Joseph and Nelson
Props:
2 metal chairs
Joseph coat
Cast:
Joseph
Nelson
Brothers
Traders
Prison Guards
DeKlerk
A long, long time ago, according to the Torah, there was a
man called Joseph.
(Joseph steps out)
He lived in the land of Canaan, on a bridge of land just
north and east of the continent of Africa.
Joseph was one of twelve sons, and his father loved him best
of all, giving him a many-colored coat to show it. Joseph’s brothers hated him
for it.
One day they took off his coat, threw him into a pit in the
wilderness and sold him to slave traders who brought him down to Egypt.
(Brothers take Joseph’s coat off,
“throw” him into the pit.
Traders come and take Joseph out of the
pit)
His brothers were full of lies. They dipped his many-colored
coat into goat’s blood and told their father Jacob that Joseph had been torn by
a wild beast.
Meanwhile, Joseph became a slave in Egypt. And things kept
getting worse. Through a series of unfortunate events, he was unfairly thrown
in the deep dark prison dungeon of Pharaoh, even though Joseph had done nothing
wrong.
(Prison guard puts Joseph behind the
chair – Joseph kneels)
95 years ago – in 1918, a man named Nelson Mandela was born.
He lived in a country called South Africa, at the southern end of the continent
of Africa.
(Nelson comes out)
As he reached adulthood, he understood that he lived in a
time of great injustice. Even though they were the minority, the white people
of South Africa had all of the power, had control over all of the land, and had
made native black people into foreigners in their own home. Black people had to
carry passports with them, were not allowed to live in white areas or go to
white schools. They were restricted in the types of jobs they could have, and
they could not vote. This was called apartheid.
Nelson Mandela believed that apartheid was wrong, and he
risked his life by speaking out and acting against this racist policy. For his
actions, he was unfairly thrown into a prison. He was not allowed to leave the
prison for almost thirty years!
(Prison guard brings Nelson behind chair, Nelson kneels)
Two stories of men in deep dark prisons in Africa – Joseph
and Nelson. Neither of them had done
anything wrong to deserve being put in the dungeon. And neither of them gave up
hope in the darkness.
Joseph made friends with the other prisoners, who were also
there unfairly too. He helped them, he listened to them, and he interpreted
their dreams. Joseph had faith that his life had a purpose.
Nelson didn’t give up his struggle, even when he was in
prison. He was still the voice and the soul of the dream of his people – to be
free, to be treated as equals, to have control over their own nation. From
prison, Nelson even negotiated with the white president of South Africa, F.W.
DeKlerk, persuading him to lift the apartheid laws.
Joseph eventually was freed from prison.
(Prison guard takes Joseph out from
behind the chair)
He interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams, and Pharaoh lifted Joseph
up
(Joseph gets up on chair)
to become the 2nd most powerful man in Egypt –
the man in charge of distributing food during the famine.
In this week’s Torah portion, when Joseph’s brothers come
down to Egypt for food,
(Brothers stand in front of Joseph)
Joseph saw that his brothers had changed. They no longer
lied. They cared about each other and cared about their father Jacob.
And so Joseph forgave them. He reconciled with them.
He told them:
Joseph: “Do
not be pained or upset that you sold me here! For it was to save life that God
sent me here before you.”
The brothers hug each other, and they shed tears. They learn
to live with each other peacefully again.
(Brothers hug)
Nelson too, was freed from prison.
(Prison guard brings Nelson out from
behind chair)
And he too was lifted up by his people
(Nelson stands on chair)
to become the first black president of his nation of South
Africa. He understood that in order for his nation to heal, there had to be
forgiveness and reconciliation. Nelson
said,
Nelson: As I
walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I
didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison.
Nelson Mandela died yesterday. But many years before he
died, Nelson and his former enemy, F.W. DeKlerk, had become friends.
(Nelson and DeKlerk hug)
Even though both Joseph and Nelson were imprisoned unfairly
and treated unjustly, they opened their hearts in forgiveness to those who
might have been their enemies.
So, tonight we celebrate two tzaddikim. Two righteous ones.
Both who lived in darkness and held on to their dreams. Both who found their
way from the deepest pit to the highest height. Both who taught that healing
can only come through reconciliation – through forgiveness.
Because Nelson’s funeral won’t take place for another week
or so, we will not say kaddish for him tonight. But we can say these words
together:
“Zecher tzaddik livracha.”
Which means, “may the memory of the righteous be a blessing.”
We pray that his story and his legacy will continue to bring
blessing to the world.
