VaYeshev - Find the Truth, Spread the Truth, and Defend the Truth

 

The state of Israel has been in the media a lot recently since we, as a nation, have been forced to endure many terrorist attacks. Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF) have been there every step of the way, stopping extremists in their tracks. Guided by Jewish morals and ethics, they do their best to protect the people of Israel and generate peace in the Middle East . Unfortunately, the media doesn’t always portray the IDF so kindly. After the recent, horrific attack on the Har Nof community, CNN’s headline read “4 Israelis, 2 Palestinians Dead in Jerusalem.” The reporter neglected to mention that the “Palestinians” who had died were the terrorists who had attacked innocent, peaceful  people praying in a local Shul. The New York Times made a similar accusation of the Israelis when it published an article which read, “extremists on both sides seem to be acting increasingly beyond the control of Israeli and Palestinian leaders.” The article seems to imply that there were Israeli extremists causing problems when, in fact, there were none.
In this week’s parsha, parshat VaYeshev, Yosef is forced to withstand similar pressure from Potifar’s wife. After being sold as a slave by his brothers, Yosef is brought to Egypt. When he gets there, he is  sold to Potifar, a courtier of Paraoh. One day, when Potifar was out of the house, Potifar’s wife approaches Yosef and asks him to lay with her. Yosef says no, but Potifar’s wife keeps asking, day after day. Finally, Potifar’s wife gets impatient. After Yosef fervently refuses once again, Potifar’s wife grabs onto his coat and holds on tight. Yosef lets Potifar’s wife take his coat, and he runs out of the house.
When Potifar’s wife sees that Yosef had run out, leaving his coat in her hands, she leaves the house screaming, “Look! Yosef tried to lie with me, but I screamed and he ran.” Potifar’s wife blames her own actions on Yosef and tries to get him into trouble. Sure enough, Yosef is placed in prison soon afterwards.
Potifar’s wife acted similarly to the present-day media. She blamed the situation on the victim, Yosef. Instead of the antagonist taking responsibility for the problem, the injured party must suffer.
As we are constantly bombarded with fake and biased images in the media, we must try our hardest to defend the truth. The media has continued to give voice to inaccurate information from the time of Yosef until now. Unfortunately, it may only get worse. As social media platforms expand to unimagined proportions, the media’s audience as expanded accordingly. We must keep looking past the headlines and towards the facts . It our job to find the truth, spread the truth, and defend the truth.
Shabbat Shalom!

 

by Aliza Makovsky

 

To receive daily halachot via text in honor of those who have died in terrorist attacks in Israel please text @datd to 303-951-4822. 
To participate in our campaign to learn in support of Israel, please " like" the DAT Learn for Israel FaceBook page here.