Rabbi’s Reflections – Saturday, February 1, 2025
Shavuah Tov,

May You Find Favor (Chen/Charis) With God
Shechem is Fooled and Joseph Finds Favor
By David Harwood

We’re not going to consider in any depth the sad story of Shechem and Dinah. Briefly, Shechem raped Dinah, Jacob’s daughter. Then, apparently, she was living in his house (Genesis 34:25) and he longed to marry her.

Filled with desire, at the mercy of Dinah’s family, he entreated them for favor/grace.

Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, “Would that I find favor in your eyes! Whatever you say to me I’ll give. (Genesis 34:11) 

Shechem, asking for Dinah’s family’s blessing, pledged to Jacob and his sons that he would fulfill any condition they asked if only he could marry Dinah. He said, “Please let me find favor (chen/charis) in your eyes. Please look upon me with grace. I’ll fulfill any condition you stipulate. Name your price.”

Jacob’s sons required that he, and the males of his village, would circumcise themselves. They complied and, while they were physically indisposed, Shechem, and his village, were betrayed by two of Dinah’s outraged brothers.

Then on the third day while they were in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came against the city undisturbed and killed every male. (Genesis 34:25) 

To this day their treachery remains reprehensible in the eyes of all who read of it. Shechem asked for favor/grace. He received vengeance from deceptive, proud, murderous men. Oh, by the way, the names of these men are on two of the gates of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:12).

Their character provides some background to the next example of someone finding grace in the eyes of patrons: the story of Joseph. It is a great example of grace/favor between people, enabled by God.

These men, who deceived and slaughtered a village, together with their brothers, betrayed both their brother and father. They planned to murder Joseph, but their plan changed when their greed motivated them to sell him to slave-traders. Then, Joseph’s brothers deceived Jacob. (I confess, if I’d done what they did, I’d have wanted to deceive Jacob, too.)

So they took Joseph’s tunic, slaughtered a billy goat, and they dipped the tunic into the blood. Then they sent the long-sleeved tunic, and it was brought to their father, and they said, “We found this. Do you recognize whether or not it is your son’s tunic?” 

He did recognize it and said, “My son’s tunic! An evil animal has devoured him! Joseph must be torn to pieces!” 

Jacob tore his clothing and put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. (Genesis 37:31–34) 

“Father,” they said, “Joseph is dead.” But he wasn’t. He was sold, and then he was sold again to Potiphar the commander of Pharaoh’s imperial guard. What happened next?

Joseph found favor in (Potiphar’s) eyes, so he served him as a personal servant and he made him an overseer over his household; everything that was his he entrusted into his hand. (Genesis 39:4) 

Potiphar liked who he saw. Joseph received chen/charis from his master. But this favor came with a price because he came to the attention of Potiphar’s wife. She liked what she saw, too.

Now after these things, the master’s wife lifted up her eyes at Joseph and said, “Come, lie down with me!” (Genesis 39:7) 

Joseph refused, she falsely accused, and as a result he was put in prison. But God was with Joseph.

But Adonai was with Joseph and extended kindness to him and gave him favor in the eyes of the commander of the prison. (Genesis 39:21) 

The Lord gave him favor in the eyes of the commander of the prison. The jailer liked what he saw as he became familiar with Joseph and his ways. Adonai highlighted all that was good about Joseph. Not only that, but God made certain that everything Joseph did succeeded. Joseph had favor with the God of his fathers Who gave him favor/grace with the warden.

One reason must have been his humbling himself.

It’s written:

The Lord opposes the arrogant, but he gives the humble grace (charis). (Proverbs 3:34 LES) 

And:

 “God opposes the proud, but gives grace (charis) to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may lift you up at the appropriate time. (1 Peter 5:5b–6) 

God gave Joseph favor (chen/charis) in the eyes of both Potiphar and the anonymous warden of the prison. God can make it so that people will like what they see when they see you. He can give you “favor in the eyes” of those who know you.

May it be so.

Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sat 1-Feb-2025 3rd of Sh’vat, 5785 Parashat Bo
Ex 13:1-16 Jer 46:13-28 Rev 16