Parshat Vayeshev (Shabbat Chanukah)
25 Kislev 5764
December 20, 2003

Daf Yomi: Menachos 75

Guest Author:
Rabbi Rapahel Wizman
Young Israel of Commack, NY

 

The theme of Parshat Vayeshev seems to be about the sibling rivalries and the lashon hara which brought about hatred between brother, much grief to father Yaacov, enslavement of Joseph and finally, slavery upon the Israelites for so many year.

Torah commentaries have struggled with many questions about the story of Yosef and his brothers. Firstly, they ask, how can we explain the strange behavior of the sons of Yaacov? How can the shevatim behave in this manner of jealousy, hatred, and even attempted murder? How can Yosef "HaTzadik" speak such evil "dibatam raah" about his own brothers? The entire story seems to go against the typical characteristic behavior of the sons of Yaacov.

The Malbin explains this behavior to be of pure intentions. The sons of Yaacov, he says, feared that since Abraham chose Yitzchak and not Yismael to carry on HaShem's Torah, and Yitzchak in turn, chose Yaacov and not Esav, perhaps Yaacov was choosing Yosef to perpetuate the tradition and not them. They took action not to be excluded from the tradition of Am Yisrael and to continue to be the, "the tribes of G-d".

HaRav Kook zt'l sees this behavior in a different light. It is one that represents two schools of thought as to how best to spread the knowledge of HaShem. According to Yosef's way of thinking, the best way to spread HaShem's message is not to limit it to the Israelites only but to all the other nations as well. As he himself said, "G-d made me master of all Egypt" (45:9). To accomplish this he would have to go live and mingle among the non-Jews and teach them the knowledge of HaShem. To prove that this was his method, Yosef chose to remain in Egypt when he became the Vizier and had the power to leave, even if only for a short time.

His brothers, on the other hand, were very weary of assimilation. They saw a danger of "they mingled among the goyim and learned from their ways". They were willing to sacrifice everything to remain "a nation that dwells in solitude and will not be reckoned among the goyim". This, they proved in Dina's abduction when they refused Hamor's offer to become citizens of Shchem and marry each other. This was their way to remain loyal to HaShem - through solitude.
Yehuda tried to solve this friction between Joseph and his brother by saying, "let us sell him to Yishmaelites" thereby we will test his way of thinking. If HaShem prefers Joseph's way then he will indeed succeed to get out of slavery and pursue his agenda.

Perhaps, we may compare these two methods of "tikun olam" to our present day situation. Many prefer to sit and learn and thereby, improve their own selves. Others however, see "tikun olam" only through "kiruv" and therefore exile themselves to remote communities where teaching the knowledge of HaShem is sorely lacking. Both of these methods are crucial to "kiyum haTorah". Yosef's way was endorsed by HaShem "vayhi HaShem et Yosef vayhi ish matzliach" - "HaShem was with Yosef and he became a successful man"; "v'chol asher hu oseh HaShem matzliach b'yado" (39:2,3) - "whatever he did HaShem made him succeed". His brother�s way too was successful. For by dwelling only in Goshen and not throughout Egypt, they wre able to keep their identity and did not assimilate with the Egyptians, an act that later brought them salvation.

The story of Chanukah proves that both of these methods are essential. The struggle was not only against the Hellenists but also against Hellenism. The Hashmonaim and the Maccabees had to come out of the Bet Medrash of learning and vigorously fight the enemy who was trying "to make them forget the Torah". This zeal brought about the rededication of Klal Yisrael.
The selling of Yosef into slavery by his brothers represents the unfortunate disunity among the Jews. This friction, comes about especially, when the Jews are not threatened by the goyim. Rashi, in a sense, expresses this in the first passuk of this Parsha Vayeshev. "Bikesh Yaacov lishev beshalva - " Yaacov desired to settle in tranquility" when the goyim kept their peace after the Shechem affair and did not attack his family. �Kafatz alav rogzo shel Yosef�, but, "the anguish of Joseph pounced upon him".

Yaacov saw that there is peace around the world and no wars to contend with. He therefore desired to have tranquility within his family as well. But disunity and hatred among brothers took over which brought about so much suffering to the entire clan and thereby to Am Yisrael.

May there always be Shalom Al Yisrael first.
 

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