Shabbat Vayiggash – Shabbat of Nelson Mandela’s passing 12/6/13 First Friday Skit, “Joseph and Nelson” – Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg

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.