Parshat Vayeshev
21 Kislev 5768
December 1, 2007
Daf Yomi: Kesovos 91
Guest
Rabbi:
Rabbi Rodney Weiss
Young Israel of Pelham Parkway, NY
If one looks
carefully at this week’s Parsha, there are several glaring
questions. At the beginning of the Parsha it says: “These are
the generations of Jacob, Joseph.” Why does the Torah connect
the generations of Yaakov with Yosef and not the other brothers?
The second question in this week’s Parsha is, Rashi says that
after Yosef told the second dream to both Yaakov and his
brothers, Yaakov overemphasized the impossibility of the dream
so that the brother’s hatred of Yosef would be calmed. What is
clear from this Rashi is that Yaakov knew and understood how the
brothers felt about Yosef; he, as their father, must do
everything to put out the fire. Yet in one of the strangest
stories in the Chumash, the Pasuk says: “And Israel said to
Joseph, Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem?
Come, and I will send you to them. And he said to him, here am
I.” How could Yaakov do something that is seemingly
irresponsible knowing that the mere sight of Yosef will engender
bad feelings?
There is yet a third question in this story. When Yosef arrives
in Shechem, he does not find his brothers but he meets a man who
questions Yosef about what he is looking for. When Yosef tells
him of the search for his brothers, he informs Yosef that he
overheard his brothers saying that they will be moving the sheep
to a place called Dotan. Rashi, quoting from the Midrash
Tenchuma, points outs the identity of this man, none other then
the angel Gavriel. Does Hashem send Angels to Earth to be a GPS
system? Why does the Malach Gavriel appear to direct Yosef to
Dotan?
I believe that there is really one answer to all of these
questions. The purpose of Sefer Bereishis is much deeper than
simply to relay to us our origins. It is not enough that we
connect to the Avos through genetics, but they must become our
role models of survival in this world. The Netziv in his
introduction points out how the Avos were more than simply
Tzadekim but Yesharim. They were straight and honest. He goes on
to explain that they knew and taught us how to live in this
world, which included peaceful coexistence with the other
nations of the world.
One of the great lessons that the Avos also taught us is that
Hakadosh Baruch Hu is here and is relevant and plays an ongoing
role in our lives. Sefer Bereishis teaches us that Hakadosh
Baruch Hu rules the world with Hashgacha Pratis. Things and
events do not happen randomly.
When Yosef is taken to the Home of Potiphar, the Torah tells us,
“And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the
Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.” Rashi asks
the obvious question, what does it mean that he saw that Hashem
was with him? The answer is, shem shamayim shagor bfiv, Hashem’s
name was constantly on his lips. Yosef, like his great
grandfather Avraham, never accepted praise for anything that he
did but they both made it clear that anything that they
accomplish is due to the Ribbono shel Olam’s active role in this
world. Avraham Avinu realizes that he is a man of destiny who is
put on this earth with a specific mission to help build Klal
Yisroel. In a very similar fashion, Yosef comes to the same
conclusion.
When Yosef discovers that the Pharaoh’s winemaker and baker had
dreams that require explanation, Yosef without batting an eye
says: “Do interpretations not belong to G-d? Tell them to me.”
Two things are striking about this. Firstly, how could Yosef be
so sure that Hashem will show him the interpretation of the
dream? Secondly, Yosef refers to Hashem as Elokim. Chazal teach
us that the name Elokim refers to midas Hadin, the Ribbono Shel
Olam is sitting in judgment. What was Yosef trying to tell us?
As time passed, Yosef began to appreciate that the events in his
life were not simply a streak of bad luck but of Hashgacha
Pratis, divine intervention. Yosef understands that it was not
by accident that he ended up in Egypt; all these things that
were happening to him were a result of a divine plan. When
Pharaoh’s two officers have a dream and Yosef becomes aware of
it, it becomes clear to him that his role is to serve as
messenger between them and Hashem; and, through this, the next
part of the Ribbono Shel Olam’s plan will take place. When Yosef
hears that the Ribbono shel Olam has passed judgment which is
somehow inherent in the interpretations of the dreams, he asks
to hear them. Similarly, he responds to Pharaoh in the same
manner when he dreams in Parshas Miketz. When he comes to
Pharaoh he tells him that Elokim will put Pharaoh’s mind at
rest, again a recognition that Yosef did not end up in the
palace by accident.
It becomes very clear to all of us that Yosef appreciated the
bigger picture when he reveals himself to his brothers. “Now
don’t be distressed, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me
here; for G-d has sent me before you to preserve your lives.”
Yosef clearly states that the role of the brothers in his sale
was as messengers on earth to carry out the divine will. This is
something that Yosef echoes after the death of his father. On
his own death bed, Yosef passes on to his
brothers the sign of redemption which he explains is the needle
that weaves together all the events that brought us to this
point. You have come to Egypt because that is what Hashem wanted
and you will leave Egypt because that is what Hashem promised to
our forefathers.
Based on this understanding all the questions that we raised
become clear. The Torah does not mean to exclude the other
brothers as continuity from Yaakov, but the message is that it
is Yosef who becomes the catalyst for the future birth of the
Jewish people through all the brothers. Yaakov sends Yosef to
his brothers because this was an event necessary to help bring
about the whole Egyptian exile. It is not Yaakov’s idea by
himself, it is the Hand of Hashem that pushes him to send away
Yosef.
Based on this we understand the role of the angel Gavriel. He
was not simply there to give directions, but he was there so
that the will of Hashem would be carried out; which means that
Yosef had to be sold to Egypt so eventually Yaakov and his
family can move there, so that the nation of Israel can be born.
Shabbat Shalom.
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