Join Mark Call for a look at parsha, “Vayashev,” (“and he [Yakov] dwelt,” Genesis through chapters 37 through 40), which now moves on primarily to the story of Yakov’s sons, and especially Yosef (Joseph).

The Erev Shabbat review contains not only the story of Joseph’s sale into slavery by his brothers, and the subsequent false claims by Potiphar’s wife which result in his time in prison, but an “insertion” into the story (AKA, an “atbash,” which is a story in itself) of Judah, and Tamar, and just how important that insertion turns out to be, as well as the importance of dreams, as opposed to direct words from YHVH, to Joseph.

The Sabbath Day teaching is again about only some of the major themes in the parsha, from a few of the apparently ALMOST ‘trivial,’ throw-away elements of the parsha, to an almost enigmatic comment about Yakov dealing with the loss of his son. They are indeed VERY important to us today.

Vayashev: Refuse to be comforted!

The combined part 1 and 2 files for both sections are up here, and available for download and off-line listening: