If there ever was a series of Torah Portions
worthy of binge-studying, this is it.
Cliffhanger after cliffhanger – The Story of Joseph: Episode 2.
Our hero in jail, where we left him last week.
Still scarred from the pit, his best friend, the butler, gone.
Things aren’t looking great – It’s a real page-scroller.
Our new antagonist, Pharaoh, it’s like an origins story,
not such a bad guy at this point.
But he’s the pod-racing young Anakin Skywalker
to his Vader-like descendants.
It’s gonna be trouble, right here in Egypt city.
He’s dreaming of cows.
Joseph, still in jail, still wearing the pajamas
of the house of Potiphar, happens to be an expert
in dreams about cows, saves the day! Wheat for everyone!
Pharaoh, like an Emperor Palpatine, no-one yet suspects
gives Joseph the keys to the Kingdom.
Joseph, in one of the best relationship plot twists
since his dad married the wrong woman,
marries the daughter of the woman who accused him of rape.
Soon little Josephs running around the kingdom,
and Mrs. Potiphar can’t say a thing.
And this is where the writers
(or writer if you believe such things)
make their money, focusing on character development.
Joseph’s brothers, in search of Egypt wheat
find themselves bowing in front of a man
they do not know they know.
The youngest, accused of stealing a silver goblet
and the credits roll, another cliffhanger.
That’s how they keep you coming back.
You only have to wait ’til next week.
You might remember the outcome from last season.
We do this every year. But no spoilers please.
For some people
it’s their very first time.
Rick Lupert, a poet, songleader and graphic designer, is the author of 23 books including “God Wrestler: A Poem for Every Torah Portion.”
