9. Bereishit - Vayeshev (And He Dwelt)

in which Jacob settles in Canaan, 17-year-old Joseph, Jacob's favorite, tattles on his brothers, feeds their jealousy and hatred by sharing his arrogant ambitions with them, Jacob sends Joseph to supervise his brothers, they call him baal-hachalomot - master of dreams, plot to kill him but Reuben convinces them to throw him into a pit, hoping to save him later, but the rest of the brothers sell Joseph into slavery, Reuben grieves, brothers smear Joseph's coat with blood and send it to Jacob; Jacob grieves, Joseph is sold to the Pharaoh, Judah marries and has children, one of whom, Onan, invents masturbation, Judah makes his daughter-in-law pregnant and almost burns her in punishment; G-d makes Joseph successful in the Pharaoh's house, the Pharaoh's wife tries to seduce Joseph, he resists and goes to Pharaoh's dungeon; G-d is with Joseph, and he becomes in charge of all the prisoners; the Pharao"s steward and baker, who were imprisoned in the dungeon, each had a dream that seemed to have a special meaning and Joseph interprets the dreams correctl

Ambition without Arrogance
 Inspired by Joseph turning his brothers against him 

My mother always warned me against human jealousy.
No wonder, she comes from the Evil Empire,
Where a malicious word can hurl you into Gulag for life.

So, we can understand my mother’s caution,
Even though it crippled her ambition.
But jealousy is a real danger even in the gentlest of civilizations.

Question: How to follow your dreams without making people jealous? 
Answer: Purify your ambition and banish arrogance, 
Follow your dreams with zest, yet with humble circumspection.
Show people respect and listen to their voices with affection…
 And you will be safe.

                                                   
                                                         Joseph and his Brothers.
                                                                   Judith Prays