Shalom le'kulam,
We are all back from machane choref and had a great time. Thanks to everybody who staffed, helped, visited, sent their love etc.
Because I am still exhausted I am not going to do a long an involved preaching session, but this week there is a message that you can take, and use.
(to view old parashah e-mails go to: http://www.habodror.org.uk/chinuch/chinuchweekly.html, or go to the home page and click on the chinuch weekly tab on the left)
I'd really like to hear responses from this one.
In blue is an excerpt from an article.
In red is some things I've put together for you to do (skip to the red if you planning on ignoring this e-mail - its quick and easy)
For a short summary of this weeks parasha go to: http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/Weekly_Torah_Commentary/miketz_summary.htm
Here is an excerpt from an article:
The main problem with Pharaoh's dream was the fact that it contained opposites. The seven fat cows and the seven lean cows existed together at the same time, before the lean cows ate the fat cows. Thus the Egyptian wizards were thrown off. If the dream meant that seven years of plenty would be followed by seven years of famine, why was there a time when both cows existed together, implying that there would be plenty and famine simultaneously?
Thus they came up with other interpretations (such as the one cited by Rashi) that sought to account for this contradiction. They said that seven daughters would be born to Pharaoh and seven of his other daughters would die, at the same time. (It is not implausible that Pharaoh would have 14 daughters at the same time, since-as the king of the most decadent nation-he presumably had many wives and concubines.)
Yosef, however, saw the contradiction as the key to preparing for the upcoming famine. The simultaneous presence of both types of cows meant to say that during the years of plenty, Egypt should be conscious of the upcoming famine and prepare for it. Conversely, when the years of famine would arrive, they would simultaneously experience the years of plenty by drawing on what had been saved during those years.
http://www.ascent.org.il/NewAscentOfSafed/Teachings/Advanced/Parshas/Marcus/m1063dreams.html
The message is quite simple.
In the years of plenty, you should save for the lean years. But in the dream the good and bad years exist together - and here is the interpretation I want to leave you with.
It's cliched but here we go:
The lean and plenty years do exist together: whilst some have nothing, we have plenty...and noone is asking you to give up your material possessions and go and live in a hut made out of elephant dung - but use your plenty for good.
Buy fair trade clothes: ensure that you do not continue the cycle of poverty.
Not only will you be doing a small 'mitzvah' for the world, but fair trade clothes mostly consist of t-shirts. The more you support them the more clothes will become available.
This week I bought 'no sweat shop' shoes. If every person on this list bought something fairly and ethically produced it is a message to manufacturers. Our machane choref gimmick was scarves, and they were fair trade: Over 100 people walking around with fair-trade stuff.
You can't complain that it is too difficult...click a link and use your money for good.
Shoes:
http://www.getethical.com/getethical_shop.php?id=16&cat=Shoes%20and%20Trainers
http://www.ethicalwares.com/range.htm
Clothes:
http://www.naturalcollection.com/natcolnew/group.asp?group=139 (weird and funky knitted clothes)
http://www.peopletree.co.uk/index.php?cPath=382 (nice stuff - check this one out!)
http://www.hug.co.uk/shop/showpage.asp?id=31 (t-shirts)
http://www.eponasport.com/eponashop/asp/default.asp (hoodies)
http://www.traidcraftshop.co.uk/products/category.asp?topGroupCode=FASACC (mix of stuff)
Jewellery:
http://www.getethical.com/getethical_shop.php?id=1&cat=Jewellery
Underwear:
In a kishut making room filled with people bending over spectacular pieces of art, I saw more crack than a drug dealing pimp. At least make a statement with your undies out. Instead of Calvin Klein, these undies have 'Make Poverty History' on the band. http://shop.sandbag.uk.com/MakePovertyHistory/Store/DisplayIndividualItem.html?ID=667&CatID=2 (ladies) http://shop.sandbag.uk.com/MakePovertyHistory/Store/DisplayIndividualItem.html?ID=690&CatID=2 (mens)
or just google: fairtrade, ethical clothes etc. etc.
*for a list of fairtrade websites, including these and others, visit our links page*
Are you getting involved? Let me know
Shabbat Shalom
Benji
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