Cosmic Battle Between Wisdom and Folly

Parsha Vayeshev

The Torah says,

You shall not follow the masses in doing evil. - Exodus 23:2

Notice that the command above isn’t to the masses; it’s to the believers. The secular world follows a different master than the one who has faith. It listens to a different drum beat and is led by a foreign melody. The disconsonant music of folly will always be played in antithesis to the melodic harmonies of wisdom.

We make a mistake, however, when we condemn the masses. We are only asked not to behave like them and to stand up for wisdom. The Jewish Rabbi Shaul (Christianity calls him the Apostle Paul) puts it this way,

Control your own body in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God. - I Thessalonians. 4:4

Rabbi Shaul never ventures to tell the heathens how to live or behave. He only instructs those who follow the way (the Derech in Hebrew) to pursue wisdom. When accused of raping Potiphar’s wife, Joseph did not try to impose his moral standards on her; he merely clarified his convictions. He did not ask, “How can you sin against God?” He asked, “How could I sin against God?” ¹

Today's culture often tries to impose standards on those of us who strive to be righteous. For example, society may demand that all desires, sexual or otherwise, be indulged; that life is no longer sacred, especially in the case of unborn children; that we must conform to their preferred pronoun usage; that we must receive certain vaccinations or face job loss; and that we must align with the cultural narrative or face ostracism. The constant barrage of folly can be overwhelming.

Like Joseph and Rabbi Shaul, we are not asked to condemn them of their ways. We are called to live righteously and defend our right to do so. By holding to our ideals, conflict is inevitable. Not that we asked for it, but when compelled to guard it (our Biblical worldview, way of living, and faith), our courage and strength must be commensurate with the crisis. Wisdom demands we stand up to folly.

Solomon personifies wisdom in the book of Proverbs as an excellent wife and states,

Who can find her? Her value is far greater than pearls. When she opens her mouth in wisdom, kindness is on her tongue. She girds herself with might, and she strengthens her arms. - Proverbs 31

On the other hand, King Solomon personifies folly as an attractive seductress.

The woman of folly is boisterous; she is naive and knows nothing. Her lips drip honey, and smoother than oil is her speech; she is cunning of heart. Many are the victims she has cast down, and numerous are all her slain. Her house is the way to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.- Proverbs

As guardians of wisdom, we must be prepared to confront foolishness when it arises. Though the outcome of such battles may be uncertain, we can trust that the Creator will ultimately guide us to victory. Though they came at a high cost, Joesph's unwavering convictions ultimately proved the right path. His imprisonment felt like a life sentence at the time, but he remained steadfast in his beliefs. Despite the consequences, he stood firm and committed to God, who,

…was with Joseph and extended kindness to him and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer. - Genesis 39:21

Our world is in the midst of a cosmic battle between wisdom and folly. We are like pawns on the chess board, being asked to hold our ground and protect the queen. Like Joseph, our job is to safeguard her, not at the expense of condemning those who find themselves on the side of folly but by protecting ourselves from their destructive ways.

No matter the short-term outcome of the struggle, stay loyal, remain trustworthy and hold the line. Remember that the Creator will be with us, even in the valley of the shadow of death.

Have a great day. Stay sharp. Pray. Be ready.

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1. Lancaster, Daniel First Fruits of Zion, Torah Club, Parsha Vayeshev, Pg. 15