The following was sent to me by Da’el and Noam-Miriam Cohen, who got married two months ago:
“In this week’s parshah, Vayigash, Yehudah teaches us what attitude we should have in life. The brothers faced the Egyptian ruler who insisted on taking one of them as a slave. The matter gets more and more complicated, and there is seemingly no way out.
“Many times in our lives we find ourselves in difficult, exhausting negotiations. It can be a soldier asking to enlist in a commander’s course, someone applying for a job, or a defendant facing a judge. You feel stuck, you bump into walls of laws, constraints, and rigid procedures. What should you do?
“Yehudah teaches us about the key called ‘heart.’ He tells Yosef the full story, with all its sensitivities and complexities. He unveils the truth and speaks fluently and sincerely. He shares his feelings and is not ashamed to also shout and express his distress.
“And then the unbelievable happens: Yosef cannot hold himself back anymore and discloses to his brothers that the tough Egyptian ruler is, in fact, their long-lost brother. The brothers reunite.
“When we talk sincerely, heart meets heart, and we climb from an atmosphere of judgment to one of charity and kindness. Suddenly, high walls fall and everything becomes more flexible and possible. Try it at home.”