Parasha: Miketz – At the end
Torah: Bereishit 41:1 – 44:17
Have you ever experienced a “troubled spirit”? I think that it would be hard to recognize this condition and identify it properly. Some might call it “anxiety” or “depression” or some other modern term for something that we don’t understand. For sure we know that something isn’t right within us. Let’s see if we can identify with this lesson.
And Paro awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. 8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Mitzrayim, and all the wise men thereof: and Paro told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them to Paro.
At least several men gave Paro their rendition of what his dream meant. None of their explanations could make his troubled spirit peaceful. Here is another incident that a later leader of Israel experienced with his spirit.
14 But the Spirit of Avinu departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Avinu troubled him.
The consequence of Saul’s arrogance was something that we might call “mental illness”. Here is how his servants wanted to treat it.
15 And Saul’s servants said to him, Behold now, an evil spirit from Avinu troubles you. 16 Let our lord now command your servants, which are before you, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from Avinu is on you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well. (1Sa 16:14-16 )
Notice that a certain type of music would sometimes bring relief.
And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from Avinu was on Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him. (1Sa 16:23 )
When the evil spirit left, Saul could have prevented it from returning by guarding the “gateways” into his spirit. He might have been thinking or speaking something that allowed that spirit to return.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from Avinu came on Saul, and he prophesied in the middle of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand. (1Sa 18:10 )
Saul gives in to the spirit and tries to kill David with the javelin.
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