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✡︎ Shalom and Good Shabbos, Friends ✡︎
Our Torah portion this week, Miketz, Genesis 41:1–44:17, reflects the metaphysical reality that human weakness and error have a silver lining in God's world. Divine destiny guides every detail of this saga, weaving past and future elements into the actions taken by the principal players.
Joseph rises to power in Egypt and has a furtive reunion with his brothers when they travel there for food. The sibling relationships suffer from a troubled history. In the past, Simeon and Levi plot to murder Joseph, who is saved only because Reuben convinces them to throw him in a pit instead and Judah sells him into slavery. Joseph survives and thrives in Egypt. He meets Asenath, a woman conceived in rape when her mother Dina, Joesph sister, was accosted by the prince of Shechem. Before Jacob banishes Asenath from his household, he gives her a necklace inscribed with the words, "Whoever meets you, meets the seed of Jacob." The angel, Michael, arranges for her to be raised by Potiphera's wife in the Egyptian court. Joseph becomes aware of her and her lineage when she tosses her necklace to him. He marries her, fulfilling Divine destiny. We're glad that Jacob merely banishes his granddaughter, having faith that God will protect and guide her to a good future. He does.
People conceived in rape bring shame to families. They also represent evidence of crimes committed. It has become acceptable in almost all places in the world to apply the ultimate banishment to these human beings, death in the womb without pain medication by poisoning, starving, dismembering, and lethal injecting. Allowing born alive infants to die after delivery or keeping them alive for organ harvesting now completes the list of torture. Indeed, in many jurisdictions all infant human beings can now be legally prosecuted in this way for simply existing. Torah admonitions to protect human life and provide sustenance and care to the needy no longer apply in many places. In the Commonwealth of PA, abortion access and services receive much political and financial support. As abortion ideologues in politics, media, and special interest groups in PA and other jurisdictions gear up to enshrine constitutional rights to torture human beings to death in and out of the womb, we pray for the souls of all those lost and wounded. God willing, the ever growing abortion war casualties won't have died and suffered in vain.
Pa. House begins consideration of abortion rights amendment
https://www.pennlive.com/politics/2023/12/pa-house-begins-consideration-of-abortion-rights-amendment.html
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE IN PENNSYLVANIA
https://www.pa.gov/freedomtochoose/
Pennsylvania House passes ‘shield law’ to protect providers, out-of-staters seeking abortions
https://apnews.com/article/abortion-access-pennsylvania-out-of-state-protection-7ec5009ec08073807a47513717a95c79
Thank you for reading and sharing this newsletter and thank you to our donors and subscribers.
Cecily
May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and good life upon us and upon all Israel. Amen.
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