Pay them back!

Iranian president Mahmud Ahmadinejad calls President Bush and tells him, “George, I had a wonderful dream last night. I could see America, the whole beautiful country, and on each house I saw a banner.”
“What did it say on the banners?” Bush asks. Mahmud replies, “UNITED STATES OF IRAN.”
Bush says, “You know, Mahmud, I am really happy you called, because believe it or not, last night I had a similar dream. I could see all of Tehran, and it was more beautiful than ever, and on each house flew an enormous banner.”
“What did it say on the banners?” Mahmud asks.
Bush replies, “I don’t know. I can’t read Hebrew.”

***

Hate. ‘I hate him,’ ‘he hates me,’ and ‘I hate them all.’ These are such strong words that are mouthed too many times daily. So many of us, justifiably or not, hate and feel hated.
Why do we hate? Often, it is because our expectations were disappointed; we expected more trust, honesty, love, fairness, etc. from our fellow humans, and we were let down. Backstabbed by those from whom we anticipated more, we feel hated, and, almost automatically, we hate them back.
Such is the nature of hate; hate comes from love. For when love is expected but isn’t delivered, hate takes over our hearts and emotions.

Now let’s imagine a scenario in which you were backstabbed by your immediate family, hated by your own brothers who tormented your soul all day and night. All of them! Wouldn’t you hate them in return?
Imagine if their hate led them to strip you of your clothing and throw you into a pit full of snakes and scorpions, praying for your death. All of them! Wouldn’t you hate them in return?
Imagine that after some contemplation your brothers decided that ‘instead’ of killing you they would just sell you as a slave to a group of nomads in the desert. Within hours you find yourself transformed from the son of a loving, giant of a father, to a slave whose future is dark, scary, unknown. Wouldn’t you hate them? All of them?! How could they?
Imagine that after but a few days at your master’s home, you are falsely accused of immorality, thrown into prison and your “dirty laundry” is all Egypt is talking about. All because of them!
By now it’s not even a question; you would hate your brothers with all of your broken heart. Hate is perhaps too kind a word.
While sitting alone for twelve years in prison, your hate turns into a volcano waiting to erupt. Oh, when will come the day of revenge? And in your minds eye, you see yourself paying them back for having ruined your life. Oh, how sweet will be the revenge.

The day has come, and, in a miraculous twist of fate, you find yourself as the vice president of the world’s superpower in a time of global famine. You, and only you, have the key to storage houses full of food, enough to sustain all of mankind, your brothers included.
Yes! Your brothers actually needed to come to you. Their fate is in your hands, and their future is dependent solely on you! All you have wished for has materialized – YOU are boss. Oh, how sweet the revenge.
Let’s go! Revenge! Show them! Come on! Make them pay for it! You cry, you shout. Act naturally; do what anyone would else do.
Anyone? Almost, but some are different.

Reading through the final chapters of Genesis, we read of Joseph, son of our forefather Jacob, who went through the above saga of pain, plus much more. Yet, when push came to shove, Joseph ‘paid them back’ with care, love and sustenance, giving his brothers of the best that Egypt possessed.
How did Joseph overcome this powerful test? He realized that all that occurs descends from G-d, and that all trials and tests which seem so bad and painful come from the divine loving kindness.

My friends, so is the way of the righteous – to repay hate with love, pain with pleasure, hunger with plenty, and carelessness with compassion.
And G-d smiles on his thrown up high: Oh, how sweet the revenge, how sweet.