The ability for me to find warmth is a huge blessing, and it makes me aware of how many people do not have that luxury. It’s a reminder of how much there is to do to support those who need warmth and shelter, especially in these cold and wet months in Portland. 

I am terrible at asking for help. I almost always accept it when offered, but it takes me a really long time to actually ask for what I need. Perhaps there’s a lesson or two in this week's parshah for all of us. If Moses can ask for guidance, so can I.

I feel for Moses, being put through so much for the sake of community without the ability to really rest, but of course that’s the work of so many leaders. And like other leaders, Moses relies on the support of those around him to hold him up while he serves others, albeit literally in his case.

If there was one lesson that stuck with me the most through the pandemic, it might be not to think any plans are permanent. Faith is not necessarily about preparation, but about how we react. It’s those pivots and adjustments that help us continue to move forward, despite what may lie ahead.

Throughout this week's Torah portion, we see the notion that “God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.” As human beings, we value our free will above all else, so this idea doesn’t sit well with everyone. If God caused the hardened heart, does that mean we have no free will?

One of my favorite teachings in Pirkei Avot is from Hillel: “In a place where there are no people, strive to be a person.” It’s important to know that each of us has a voice, even if there’s not a chorus of other voices joining in.

In Parshat Vayechi, as we see Joseph “fling himself upon his father, weep and kiss him” when he dies, we are reminded of the emotional intensity in the space between physical presence and physical separation.