker 2: are really the product of psychological, environmental, and hereditary forces 954 01:01:28,600 --> 01:01:32,120 Speaker 2: and therefore cannot be blamed for what we do. Cost 955 01:01:32,480 --> 01:01:35,200 Speaker 2: My big challenge, among my big challenges to people who 956 01:01:35,280 --> 01:01:38,040 Speaker 2: say that is if you don't blame people for the 957 01:01:38,120 --> 01:01:40,760 Speaker 2: bad they do, then you cannot give them credit for 958 01:01:40,840 --> 01:01:43,440 Speaker 2: the good they do. And then all of a sudden 959 01:01:43,480 --> 01:01:48,720 Speaker 2: they get very upset. You see, if you don't blame 960 01:01:48,800 --> 01:01:52,440 Speaker 2: the Menendez brothers for what they did, then you cannot 961 01:01:52,440 --> 01:01:56,040 Speaker 2: give mother Teresa credit for what she does. She is 962 01:01:56,360 --> 01:01:59,880 Speaker 2: just a product of heredity and environment, just as the 963 01:02:00,080 --> 01:02:04,640 Speaker 2: Menendez buffer's off. She can't help herself. That is exactly right, 964 01:02:05,840 --> 01:02:10,480 Speaker 2: That is exactly right. But there is something in you 965 01:02:10,640 --> 01:02:12,960 Speaker 2: that are you wait, wait, this is absurd. We're getting 966 01:02:13,000 --> 01:02:15,800 Speaker 2: crazy here. You're not going to give good people credit 967 01:02:15,880 --> 01:02:20,160 Speaker 2: for what they do. When I was when i directed 968 01:02:20,200 --> 01:02:24,880 Speaker 2: a college institute, college students would constantly argue that you 969 01:02:25,040 --> 01:02:28,840 Speaker 2: cannot give. You cannot say that anybody does anything for 970 01:02:29,000 --> 01:02:33,120 Speaker 2: anything other than self interest reasons. So there really aren't 971 01:02:33,160 --> 01:02:35,680 Speaker 2: any good people. There were no good people, and there 972 01:02:35,720 --> 01:02:39,200 Speaker 2: were no bad people. Bad people are products of hilarity environment. 973 01:02:39,280 --> 01:02:41,200 Speaker 2: Good people are also products of that, or at least 974 01:02:41,240 --> 01:02:46,840 Speaker 2: of calculated self interest, and that's a very dehumanizing idea 975 01:02:46,960 --> 01:02:48,240 Speaker 2: in my opinion. 976 01:02:48,320 --> 01:02:54,040 Speaker 6: Yes, well, Michu's grady yet would be the more eldish. 977 01:02:54,760 --> 01:02:59,800 Speaker 6: I'm just as it's good and Miles jeff im Aluku 978 01:03:00,560 --> 01:03:04,520 Speaker 6: in kids, you're saying they're not as comftable or may 979 01:03:04,640 --> 01:03:07,840 Speaker 6: not be taken off. That shakes the living wor. 980 01:03:09,440 --> 01:03:14,120 Speaker 2: Well exactly. No, well, you're you're you're recapitulating my original dilemma. Yes, 981 01:03:14,240 --> 01:03:18,280 Speaker 2: I will repeat it. She's recapitulating. She said, if God 982 01:03:18,360 --> 01:03:20,200 Speaker 2: did it and not the brothers, then you're taking away 983 01:03:20,240 --> 01:03:24,160 Speaker 2: their moral freedom. Uh, that's right. That's why I said 984 01:03:24,600 --> 01:03:29,760 Speaker 2: Joseph's reaction, if taken literally, presents that problem. I think 985 01:03:29,880 --> 01:03:32,560 Speaker 2: our best solution will be the more I think about it, 986 01:03:32,640 --> 01:03:36,560 Speaker 2: the magnanimity of Joseph that I don't think he means 987 01:03:36,600 --> 01:03:39,440 Speaker 2: it literally, because if he does mean it literally, they 988 01:03:39,520 --> 01:03:42,360 Speaker 2: are not culpable, which I also explain may then be 989 01:03:42,880 --> 01:03:46,080 Speaker 2: on rare occasions, we are not culpable. God simply uses 990 01:03:46,160 --> 01:03:49,320 Speaker 2: us as a vehicle. That is possible. Okay, if you're 991 01:03:49,360 --> 01:03:52,600 Speaker 2: the children of Israel literally and the fate of the 992 01:03:52,760 --> 01:03:56,840 Speaker 2: monotheistic idea rides on your family, God will intervene that. 993 01:03:57,040 --> 01:03:59,200 Speaker 2: And that is what the Torah is saying. It is 994 01:03:59,320 --> 01:04:01,760 Speaker 2: not saying it's true for anybody else. Otherwise it wouldn't 995 01:04:01,760 --> 01:04:06,919 Speaker 2: punish criminals. It would just say, hey, they're doing God's will, right. 996 01:04:06,960 --> 01:04:10,200 Speaker 4: Postle that God's will is such as to find a vehicle, 997 01:04:10,760 --> 01:04:13,760 Speaker 4: a greak character that coincides what is what God will? 998 01:04:13,880 --> 01:04:19,600 Speaker 2: Is it possible? This man asks that God simply finds 999 01:04:19,640 --> 01:04:24,920 Speaker 2: the weak character to utilow to manifest or express the 1000 01:04:25,040 --> 01:04:29,760 Speaker 2: bad that God needs to be done. Well, it's possible. 1001 01:04:29,880 --> 01:04:34,200 Speaker 2: But everything's possible, you know. And that's it's it's a dilemma, 1002 01:04:34,280 --> 01:04:35,960 Speaker 2: and I want you to just be aware of it. 1003 01:04:36,640 --> 01:04:39,560 Speaker 2: It's a dilemma that confronts truly religious people, but I 1004 01:04:39,640 --> 01:04:41,960 Speaker 2: want you to understand that truly secular people have a 1005 01:04:42,000 --> 01:04:44,760 Speaker 2: worse dilemma. That was really what this was all about. 1006 01:04:45,400 --> 01:04:53,400 Speaker 2: I resolve it with with really this statement from a 1007 01:04:53,520 --> 01:04:59,840 Speaker 2: Judaism Kobe de Chamaim cuts me at a Chamayam. Every 1008 01:05:00,120 --> 01:05:04,200 Speaker 2: thing is in God's hands except one thing, whether or 1009 01:05:04,280 --> 01:05:10,720 Speaker 2: not you fear God. In other words, everything is predetermined 1010 01:05:10,760 --> 01:05:14,480 Speaker 2: in some way genetic environment in God's hands. Whatever accept 1011 01:05:14,560 --> 01:05:18,400 Speaker 2: one thing good and evil. In the moral arena, there 1012 01:05:18,520 --> 01:05:22,520 Speaker 2: is choice. I actually predicate my whole life's work on 1013 01:05:22,600 --> 01:05:26,280 Speaker 2: that belief. Ladies and gentlemen, to be to be personal 1014 01:05:26,360 --> 01:05:30,439 Speaker 2: for a moment, I would never do the work I do, which, 1015 01:05:31,040 --> 01:05:34,400 Speaker 2: in my belief at any rate, is the hope moral 1016 01:05:34,480 --> 01:05:38,040 Speaker 2: improvement of people. If I didn't think people had freedom 1017 01:05:38,080 --> 01:05:41,720 Speaker 2: of choice to choose it be, I would go into 1018 01:05:41,760 --> 01:05:45,680 Speaker 2: photography and live, you know, and live with penguins who 1019 01:05:45,680 --> 01:05:47,520 Speaker 2: would be less likely to hurt me. I mean, the 1020 01:05:48,120 --> 01:05:50,520 Speaker 2: whole belief that people can change, that people can be 1021 01:05:50,600 --> 01:05:53,600 Speaker 2: penitent for that matter, is that there is freedom of 1022 01:05:53,720 --> 01:05:56,560 Speaker 2: choice in the moral sphere. But there isn't much else. 1023 01:05:57,400 --> 01:06:01,040 Speaker 2: There isn't that much other freedom. That is true, and 1024 01:06:01,160 --> 01:06:05,080 Speaker 2: we need to be sobered by that. And you are 1025 01:06:05,320 --> 01:06:10,280 Speaker 2: circumscribed in so many ways physically, psychologically, and so on. Now, 1026 01:06:10,440 --> 01:06:13,160 Speaker 2: I think it's possible to make heroic efforts and even 1027 01:06:13,240 --> 01:06:15,920 Speaker 2: go beyond that, I think it's a very unwise idea 1028 01:06:15,960 --> 01:06:17,800 Speaker 2: to just see yourself this is the way my parents 1029 01:06:17,880 --> 01:06:20,720 Speaker 2: made me, and I am finished till I die. I 1030 01:06:20,800 --> 01:06:24,000 Speaker 2: think it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. One must liberate 1031 01:06:24,080 --> 01:06:27,440 Speaker 2: one's self from one's parents at a given point, and 1032 01:06:27,600 --> 01:06:30,800 Speaker 2: better earlier than later. And I mean liberate in the 1033 01:06:30,840 --> 01:06:33,680 Speaker 2: best sense, not that your parents were horrific, but that 1034 01:06:33,800 --> 01:06:36,680 Speaker 2: you have to become an independent human being. There is 1035 01:06:36,760 --> 01:06:39,840 Speaker 2: no parent in history that could not make errors. As 1036 01:06:39,880 --> 01:06:43,360 Speaker 2: I've often said, a perfect parent will certainly drive a 1037 01:06:43,440 --> 01:06:48,560 Speaker 2: child to a psychiatrist. So you literally, the moment you 1038 01:06:48,680 --> 01:06:52,040 Speaker 2: become a parent, you are you will do some hurt 1039 01:06:52,160 --> 01:06:55,520 Speaker 2: to your child. It cannot be otherwise, because if you're perfect, 1040 01:06:55,720 --> 01:06:58,320 Speaker 2: would you like to be the child of a perfect parent? 1041 01:06:58,760 --> 01:06:59,560 Speaker 4: What a burden? 1042 01:07:00,400 --> 01:07:03,919 Speaker 2: Who wants that? That along will send you for years 1043 01:07:03,960 --> 01:07:08,600 Speaker 2: into psychiatry. All right, So it's a the day your 1044 01:07:08,760 --> 01:07:12,200 Speaker 2: child is born, you have placed burdens on it as 1045 01:07:12,280 --> 01:07:14,960 Speaker 2: a result of who you are the best parent on earth? 1046 01:07:15,960 --> 01:07:19,880 Speaker 2: All right? Anyway, I believe in moral freedom. That is 1047 01:07:19,920 --> 01:07:25,080 Speaker 2: what Judaism believes in. The rest is circumscribed, that that 1048 01:07:25,320 --> 01:07:28,120 Speaker 2: is the one if that is not there, all human 1049 01:07:28,240 --> 01:07:32,880 Speaker 2: endeavor is pointless. I mean, let's be honest. If Hitler 1050 01:07:33,000 --> 01:07:35,360 Speaker 2: is not responsible for what he did, and Mother Teresa 1051 01:07:35,480 --> 01:07:38,360 Speaker 2: is not responsible for what she does, then we might 1052 01:07:38,400 --> 01:07:42,520 Speaker 2: as well punt. Then why try any self improvement? The 1053 01:07:42,680 --> 01:07:46,160 Speaker 2: very notion of self improvement, the very notion of penitence, 1054 01:07:46,600 --> 01:07:53,280 Speaker 2: implies freedom of choice. I now choose to redeem my nature. Okay, 1055 01:07:53,360 --> 01:07:56,920 Speaker 2: I must finish this chapter to hold your questions. Please, 1056 01:07:57,240 --> 01:08:00,520 Speaker 2: what verse are we up to? Thank you. You're very 1057 01:08:00,560 --> 01:08:05,400 Speaker 2: good at that. I appreciate it. You do, I tell you, 1058 01:08:05,600 --> 01:08:11,920 Speaker 2: I can never read one verse twice my brother's keeper. 1059 01:08:12,560 --> 01:08:15,560 Speaker 2: Now hurry back to my father. This is Joseph continuing 1060 01:08:15,680 --> 01:08:18,960 Speaker 2: his response to Juda and the brothers. Now hurry back 1061 01:08:19,000 --> 01:08:22,679 Speaker 2: to my father and say to him, Thus says your son, Joseph, 1062 01:08:23,280 --> 01:08:30,320 Speaker 2: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down 1063 01:08:30,560 --> 01:08:33,960 Speaker 2: to me without delay. You will dwell in the region 1064 01:08:34,040 --> 01:08:36,840 Speaker 2: of Goshen, where you will be near me, You and 1065 01:08:36,960 --> 01:08:40,240 Speaker 2: your children and your grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and 1066 01:08:40,479 --> 01:08:42,640 Speaker 2: all that is yours. There I will provide for you, 1067 01:08:43,760 --> 01:08:46,320 Speaker 2: for there are yet five years of famine to come 1068 01:08:47,439 --> 01:08:50,599 Speaker 2: that you and your household and all that is yours 1069 01:08:50,680 --> 01:08:54,160 Speaker 2: may not suffer. Want you can see for yourselves, and 1070 01:08:54,320 --> 01:08:58,200 Speaker 2: my brother Benjamin for himself. Is that interesting how he 1071 01:08:58,320 --> 01:09:02,880 Speaker 2: isolates him as my brother again, it's a problem. It's 1072 01:09:02,920 --> 01:09:06,200 Speaker 2: almost like Joseph and his siblings. You know, it shouldn't 1073 01:09:06,200 --> 01:09:10,639 Speaker 2: even be Joseph and his brothers. Then my brother Benjamin 1074 01:09:10,720 --> 01:09:13,679 Speaker 2: for himself. That it is indeed I who am speaking 1075 01:09:13,760 --> 01:09:16,759 Speaker 2: to you. And you must tell my father everything about 1076 01:09:16,800 --> 01:09:19,719 Speaker 2: my high station in Egypt and all that you have seen. 1077 01:09:20,160 --> 01:09:24,200 Speaker 2: Bring my father Nachas, and bring my father here with 1078 01:09:24,400 --> 01:09:29,240 Speaker 2: all speed. With that, he embraced his brother Benjamin see 1079 01:09:31,600 --> 01:09:34,960 Speaker 2: around the neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 1080 01:09:36,120 --> 01:09:40,080 Speaker 2: He kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. Only 1081 01:09:40,200 --> 01:09:45,080 Speaker 2: then were his brothers able to talk to him. The 1082 01:09:45,200 --> 01:09:49,760 Speaker 2: news reached Pharaoh's palace. Joseph's brothers have come. Pharaoh and 1083 01:09:49,880 --> 01:09:55,120 Speaker 2: his courtiers were pleased, and Pharaoh said to Joseph, I 1084 01:09:55,160 --> 01:09:57,880 Speaker 2: just want to see the Hebrew. Yes, it's a very 1085 01:09:58,000 --> 01:10:04,840 Speaker 2: pretty Hebrew. The Hebrew is and the Jkoni schmabet paro. 1086 01:10:04,960 --> 01:10:07,600 Speaker 2: And the voice went out that was heard in the 1087 01:10:07,680 --> 01:10:12,240 Speaker 2: house of Pharaoh Nymore saying brawareyose the brothers of Joseph 1088 01:10:12,320 --> 01:10:16,720 Speaker 2: have come vaitav bing a paro being abdug, and it 1089 01:10:16,920 --> 01:10:20,800 Speaker 2: was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and his and 1090 01:10:21,000 --> 01:10:24,240 Speaker 2: his servants. It's it's just the Hebrew was nicer than 1091 01:10:24,439 --> 01:10:27,320 Speaker 2: We're pleased. It was a good thing. And doesn't it 1092 01:10:27,400 --> 01:10:30,360 Speaker 2: touch you about Pharaoh and his servants. That's a very 1093 01:10:30,479 --> 01:10:33,720 Speaker 2: touching reaction, isn't it not? Like, Hey, why is this 1094 01:10:34,120 --> 01:10:36,240 Speaker 2: a lot of nepotism here? We're gonna get stuck with 1095 01:10:36,320 --> 01:10:40,280 Speaker 2: this whole group. Now, what a lovely thing, this lonely 1096 01:10:40,920 --> 01:10:45,880 Speaker 2: guy here because he's not really fully Egyptian as his family. 1097 01:10:46,000 --> 01:10:50,720 Speaker 2: What a nice thing. And it also contrasts powerfully with 1098 01:10:50,880 --> 01:10:55,120 Speaker 2: the pharaoh later who enslaves the Jews the great great line, 1099 01:10:55,320 --> 01:10:57,960 Speaker 2: one of the great incredible lines of the Toravaya Kamela, 1100 01:10:58,000 --> 01:11:01,759 Speaker 2: kadash shl Mitrijamashaloya dat Yos, and a new pharaoh arose 1101 01:11:01,840 --> 01:11:07,400 Speaker 2: over Egypt who did not know Joseph by the way. 1102 01:11:08,720 --> 01:11:12,760 Speaker 2: That is again, these parallels in Jewish history are rather staggering. 1103 01:11:13,520 --> 01:11:22,400 Speaker 2: When Jews work in the h help establish a group 1104 01:11:23,080 --> 01:11:28,400 Speaker 2: and then the next generation rejects them. Many Jews feel this, 1105 01:11:28,680 --> 01:11:31,120 Speaker 2: legitimately or not, is not the issue I just want 1106 01:11:31,160 --> 01:11:33,760 Speaker 2: to say that many Jews feel this with regard to 1107 01:11:34,160 --> 01:11:37,800 Speaker 2: some Black Americans where Jews had played or some of 1108 01:11:37,840 --> 01:11:40,519 Speaker 2: the black leadership where Jews had played an instrumental role 1109 01:11:40,960 --> 01:11:44,400 Speaker 2: in founding the NAACP, and then the NAACP finds it 1110 01:11:44,520 --> 01:11:50,400 Speaker 2: very difficult to feel positively about Jews and to feel 1111 01:11:50,560 --> 01:11:54,800 Speaker 2: very negatively about some anti Semitic currents, legitimate or not. 1112 01:11:54,960 --> 01:11:59,080 Speaker 2: As a perception. It is the sort of thing almost 1113 01:11:59,160 --> 01:12:01,880 Speaker 2: and their arose in new leader of the NAACP who 1114 01:12:01,960 --> 01:12:05,760 Speaker 2: did not know Rabbi so and so. You see, it's 1115 01:12:05,840 --> 01:12:08,320 Speaker 2: almost that sort of thing. Not to say that Jews 1116 01:12:08,360 --> 01:12:11,760 Speaker 2: are completely, you know, wonderful or anything like that, just 1117 01:12:11,840 --> 01:12:15,880 Speaker 2: that you have in history very interesting parallels in Jewish life. 1118 01:12:18,160 --> 01:12:25,840 Speaker 2: And this Pharaoh is just a sweetye pie, obviously, the 1119 01:12:26,040 --> 01:12:32,320 Speaker 2: least with regard to Joseph and his brothers seventeen and 1120 01:12:32,640 --> 01:12:36,360 Speaker 2: Pharaoh said to Joseph, say to your brothers, do as follows. 1121 01:12:36,920 --> 01:12:38,880 Speaker 2: Load up your beasts and go at once to the 1122 01:12:38,960 --> 01:12:42,240 Speaker 2: land of Canan. Take your father and your households, and 1123 01:12:42,320 --> 01:12:43,800 Speaker 2: come to me. I will give you the best of 1124 01:12:43,840 --> 01:12:46,200 Speaker 2: the land of Egypt, and you will live off the 1125 01:12:46,240 --> 01:12:48,640 Speaker 2: fat of the land and you are bidden to d 1126 01:12:48,840 --> 01:12:51,240 Speaker 2: do as follows. Take from the land of Egypt wagons 1127 01:12:51,280 --> 01:12:54,320 Speaker 2: for your children and your wives, and bring your father here, 1128 01:12:54,920 --> 01:12:57,280 Speaker 2: and never mind your belongings, for the best of all, 1129 01:12:57,439 --> 01:13:00,759 Speaker 2: the land of Egypt shall be yours. Sons of Israel 1130 01:13:00,840 --> 01:13:09,000 Speaker 2: did so, Joseph, U where am I? Yes? Joseph gave 1131 01:13:09,080 --> 01:13:11,760 Speaker 2: them wagons, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he supplied them 1132 01:13:11,800 --> 01:13:15,000 Speaker 2: with provisions for the journey to each of them. Moreover, 1133 01:13:15,080 --> 01:13:18,320 Speaker 2: he gave a change of clothing, but to Benjamin he 1134 01:13:18,400 --> 01:13:23,760 Speaker 2: gave three hundred pieces of sil for I'll play you this. 1135 01:13:24,160 --> 01:13:28,160 Speaker 2: Maybe the brothers learned, but Joseph didn't in this regard. 1136 01:13:29,400 --> 01:13:33,240 Speaker 2: It's really it's said, isn't it? And several changes of clothing. 1137 01:13:34,560 --> 01:13:37,080 Speaker 2: It really is a recurring pattern. It's painful. 1138 01:13:37,200 --> 01:13:45,040 Speaker 7: Yes, in your reality. Sometimes of his mind that dream 1139 01:13:45,960 --> 01:13:48,479 Speaker 7: would shoot his friend for by others. 1140 01:13:48,840 --> 01:13:51,760 Speaker 2: Not yeah, he said, he said, I said, it's said. 1141 01:13:51,800 --> 01:13:53,599 Speaker 2: But isn't it a reality that there will be siblings 1142 01:13:53,600 --> 01:13:55,840 Speaker 2: who will prefer some siblings to others? Yes, that is 1143 01:13:55,880 --> 01:13:59,680 Speaker 2: a reality. But circumstances have to dictate certain behavior. When 1144 01:13:59,720 --> 01:14:01,640 Speaker 2: you have a family get together, it shouldn't be the 1145 01:14:01,720 --> 01:14:03,920 Speaker 2: one you hug alone and give a lot of money 1146 01:14:03,960 --> 01:14:06,080 Speaker 2: to you know, maybe on the side, you know, let's 1147 01:14:06,120 --> 01:14:09,920 Speaker 2: have coffee after the family get together. That's totally understandable. 1148 01:14:14,760 --> 01:14:16,840 Speaker 2: I don't know how little Benjamin was, actually, it's a 1149 01:14:16,880 --> 01:14:18,680 Speaker 2: good question. I don't know. I would love to figure out. 1150 01:14:18,720 --> 01:14:21,880 Speaker 2: It's say, somebody, maybe that's homework assignment for June. Tell 1151 01:14:21,920 --> 01:14:24,360 Speaker 2: me how old Benjamin was. And to his father he 1152 01:14:24,439 --> 01:14:28,160 Speaker 2: sent the following ten he asks, I like prefer he 1153 01:14:28,280 --> 01:14:31,200 Speaker 2: donkeys laden with the best things of Egypt, and ten 1154 01:14:31,280 --> 01:14:34,000 Speaker 2: she donkeys laden with grain, bread and provisions for his 1155 01:14:34,120 --> 01:14:38,240 Speaker 2: father on the journey. They also sent chicken, soup and nidlach. 1156 01:14:39,080 --> 01:14:41,439 Speaker 2: As he sent his brothers off on their way, he 1157 01:14:41,600 --> 01:14:46,000 Speaker 2: told them, he told them, and it says he do 1158 01:14:46,160 --> 01:14:49,080 Speaker 2: not be quarrelsome on the way. Well, let's hear the 1159 01:14:49,400 --> 01:14:51,800 Speaker 2: what other? Do not be? What on the way? What 1160 01:14:51,920 --> 01:14:54,320 Speaker 2: do you what do you have in your other? Do 1161 01:14:54,439 --> 01:15:01,000 Speaker 2: not be agitated? What else? What? Well? Not help? Fall 1162 01:15:01,120 --> 01:15:04,679 Speaker 2: not out, fall not out? 1163 01:15:09,680 --> 01:15:12,519 Speaker 4: Don't chust an, that's not what you have. 1164 01:15:12,680 --> 01:15:15,760 Speaker 2: You made that up? Yes, that has fall not out, 1165 01:15:18,320 --> 01:15:21,360 Speaker 2: fall not out. And then they looked at Joseph and said, what, 1166 01:15:23,360 --> 01:15:29,360 Speaker 2: uh right, what do you have? Oh? No recrimination. Okay, 1167 01:15:29,439 --> 01:15:34,439 Speaker 2: the uh the Hebrew here gazoo is REGs his anger, 1168 01:15:35,760 --> 01:15:41,560 Speaker 2: uh tension, do not have anger intention huh yeah, I 1169 01:15:41,640 --> 01:15:43,479 Speaker 2: said it has qul here too. Yeah. This was to 1170 01:15:43,600 --> 01:15:48,960 Speaker 2: not be quarrelsome The point is, you know what there 1171 01:15:49,520 --> 01:15:53,080 Speaker 2: He's telling them to calm down. Basically, don't don't get 1172 01:15:53,120 --> 01:15:55,400 Speaker 2: on each other about anything that you know, don't don't 1173 01:15:55,479 --> 01:15:58,720 Speaker 2: yell at anybody. You sold Joseph, you did this, look 1174 01:15:58,760 --> 01:16:01,400 Speaker 2: at what you did. I don't worry. Things will be 1175 01:16:01,520 --> 01:16:06,479 Speaker 2: calm twenty five They went from Egypt, up from Egypt 1176 01:16:06,680 --> 01:16:09,160 Speaker 2: and came to their father Jacob in the land of Kannan. 1177 01:16:09,720 --> 01:16:12,240 Speaker 2: I mean, can you imagine this scene now? I mean this, 1178 01:16:14,400 --> 01:16:16,519 Speaker 2: you know, I'm sure on the way to go. Guys, 1179 01:16:16,680 --> 01:16:18,760 Speaker 2: how are we going to exactly tell this to dad? 1180 01:16:20,520 --> 01:16:24,080 Speaker 2: It's really it's an extraordinary shit. The story is just incredible. 1181 01:16:24,160 --> 01:16:27,040 Speaker 2: I don't know of anything like it in literature. Because 1182 01:16:27,080 --> 01:16:29,080 Speaker 2: you live it, you live it as it happens. That's 1183 01:16:29,120 --> 01:16:33,479 Speaker 2: why it's so powerful. And they told him Joseph was 1184 01:16:33,520 --> 01:16:35,559 Speaker 2: still alive. Yes, he's the ruler over the whole line 1185 01:16:35,600 --> 01:16:37,800 Speaker 2: of Egypt. You can imagine. They just blurted out, not 1186 01:16:37,920 --> 01:16:40,240 Speaker 2: only is he alive? He rules all of Egypt. Sure 1187 01:16:43,800 --> 01:16:46,880 Speaker 2: his heart went numb, for he did not believe them exactly. 1188 01:16:47,160 --> 01:16:50,320 Speaker 2: Of course he doesn't believe them. And there is a 1189 01:16:50,439 --> 01:16:52,960 Speaker 2: great line on this. I gotta find it for you. 1190 01:16:53,479 --> 01:16:56,040 Speaker 2: Oh God, oh yeah, it's great. It's from the mid Rash. 1191 01:16:56,360 --> 01:16:59,240 Speaker 2: This is a terrific line. I'm not a big mid 1192 01:16:59,320 --> 01:17:01,360 Speaker 2: Rush fan all the time, but this is a great one. 1193 01:17:02,520 --> 01:17:05,719 Speaker 2: When the brothers lied and told him Joseph was dead, 1194 01:17:06,120 --> 01:17:10,200 Speaker 2: he believed them. When they spoke the truth and said 1195 01:17:10,240 --> 01:17:14,439 Speaker 2: that Joseph was alive, he didn't believe them. This is 1196 01:17:14,520 --> 01:17:18,320 Speaker 2: the punishment of liars. Even when they speak the truth, 1197 01:17:18,600 --> 01:17:22,000 Speaker 2: they are not believed. I get the chills with that, 1198 01:17:22,200 --> 01:17:26,439 Speaker 2: because that is exactly the punishment that liars get. Don't 1199 01:17:26,479 --> 01:17:28,240 Speaker 2: have a clue as to when you're telling the truth. 1200 01:17:29,400 --> 01:17:32,759 Speaker 2: Such a great mid Rush that is the most fitting 1201 01:17:33,000 --> 01:17:40,960 Speaker 2: punishment the Torah. The Torah is a book obsessed with justice. 1202 01:17:41,680 --> 01:17:47,240 Speaker 2: If I must say, every culture, every religion has obsession, 1203 01:17:49,000 --> 01:17:52,479 Speaker 2: I would say if one were to say what is 1204 01:17:52,600 --> 01:17:57,120 Speaker 2: Christianity obsessed with? Normatively, I would say love? Is that 1205 01:17:57,280 --> 01:18:00,519 Speaker 2: fair to Christians? Here? That that would be a good summary? Okay? 1206 01:18:01,160 --> 01:18:04,040 Speaker 2: Is that right? I would say that if you'd say, 1207 01:18:04,120 --> 01:18:11,200 Speaker 2: what is Judaism at its core obsessed with justice? What 1208 01:18:11,439 --> 01:18:15,280 Speaker 2: it wants is it wants a world of balance. If 1209 01:18:15,360 --> 01:18:19,080 Speaker 2: you lie, you should suffer the consequence, but not one 1210 01:18:19,120 --> 01:18:22,160 Speaker 2: eye O to more. And what is the perfect consequence 1211 01:18:22,200 --> 01:18:25,600 Speaker 2: for a liar? No one will believe you. That is 1212 01:18:25,720 --> 01:18:29,760 Speaker 2: the literally perfect. That is why I can't get into 1213 01:18:29,840 --> 01:18:33,200 Speaker 2: this now. I always defended the notion, not the practice, 1214 01:18:33,280 --> 01:18:36,160 Speaker 2: but the notion of eye for an eye, tooth for 1215 01:18:36,240 --> 01:18:39,640 Speaker 2: a tooth. I have not only am I not embarrassed 1216 01:18:39,680 --> 01:18:43,400 Speaker 2: by it, I revel in it because, among other things, 1217 01:18:43,479 --> 01:18:46,960 Speaker 2: it meant not two eyes for an eye. If you 1218 01:18:47,200 --> 01:18:51,560 Speaker 2: spray paint a car, you shouldn't have torture done to you. 1219 01:18:52,840 --> 01:18:56,759 Speaker 2: You see, you should be punished for spray painting graffiti 1220 01:18:56,880 --> 01:19:00,679 Speaker 2: on a car, but not stripped, naked and with until 1221 01:19:00,720 --> 01:19:04,840 Speaker 2: you faint and have permanent scars on you. Just six 1222 01:19:04,960 --> 01:19:08,360 Speaker 2: times exactly. Grown men go into shock after the third. 1223 01:19:09,080 --> 01:19:11,280 Speaker 2: They have doctors to revive you. But it's so awful, 1224 01:19:12,760 --> 01:19:15,719 Speaker 2: and I don't have an inherent problem with corporal punishment. 1225 01:19:15,840 --> 01:19:19,000 Speaker 2: It's just for graffiti's painting, which I can't stand graffiti, 1226 01:19:19,439 --> 01:19:22,519 Speaker 2: but it just doesn't strike me as to fortech. I 1227 01:19:22,560 --> 01:19:25,240 Speaker 2: don't want. That issue is not the issue, obviously. The 1228 01:19:25,400 --> 01:19:31,000 Speaker 2: issue is that our society has gone under eye for 1229 01:19:31,120 --> 01:19:35,960 Speaker 2: an eye, basically ten cents for an eye. Other societies 1230 01:19:36,000 --> 01:19:40,120 Speaker 2: are give me five eyes for an eye. Judaism is 1231 01:19:40,240 --> 01:19:46,000 Speaker 2: intoxicated with justice. That's what the Book of Genesis is about. 1232 01:19:46,160 --> 01:19:50,439 Speaker 2: You cheat, you get cheated, You lie, you don't get believed. 1233 01:19:50,640 --> 01:19:53,120 Speaker 2: You sell them to slavery, you end up a slave. 1234 01:19:53,439 --> 01:19:56,519 Speaker 2: You see it. Now, this doesn't really happen all the 1235 01:19:56,600 --> 01:20:00,400 Speaker 2: time in life, but it is Judaism's dream it were. 1236 01:20:00,960 --> 01:20:03,280 Speaker 2: That's the way life, and it often does. By the 1237 01:20:03,360 --> 01:20:06,080 Speaker 2: way it often does. There are evils for which, by 1238 01:20:06,120 --> 01:20:08,360 Speaker 2: the way, there cannot be. If you murder five people, 1239 01:20:08,640 --> 01:20:11,280 Speaker 2: you can't lose your life five times. But that is 1240 01:20:11,320 --> 01:20:14,840 Speaker 2: why the Torah is so passionate for capital punishment. As 1241 01:20:14,880 --> 01:20:18,400 Speaker 2: I taught. As I taught in the beginning, the first 1242 01:20:18,439 --> 01:20:21,280 Speaker 2: thing God asks after telling humanity to be fruitful and 1243 01:20:21,320 --> 01:20:25,719 Speaker 2: multiply is capital punishment for murder. It's almost never noted. 1244 01:20:25,880 --> 01:20:29,719 Speaker 2: You'll have to get one of my early tapes on Genesis. 1245 01:20:29,760 --> 01:20:32,280 Speaker 2: I'd love you to see that. People don't realize that 1246 01:20:32,520 --> 01:20:35,680 Speaker 2: when God creates the world. He orders capital punishment. That 1247 01:20:35,880 --> 01:20:38,479 Speaker 2: is how deep the desire is. That you would take 1248 01:20:38,520 --> 01:20:42,080 Speaker 2: a life and keep yours offends the Torah. I won't 1249 01:20:42,120 --> 01:20:47,600 Speaker 2: talk about the Talmut. It offends the Torah. Justice is 1250 01:20:47,720 --> 01:20:53,799 Speaker 2: the intoxicating thing the prophets, the spokesman of God, sitt 1251 01:20:54,000 --> 01:20:58,240 Speaker 2: Ti pade Zion will be redeemed through what not love, 1252 01:20:58,680 --> 01:21:06,840 Speaker 2: not charity, not compar justice. Justice is Judaism's passion. It 1253 01:21:06,920 --> 01:21:10,320 Speaker 2: has many other passions. That's its biggest, it's central one, 1254 01:21:10,720 --> 01:21:12,760 Speaker 2: and that is what goes on. Here's why the mid 1255 01:21:12,840 --> 01:21:16,400 Speaker 2: Rush would write this. You lie perfect punishment. You don't 1256 01:21:16,400 --> 01:21:19,200 Speaker 2: get believed. That's all. You're not getting jail, you don't 1257 01:21:19,240 --> 01:21:24,439 Speaker 2: get killed. You just don't get believed. So they tell 1258 01:21:25,040 --> 01:21:27,840 Speaker 2: Jacob he's still alive. Not only that Dad, not only 1259 01:21:27,920 --> 01:21:33,000 Speaker 2: is Joseph alive, but he rules Egypt. And so you know, 1260 01:21:33,120 --> 01:21:34,560 Speaker 2: as I said for my wife when I read this, 1261 01:21:34,680 --> 01:21:37,559 Speaker 2: and he said, oh yeah, and I'm Napoleon. But it's 1262 01:21:37,640 --> 01:21:39,920 Speaker 2: not exactly what he said, because Napoleon had not been 1263 01:21:40,000 --> 01:21:43,600 Speaker 2: born in this just his heart went numb, for he 1264 01:21:43,720 --> 01:21:47,880 Speaker 2: did not believe them. But when they recounted all that 1265 01:21:48,000 --> 01:21:50,240 Speaker 2: Joseph has said to them, and when he saw the 1266 01:21:50,280 --> 01:21:56,840 Speaker 2: wagons that Joseph had said to them and him, what, Yeah, 1267 01:21:56,880 --> 01:22:02,280 Speaker 2: this is a bad I saw the wagons. That t's scent. 1268 01:22:02,720 --> 01:22:05,120 Speaker 2: They have a bad translation in the Saarna, not said 1269 01:22:05,200 --> 01:22:12,679 Speaker 2: to them, sent to them right, and him the spirit 1270 01:22:12,760 --> 01:22:17,800 Speaker 2: of their father Jacob revived. Enough said Israel. Now he's 1271 01:22:17,920 --> 01:22:20,000 Speaker 2: back to being Israel. Because it's now back to the 1272 01:22:20,040 --> 01:22:23,479 Speaker 2: epic of the children of Israel. My son Joseph is 1273 01:22:23,520 --> 01:22:26,920 Speaker 2: still alive. I must go and see him before I die. 1274 01:22:27,040 --> 01:22:34,439 Speaker 2: One final comment. This is a parent talking. Your son 1275 01:22:34,960 --> 01:22:40,160 Speaker 2: can be emperor of the earth. He is still your kid. 1276 01:22:41,240 --> 01:22:45,680 Speaker 2: It don't matter. He doesn't want to go and get 1277 01:22:45,760 --> 01:22:49,080 Speaker 2: more provisions. He doesn't want to see the ruler of Egypt. 1278 01:22:49,479 --> 01:22:53,320 Speaker 2: My son's alive. I got to see him. It's so touching. 1279 01:22:53,560 --> 01:22:56,559 Speaker 2: That's the whole story is recounted, and the father has 1280 01:22:56,600 --> 01:22:59,640 Speaker 2: one reaction. My son's alive. I got to see him. 1281 01:23:00,600 --> 01:23:04,719 Speaker 2: That's a parent. The rest of the stuff is very nice, terrific. 1282 01:23:04,840 --> 01:23:09,000 Speaker 2: He's ahead of Egypt, but he's my son. And that 1283 01:23:09,240 --> 01:23:13,320 Speaker 2: is the way it works. And it is a powerful chapter. 1284 01:23:13,960 --> 01:23:15,840 Speaker 2: And I will see you the first week of June. 1285 01:23:15,880 --> 01:23:20,959 Speaker 2: Thank you very much, thank you, thank. 1286 01:23:20,800 --> 01:23:24,439 Speaker 1: You on tomorrow's Sunday fireside Chat. 1287 01:23:25,400 --> 01:23:29,840 Speaker 3: Jessica twenty eight Arizona, Hello, Dennis, Ottaw and Prager you 1288 01:23:30,000 --> 01:23:34,160 Speaker 3: staff Otto Jessica and Arizona says hello, I have a 1289 01:23:34,240 --> 01:23:37,840 Speaker 3: quick question regarding relationships, which is this. Do you believe 1290 01:23:37,880 --> 01:23:40,519 Speaker 3: in love at first sight or is or that it's 1291 01:23:40,640 --> 01:23:42,760 Speaker 3: more gradual. I would love to hear your thoughts on this. 1292 01:23:42,880 --> 01:23:44,880 Speaker 3: Thank you so much, and I love everything you guys do. 1293 01:23:45,600 --> 01:23:49,040 Speaker 3: Thank you so you will find this rather interesting and 1294 01:23:49,880 --> 01:23:53,040 Speaker 3: I am very open about my life. So here goes. 1295 01:23:54,000 --> 01:23:58,559 Speaker 3: I always thought love at first sight was only in movies. 1296 01:23:59,200 --> 01:24:02,880 Speaker 1: Join us tomorrow to hear more on Timeless Wisdom with 1297 01:24:03,080 --> 01:24:07,479 Speaker 1: Dennis Prager. Visit Dennispragger dot com for thousands of hours 1298 01:24:07,560 --> 01:24:11,280 Speaker 1: of Dennis's lectures, courses in classic radio programs, and to 1299 01:24:11,360 --> 01:24:18,600 Speaker 1: purchase Dennis Prager's Rational Bibles. We want to take just 1300 01:24:18,640 --> 01:24:21,040 Speaker 1: a second to thank the team at Life Audio for 1301 01:24:21,120 --> 01:24:24,040 Speaker 1: their partnership with us on the podcast. Go to lifeaudio 1302 01:24:24,120 --> 01:24:26,959 Speaker 1: dot com to find dozens of other faith centered podcasts 1303 01:24:27,040 --> 01:24:30,519 Speaker 1: and their network, including shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, 1304 01:24:30,920 --> 01:24:31,280 Speaker 1: and more.