The Beauty of Yosef
Parashat Vayigash begins as Yosef and Yehudah approach a showdown: Soon Yosef will reveal himself and send for his father. Throughout the generations, scholars have been perturbed by Yosefโs seeming callousness: Why did it take Yosef so long to orchestrate this reunion? One could argue that the primary victim of this delay was Yaakov, who spent twenty-two years in needless mourning. We might excuse Yosefโs desire for vengeance against his brothers for their perfidy, but this seems inconsistent with Yosefโs reputation as a tzaddik. Certainly, when vengeance impinges on Yosefโs filial responsibilities, any delay which causes his father Yaakov to remain bereft and hungry even one day longer than necessary โ when Yosef had it within his power to solve both problems with ease - seems inexcusable.
In his commentary on the Torah, Ramban poses this question,[1] which, in a sense, hovers over the last three parashiyot: Why didnโt Yosef try to contact his father? After all, the distance between Israel and Egypt is no more than a six day journey (Ramban, Bereishit 42:9). Why didnโt Yosef send a letter to his father, informing him that he was alive and well? When Yosef was placed at the head of Potifarโs household, he must have had the ways and means to contact Yaakov. Certainly once he became the second most powerful man in Egypt he should have had all the connections necessary to send a message to his father. Yaakov could have been spared years of anguish, decades of mourning for his favorite son. Didnโt Yosef return his fatherโs love? How could he bear the self-imposed estrangement from his father for all those years?[2]
Rambanโs answer is that Yosef could not contact his father until his dreams had come true. Yaakov and his sons would have to come to Egypt and bow before Yosef, vindicating Yosefโs vision and his behavior.
Other commentaries have taken issue with this approach. Dreams are Godโs domain, they say; let Him worry about bringing Yosefโs dreams to fruition. It is manโs job to behave ethically, and the ethical thing would have been for Yosef to inform Yaakov that he, Yosef, was indeed alive and well.[3]
Despite this valid rebuttal, we may defend Rambanโs approach if we consider the possibility that Yosef understood his youthful dreams as prophecy.[4] This would also explain why he felt compelled to share his visions with his brothers and his father: He knew full well that failure to communicate prophecy can cause incalculable dysfunctionality within a family. He had heard and seen the results of his grandmother Rivkaโs failure to share the prophecy regarding her two sons. Perhaps Yosef hoped to avoid the harsh consequences of failure to communicate Godโs message. Yosef was convinced that he had been granted prophecy, and he went to great lengths to prove it and to see to it that this prophecy would come to true.[5]
A contemporary commentator, Rabbi Yoel Bin Nun[6], has suggested that perhaps the question should be reversed: Rather than wondering why Yosef did not contact Yaakov, we should consider that Yosef might have spent 22 years wondering why Yaakov had not come looking for him, had not contacted him in any way. Yosef may not have had any idea that the brothers had led their father to believe that Yosef was dead; in fact, Yosef may have had every reason to believe that his father had engineered his plight. Yaakov was surely aware of the enmity between Yosef and his brothers; why, then, did Yaakov send Yosef to look in on them? Yaakov had heard Yosefโs ill reports of the other sons, and knew that the brothers resented Yosef for reporting their misdeeds; why did he ask Yosef to report on them once again? Could Yosef have imagined that this was Yaakovโs way of solving the problem in his household, of allowing the other sons to dispose of the source of conflict within the family? To put it plainly, did Yosef suspect that Yaakov was involved in the plot against him?
Let us consider the extended familyโs history: Whenever brothers did not get along, the solution was to separate. It began with Avraham and Lot; though not actually brothers, when they saw that they could not coexist, they parted ways. The same is true of Yishmael, who was forcibly sent away from Avrahamโs house so that he would not be a bad influence on Yitzchak. Yaakov was sent abroad when it became clear that his brother Esav wanted to kill him. Despite the fact that his father Yitzchak loved him, Esav left the Land of Canaan when Yaakov returned, even though they had achieved a reconciliation. Perhaps Yosef felt that because of all the dissension he had stirred up in his fatherโs house, Yaakov had decided to send him away. Rabbi Bin Nun suggests that only upon hearing Yehudah quote his father as saying that Yosef was โripped apart by beastsโ (Bereishit 44:28),[7] Yosef realized that his father was under the assumption that he, Yosef, was dead. Only then Yosef revealed himself to his brothers and sent for his father. [8]
While this interpretation is certainly highly original, it is not supported by any of the classic commentaries on the Torah; moreover, it paints Yosef as a maladjusted individual who is highly insecure in his fatherโs love โ a portrayal that contradicts everything we know about Yosef from the verses themselves. Yosef is his fatherโs favorite, and he enjoys a special position in the family.[9] His father makes no secret of his affection and his high regard, and gives Yosef a coat of many colors (which may be the garb of royalty[10], and not merely a fashion statement or a token of his favored status). When Yosef confronts his brothers, his behavior does not seem reactive; from the moment his brothers arrive in Egypt, Yosef seems to have a well thought out plan.[11] In fact, he seems to have anticipated their arrival, and personally oversees the sale of food, rather than delegating this task to a lesser functionary, to insure that a confrontation is inevitable. When Yosef returns the money to his brotherโs bags, he sets the stage for the next step: planting the โstolenโ chalice in Binyaminโs bag. Had Yosef concluded that his family wanted nothing to do with him, he could have easily avoided seeing them, or he could have simply allowed them to purchase food and leave. Alternatively, he could have taken revenge upon them immediately, imprisoning or enslaving them or even putting them to death. Yet Yosef seems to have something else in mind, and he appears to know precisely how to achieve it.
Our sages teach us that one of the major lessons of Sefer Bereishit is โmaโaseh avot siman lโbanimโ โ history repeats itself.[12] The narrative sections of the Torah describe spiritual realities that will be repeated at other junctures in Jewish history. The confrontation between Yosef and his brothers is surely no exception: There must be deeper significance to these episodes, something more than Yosefโs personal insecurities or his quest for revenge.
Rabbi Shimshon of Sens, one of the authorities of the school of Tosafot, suggested that Yosef could not simply contact his father:[13]
ืชืืกืคืืช ืืฉืื ]ืจ"ืฉ ืืฉื ืฅ[
ืืชืืจืฅ ืจืื ืฉืืฉืื ื"ื ืฉืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืืืืื ืื ืืืืจืื ืืื ืื ืืืื ืืื ืืืจืืื ืื ืืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืคื ื ืืืืฉื ืืื ืืงืื ืืขื ืืขื ืืืืจืื ืืืืฉืืื ืฉืื ืืชืืืืฉื ืืืืืื ื ืชืืื.
Had Yosef sent a message about everything that had happened, his brothers would have scattered in every direction in shame. Therefore, Yosef worked slowly to bring them back, and thus avoid shaming them. His intention was good. (Tosafot HaShalem)
According to Rabbi Shimshon, the dreams of Yosefโs youth had nothing to do with his plan. Rather, he had a problem: How do you inform your father that you have had an extended stay in Egypt because your brothers sold you as a slave? This idea is further developed in the comments of Rabbi Shimshon Refael Hirsch.
ืจืฉ"ืจ ืืืจืฉ ืืจืืฉืืช ืคืจืฉืช ืืงืฅ ืคืจืง ืื ืคืกืืง ื
ืืืกืฃ ืืืจ ืืช ืืืืืืชืื, ืืืจ ืืื - ืขื ืืกืื ืืืืืืช ืืื - ืืฉืื ืื ืืชืืืืช ืฉืืืื, ืขื ืื ืจืื ืกืื ื ืฆืคืืื ืืขืฆืื, ืืจืื ืืช ืขืฆืื ืืืืื ืื ืืืฆืข ืคืฉืข, ืืืืืื ืืืื ื ืขืฆืืืช. ืื ืื ืืื ืืืืจ ืืืฉืจ ืขืื ืืชืืื ืืื ืืื ืืืชืื ืช ืคืกืื, ืืื ืืืจืื ืืื ื ืขืชื ืืืื ืืจืขืื, ืืืฉืจ ืืื "ืืื", ืืขืื ืืืชื ืื ืกืืื ืืฉื ืื ืืืชื ืืืืชื ืงื ืืื ืืืืข ืืืื ืืืืื ื... ืื ืืื ืืขืืช ืืืืื ื, ืืจื ืฉืืงืืืื ืืื ืื ืฉืื ืืื ืืช ืืืกืฃ ืืืฉืืื ืืืืขื ืืืืื ืืฉื ืืช ืืืฉืจื. ืื ืืฆืข ืืืขืงื ืืืืืช ืืื ืืื ืืืฉืื ืชืืชืื ืขืฉืจื, ืืืจืืืช ืืชืืืืช ืืืืื ืฉืจืืืืช ืืื ืื ืื?! ืื ืืืืจื ืืืืื ืื ืืื ื ืืงืง ืืื ืืชืืืืืืช ืืืื, ืืืื ืืื - ืืืขืชื ื - ืจืืืืืช ืืืืื ืืืืืชื ืฉื ืืืกืฃ.
Yosef remembered his dreams, remembered how, on the basis of those dreams, his brothers suspected him of being power-hungry, to the point that they felt threatened by him, and felt they were justified in committing a crime of self-defense, as it were. If this was so while he still lived among them as a brother dressed in a coat of many colors, how much more would they fear him as a โkingโ โ and one with a reason to hate them and, quite naturally, to seek revenge for what they had done to him, as any other person wouldโฆ If I am not mistaken, Yosefโs consideration in not sending a letter to his father in his years of success was, what would Yaakov gain in getting one son back, if in the process he would lose ten?... Therefore Yosef used all this subterfuge, which, to my mind, was certainly worthy of Yosefโs wisdom. (Rav Hirsch, Bereishit 42:9)
According to this approach, Yosefโs behavior was completely selfless. To have been reunited with his father would clearly have been a source of great personal satisfaction, but it would have had tragic consequences for his brothers. Yosef chose self-imposed isolation in order to preserve the family.
Other commentaries believe that Yosef was motivated by the desire to help his brothers mend their ways, to โdo teshuvahโ โ to repent for the sin they had committed. Thus, rather than revealing his identity to his brothers or contacting his father, Yosef orchestrated a series of events which would bring Binyamin to Egypt and provide his brothers with the opportunity to defend and protect the youngest son of Rachel.[14]
These interpretations are not necessarily mutually exclusive; both Rabbi Shimshon of Sens and Rabbi Hirsch believe that Yosefโs behavior was motivated by considerations that go far beyond his personal interest; both opinions highlight the lofty spiritual level on which Yosef operated.
A close reading of the text on the one hand, and a survey of midrashic and Kabbalistic sources on the other, will allow us to gain a deeper understanding of Yosef and shed light on the general question of his motivations.
First, let us return to the text, and pick up the thread of Yosefโs rise to power as it began in the house of Potifar. Interestingly, it is at this point โ and not in the earlier chapters in which Yosef is first introduced, that the Torah comments on Yosefโs physical appearance:
ืืจืืฉืืช ืื: ื
ย โฆืึทืึฐืึดึฃื ืืึนืกึตึืฃ ืึฐืคึตืึพืชึนึืึทืจ ืึดืืคึตึฅื ืึทืจึฐืึถึฝื:
โฆAnd Yosef was handsome and of fine appearance. (Bereishit 39:6)
Editorial comments of this kind are rare enough; in this case, it is all the more curious that the Torah inserts this comment at this particular juncture. By this point, we have been following Yosefโs life story for several chapters. Would it not have been more logical to describe Yosefโs physical appearance earlier in the narrative - ย in the chapters describing his birth, his youth, or at the point when the focus of the narrative first shifts in his direction? Instead, this information is provided after Yosef has endured his brothersโ ridicule, after they sell him into slavery, after he is bought by an Egyptian minister. A straightforward reading of the text might dismiss this anomaly by reasoning that this verse serves as an introduction to the following episode involving Potifarโs wife, in which, for the first time, Yosefโs physical appearance becomes relevant. And yet, when we read this verse in the context of our search for Yosefโs motivation, a deeper level emerges: The verse which describes Yosefโs appearance is the very same verse that describes his rise to a position of power:
ืืจืืฉืืช ืื: ื
ืึทืึผึทืขึฒืึนึฃื ืึผึธืึพืึฒืฉืึถืจึพืืึนึ ืึผึฐืึทืึพืืึนืกึตืฃึ ... ืึทืึฐืึดึฃื ืืึนืกึตึืฃ ืึฐืคึตืึพืชึนึืึทืจ ืึดืืคึตึฅื ืึทืจึฐืึถึฝื:
ย [Potifar] placed all that he had in the hands of Yosef...and Yosef was handsome and of fine appearance. (Bereishit 39:6)
This verse marks the first time Yosef had the ability to contact his father; he had risen to a position of prominence in a very influential household. And yet, in this same verse, the Torah chooses to describe Yosefโs good looks! The strange juxtaposition, at the very least, should alert us to the possibility that something much deeper than Yosefโs physical appearance is being described.
An additional clue to a deeper strata of meaning is the only parallel found in Bereishit:
ืืจืืฉืืช ืื: ืื
ืึฐืจึธืึตืึ ืึธึฝืึฐืชึธึื ืึฐืคึทืชึพืชึผึนึืึทืจ ืึดืืคึทึฅืช ืึทืจึฐืึถึฝื:
And Rachel was beautiful and of fine appearance. (Bereishit 29:17)
As both the midrash and the Zohar point out, Yosef had inherited his motherโs beauty:
ืืจืืฉืืช ืจืื ]ืืืื ื[ ืคืจืฉื ืคื
ื"ืจ ืืฆืืง ืืจืืง ืืืืจื ืืืจืขื ืืขื ืขืืงืจื ื ืคืืง, ืืคื ืฉืืชืื ]ืืจืืฉืืช ืื[ ืืจืื ืืืชื ืืคืช ืชืืืจ ืืื', ืืคืืื ืืืื ืืืกืฃ ืืคื ืชืืืจ ืืืคื ืืจืื.
Rabbi Yitzchak said, โThrow a stick to the ground, and it will land near the place it came from. For it says, โRachel was beautiful and of fine appearance.โ Therefore, [the text says] โYosef was handsome and of fine appearance.โ (Bereishit Rabbah 86:6)
As the modern saying goes, an apple doesnโt fall far from the tree; the source of Yosefโs beauty was the beauty of Rachel. The Zohar goes a bit further in its description:
ืืืืจ ืืืง ื ืืฃ ืจืื/ื
ืึผึตืืึธื ืึผึฐืึธืึธื ืึฐืืึนืกึตืฃ, ืึฐืึฒืึธื ืงึธืึดืื ืงึทืึผึตืืึผ, ืึผึทื ืึทืขึฒืงึนื ืึดืกึฐืชึผึทืึผึตื ืึผึฐืืึนืกึตืฃ, ืึฒืึธื ืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึฐืึดืื ืึผึฐื ึทืคึฐืฉืึตืืึผ, ืึผึฐืึดืืึผืึผ ืึธืึธื ืึฐืึดืึผึตืืึผ ืึผึฐืืึนืกึตืฃ. ืึผึฐืฉืึทืคึผึดืืจืึผ ืึผึฐืืึนืกึตืฃ ืึผึธืึตื ืึฐืฉืึทืคึผึดืืจืึผ ืึผึฐืจึธืึตื.
Whenever Yosef would walk by Yaakov, he would look at Yosef and his soul would be restored, as if he was looking at Yosefโs mother, for the beauty of Yosef resembled the beauty of Rachel. (Zohar, Bereishit 216b)
On the other hand, numerous rabbinic sources teach - both implicitly and explicitly - that Yosef bore an uncanny, unmistakable resemblance to his father!
ืืจืืฉืืช ืจืื ]ืืืื ื[ ืคืจืฉื ืคื:ื
ืืืฉืจืื ืืื ืืช ืืืกืฃ,โฆืจ' ืืืืื ืืืืจ ืฉืืื ืืื ืืืงืื ืื ืฉืื ืืืื ืื.
โAnd Yisrael loved Yosef:โ โฆRabbi Yehuda said, [Yosefโs] face was like [Yaakovโs] own. (Bereishit Rabbah 84:8)
The Zohar also stresses the resemblance between father and son:
ืืืืจ ืืืง ื ืืฃ ืงืค/ื
ืึตืึผึถื ืชึผืึนืึฐืืึนืช ืึทืขึฒืงึนื ืืึนืกึตืฃ, ืึผึธื ืึทืื ืึผึฐืึฒืึธื ืึดืกึฐืชึผึทืึผึตื ืึผึฐืึดืืึผืงึฐื ึธื ืึฐืืึนืกึตืฃ ืึฒืึธื ืึธืึทืจ ืึผึฐืึธื ืืึผื ืึดืืึผืงึฐื ึธื ืึฐืึทืขึฒืงึนื. ืชึผึธื ืึฒืึตื, ืึผึดืึฐืึปืึผึฐืืึผ ืึผึฐื ึตื ืึทืขึฒืงึนื ืึธื ืึผึฐืชึดืื ืึตืึผึถื ืชึผืึนืึฐืืึนืช ืึทืขึฒืงึนื ืจึฐืืึผืึตื, ืึผึทืจ ืืึนืกึตืฃ, ืึผึฐืึดืืึผืงึฐื ึดืืึผ ืึธืึตื ืึฐืึดืืึผืงึฐื ึธื ืึผึฐืึฒืืึนื:
โThese are the generations of Yaakov, Yosefโฆโ Whoever would look at Yosef would see the image of Yaakov. Come and see, the verse does not say โThese are the generations of Yaakov, Reuvenโฆโ; only Yosef [is noted in this way] because he was the image of his father. (Zohar, Bereishit 180a)
The similarity between father and son gives us new insight into the Talmudโs comments regarding Yosefโs reaction to the seductive advances of Potifarโs wife
ืชืืืื ืืืื ืืกืืช ืกืืื ืืฃ ืื ืขืืื ื
"ืึทืชึผึดืชึฐืคึผึฐืฉืึตืืึผ ืึผึฐืึดืึฐืืึน ืึตืืึนืจ ืฉืึดืึฐืึธื ืขึดืึผึดื", ืึผึฐืืึนืชึธืึผ ืฉืึธืขึธื ืึผึธืืชึธื ืึผึฐืืึนืงึฐื ืึน ืฉืึถื ืึธืึดืื ืึฐื ึดืจึฐืึตืืช ืืึน ืึผึทืึทืึผืึนื.
โ[Potifarโs wife] grabbed him by the clothing...โ โ At that moment the image of his father appeared to him in the window. (Sotah 36b)
When Yosef looks in the window, he sees his own reflection;[15] the striking resemblance to his father jolts him back to his senses, and saves him from temptation. But if Yosef looked so much like his father, what is meant by the statement that he had inherited his motherโs beauty? What, indeed, was the essence of Rachelโs beauty? Surely the Torah is not speaking about traits that are only skin deep; Rachelโs beauty must also represent some spiritual characteristic.
The answer may be found in a different context altogether: In a lengthy midrashic discussion of the destruction of the First Temple, God summons Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, and Yirmiyahu to stand before Him in defense of the Jewish People. Each offers an argument as to why God should rebuild the Temple. God, however, is unmoved by their arguments.
ืืืื ืจืื ]ืืืื ื[ ืคืชืืืชืืช ื"ื ืื ืจืื ืืืื ื
ืืืืชื ืฉืขื ืงืคืฆื ืจืื ืืื ื ืืคื ื ืืงื"ื ืืืืจื ืจืืฉ"ืข ืืืื ืืคื ืื ืฉืืขืงื ืขืืื ืืืื ื ืืืื ืืชืืจื ืืขืื ืืฉืืืื ืืืื ืฉืืข ืฉื ืื ืืืฉืืฉืืืื ืืืชื ืฉืืข ืฉื ืื ืืืืืข ืืื ื ืฉืืื ืืืขืื ืืขืฅ ืืื ืืืืืืคื ื ืืืขืื ืืฉืืื ืืืืชื ืืืืงืฉื ืขืื ืืืืจ ืขื ืืื ืื ื ืืืขื ืื ืืขืฆื ืืืืืขืชื ืืืขืื ืืืกืจืชื ืื ืกืืื ืฉืืืืจ ืืื ื ืืืื ืืืืชื ืืื ืฉืื ืืืื ืืื ืืืืืืคื ื, ืืืืืจ ืื ื ืืืชื ืืขืฆืื ืืกืืืชื ืืช ืชืืืชื ืืจืืืชื ืขื ืืืืชื ืฉืื ืชืฆื ืืืจืคื, ืืืขืจื ืืืคื ืืืืชื ืืืขืื ืืฉืืืื ืืืกืจืชื ืืืืืชื ืื ืืกืืื ืื ืฉืืกืจืชื ืืืขืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืกืืืจ ืฉืืื ืจืื, ืืื ืขืื ืืื ืฉื ืื ืกืชื ืชืืช ืืืื ืฉืืื ืฉืืื ืขื ืืืืชื ืืืื ืืืืจ ืขืื ืืืื ืฉืืชืงืช ืืื ื ืืืฉืืืชื ืขื ืื ืืืจ ืืืืจ ืืื ืฉืื ืืืืจ ืืงืื ืืืืชื ืืืืืชื ืืกื ืขืื, ืืื ืงื ืืชื ืื ืืื ืืืฆืืชืื ืืืจืคื, ืืื ืื ื ืฉืื ื ืืฉืจ ืืื ืขืคืจ ืืืคืจ ืื ืงื ืืชื ืืฆืจื ืฉืื ืืื ืืืฆืืชืื ืืืืฉื ืืืืจืคื, ืืืชื ืืื ืื ืืงืืื ืจืืื ืืคื ื ืื ืงื ืืช ืืขืืืืช ืืืืืื ืฉืืื ืื ืืืฉ ืืืืืืช ืื ื ืื ืืจืื ืืืจื ืืขืฉื ืืืืืื ืื ืืจืฆืื ื, ืืื ื ืชืืืืื ืจืืืื ืฉื ืืงืืืฉ ืืจืื ืืื ืืืืจ ืืฉืืืื ืจืื ืื ื ืืืืืจ ืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืืงืืื ืืื ืืื ืืืชืื ]ืืจืืื ื"ื[ ืื ืืืจ ื' ืงืื ืืจืื ื ืฉืืข ื ืื ืืื ืชืืจืืจืื ืจืื ืืืื ืขื ืื ืื ืืื ื ืืื ืื ืขื ืื ืื ืื ืืื ื ื, ืืืชืื ]ืฉื /ืืจืืืื ื"ื/[ ืื ืืืจ ื' ืื ืขื ืงืืื ืืืื ืืขืื ืื ืืืืขื ืื ืืฉ ืฉืืจ ืืคืขืืืชื ืืื' ืืืชืื ]ืฉื /ืืจืืืื ื"ื/[ ืืืฉ ืชืงืื ืืืืจืืชื ื ืื ื' ืืฉืื ืื ืื ืืืืืื.
At that moment, our matriarch Rachel burst in before the Holy One, blessed be He, and said, โMaster of the Universe, it is well known to You that Your servant Yaakov loved me exceedingly and toiled for my father on my behalf for seven years. When those seven years were completed and the time arrived for my marriage with my husband, it came to my attention that my father was conspiring to switch my sister for me. It was very hard for me, because the plot was known to me and I disclosed it to my husband; and I gave him a sign whereby he could distinguish between me and my sister, so that my father would not be able to make the substitution.
โAfterwards I relented, suppressed my desire, and had pity upon my sister so that she should not be exposed to shame. In the evening, they substituted my sister for me with my husband, and I gave to my sister all the signs which I had arranged with my husband so that he should think that she was Rachel.... I performed hesed for her, was not jealous of her, and did not expose her to shame.
โIf I, a creature of flesh and blood, formed of dust and ashes, was not envious of my rival and did not expose her to shame and contempt, why should You, a King who lives eternally and is merciful, be jealous of idolatry in which there is no reality, and exile my children and let them be slain by the sword, and allow their enemies to do with them as they wish?โ
Immediately, the mercy of the Holy One, blessed be He, was aroused. โFor you, Rachel, I will return Israel to their place.โ That is [the meaning of the] verse [Yirmiyahu 31:14โ16], โThus says God, โA voice in Ramah is heard โ a bitter cry, Rachel crying for her children. She refuses to be comforted for her children, for they are gone,โโ and it says, โThus says God, โRefrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from their tears, for your deeds shall be rewarded,โโ and it says, โโAnd there is hope for the future,โ says God, โand your children shall return to their bordersโโ. (Eichah Rabbah, introduction, section 24)
The beauty, the greatness of Rachel, is her ability to sacrifice her personal needs and desires for the sake of her sister. Yosef displays this same trait, but only when he comes of age, in Egypt. For this reason, the same verse that describes his beauty describes his dominion over the house of Potifar: This was the first time that Yosef had the ability to contact his father; thus, for the first time, the โbeautyโ of Yosef, the self-sacrifice he took upon himself, shone through. Yosefโs beauty, inherited from his mother, became apparent at exactly this point, and so it is described precisely in this verse.
God rewarded Rachel for her self-sacrifice by allowing her children a second chance: The Second Temple was built upon the foundation of Rachelโs love, hesed, and self-sacrifice โ all of which were inherited by Yosef. When the Children of Israel ceased to follow her example, when they treated one another with a lack of respect, with hatred and jealousy โ as they did when they sold Yosef into slavery, and as they did, once again, generations later โ exile, slavery and suffering ensued. The spiritual forces unleashed in Yosefโs lifetime played out throughout Jewish history: The exile and enslavement of the sons of Yaakov was set in motion when they sold Yosef; this very same spiritual dynamic of sinat chinam (groundless hatred) eventually caused the destruction of the Second Temple.
Once the power of sinat chinam had been unleashed on the world by the brothers, Yosef endeavored to create a spiritual antidote. This, and not revenge or self-aggrandizement, was what motivated his behavior. With this motivation in mind, we come full circle: Yosef engineers the showdown with very specific โ and very unselfish โ results in mind.
A closer look at the original source of conflict between Yosef and his brothers brings the climactic confrontation into sharper relief: Yosef dreamed that his brothers would all bow down to him. The brothers, on the other hand, understood that their leader โ as a family, and as a nation - was Yehudah.[16] The brothers misinterpreted Yosefโs dreams as a rejection of Yehudahโs leadership; they believed Yosef to be guilty of meridah bโmalchut (treason)[17] - a capital offense. Yosef, however, understood his dream as the key to the future: The brothers must rally around him, a son of Rachel, as well as around Yehudah, the son of Leah, in their lifetime, in order to establish a spiritual precedent of unity for the future.
When the brothers come to Egypt searching for food, Yosef confronts them. Yosef the visionary, the interpreter of dreams, the man who excels in long-range planning, has surely anticipated their arrival for quite some time. The moment he heard Pharaohโs dream, he knew that the entire region would be struck by famine, and that his brothers would have to come to Egypt if they were to survive. He surely had played this scene out in his mind over and over again through the years. [18] While he must have yearned for news of his father on a personal level, one primary question filled Yosefโs mind: Do his brothers regret their actions? Do they wake up in the middle of the night covered in a cold sweat, haunted by nightmare visions of their brotherโs frightened face and bloodcurdling screams? How have they treated Binyamin? Is Binyamin alive, or did he meet the same horrible fate because of their jealousy?
The Torah describes the scene:
ืืจืืฉืืช ย ืื: ื-ื
ืึทืึผึทึฅืจึฐื ืืึนืกึตึืฃ ืึถืชึพืึถืึธึืื ืึทืึผึทืึผึดืจึตึื ืึทืึผึดืชึฐื ึทืึผึตึจืจ ืึฒืึตืืึถึื ืึทืึฐืึทืึผึตึงืจ ืึดืชึผึธึฃื ืงึธืฉืึืึนืช ืึทืึผึนึคืืึถืจ ืึฒืึตืึถืึ ืึตืึทึฃืึดื ืึผึธืืชึถึื ืึทืึผึนึฃืืึฐืจึืึผ ืึตืึถึฅืจึถืฅ ืึผึฐื ึทึืขึทื ืึดืฉืึฐืึผึธืจึพืึนึฝืึถื: ืึทืึผึทืึผึตึฅืจ ืืึนืกึตึืฃ ืึถืชึพืึถืึธึืื ืึฐืึตึื ืึนึฅื ืึดืึผึดืจึปึฝืืึผ:
Yosef saw his brothers and recognized them. He acted like a stranger to them and spoke to them harshly, saying, โWhere have you come from?โ They said, โFrom the land of Canaan to buy food.โ Yosef recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. (Bereishit 42:7โ8)
The text is puzzling and redundant, stressing twice in as many verses that Yosef recognized his brothers.[19] The โrecognitionโ makes the confrontation with Yehudah almost palpable; the word vayaker hangs heavily in the air and forces us to compare the development of the two protagonists: Only when Yehudah โrecognizedโ and took responsibility for his own misdeeds (Bereishit 38:26)[20] ย did he become a role model, a true leader, and the scion of the Messiah. Here, once again, the Torah hammers home this same โrecognitionโ on the part of Yosef, indicating that he has undergone a similar process of growth, a similar metamorphosis. Like Yehudah, Yosef becomes a true leader. Yosefโs motives are pure; he behaves as he does for the sake of his family and his nation, for the sake of Heaven.
And yet, Yosef continues to interrogate his brothers; he accuses them of espionage.[21] Each time they respond, they unwittingly open the door for more questions. Yosef asks them where they are from, and they respond with too much information, restating the obvious: โFrom the land of Canaan, to buy food.โ
This strange response is precisely the wrong answer: It allows Yosef to make a positive identification, but at the same time dashes his hopes that they have come to search for their long-lost brother. Yosefโs greatest hope is that the brothers regret what they have done; his wish, his fantasy, is that they will make use of this trip to Egypt - the land to which they had sold Yosef as a slave - as an opportunity to look for him, to apologize, to bring him home. We might well imagine what would have happened if they had admitted to being โspiesโ - not political or military spies hoping to destabilize or overthrow the government, but โspiesโ searching for a lost brother: Surely, Yosef would have immediately, even joyfully, revealed his identity: โI am Yosef, the brother you seek!โ Instead, they declare, immediately and somewhat defensively, that their visit has only one purpose: They have come for food โ nothing more, nothing less. In an attempt to lead them in the desired direction, Yosef suggests that they are, in fact, looking for something (or someone) else; he accuses them of being spies, of snooping around Egyptโs soft underbelly โ where, Yosef assumes, the brothers might logically look for him.[22]
The brothers do not understand what this man is asking them. They strenuously and repeatedly deny seeking anything other than food. The dialogue is confused and obtuse; what is Yosef trying to get out of his brothers? What does he hope their response will be? The answer is remarkably simple.
ืืจืืฉืืช ืคืจืง ืื: ืื-ืื
ืึทืึผึนืืึฐืจึืึผ ืฉืึฐื ึตืึฃื ืขึธืฉืึธืจึฉ ืขึฒืึธืึถึจืืึธ ืึทืึดึงืืื ืึฒื ึทึืึฐื ืึผ ืึผึฐื ึตึฅื ืึดืืฉืึพืึถืึธึื ืึผึฐืึถึฃืจึถืฅ ืึผึฐื ึธึืขึทื ืึฐืึดื ึผึตึจื ืึทืงึผึธืึนึคื ืึถืชึพืึธืึดึืื ืึผึ ืึทืึผึืึนื ืึฐืึธืึถืึธึื ืึตืื ึถึฝื ึผืึผ:ย ืึทืึผึนึฅืืึถืจ ืึฒืึตืึถึื ืืึนืกึตึืฃ ืึืึผื ืึฒืฉืึถึจืจ ืึผึดืึผึทึงืจึฐืชึผึดื ืึฒืึตืึถึื ืึตืืึนึืจ ืึฐืจึทืึผึฐืึดึฅืื ืึทืชึผึถึฝื:
They reply, โYour servants are twelve. We are brothers, sons of one man from the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father, and one is no longer with us.โ Yosef responded, โThat is precisely what I meant [literally, โhe is the one I spoke ofโ] when I said you are spies.โ (Bereishit 42:13-14)
Yosef shows his hand; he explicitly accuses them of searching for their missing brother.[23] He wants them to admit that they are spies; he hopes they will confess that they have come to Egypt seeking the brother they had mistreated years ago. He seeks a sign that they feel remorse, that they want to right the wrong they had committed. He wants a sign that they have done teshuvah.
ืืจืืฉืืช ืคืจืง ืื:ืื
ืึทืึผึนืืึฐืจึืึผ ืฉืึฐื ึตืึฃื ืขึธืฉืึธืจึฉ ืขึฒืึธืึถึจืืึธ ืึทืึดึงืืื ืึฒื ึทึืึฐื ืึผ โฆ ืึฐืึธืึถืึธึื ืึตืื ึถึฝื ึผืึผ: ืึทืึผึนึฅืืึถืจ ืึฒืึตืึถึื ืืึนืกึตึืฃ ืึืึผื ืึฒืฉืึถึจืจ ืึผึดืึผึทึงืจึฐืชึผึดื ืึฒืึตืึถึื ืึตืืึนึืจ ืึฐืจึทืึผึฐืึดึฅืื ืึทืชึผึถึฝื:
They said, โWe are twelve brothersโฆand one is no longer with us.โ Yosef replied, โHe is the one I spoke of when I said you are spies.โ
The brothers miss the opportunity; they feel no remorse, nor do they have any intention of searching for Yosef while they are in Egypt. They have come for food, and nothing more. Yosef has no choice but to accept this and shift to โplan b.โ He creates a second, albeit lesser, opportunity to heal the Rachel-Leah โfault lineโ that has torn the family apart: Ideally the rift should have been healed as the brothers rally around Yosef, but when they prove unwilling or unable to do so, Yosef creates an opportunity for the brothers to rally around Binyamin. If they are able to treat a son of Rachel like a brother, if they are prepared to protect him and acknowledge his status within the family, perhaps they can still be forgiven.
Binyamin becomes the unifying force โ among the brothers, and later, among the tribes: In the Land of Israel, the Temple will stand in Binyaminโs territory, a place above the discord and jealousy the brothers felt for Yosef. However, all of this is a result of โplan b,โ and not โplan aโ. Because the rectification for the brothersโ sale of Yosef took place when they rallied around Binyamin, and not around Yosef, their teshuvah- and their unity - was incomplete. The teshuvah involving Binyamin was not sufficient to eradicate the sin of the brothers; only teshuvah involving Yosef himself could have provided the complete antidote for the power of sinat chinam the brothers had unleashed. This is what lies behind Rashiโs cryptic comment on the verse describing the reunion of Yosef and Binyamin:
ืจืฉ"ื ืืจืืฉืืช ืคืจืง ืื:ืื
ืืืคืื ืขื ืฆืืืจื ืื ืืืื ืืืื ืืืื - ืขื ืฉื ื ืืงืืฉืืช ืฉืขืชืืืื ืืืืืช ืืืืงื ืฉื ืื ืืืื ืืกืืคื ืืืืจื:
โHe fell on his brother Binyaminโs shoulder and criedโ โ [Yosef cried] for the two Temples which would stand in the portion of Binyamin and be destroyed. (Rashi, Bereishit 45:14)
The brothersโ teshuvah was enough to allow the Temple to be built in the territory of Binyamin, but it was not enough to prevent its eventual destruction. When the unifying factor upon which the Temple is founded crumbles, the Temple falls, destroyed by sinโat chinam. The love and self-sacrifice of Rachel can build the edifice, but for it to stand, all the descendants of Yaakov would have to learn and internalize these traits.
Perhaps we should consider Rambanโs comments from the perspective of spiritual antecedents, of maโasei avot siman lโbanim: Yosef waited for the fruition of his dreams before contacting his father because he understood that the brothers would have to accept his role - not as a substitute for Yehudah but as a preparation for Yehudahโs ultimate leadership, just as Mashiach ben Yosef prepares the way for Mashiach ben David (a descendent of Yehudah).[24] According to tradition, Mashiach ben Yosef will unite all the Jewish people in preparation for the arrival of Mashiach ben David, but he will die in the process (Sukkah 52a); like Rachel, whose self-sacrifice allowed the building of the Second Temple, the self-sacrifice of Mashiach ben Yosef and his willingness to be subservient to Mashiach ben David will allow the building of the Third Temple. The spiritual model is Yosef, who chose not to contact his father even though it would have made his own life much more pleasant, because he understood that the ultimate goal could not be achieved without the self-sacrifice he learned from his mother Rachel.
Yosef the dreamer, the visionary, the interpreter of dreams, saw what his brothers could not. He dedicated his life to his brothers, and he was the great provider for others. He sentenced himself to decades of loneliness so that his brothers would have the chance to be redeemed, and suffered self-imposed isolation so that the familyโs wounds could be healed.
Like his mother, Yosef was truly beautiful.
[1] To be more precise, in the Rambanโs formulation, this is not so much a question as it is evidence of Yosefโs larger plan: Yosef was motivated by the need to bring the dreams of his youth to fruition; were this not the case, we would be forced to question Yosefโs willful delay of the reunion with his father. Also see the comments of the Riva and the Rosh, who base their interpretation on a rabbinic tradition that all the participants in the sale of Yosef took an oath of silence regarding the entire episode. This explains why God, who joins the group, as it were, does not reveal anything to Yaakov, and why Yosef does not reach out to his father: At the very moment, he is cut off from the group by the actions of his brothers, Yosef takes this oath of silence upon himself and refrains from contacting Yaakov โ in effect proving that he is, despite it all, still โone of the gang,โ still a member of the family โ and of the Jewish People. On the other hand, Yosef by dreaming that he has eleven brothers โ who will bow down to him, Yosef is implicitly declaring that Reuven, despite his sin, is still part of the family, and perhaps this is what motivated Reuven to attempt to save Yosef. See footnote 9 below and Bereishit 37:21,22.
ืคืืจืืฉ ืืจืื"ื ืขื ืืชืืจื ืืจืืฉืืช ืคืจืฉืช ืืืืฉ ืคืจืง ืื ืคืกืืง ื
ืืืฆืืื ืื ืืืฉ ืืขืื. ืคื' ืืงื' ืืคื ื ืืืืฉืช ืฉืืืืืฉ ืืืื. ืื"ื ืฉื ืฉืืข ืืื ืฉืื ืืืืืช ืืืื ืืืืจืชื ืื ืืืฉืจ ืืืจืืื ื ืฉืืข ืืื ืฉืื ืืฉืื ืขืื ืืืืช ืืืื ืืฉืื ืืืืืข ืืืืื ืฉืืื ืื ืืฉืืื ื ืืืจ. ืืฉืื ืืืืจ ืืฉืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืื ืืขืงื ืืื ืขืฉื ืืขื ืืจืื ืืื ืื ืื ืืฉืืื ืืืื ืืืืช ืืืื ืื ืืื ื' ืฉื ืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืืืฆืจืื ืืืืข ืื ืฉืื ืืืืื ืืืืจ ืื ื ื ืืื ืืืฆืจืื ืื ืืื ืืืืข ืฉืืืื ืืื ืืฆืืขืจ ืขืืื. ืืื ืขื ืืจืื ื ืฉืืข ืืื ืื:
ืคืืจืืฉ ืืจื"ืฉ ืขื ืืชืืจื ืืจืืฉืืช ืคืจืฉืช ืืืืฉ ืคืจืง ืื ืคืกืืง ื
ืืื ืืืื ืืืกืฃ ืืืชืืคืง. ืชืืื ืืฉ ืืื ืืืชืื ืื ืื ืืืกืฃ ืืืืืืข ืืืืื ืฉืืื ืฉืจืื ืืฆืขืจ ืืืื ืื ืืื ืื. ืืืฉ ืืืืจ ืืฉืขืช ืืืจื ืฉืชืคื ืืช ืืืกืฃ ืขืืื ืฉืื ืืืืืช ืืืืจ ืืืฃ ืื ืืื ืืืืจื ืืืื ืฉืื ืืืื ืื ืืื ื ืืื ืขืืื ืืืคืืื ืืืชืื ืขื ืฉืืื ืืืื ืืืชืืจื ืืช ืืืจื ืืืกืืืช ืืืื ืืื ืืืจ ืฉืืื ืื ืฆืจืื ืื ืื ืืืจ ืืืชืืจื. ืืืืื ืจืืืื ืฉืื ืืื ืฉืืืฉื ืืืืช ืืื ืกืช ืืืฉ ืืืขืชื ืืืืฆืื ืขืฆืื ืืชืงื ืช ืืงืื ืืืืืจื ืฆืจืื ืฉืืืฆืื ืืฉืคืชืื ืฉืื ืืืจืื ืฉืืื ืืื ื ืืืจืื ืฉื"ืื ืืืื ื ืืกืจ ืืืืื ืืืจื:
[2] Ramban, Bereishit 42:9.
ืจืื"ื ืืจืืฉืืช ืคืจืฉืช ืืงืฅ ืคืจืง ืื ืคืกืืง ื
ืืืืืจ ืืืกืฃ ืืช ืืืืืืืช ืืฉืจ ืืื ืืื - ืขืืืื, ืืืืข ืฉื ืชืงืืืื ืฉืืจื ืืฉืชืืื ืื, ืืฉืื ืจืฉ"ื. ืืืคื ืืขืชื ืฉืืืืจ ืืืคื, ืื ืืืืจ ืืืชืื ืื ืืจืืืช ืืืกืฃ ืืช ืืืื ืืฉืชืืืื ืื ืืืจ ืื ืืืืืืืช ืืฉืจ ืืื ืืื ืืืืข ืฉืื ื ืชืงืืื ืืื ืืื ืืคืขื ืืืืช, ืื ืืืืข ืืคืชืจืื ื ืื ืื ืืืื ืืฉืชืืื ืื ืืชืืืื ืื ืืืืื ืืจืืฉืื, ืืื ื ืื ืื ื ืืืืืื ืืืืืื, ืื "ืื ืื ื" ืืจืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืื ืขืฉืจ, ืืคืขื ืฉื ืืช ืืฉืชืืื ืื ืืฉืืฉ ืืืืจื ืืืื ืขืฉืจ ืืืืืื ืื ืืืืื ืืฉื ื, ืืืืื ืฉืื ืจืื ืื ืืื ืขืืื ืืฉื ืืืช ืืชืืืืื ืฉืืขืืื ืขืืืื ืืื ืฉืืืืื ืื ืื ืืืื ืืืื ืืืื ืืงืืื ืืืืื ืืจืืฉืื ืชืืืื: ืืขื ืื ืื ืจืฆื ืืืืื ืืื ืื ื ืืืกืฃ ืืืืื, ืืืืืจ ืืืจื ืืขืื ืื ืืื ืืืฉืื ืืขืืืืช ืืืฉืจ ืขืฉื ืขืืื ืืคืขื ืืฉื ืื, ืื ืืื ืืืื ืื ืืื ืืื ืกืคืง. ืืืืจื ืฉื ืชืงืืื ืืืืื ืืจืืฉืื ืืืื ืืื ืืงืืื ืืืืื ืืฉื ื. ืืืืื ืื ืืื ืืืกืฃ ืืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืฆืขืจ ืืช ืืืื ืืืืขืืืื ืืืื ืจืืื ืืฉืืื ืืืื ืขื ืฉืืขืื ืืขืืื, ืืืฃ ืื ืืื ืจืฆืื ื ืืฆืขืจ ืืช ืืืื ืงืฆืช ืืื ืื ืืืืื ืขื ืฉืืืช ืืืื, ืืื ืืช ืืื ืขืฉื ืืคื ืืขืชื ืืงืืื ืืืืืืืช ืื ืืืข ืฉืืชืงืืืื ืืืืช: ืื ืืขื ืื ืืฉื ื ืฉืขืฉื ืืื ืืืืืข ืื ืฉืชืืื ืืืื ืชื ืืฆืขืจื, ืืื ืืฉื ืืืื ืืฉ ืืื ืฉื ืื ืืื ืืืื ืฉืืงื ืื ืืืชื ืืืืืช ืืืืื ืืงื ืืชื ืื, ืื ืฉืื ืืจืืืฉ ืื ืืืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืืืืกืฃ ืื ืืืื ืืื ืืื ืงืืื ืืฉื ืื, ืืขื ืื ืื ืจืฆื ืฉืืื ืขืืื ืื ืืื ืืืื ืืฉืืื ืื ืืื ืขื ืืืงื ืืืชื ืืืืืชื: ืืืื ื ืชืืืื ื ืื ืจืืืชืื ื ืืืจืืฉืืช ืจืื (ืฆื ื) ืืืจ ืจืื ืืืื ืืจ' ืืื ืื ืืืืจืื ืฉืืชื ืงืืจื ืฉืืืืจ ืืืืื ืืคื ื ืืืื ืขื ืฉืืชื ืืืืข ืืื ืืืื ืืืกืฃ ืืืชืืคืง ืืื ืื ืคืืืก ืืืืกืฃ ืคืืืก ืืืืื, ืคืืืก ืืื ืืืื. ืคืืืก ืืืืกืฃ, ืจืื ืืืื ื ืืชื ื ืคืฉื ืขื ืื ืื ืฉื ืจืื ืืื': ืืื ืื ื ืืืืจ ืฉืื ืืขื ืื ืื ืืืื ืืื ืืืืกืฃ ืืืืืชื ืืคืชืจืื ืืืืืืืช, ืื ืืฉ ืืชืืื ืืืจ ืฉืขืื ืืืกืฃ ืืืฆืจืื ืืืื ืจืืื ืืืื ืคืงืื ืื ืืื ืืืืช ืฉืจ ืืืื ืืืฆืจืื, ืืื ืื ืฉืื ืืชื ืืื ืืืืื ืืืืืืขื ืืื ืืื, ืื ืืฆืจืื ืงืจืื ืืืืจืื ืืฉืฉื ืืืื, ืืืืื ืืื ืืืื ืฉื ื ืืื ืจืืื ืืืืืืขื ืืืืื ืืืื, ืืืงืจ ืคืืืื ื ืคืฉื ืืืคืื ื ืืจืื ืืืื: ืืื ืืื ืจืืื ืื ืืฉืชืืืืืช ืืืื ืื ืืื ืืืื ืืื ืืจืขื ืืชื, ืื ืืคืฉืจ ืืืืืช ืืืจืฆื, ืืืื ืืงืื ืืืืืชื ืฉื ืืืฆืจืื ืืจืืืชื ืืฆืืืชื ืืืืืื ืฉื, ืืื ืฉืื ืืืจื ืฉืฉืืข ืืืื ืคืจืขื ืฉื ืชืืจืจ ืื ืื ืืืื ืืื ืฉืื ืืืชืงืืืื ืื ืืืืืืชืื:
[3] See Rabbi Yitzchak Arama, Akeidat Yitzchak, Bereishit 29:10, and Kli Yakar, Bereishit 42:7.
ืขืงืืืช ืืฆืืง ืืจืืฉืืช ืฉืขืจ ืื:ื (ืคืจืฉืช ืืงืฅ)
ืืืื ืื ืฉืจืืื ืืืืจ ืื ืื ืืกืคืืจ ืืืื ืืื ืื ืืืืืข ืืืกืฃ ืืืืื ืืช ืื ืืืืื ืฉื ืื ืืฉ ืืื ืืื ืืื ืืื ืืจืืื ืืืขืฆืื ืืื ืฉืื ืืฉื ืืช ืืจืขื ืืืฆืื ืืืืช ื ืคืฉื ืืืืืืชื. ืืชืืื ื ืืื ืฉืืชื ืืจืื"ื ื"ื ืฉืขืฉื ืืื ืฉืืชืงืืื ืืืืืืชืื ืื ืื ืชืืขืืช ืื ืืฉืืชืงืืืื ืืืฃ ืื ืืืื ืชืืขืืช ืื ืืื ืื ืืืืื ืื ืื ืืืื. ืืื ืืื ืืืฉืื ืขืฆืื ืืืืื ืื ืืืืืืืืช ืืขืืฉื ืืืฉ ืคืชืจืื ื ืื ืฉืชืจืื ืกืืืืช ืขืฆืืื ืฉืืฉืชืื ืืืื ืืงืืื ืืืืืืชืื ืฉืืจื ืื ืืืืจื' ืืฉืจ ืืขืฉื ืฉืื ืืืขืช ืืืขืืื:
ืืื ืืงืจ ืืจืืฉืืช ืคืจืฉืช ืืงืฅ ืคืจืง ืื ืคืกืืง ื
โฆืืื ื ืืขื ืื ืืืืืจ ืงืฉืืช, ืืฉืชืืื ืื ืืฉืืื ืื ืจืื ืืืกืฃ ืขื ืืื ืืฆืขืจ ืืช ืืืื ืืืช ืืืื ืื ื. ืืื ืฉืคืืจืฉ ืืจืื"ื ืฉืขืฉื ืื ืื ืืื ืฉืืชืงืืืื ืืืืืืืช ืืื', ืื ืืจืฆื ื' ืืงืืืื ืืื ืืชืงืืืื ืืขืฆืื ืืืืกืฃ ืื ืคืขื. ืืื ืจืื ืื ืืื ืฉืื ืฉืื ืืืื ืืืืื ืขืืืื ืื ืืื ืื ืืคื ืฉืืฉื ืื ืืงืืืฉ ืืจืื ืืื ืื ืืืื ืื ืื ืื ืจืฆื ืืงืืืฉ ืืจืื ืืื ืืฆืขืจื ืขืฉืจืื ืืฉืชืื ืฉื ื ืืื ืื ืื ืืื ืืืื ืืืื ืืื ืื ืฉืืืกื ืืงืืืฉ ืืจืื ืืื, ืื ืืฆื ืืฉืืื ืฉื ืืืจ ืขื ืืืื ืฆืขืจ ืขืฉืจืื ืืฉืชืื ืฉื ืื ืฉืืืื ืืืื ืืืื ืื ืื ืืืชื ืขืฉืจืื ืืฉืชืื ืฉื ืื ืฉืื ืงืืื ืืฆืืช ืืืืื ืืืื, ืืืืจ ืฉื ืฉืืื ืื ื ืชืืืข ืืืกืฃ ืื ืืืื, ืืื ืฉืฆืืขืจ ืืช ืืืื ืขืฉื ืื ืื ืืืจืง ืขืืื ื ืืื ืฉืืืจื ืืืืื ืืืืื ืขืืื ื ืื ืฉืื ืืฆืจืืืื ืืืจืืง ืืกืืจืื ืืื ืื ืื ืืื:
[4] The Netziv, Bereishit 42:9, understands the dreams as a prophetic message:
ืืขืืง ืืืจ ืืจืืฉืืช ืคืจืฉืช ืืงืฅ ืคืจืง ืื ืคืกืืง ื
ืืช ืืืืืืืช: ืฉื ื ืืืืืืืช, ืืืืืืข ืืืชืื ืฉืื ืืืืช ื ืงืืื ื"ื ืืชืืื ืขืื ืืขืงืฉืืช ืืื, ืืื ืืฉืื ืฉื ืืืจ ืืืืืืืช ืฉืืื ืืขืื ื ืืืื, ืฉืืจื ืืืืื ืืจืืฉืื ืืืจ ื ืชืงืืื, ืื"ื ืขืืื ืืจืืืช ืฉืืงืืื ืื ืืฉื ื, ืืื ืื ืืขืฉื ืื ืืืื ืื ืืื ืฉืืืืชืจ ืขื ืืืจื ืขืฆืื, ืขื ืื ืืืงืฉ ืกืืื ืฉืืืืข ืืื:
[5] There is another approach which also assumes that the dreams were the fulfillment of a prophecy - not a new independent prophecy, but rather the prophecy given to Avraham, in which God informed him that his descendants would be enslaved and abused in a foreign land (which may, in turn, be related to Yaakovโs dream of the ladder). After enduring his own enslavement and abuse, Yosef understood that his brothers, too, must be enslaved in order for the redemption to ensue. In this light, he interpreted his own dreams: If he would be the one to enslave his brothers, if they would bow down to him, he could treat them humanely, and spare them โ and their descendants โ the oppression and cruelty they would suffer at the hands of a foreign despot. See Tzror Hamor, Bereishit 47:28; The Hidaโs commentary on Tehillim Yosif Tehilot, 77:15; Meโoran shel Yisrael Parashat Miketz (quoted in Yismach Yisrael ad loc.).ย For further treatment on Yosefโs dreams see Echoes of Eden: Bereishit (2011; OU-Gefen Press, Jerusalem), p. 291-307
ืฆืจืืจ ืืืืจ ืขื ืืจืืฉืืช ืคืจืง ืื ืคืกืืง ืื
ืืืืจื ืืืืืืชื ืฉื ืืืจืื ืืื ืืขืงื ืข"ื, ืืืืชืื (ืืฉืขื' ืื, ืื) ืื ืืืจ ื' ืื ืืืช ืืขืงื ืืฉืจ ืคืื ืืช ืืืจืื, ืืืืจืืืช ืืขืงื ื ืืืจ ืืืชื ืื ืืช ืืจืืช ืืืจืื (ืืขืื ืื, ื), ืืืืจืื ืืกืืื ืฉื ืืขืงื ื ืชืงืืื ืืขืืื ืื ืงืฉืจ ืงืฆืชื ืืงืฆืชื, ืืืชืื (ืฉื ืื, ืื) ืกืืื ืืืฆื ืืจืฆื ืืจืืฉื ืืืืข ืืฉืืืื. ืืืื ื ืชืืฉืจ ืืขืงื ืืืืืช ืืฆืจืื ืืืืืืืชื. ืืืืืืืช ืืืกืฃ ื ืชืงืฉืจื ืืืืืืืช ืืืื, ืืืืจืืช ืขื ืืจืืืช ืืฆืจืื, ืืขื ืื ืฉืืชืงืืื ืืืืจืช ืืื ืืืชืจืื. ืืขื ืื ืฉืืขืงื ืืื ืื ืืจืื ืืฆืจืื, ืืกืืื ืืืืืช ืื ืจืื ืืืืจืื:
ืืืกืฃ ืชืืืืช ืขื ืชืืืืื ืคืจืง ืขื ืคืกืืง ืื ืืื"ื
ืืคืฉืจ ืืื ืฉืืืืจ ืืจื ืขืืจ ืืงืืืฉ ืืืจ"ื ืงืื"ื ื"ื ืืกืคืจ ืืืขืืช ืขืืื ืืกืืืชื ืืืจืจื ืงืืฉ ืจื"ื ืืืืคืจืฉืื ืืื ืฉื ืืืจ ืืืกืฃ ืืขืื ืืืคืจ ืืขืืืช ืฉื ืืืจืช ืืื ืืืชืจืื ืืืคื ื ืื ืืงื ืขืฉืจ ืืืืช ืขื ืืขืืืืช ืฉื ืืฉืจืื ืฉืื ืืื ืืืืืื ืื"ืฉ ืืื ืืช ืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืขืืืื ืื ืื ืื:
ืกืคืจ ืืฉืื ืืฉืจืื - ืืืืจื ืฉื ืืฉืจืื - ืคืจืฉืช ืืงืฅ
ืืจืืืืื ืืฉืจืื ืืฆืืง ืืื ืฆืืืจ (ืืืื"ืจ ืืืืืกื ืืจ) ืกืคื ืืกืคืจ ืืืืืืจ ืืืชืจ ืืืืคืก ืืกืืคื ื ืงืจื ืืฉื 'ืืืืจื ืฉื ืืฉืจืื' ื ืืชื ืขื ืืื ืืจื ืืืืื ืืฉื ืืืืจื ืืืืื"ืจ ืืืืืฉื ืืฉืืฉืืช ืืืกืืืืช, ืืื ืืืืจืื ืฉืฉืืข ืืขืฆืื ืืคื ืืืืื"ืจ.
[ืืืชื"ืง ืืจื ืืื"ืง ืืจืื ืจืฉ"ืค ืืืจืืฆื ืืืืื"ื] [ื] ืืืืกืืฃ ืืืชื ืื ืืฉืืจ ืฉืืฉืช ืืืื (ื"ื ื"ื). ืืืื ืชืืื ืฉืืืกืฃ ืื ืืืืืข ืืืขืงื ืืืื ืฉืืื ืืืฆืจืื ืื ืืืจื ืขืืืชื ืืืืืื, ืืขืื ืขื ืืฉืจ ืืืจ ืืช ืืืื ืืงืืช ืืช ืื ืืืื ืืขื ืคื ื ืืืื ืืฉืจ ื ืคืฉื ืงืฉืืจื ืื ืคืฉื, ืืื ืื ืืฉืจ ืืฉืืืข ืืืจืืจืื ืืช ืื ืืืื ืืืื ืืฉืจ ืื ืืื ืืืืืจืชื, ืฉืืืืจื ืืื ืื ืืืคืจืฉืื. ืื ืจืื ืืคืจืฉ ืฉืืืฉืจ ื ืืืจื ืืืืจืช ืืื ืืืชืจืื ืขื ืืจืข ืืืจืื ืืืื ืืืืจื ืืืชืงืืื ืขื"ืค, ืืจืื ืืืกืฃ ืืฆืืืง ืื ืืืืื ืฉืืื ืืืงืื ืืคื ืืื, ืื"ืฉ ืืจืืฉืื ืื ื"ื (ืข' ืฉืื"ืง ืชืืฉื"ื ืคืจ' ืืงืฅ) ืื ืืืกืฃ ืืจื ืืจืืฉืื ื ืืืฆืจืื ืืืืืช ืืจืืื ืืืฉืจืืช ืืฉืืื ื ืฉื, ืืืืชื ืืืืจืฉ (ืข' ื"ืจ ืค"ื, ื', ืืืื' ืฉืืช ืค"ื ืข"ื) ืื ืจืืื ืืื ืืขืงื ืืืื ื ืืืจื ืืืฆืจืื ืืฉืืฉืืืืช ืฉื ืืจืื, ืื ืืืจ ืืงื"ื ืื ื ืืืืจื ืืื ืื"ื ืืืืืืื ืฉื ืืืืืื ืข"ืฉ, ืืืืืืจ ืืืืจื ืืืืจืฉ ืื ืืืื ืฉืืื ืื ื ืืืืจื ืืื ืจืืื ืืืจื ืืฉืืฉืืืืช ืื ืื ืืืชื ืืืืจืช ืืืืืช ืืืจื ืืืืืื, ืืืืช ืืื ืืฉืืืื ืืงืืืฉืื ืฉืื ืืื ืขืืงืจ ืื ืื ืืืช ืืฉืจืื, ืืขืืืื ื ืืืจื ืืืืจืช ืืจืืช ืืื ืืืชืจืื, ืืื ืืืืจืืื ืืืจื ืืืฆืจืื ืืืจื ืืืืืื, ืฉืื ืืื ืขืื ื ืงืจืืื ืืฉื ืื ื ืืืืจื ืืื ืืขืงื ืขืฆืื, ืืืฉืจืื ืืืกืฃ ืื ืืขืฆืื ืืจื ืขืืืชื ืืืืืื ืืจืื ืืื ื ืคืฉื, ืืืื ืื ืื ืืืืจืืื ืื ืืืื ืืฉืืืื ืืืื ืืืฆืจืื, ืืข"ื ืืืืกืฃ ืืืชื ืื ืืฉืืจ ืืืฉืจ ืืื, ืืืืื ืืื ืืืืืข ืืืืื ืืืืช, ืืจื ืืื ืื ืืืื ืื ืขื ืืขืงื ืืืืื ืืืื, ืข"ื ืืืืจื ืืฆืืืช ืืืืืื ืจืืฉืื ื ืืืื ืืืื ืื, ืืื ืืืชื ืืงื ืืืฉืืจ ืขื ืืืืืช ืืืืืข, ืืืื ืืงืื ืขืืืื ืืืืจืช ืืงื"ื.
[6] Alon Shevut LโBogrim (Alon Shevut Alumni Journal), vol. 5 (Kislev 5755), p. 29โ39.
[7] Bereishit 44:28.
ืืจืืฉืืช ืื: ืื
ืึทืึผึตืฆึตึคื ืึธึฝืึถืึธืึ ืึตึฝืึดืชึผึดึื ืึธืึนืึทึืจ ืึทึืึฐ ืึธืจึนึฃืฃ ืึนืจึธึืฃ ืึฐืึนึฅื ืจึฐืึดืืชึดึืื ืขึทืึพืึตึฝื ึผึธื:
[8] The first time the fate of Yosef was mentioned by the brothers, they simply said โhe is no more,โ which might have implied either a geographical separation or a polite reference to his death.
ืืจืืฉืืช ืื: ืื
ืึทืึผึนืืึฐืจึืึผ ืฉืึฐื ึตืึฃื ืขึธืฉืึธืจึฉ ืขึฒืึธืึถึจืืึธ ืึทืึดึงืืื ืึฒื ึทึืึฐื ืึผ ืึผึฐื ึตึฅื ืึดืืฉืึพืึถืึธึื ืึผึฐืึถึฃืจึถืฅ ืึผึฐื ึธึืขึทื ืึฐืึดื ึผึตึจื ืึทืงึผึธืึนึคื ืึถืชึพืึธืึดึืื ืึผึ ืึทืึผึืึนื ืึฐืึธืึถืึธึื ืึตืื ึถึฝื ึผืึผ:
[9] It should be noted that when the Torah describes this special relationship, we are told that Yisrael โ and not Yaakov - loves Yosef, using the name that refers to the patriarch of the nation, and not as a private individual. The implication is that Yosef was given special attention because of his unique capabilities: His father saw that Yosef was most capable in terms of the spiritual mission God had bestowed upon Avrahamโs descendants. On the other hand, one could posit that Yaakov treated Yosef with extra love, more attention, because Yosef was the child most devastated by the loss of his mother, who died when he was ten years old. Perhaps Yaakov felt that Yosef needed more love than his other sons, who all had doting mothers. This may explain another episode in the familyโs complicated home life: Reuven is accused of either sleeping with Bilha, or of moving Yaakovโs bed to the tent of his mother Leah. Apparently, Reuven was miffed that even after Rachelโs death, Yaakov did not show โfavored wife statusโ to Leah. Reuven considered Yaakovโs cohabitation with Bilha โ who was a handmaid of Rachel - ย as an insult to Leahโs status as a full-fledged wife. However, if we consider that Bilha acted as surrogate mother to Binyamin, whose mother died in childbirth, we may better understand why Yaakov chose her tent over Leahโs: He chose the tent of his newborn, orphaned son Binyamin, to assure that he would receive the love he sorely lacked. See Bereishit 35:21, and Talmud Bavli 55b.
[10] See II Shmuel 13:18.
[11] For a more detailed analysis of Yosefโs plan see Echoes of Eden: Bereishit (2011; OU-Gefen Press, Jerusalem), p. 308-321, and 325-340.
[12] As noted in Parashat Vayeshev. See Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha section 9, and Ramban, Bereishit 12:6.
ืืืจืฉ ืชื ืืืื (ืืจืฉื) ืคืจืฉืช ืื ืื ืกืืื ื
ื"ืจ ืืืืฉืข ืืกืื ืื ืกืืื ื ืชื ืื ืืงืืืฉ ืืจืื ืืื ืืืืจืื ืฉืื ืื ืฉืืืจืข ืื ืืืจืข ืืื ืื, ืืืฆื ืืืจ ืืืืจืื ืืื ืืืช ืืืื ืฉื ืืืจ ืืชื ืืื ื' ืืืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืืจืช ืืืืจื ืืืืฆืืชื ืืืืจ ืืฉืืื ืืฉืืช ืฉืื ืืืจืื (ื ืืืื ื) ืืืืจ ืืื ืื ืืฉืืขืื ืืืืืช ืฉื ืืืจ ืื ืขื ืงืืืฉ ืืชื ืื' ืืืืื ืืื ืืืจ ื' ืืืืื ืืืืืช ืื ืืขื ืกืืืื ืืื ืืขืืื ืืฉืจ ืขื ืคื ื ืืืืื (ืืืจืื ืื) ืืืืจืื ื ืืืจ ืื ืื, ืืืื ืื ื ืืืจ ืืขืื ืืชืื ืืขื ื ืืฆืจืื ืื ืืจืฅ ืืื ืขื ื ืืืืชื ืืืืืืจื ืืืคืจืื ืืืืื ืืืืืืกื ืื ืืจืฅ ืืืช ืืื ืืืืฉ (ืฉืืืช ื), ืืืืจืื ื ืืืจ ืืืืจืื ืืืืืื ืฉืื ืืืื ืืจืื ืืืืจืื ืืืจืืื, ืืืื ืื ื ืืืจ ืืืจืื ื' (ืืืืืจ ื), ืืืืจืื ื ืืืจ ืืืขืฉื ืืืื ืืืื ืืืื ืื ื ืืืจ ืืื ืืื ืืืื (ืืืจืื ื) ืืืจืื ืืชืื ืื ืืื ืืื ืืืจืื (ืืืืงืื ืื) ืืืฉืจืื ืืื ืืขืื ืืฉืจืื ืืื' (ื"ื =ืืืจื ืืืืื= ื ืื), ืืืืจืื ื ืืืจ ืืืื ืจืขื ืืืจืฅ ืืืจื ืืืจื ืืฆืจืืื ืืืืจ ืฉื ืื ืืื ืืจืขื ืืืจืฅ, ืืืื ืื ืืืื ืฉืฉืื ืืืฆืจืื ืืืจืขื ืืื ืืืจืฅ (ืืจืืฉืืช ืื), ืืืจืื ืข"ื ืืจืขื ืืจื ืืืฆืจืื ืืืฃ ืื ืื ืขื ืืื ืืจืขื ืืจืื ืืืฆืจืื ืฉื ืืืจ ืืืจืื ืืื ืืืกืฃ ืขืฉืจื ืืฉืืืจ ืืจ ืืืฆืจืื (ืฉื /ืืจืืฉืืช/ ืื), ืืืจืื ืืฉืืจื ื ืืืืืื ืื ืืืฆืจืื ืืืจืื ืืืฆืจืื ืืช ืืืฉื ืื ืืคื ืืื ืืื, ืืฃ ืืื ืื ืืื ื ืชืืืื ืื ืคื ืืจืื ืืืื ืื ืชืงืจืื ื ืืืืื ืื ืืกืฃ ืื ืืื ืขื ืฉืื ืืื ื ืื ืืื ืื ื ืืขืื ืื ืืืจืฅ (ืฉืืืช ื), ืืืจืื ื ืืืืืื ืื ืืจืืขื ืืืืื ืืฃ ืืืฉืจืื ืขืชืืืื ืื ืืืืืื ืืืชืจืืฉ ืขืืืื ืฉื ืืืจ (ืชืืืื ื) ืืื ืจืืฉื ืืืื ืืืืืื ืืืื ืจืืง ืืืืืจ ืืชืืฆืื ืืืื ืืจืฅ ืืจืืื ืื ื ืืกืื ืืื ืขื ื' ืืขื ืืฉืืื, ืื ืืืจืื ืืฆื ืืงืืืฉ ืืจืื ืืื ืื ืืื ืืฉืื ืืื ืฉื ' (ืืฉืขืื ืื) ืื ืืขืืจ ืืืืจื ืฆืืง ืืงืจืืื ืืจืืื ืืชื ืืคื ืื ืืืื ืืืืืื ืืจื ืืชื ืืขืคืจ ืืจืื ืืงืฉ ื ืืฃ ืงืฉืชื, ืืฃ ืื ืขืชืื ืืงืืืฉ ืืจืื ืืื ืืขืฉืืช ืืื ืื ืฉื ืืืจ ืืืฆื ื' ืื ืืื ืืืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืืืื ืืืื ืงืจื (ืืืจืื ืื).
ืจืื"ื, ืืจืืฉืืช ืื: ื
ืืืขืืจ ืืืจื ืืืจืฅ ืขื ืืงืื ืฉืื - ืืืืจ ืื ืืื ืชืืื ืืืชื ืืื ืืคืจืฉืืืช ืืืืืช ืืขื ืื ืืืจืื ืืฆืืง ืืืขืงื, ืืืื ืขื ืื ืืืื, ืืืืืจืืื ืจืืืชืื ื ืืืจื ืงืฆืจื, ืืืืจื (ืชื ืืืื ื) ืื ืื ืฉืืืจืข ืืืืืช ืกืืื ืืื ืื, ืืืื ืืืจืืื ืืืชืืืื ืืกืคืืจ ืืืกืขืืช ืืืคืืจืช ืืืืจืืช ืืฉืืจ ืืืงืจืื, ืืืืฉืื ืืืืฉื ืืื ืืืื ืื ืืืจืื ืืืืชืจืื ืืื ืืื ืชืืขืืช, ืืืืื ืืืื ืืืื ืขื ืืขืชืื, ืื ืืืฉืจ ืืืื ืืืงืจื ืื ืืื ืืฉืืฉืช ืืืืืช ืืชืืื ื ืืื ื ืืืืจ ืื ืืืจ ืืื ืืืจืขื:
[13] Also cited in Moshav Zโkeinim 45:1.
ืืืฉื ืืงื ืื ืืจืืฉืืช ืื:ื
ืืื ืืืื ืืืกืฃ ืืืชืืคืง.ย ืชืืื ืฆืืืง ืืืืกืฃ ืฉืืื ืืืืข ืฉืืืื ืืฆืขืจ ืขืืื ืื ืืืื ืืื ืื ืฉืื ืื ืืื ืืืืืืข ืื ืฉืืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืืืื ืื ืืฉืืื ืื ืชืฆืืขืจ ืขืื ืฉืื ื ืื.ย ืืชื' ืจืื' ืฉืืฉืื ื"ื ืฉืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืืืืื ืื ืืืืจืื ืืื, ืื ืืืื ืืื ืืืจืืื ืื ืืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืคื ื ืืืืฉืช, ืืื ืืงืื ืืขื ืืขื ืืืืจืื ืืืืฉืืื ืฉืื ืืชืืืืฉื ืืืืืื ื ืชืืืื, ืืจ"ื.ย ืืขื"ื ืืฉืขืช ืืืจื ืฉืชืคื ืืช ืืืกืฃ ืฉืื ืืืืืช ืืช ืืืืจ, ืืืฃ ืื ืืื ืืืืจื ืฉืื ืืื ืืืื ืื, ืืื ื ืืื ืืืืื ืขืืื, ืืืคื' ืืืชืื ืขื ืฉืืื ืืืื ืืืชืืจื ืืืจื ืืืกืืืช ืืืื ืืื ืืืจ ืฉืืื ืืื ืฆืจืื ืื ืืื ืืืจ ืืืชืืจื.
[14] See Seforno, Bereishit 43:34, 44:2 and Abarbanel, Bereishit 43section 17, whose approach is expanded by the Kli Yakar Bereishit 42:7. This may also be the understanding of the Akeidat Yitzchak chapter 30. Ramban (Bereishit 42:9) also mentions this consideration.
ืกืคืืจื ื ืืจืืฉืืช ืื:ืื
ืืชืจื ืืฉืืช ืื ืืืื. ืืจืืืช ืื ืืงื ืื ืื:
ืกืคืืจื ื ืืจืืฉืืช ืื:ื
ืชืฉืื ืืคื ืืืชืืช ืืงืื. ืืจืืืช ืืื ืืืกืจื ืขืฆืื ืขืืื ืืื ืืืฆืืื:
ืืืจืื ืื ืขื ืืจืืฉืืช - ืคืจืง ืื ืคืกืืง ืื- ืื, ืื
ืื ืื ื ืขื ืื ืื ืกืืื ืฉืขืฉื ืืืกืฃ ืืืืื ืืขืืืืช ืืืจืืืื, ืขืื ื ืฉืืจ ืกืคืง ืืืื ืืื ืืื ืืื ืืืื ืขื ืื ืืืื, ืื ืื ืืื ืขืืืื ืฉืื ืืื ืืช ืื ื ืจืื ืืื. ืืืื ืจืฆื ืืืืื ืืช ืื ืืืื ืืคืจื ืื ืกืืื ืืืืืข, ืืจืืืช ืื ืืฉืชืืื ืืืฆืืื. ืืื ืืฉืฉ ืขื ืื, ืืืื ืืืฉืื ืืืื ืฉืืื ืืืช ืฉืื ืืืื ืื ื ืืช ืืืืืข, ืืื ืฉืจืื ืืื ืื ืื ืืช ืืชืจืคืื ืืืืื (ืืขืื ืื, ืื). ืืืืื ืืคื ื ืื ืืืืจื ืื ืคืฉ ืืืืืืช ืืื ืชืืืช, ืืื ืืืจืฉื ืืขืื ืืื ืืืื, ืื ืืฉื ืืชื ืืืชื ืื ืื ืืืืฉืชื ืืจืืข ืืืขืฉื. ืื ื ืืคื ื ืื ืฆืืืื ืืืกืฃ ืืฉืื ืขื ืืืืืข ืืกืฃ ืฉืืจื, ืืื ืืกืคืืื ืฉื ืืืื, ืฉืืื ืืืืจื ืื ืฉืื ืืื ืืืฉืืช ืื ืืืื ืืจืฉืขืชื ืื ืื ืืขืืืืช ืืืืื. ืืืืืืขืชื ืื, ืื ืืืืื ืขืืื ืืืฉืชืืื ืืืืฆืืื ืืขืืืืช, ืืืืืืข ืฉืื ืืืืืื ืืืชื, ืืืืื ืืขืื ื ืืืกืฃ ืืขืื ืชืฉืืื ืืืืจืื, ืืืชืืืืข ืืืืื ืืืืืื ืขืืื ืืื ืฉืขืฉื. ืืื ืื ืืื ืืขืืืืื ืืขืื, ืืืืืืข ืฉืขืืืื ืืื ืขืืืืื ืืืจืื, ืืืชืืคื ืืื ืืืกืฃ ืืืืื ืืืื ืืืื ืื. ืื ื ืืชืืืจ ืฆืืจื ื ืกืืื ืขื ืื ืืืืืข, ืืืื ืืื ืืคืจื ืืื ืืืื, ืืืื ืืืฉื ืืกืคื ืืืืชืืืชื.
ืขืงืืืช ืืฆืืง ืืจืืฉืืช ืฉืขืจ ื (ืคืจืฉืช ืืงืฅ-ืืืืฉ)
(ื) ื ืจืื ืฉืืืื ืช ืืืกืฃ ืืืชื ืื ืื ืืชืืื ืืืืืง ืืื ืื ืืื ืขืืืื ืืฉื ืืชื ืืืชื ืื ืื ื ืืื ืืืขืฉืืื ืืืื ืื ืจืื ืฉืชืชืื ืื ืื ืื ืื ืืฉืืืื ื ืขื ืืืจ ืืืื ืื ืืื ืืจืืืช ืื ืืขืฉื ืืฉืืจืื ืืืชื ืืฆืขืจ ืื ืืกืื ื ืืืื ืืื ืืฉื ืขืืืืช ืืืืืข ืืื ืฉืื ืืื ืฉื ืื ืืื ืืืืฆืจื ืืืชืขืืื ืขืืืืืช ืืืืืื ืืืืชื ืืฉื.
ืืื ืืงืจ ืืจืืฉืืช ืคืจืฉืช ืืงืฅ ืคืจืง ืื ืคืกืืง ื
ืืงืจืื ืืื ืคืืจืฉ ืืืจ"ื ืืืจืื ืื, ืืื ื ื ืืืกืืฃ ืขื ืืืจืื ืืคืจืฉ ืื ืืคืจืืื ืืืงืืจืืช, ืื ืขืืืื ืจืืฉืื ื ืฉื ืืจืืืื ืืชื ืืืจืง ืืขืืื ืฉืืฉืื ืืช ืืืกืฃ ืืืจืื ืืจืืื ืืจืืืช ืขืจืืช ืืืืื, ืื ืืืืื ืืืืื ืืืชืื ื ืืชืื ืืืืจื ืืงืจื ืืืืื ืืื', ืื ืืื ืืฉืื ืฉืจืฆืื ื ืืืชืงืจื ืืืืื ืืืจืื ืื ืืขืฉื ืืืื ืืื ืืืืืจ ืืืืืื ืืืื ืืื ืืืืื ืขืืืื, ืืื ืจืืื ืืืจื ืืฉืคืืืช ืืืื ืืื ืฉื ืืืจ (ืืืืงืื ืื ื) ืื ืฉื ืจืืื ืืื ืื ืืืขื ืฉืคืื ืื, ืืคืืื ืืืจื ืืงืจื ืืืืื ืืืจืื ืืืชื ืืชื ืืื ืืื ืืืืืชื, ืื ืืฉืื ืฉืืื ืืืืจืื ืืฉืื ืืืืจืื ืืืจื ืืงืจื ืืื ืืืื. ืืืื ื ืืืจ ืืืืืืจ ืืช ืืืืืืืช ืงืืื ืฉืืืจ ืืืืื ืืจืืืื ืืชื. ืืคื ืฉื ืืืจ ืฉืืื ืื ืืื ื ืชืกืืื ื ืืืืืืชืืื ืืื ืคืืจืฉ ืืื ืืกืืืื, ืืื ืืืื ืฉืกืืคื ืืืืืช ืืขืืืืืช ืืจืืืื ืื ืื ืืจืื ืืืื ืืืกืื ืืช ืื ืืขืืจ ืืจืืืช ืืืืื ืืื ื ืืื ืืืืืฉ, ืืจืืื ืืื ืฉื ืื ืกื ืืขืฉืจื ืฉืขืจื ืืขืืจ ืกืืืจ ืกืืืจ ืืขื ืืื ืกืืื ืื ืืฉืชืืื ืืืืืืชื ืฉื ืืืกืฃ, ืื ืืืืื ืืขืืืืช ืืจืืืื ืืชื ืืจืืืช ืขืจืืช ืืืจืฅ ืืืชื. ืืืื ื ืชืืจืง ืืขืืื ืฉืืฉืื ืืช ืืืกืฃ ืืืจืื ืืื ืืจืืืช ืขืจืืช ืืขืฉืืื: ืืื ืื ืื ืฉืืฉืืืื ืืช ืืืกืฃ ืืืืจ ืืืืกืืฃ ืืืชื ืื ืืฉืืจ, ืคืืจืฉ ืจืฉ"ื ืืืช ืืืกืืจืื ืืืืื ื ืืืจ ืืื ืฉืืืจ ืืืืกืฃ ืืืชื ืื ืื ืืืช ืืกืืืจ, ืืืืกืฃ ืืืจ ืื ืฉืื ืืืชื ืืืืจ, ืืืืืจื ืจืฉ"ื ืืคืจืฉ ืื ืฉืื ืืื ืืืช ืืืฉืืจ ืืืืื ืืืจ ืื ืืื ืืื ืื ืื ืืื, ืืคืืื ืืืงื ืืืชื ืืช ืฉืืขืื ืื ืืื ืืฉืืืื ืืืืจ. ืืืืจื ืืจื ืืืืื ืืื ืืฉืืื ืื ืื ื ืืื', ืืคื ืฉืฉืืขื ืฉืืืจ ืืืกืฃ ืืช ืืืืืื ืื ื ืืจื ืืื' ืืจืื ืืืืช ืฉืื ืืื ืฉืืจื ืืื ืืกื ืขืืื ืืฉืื ืจืขืืื ืืืชื ืืื ืขืืื ืื ืื ืืช ืฉืืขืื, ืื ืื ืืื ืืชืืืช ืื ืืงืืจืืช ืืืืฉื ืขื ืืืขืืื, ืฉืืจื ืืื ืืจื ืืืืื, ืืื ืืืื ืฉืขืืื ืืชื ืืื ืืื, ืขื ืื ืืื ืืชืืืืื ืืืจ ืฉืืืจ ืืช ืืืืืื ืื ื ืืจื ืืื ืงืืื ืืื ืฉื ืชื ืืช ืืืื ืืืืกืจ, ืืคื ืฉืืืจ ืื ืจืื ืขืื ืืขืื ืฉืืืื ืฉืืืื ื ืืื ืืื: ืืขืืืืช ืืืืืข ืืืชื, ืืื ืฉืขื ืืื ืืืื ืืืฉืฉ ืขืืืืช ืืื ืฉืคืกืงื ืขื ืขืฆืื ืื ื ื ืขืืืื ืืืืื ื, ืื ืืื ืืชืืจืง ืืขืืื ืฉืืืจื ืืช ืืืกืฃ ืืขืื. ืืืฉืกืืคืจื ืื ืืงืืจืืช ืืืขืงื ืืืจ ืื ืื ืืืคืื ืืืช ืขืฉื, ืืื ืืฉืื ืืืคืื, ืืื ืฉืืืจ ืื ืืืช ืืืืคื ืืืืฆืืช ืืืืื ืืื, ืืืืคื ืืืืื, ืืกืืกืื ืืฉืืื ืชืจืืื ื (ืืฉืขืื ืื ื) ืืืื ื ืืืงืจื ืื ืื ืืืฉืืื, ืืืช ืขืฉื ืงืื ืืืืจืช ืืืจืฅ ืืืืืื ืืื', ืืื ืืืคืจ ืขื ืื ืฉืืืจืืื ืืืฉืืขืืืื ื ืืฉืืื ื ืืืช ืืฆืจื ืืืื, ืื ืืืืื ืื ืื ืื ืืืื ืื ืืื ืืื ืฉืขื ืืื ืืืฉื ืื ืืชืืจืง ืื ืืขืืื, ืืืฃ ืขื ืคื ืฉืืขืงื ืื ืืืข ืื ืืืืืจื ืืื ืืงืื ืจืื ื' ืืืืจ ืื ืืืืื ืื ืื ืื ืืื ืื ืืื, ืืื ืฉืื ืืชื ืืื ืจืืืื, ืื ืืื ืืชืืจืง ืืขืืื ืฉืื ื ืชื ื ืจืืืื ืืืืืื ืืืชืื ื ื ืืืืื:
ืจืื"ื ืืจืืฉืืช ืคืจืฉืช ืืงืฅ ืคืจืง ืื ืคืกืืง ื
โฆืื ืืขื ืื ืืฉื ื ืฉืขืฉื ืืื ืืืืืข ืื ืฉืชืืื ืืืื ืชื ืืฆืขืจื, ืืื ืืฉื ืืืื ืืฉ ืืื ืฉื ืื ืืื ืืืื ืฉืืงื ืื ืืืชื ืืืืืช ืืืืื ืืงื ืืชื ืื, ืื ืฉืื ืืจืืืฉ ืื ืืืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืืืืกืฃ ืื ืืืื ืืื ืืื ืงืืื ืืฉื ืื, ืืขื ืื ืื ืจืฆื ืฉืืื ืขืืื ืื ืืื ืืืื ืืฉืืื ืื ืืื ืขื ืืืงื ืืืชื ืืืืืชื:
ืืืื ื ืชืืืื ื ืื ืจืืืชืื ื ืืืจืืฉืืช ืจืื (ืฆื ื) ืืืจ ืจืื ืืืื ืืจ' ืืื ืื ืืืืจืื ืฉืืชื ืงืืจื ืฉืืืืจ ืืืืื ืืคื ื ืืืื ืขื ืฉืืชื ืืืืข ืืื ืืืื ืืืกืฃ ืืืชืืคืง ืืื ืื ืคืืืก ืืืืกืฃ ืคืืืก ืืืืื, ืคืืืก ืืื ืืืื. ืคืืืก ืืืืกืฃ, ืจืื ืืืื ื ืืชื ื ืคืฉื ืขื ืื ืื ืฉื ืจืื ืืื':โฆ
[15] There is some poetic license at play here: โWindowsโ in those days would not have had reflective glass. The Gemara probably intends to say that Yosef had an epiphany of his father that appeared to be looking at him through the window.
[16] It may be argued that Yehudaโs ascendency to the leadership role was the direct result of his behavior in this confrontation: He alone stepped up, taking responsibility and protecting his family against the strange demands of this mysterious despot (Yosef).
[17] See Shla Hakodesh, Torah Ohr Parshiyot Vayeshev, Miketz, Vayigash, Section 40.
ืฉื"ื ืคืจืฉืช ืืืฉื ืืงืฅ ืืืืฉ ืชืืจื ืืืจ
ืืื ืืื ืจืืืื ืืื ืืืฉื ืฉืืคื ืขืืืง ืืืื ืืืกืฃ ืืื ืื ืืืช, ืื ืืืจื ืืืืืืช ืืืช ืืื.
[18] See Pesikta Zutrata Bereishit 42 siman 6; Bchor Shor Bereishit 42:7; Hizkuni Bereishit 42:6.
ืคืกืืงืชื ืืืืจืชื (ืืงื ืืื) ืืจืืฉืืช ืคืจืฉืช ืืงืฅ ืคืจืง ืื ืกืืื ื
ืืืืกืฃ ืืื ืืฉืืื ืขื ืืืจืฅ ืืื ืืืฉืืืจ. ืื ืจืฆื ืืื ืืช ืืืจ ืขื ืืืืืจื ืืื ืืื ืืขืฆืื, ืืคื ืฉืืืข ืฉืขืชืืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืื ืืฆืจืืื ืืื ืฉืืืืจื:
ืจ' ืืืกืฃ ืืืืจ ืฉืืจ ืืจืืฉืืช ืคืจืฉืช ืืงืฅ ืคืจืง ืื ืคืกืืง ื
ืืืืืจื: ืื ืืื ืืฆืคื ืืื ืฉืื ืืืืื ืืคื ื ืืจืขื, ืื ืืจืื ืฉื ืืืืช ืืื ืืฆืจืื ืืคื ื ืืจืขื, ืืื ืฉื ืืืจ "ืืืื ืจืขื ืืืจืฅ ืืฆืจืื ืืืจื ืืืจื ืืฆืจืืื", ืืื ืืฆืืง ืขื ืฉืืงื"ื ืืืจ ืื: "ืื ืชืจื ืืฆืจืืืโ, ืืื ืืื ื ืืฆืคืื ืฉืืืื ืืื.
ืืืงืื ื ืืจืืฉืืช ืคืจืฉืช ืืงืฅ ืคืจืง ืื ืคืกืืง ื
ืืืืกืฃ ืืื ืืฉืืื ืขื ืืืจืฅ ืืืขืค"ื ืืื ืืืฉืืืจ ืืื ืขื ืืืจืฅ ืฉืืื ืืขืฆืื ืืงืื ืืช ืืืกืฃ ืืื ืืืืื ืืื ืฉืื ืืืืื ืืืื ืืืืื ืืคื ืื ืืื ืืืจืื ืืงืืื ืืช ืืืกืฃ ืื ืืืข ืืฉืืืืื ืืืื. [ืืืฉืืืจ ืืืืืจ].
[19] The commentaries explain that the first use of vayker implies a more general sense of recognition: Yosef saw that these were his brothers; the second vayaker indicates that he recognized each one. See Seforno, Bereishit 42:7-8.
ืกืคืืจื ื, ืืจืืฉืืช ืื: ื-ื
ืืืืืจื. ืฉืื ืืืื ืื ืฉืืืืจ ืืื ืืืื: ืืืืจ ืืืกืฃ ืืช ืืืื. ืืื ืืืื ืืืืจ ืื:
[20] See my notes on Vayeishev. http://arikahn.blogspot.co.il/2016/12/explorations-rabbi-ari-kahn-parashat.html
[21] See Mahaโri Karoโs commentary on Bereishit 42:9, where he postulates that accusing them of espionage was a clever preemptive maneuver on Yosefโs part: He anticipated that the brothers would start asking questions about the strange minister who was treating them so badly, and would soon discover his identity, foiling Yosefโs larger plan. By accusing them of being spies, he prevented them from doing โresearchโ for fear of appearing too inquisitive.
ืคืืจืืฉ ืืืจ"ื ืงืืจื ื"ื ืขื ืืชืืจื - ืืจืืฉืืช ืคืจืง ืื ืคืกืืง ื
ืื"ื ืื ืื ืื ืฉืขืฉื ืืืกืฃ ืืืืื ืืืชื ืืื ืชื ืืฉื ืฉืืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืืชืืคืจ ืืื ืืขืื ืฉืขืฉื ืื"ืฉ ืืืืืืจ ืืื ืืืกืฃ ืืื' ืืืื ืืืจ ืืจืืืื ืืชื ืืื ืืกืชืื ืคืืื ืืฉืื ืืืืื ืืฉืืื ืื ืืืืฉ ืืืื ืื ืืืจืื ืื ืืืื ืืฉืืื ืฉืื ืืืจ ืืื ืืื' ืืื ืฉืื ืฉืื ืืืจืช ืืืืื ืืคื ืฉืืืจ ืืื ืจืื ืืงืืฉ ืืขืืื ืืื ื ื"ื ืื ื ืืื ืื ืื"ืฉ ืืืจื ืืืกืฃ ืืคื ืฉืื' ืืืจืื ืืืืจ ืื' ืืช ืืืืจื ืืจืืืช ืื ืืงืื ืืชืืืฃ ืืืจื ืืืกืฃ ืืช ืืืื ืืืืจื ืืจืืืช ืืืคื ืฉืื ื"ื ืจืืืื ืืื ืืืืจืืื ืขืฉื ืืขืฆืื ืืชื ืืจืืช ืืื ืฉืชืืืจ ืฉืฉื ืืืฆื ืคืช ืขื ืคื ืื ืืื ืื ืืงืื ืฉืื ืืืืจืืื ืืงืืื ืืืืืจ ืืชื ืงืฉืืช ืืืขืก ืืื ืฉืื ืืจืืืฉื ืืงืืื ืืืฉืืฉืืื ืื ืืืืจื ืื ืื ืื ืื ื ืฉื ืื ืขืฉืจ ืืืื ืืื' ืืืจ ืืื ืืืืื ืืืืื ืืื ื ื ืกืืื ืฉื ืชืคืกืชื ืคืขื ืืืจืช ืืืจืืื' ืืืชื ืืจืืชื ืืืงืื ื ืฉืืจ ืืช ืืืื ืืคื ืฉืืื ื ืจืืฆื ืืืื ืฉืืืื ืืขืฉืืื ืื"ืฉ ืืื ืืฉืจ ืืืจืชื ืืจืืืื ืืชื ืืื' ืืื ืฉืืืจื ืฉืืฉืืจ ืืืื ืืคื ืฉืืืขืื ืืืจ ืฉืืื ืืื ืืื ืืืงื ืืช ืืืืื ืืืืื ื ืืืจืืื ืจ"ื ืชืืืื ืืงืื ืืื ืืืืืกืจ ืืืชื ืืฉืืืื ืขื ืฉืืืื ืืืืช ืืื ืืืื ื ืืืจืืื ืืืืช ืืชืื.
[22] Yosef accuses them of looking at ervat haaretz โ literally, the โnakedness of the land.โ This strange term can have two meanings: Either it refers to the countryโs strategic weak points, or it refers to the seedy parts of town, the โred light districtโ and its infamous flesh-peddlers. Yosef was well aware of the opinion his brothers had formed of him all those years ago; he had been a good-looking teenager, and was most certainly sold into a particular type of slavery; they could not have imagined he would have amounted to much more than that. In fact, the sages of the Talmud and Midrash state that Potifar purchased Yosef as a sex slave. See Talmud Bavli Sotah 13b, Bereishit Rabbah 86:3.
ืชืืืื ืืืื ืืกืืช ืกืืื ืืฃ ืื ืขืืื ื
ืืืงื ืื ืคืืืืคืจ ืกืจืืก ืคืจืขื - ืืืจ ืจื: ืฉืงื ืื ืืขืฆืื. (ืื ืืืจืืื ืืกืืจืกื) ืื ืืืจืืื ืืคืืจืขื, ืืขืืงืจื ืืชืื ืคืืืืคืจ, ืืืืกืืฃ ืคืืืืคืจืข.
ืืจืืฉืืช ืจืื (ืืืื ื) ืคืจืฉืช ืืืฉื ืคืจืฉื ืคื:ื
ืกืจืืก ืคืจืขื ืฉื ืกืชืจืก ืืืืคื ืืืื ืฉืื ืืงืื ืืื ืืชืฉืืืฉ ืืกืจืกื ืืงืืืฉ ืืจืื ืืื ืืืืคื, ืืฉื ืืืืื ืฉืืืชื ืืฉืืืช ืืื ื ืืืื ืื ืืืจ ืคืืจืื ื ืืืื, ืื ืืืื ืฉืื ืืงืื ืืื ืืชืฉืืืฉ ืืกืจืกื ืืงืืืฉ ืืจืื ืืืโฆ
[23] See comments of the Seforno 42:14
ืกืคืืจื ื ืืจืืฉืืช ืคืจืฉืช ืืงืฅ ืคืจืง ืื ืคืกืืง ืื
ืืื ืืฉืจ ืืืจืชื ืืืืื. ืืืชื ืืืื ืฉืืชื ืืืืจืื ืฉืืื ื ื ืืืื ืื ืืคืจืฉืื ืื ื ืืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืืขืฆืชืื ืืืืื ืื ืฉืจืืืชื ืื ืฉืืกืืืชื ืืื ืืจืื ืืื ืฉืืืจืชื:
[24] In retrospect, it becomes clear why the story of Yehuda had to be developed (in Chapter 38) before the Yosef story could continue.