Torah portion

SPIRIT TORAH PORTION

Speak To The Heart

In Vayechi, the last Torah words can really hear them, portion of the Book of instead of building a defense Genesis, the story of Joseph or shutting down. Joseph had comes to an end. to speak to his brothers in a

The most remarkable part way that cut through the deep of the story is that he forgave fears they had that they would his brothers even though they be abandoned in a foreign sold him into slavery in land and left to starve or Egypt and lied to their worse. They knew how father, Jacob, telling they treated Joseph, and him that Joseph was they feared he would kill dead. them.

Upon returning Instead of seeking to Egypt after bury- Rabbi Alicia revenge after his father’s ing their father, his Harris death, Joseph chose brothers worried that to love and forgive his because of Jacob’s Parshat brothers. He spoke to death, Joseph would no Vayechi: them with deep kindlonger deal kindly with them. The brothers Genesis 47:28-50:26; I Kings 2:1-12. ness; at once, he alleviated their fears in a bowed before Joseph, way that each of them and the Torah tells us that could hear. It’s remarkable that Joseph said, “Fear not. I will Joseph was able to exercise this sustain you and your children” forgiveness. That he was able (Genesis 50:21.) The next part to let go of any anger toward of that verse says, “Joseph his brothers that would be comforted them and spoke completely understandable to into their heart.” This phrase, hold onto, considering what vayidaber al libam, is often they did. His ability to show translated as “he spoke kindly this ultimate kindness says so to them.” But the Hebrew much about his character. means “he spoke into their After detailing the rest heart.” of Joseph’s life, this parshah

This turn of phrase stands comes to a close and with it out to me, as it is not some- the Book of Genesis. At the thing that I’ve heard before; end of each book of Torah that so I went to the Talmud for a we finish, we say chazak, chazbetter understanding. Tractate ak, v’nitchazeik, be strong and Megilah 16b:7 gives the expla- let us strengthen one another. nation that “Rabbi Binyamin What we learn from the end bar Yefet said that Rabbi of Joseph’s life is that there Elazar said: ‘This teaches that is strength in vulnerability, he spoke to them words that in relying on community, in are acceptable to the heart and compassion and in forgivealleviated their fears.”’ Joseph ness. spoke to his brothers compas- As we forge ahead in this sionately and with words they new year, may we take after could really hear. Joseph and speak to the hearts

This is such a good lesson of the ones we love. for us. We sometimes have to change the way we speak so Rabbi Alicia Harris is rabbi of that the people receiving our Congregation Shir Tikvah in Troy.

STORY Our STORY Our

Zach Berg and William Werner became friends as children at Tamarack, and remained close through childhood and adulthood, coming together over a love of what makes a great meal.

Zach spent his time in kosher catering, restaurant kitchens, learned about cheese with Bi-Rite Markets and Zingerman’s, and became a cheese authority. Will became a geologist, but always was interested in catering and meal prep.

“Good eating is a passion for both of us, Zach said. “Whenever we saw each other, we both seemed to have a love for cooking, catering and food in general. We even brought a group of friends together and catered Will’s wedding. It was such a memorable event, we didn’t want that to end.”

Then, Will’s cousin Gayle asked him to come help manage her Royal Oak chocolate operation. Will and Zach created a cheese pop-up in the chocolate shop, becomingsuch a populardraw that they knew there was traction to the idea of cheese and chocolate.

“What we ended up doing was putting a permanent pop-up into a shop in Ferndale, founding Mongers’ Provisions in 2017, and offering specialty cheeses, craft chocolate and charcuterie,” said Zach.

In order to follow that success and launch their own Detroit location, the partners approached Hebrew Free Loan’s Marvin I. Danto Small Business Loan Program, and now they also have a dedicated shop in Midtown Detroit.

“Food never tastes better than when you share it with people,” Zach said. “Hebrew Free Loan helped us bring more of it to a wider audience, and we will forever be grateful. We got here because we refined our plans, expanded our knowledge, and went for what we really wanted. I never get tired of being here, and I get to do this great thing with my friend.”

Click. Call. Give Now.

www.hfldetroit.org • 248.723.8184 Community donations help Hebrew Free Loan give interest-free loans to local Jews for a variety of personal, health, educational and small business needs.

6735 Telegraph Road, Suite 300 • Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48301 Hebrew Free Loan Detroit @HFLDetroit