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December 7 • 2017 61 jn A s soon as I realized I had drawn the proverbial straw for Vayeshev, one word — with one particular tune, no less — immediately jumped into my head: va-y'ma'en. This word, often trans- lated as "but he refused," is chanted in a lengthy, repeatedly rising and falling trope mark called shalshelet, which appears only four times in the whole Torah. For trope nerds (yes, we exist!) and casual listeners alike, this word immediately stands out as crucially impor- tant. This particular refusal clearly isn't some everyday, garden-variety dissent; this one commands attention and begs for analysis. Zooming out, we find that our ancestor Joseph has been sold into slavery by his brothers and has been relocated to the house of Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's courtiers. With God's help, Joseph immediately rises to the top and becomes Potiphar's second in command. Joseph is very successful — and, the Torah informs us, well-built and handsome as well (Genesis 39:6). So much so, in fact, that Potiphar's unnamed wife decides to blatantly proposi- tion him. And with that, we arrive at our magic word: va-y'ma'en, "but he refused" (Genesis 39:8). It is this refusal, of an act Joseph explains would be disrespectful to Potiphar and offensive to God, that the shalshelet trope turns up to a full- volume blast. At first glance, it might seem that Joseph is weighing his options and trying to make a decision. Perhaps the repetitive up, down, up, down, sound of the shalshelet is meant to convey Joseph's vacillating back and forth, struggling with deciding what action to take. Yet when I look at the strong phrasing of Joseph's refusal, coupled with his multi-pronged rationale, I get a different impres- sion. To me it seems that Joseph is, in fact, abundantly clear on the correct answer. The lin- gering tones of the shalshe- let are not hesitation, but rather a summoning of the courage to do what Joseph knows is right. So often in our lives, I think, we actually know the correct answers to our most vexing or persistent prob- lems. At the very least, we typically have some sense of what we could do to improve a situa- tion, at least modestly. Yet we do not always take the time or put in the time or otherwise invest in taking the next step. This is what Joseph and his refusal (and his shalshelet) offer us. We get to see Joseph navigate an uncomfort- able and even dangerous situation — and observe how he takes his time, takes all 15 discrete pulses of the trope, to arrive at the answer that he knew inside from the start. The music and the meaning inter- twine as Joseph inspires us to stop, adjust our usual pace, and see if anything might clear up and fall into place. • Rabbi Megan Brudney is a rabbi at Temple Beth El in Bloomfield Township. The (Un)Common Tune spirit torah portion Parshat Vayeshev: Genesis 37:1-40:23; Amos 2:6-3:8. CONVERSATIONS: What is an issue that's been troubling you? Can you think of a step you know you should take but haven't? When in your life have you succeeded in pausing and changing direction? What made that shift possible? What is your shalshelet — some kind of phrase, mantra or reminder to slow down and seek out the answer within? Rabbi Megan Brudney JOHN HARDWICK 12455061 Don't wait to learn more! Call 1-800-917-8169 today to request your free brochure. Fox Run, the premier continuing care retirement community in Novi, is pleased to announce a stunning new residence building, scheduled to open in 2018! Designed to fit your budget, taste, and active lifestyle, the new apartment homes boast modern fixtures, open design, and elegant upgrades—not to mention 16 floor plans to choose from. Novi FoxRunNovi.com Coming in 2018 New apartment homes for stylish senior living.