PARS HAT V AYI GA SH

THE BE AUTY O F YOSEF

Ra bbi Ari Kahn

Parshat Vayigash begins with Yosef and Yehuda nearing a showdown: Soon Yosef
will reveal himself, and send for his father. Throughout the generations, scholars
have been perturbed by Yosef’s seeming callousness. Why did it take Yosef so long
to orchestrate this reunion? One could argue that the primary victim of this delay
was Ya'akov, whose final years were wasted in needless mourning. One might
excuse Yosef's desire for vengeance against his brothers for their perfidy, but
even this seems to be inconsistent with Yosef's reputation as a "Tzadik". Certainly,
when vengeance impinges on Yosef's filial responsibilities and leaves Ya'akov
mourning, and in hunger, when Yosef could easily solve both problems, any delay
seems inexcusable.

In his commentary on the Torah, The Ramban poses this question, which, in a
sense hovers over the last 3 parshiot: Why didn’t Yosef try to contact his father?
After all, the distance between Israel and Egypt is "6 days" (so says the Ramban).
Why didn’t Yosef send a letter to his father, informing him that he was alive and
well? When Yosef became the head of Potifar`s household he should have had the
ways and means to contact Ya'akov. 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. All those years of Ya’akov languishing in Israel, mourning
for his favorite son, could have been avoided. Didn’t Yosef return his father’s love?
How could he leave his father for all those years?

The answer which the Ramban offers, is that Yosef could not contact Ya’akov until
Yosef`s dreams had come true. Ya'akov and his sons would come to Egypt and
bow to Yosef; only then would the visions come true and Yosef would be
vindicated.

Other commentaries have taken issue with this response. Dreams are in the
domain of G-d, they say; let Him worry about dreams. It is man’s job to do that
which is ethical, and the ethical thing would have been to inform Ya'akov that he,
Yosef, was indeed alive and well.

A contemporary commentator, Rabbi Yoel Bin Nun, has suggested that perhaps
the question is unfair. Instead, we should ask the reverse question: Why did
Ya'akov not contact Yosef? The answer seems straightforward; Ya’akov thought
that Yosef was dead. But did Yosef know that Ya'akov thought that he was dead?
The sequence of events, from Yosef’s perspective, may suggest a different
conclusion. Ya'akov was surely aware of the enmity which existed between Yosef
and his brothers. Why would Ya'akov send Yosef to his brothers? Was Ya'akov
involved in the plot? Let us consider the family history: Whenever bothers do not
get along the solution is to separate. One can see this from the behavior of
Avraham and Lot; though they were not actually brothers, when they saw that
they could not co-exist, they separated. The same is true with Yishmael, and with
Esav. Perhaps Yosef felt that because of all the dissension he stirred up in his
father’s house, Ya’akov decided to send him away. Rabbi Bin Nun suggests that
only upon hearing Yehuda quote his father Ya'akov and refer to his son Yosef "who
was ripped apart by beasts" (44:28) did Yosef realize that his father thought that
he, Yosef, was in fact dead. Therefore, at that point Yosef reveals himself to his
brothers and sends for his father.

While this interpretation is certainly highly original, it lacks support in Chaz”al;

moreover, it paints Yosef as a maladjusted individual, who is highly insecure in his
father’s love. The sages teach us that one of the major functions of the entire
book of Brieshit is "Maaseh avot Siman l’banim": history repeats itself. The stories
in the Torah create spiritual realities which will be repeated at other junctures in
Jewish history. There must be deeper significance to these episodes than the
insecurities of Yosef.

Rabbi Shimshon of Sens, one of the authorities in the school of Tosfot, suggested,

Had Yosef sent a message about everything which happened, his brothers
would have scattered in every direction, because of the embarrassment.
Therefore, Yosef worked slowly to bring them back, and therefore avoid
embarrassing them. His intention was good ( Tosfot Hashalem)

According to Rabbi Shimshon, the dreams of Yosef’s 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 Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch.

If I am not mistaken, Yosef`s consideration in not sending a letter to his

father in his years of success, was, what would Ya'akov gain in getting one
son back, if in the process he would lose 10... therefore Yosef used all the
subterfuge, and in my mind this was certainly worthy of the wisdom of
Yosef" (Rabbi Shimshon R. Hirsch 42:9)

According to this approach, Yosef`s consideration was completely selfless. To have

been reunited with his father would clearly have been a great personal occasion,
but it would have had tragic consequences. Therefore Yosef chose to remain on
his own.

Other commentaries believe that Yosef was motivated by the desire to

rehabilitate his brothers. Yosef orchestrated the series of events which brought
Binyamin to Egypt and provided his brothers with the opportunity to defend
Binyamin.

These last interpretations are not necessarily mutually exclusive; in both cases,
Yosef`s goal is beyond the personal. Both also indicate the great spiritual level on
which Yosef operated.
A close reading of the text on the one hand, and a survey of the midrashic and
Kabalistic sources on the other, will foster a deeper understanding of Yosef, and
will shed light on this issue.

Let us return to the text: The Torah’s comments on Yosef’s physical appearance
are interesting:

Yosef was good looking and handsome (39:6)

This comment is not made in Yosef`s youth, or in the most logical context, the
first time that the character is introduced in the text. Rather, this information is
supplied much later, after Yosef has endured the ridicule of his brother’s, sale and
enslavement. The simple understanding is that this is merely an introduction to
the scene with Potifar’s wife, where for the first time Yosef`s physical appearance
becomes relevant.
However, the very verse which describes Yosef`s looks is the same verse which
the Ramban alluded to above:

And he (Potifar) left all that he had in the hands of Yosef....and Yosef was
handsome and of fine appearence.(39:6)

This would have been the first time that Yosef had the ability to contact his father,
and here, in the same verse, the Torah chooses to speak of Yosef`s looks! Perhaps
there is a deeper meaning to this section, and to Yosef`s beauty.

What is the source of Yosef`s good looks? The last person the Torah described as
possessing beautiful looks was Rachel, Yosef`s mother:

And Rachel was beautiful, and of fine appearance (29:17)

We may therefore conclude that Yosef looked like his mother. In fact both the
Midrash and the Zohar allude to this connection.

Yosef was handsome and of fine appearance. Rabbi Yitzchak said, throw a
stick to the ground, and it will land near the place you found it. For it says
"And Rachel was beautiful, and of fine appearance." Therefore ( the text
says) Yosef was handsome. (Midrash Rabba 86)

The Midrash is saying that "an apple doesn’t fall far from the tree" and the source
of Yosef`s beauty was Rachel. The Zohar goes a bit further in its description;

Whenever Yosef would walk by Ya'akov, he would look at Yosef, and his
(Ya'akov’s) soul would be restored, as if he was looking at the mother of
Yosef, for the beauty of Yosef was similar to the beauty of Rachel. (Zohar
216b)

Yosef’s beauty was inherited from his mother.

On the other hand, there are sources which indicate implicitly and explicitly that
Yosef looked just like his father!

Rabbi Yehuda said, his face (Yosef’s) was like his (Ya'akov’s) (Midrash Rabba
84:8)

The Zohar also stresses the resemblance between father and son;

These are the generations of Ya'akov, Yosef was 17 years old," Whoever
would look at Yosef would see the image of Ya'akov (Zohar 1:180a)

The similarity between father and son gives us insight to the comments of the
sages regarding Yosef`s reaction to the seductive advances of the wife of Potifar:

She grabbed him by the clothing saying..." At that moment the image of his
father appeared to him in the window (Talmud Sotah 36b)

When Yosef looks in the window he sees his own reflection, which looks just like
his father. This is what strikes Yosef and saves him from temptation.

If Yosef looked like his father what does it mean that his beauty was the beauty of
his mother? What was the essence of the beauty of Rachel? Surely the Torah is not
speaking about a trait which is only skin deep. Rachel’s beauty must also
represent some spiritual characteristic.

In a lengthy Midrashic discussion of the heavenly response to the destruction of

the First Temple, G-d summons Avraham, Yitzchak, Ya'akov, Moshe, and
Yermiyahu; each offers an argument as to why G-d should rebuild the Temple. G-d,
however, is unmoved by all of their arguments. The Midrash then states;

At that moment, our mother Rachel broke forth into speech before the Holy
One, blessed be He, and said, ‘Sovereign of the Universe, it is revealed
before Thee that Thy servant Jacob loved me exceedingly and toiled for my
father on my behalf 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 should not be able to make the
substitution. After that I relented, suppressed my desire, and had pity upon
my sister that she should not be exposed to shame. In the evening they
substituted my sister for me with my husband, and I delivered over to my
sister all the signs which I had arranged with my husband so that he should
think that she was Rachel. More than that, I went beneath the bed upon
which he lay with my sister; and when he spoke to her she remained silent
and I made all the replies in order that he should not recognize my sister's
voice. I performed Chesed for her, was not jealous of her, and did not
expose her to shame. And if 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 liveth eternally and art merciful,
be jealous of idolatry in which there is no reality, and exile my children and
let them be slain by the sword, and their enemies have done with them as
they wished!
Forthwith the mercy of the Holy One, blessed be He, was stirred, `For you
Rachel I will return Israel to their place (Land)’ That is (the meaning of the)
verse; (Yermiyahu 31 Thus says G-d,: a voice in Rammah is heard, a bitter
cry, Rachel crying for her children, she refuses to be comforted for her
children, for they are gone", and it says; "Thus says G-d,: Refrain thy voice
from weeping and your eyes from their tears for thy work shall be
rewarded," and it says; ‘And there is hope in the future, says G-d, and your
children shall return to their borders" (Eicha Rabba introduction section 24)

The beauty, the greatness of Rachel is her ability to sacrifice her personal needs
or desires for the sake of her sister. Yosef displays this same trait, but only when
he is older, in Egypt. The same verse which 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; for the first time, the "beauty" of Yosef, the self-
sacrifice he took upon himself, shone through. Yosef’s beauty, inherited from his
mother, became apparent at exactly this point, is described in precisely this
verse.

In the words of the Midrash, the reward for Rachel’s sacrifice was the building of
the Second Temple. What was the reward for Yosef`s sacrifice? We have touched
upon the idea of "Maaseh avot Siman libanim", history repeating itself through
the spiritual forces unleashed by the events of our forefathers’ lives. The Jews
were destined to be enslaved, but their enslavement was set in motion by the
sale of Yosef, by the spiritual dynamic of sinat chinam-groundless hatred- which
would one day cause the destruction of the Second Temple. The Second Temple
was built upon the foundation of the love and chesed of Rachel; when her children
ceased to act in a similar way, when hatred became a part of their lives, the
Second Temple crumbled to the ground. Extending this idea, we see that, had
the potential of sinat chinam not been created, the Second Temple would not have
been destroyed, the Ten Martyrs would not have been killed. Once the power of
sinat chinam had been unleashed on the world by the brothers, Yosef endeavored
to create a spiritual antidote.

A closer look at the original confrontation between Yosef and the brothers will
clarify this concept: Yosef dreamed that the brothers would all bow down to him.
The brothers understood that the leader among the brothers, and for that matter
of the entire nation, was Yehuda. Yosef`s dream constituted a capital offense-
-mored b’Malchut, treason. The brothers misinterpreted Yosef’s dreams as a
rejection of Yehuda’s leadership. Yosef understood that the brothers must rally
around him, a son of Rachel, as well as Yehuda, son of Leah, before the book of
B’rieshit comes to an end. There must be a power of unity established as a
spiritual precedent.
When the brothers come to Egypt searching for food, Yosef confronts them. The
Torah describes the scene:

Yosef saw his brothers, he recognized them, he spoke to them roughly, he

said, ‘From where have you come?’ They said; `From the land of Canan, to
buy food`. Yosef recognized his brothers but they did not recognize him
(42:7,8)

The text is puzzling; why should the Torah need to tell us twice, in subsequent
verses, that Yosef recognized his brothers? We recall that the metamorphosis of
Yehuda took place (chapter 38:26, see my notes on Vayeshev) when the text says
"Vayaker Yehuda" - "and Yehuda recognized". Now, again, the Torah uses the
same words to indicate that Yosef acts with pure motives, “for the sake of
heaven”. Yosef continues to interrogate his brothers, accusing them of being
spies. They reply;

And they said, thy servants are 12, we are brothers, sons of one man from
the land of Canaan, the youngest is with our father, and one is missing."
Yosef responded and said, “That is precisely what I meant (literally: “he is
the one I spoke of”) when I said you are spies (42:13,14)

The dialogue is quite obscure. What is Yosef trying to get out of them? What does
he hope their response will be? The answer is remarkably simple. He wants them
to admit to being spies, and confess that they are seeking their missing brother.
He wants the brothers to rectify their perfidy. The truest teshuva will be if they
seek out Yosef, and rally around him as a brother, not as a replacement for
Yehuda, but as a son of Rachel. Yosef all but tells them his wishes:

That is precisely what I meant (literally: “he is the one I spoke of”) when I
said you are spies (42:14)

The brothers miss the opportunity, so Yosef creates a second, albeit lesser,
opportunity for rectification: Binyamin. If the brothers can rally around Binyamin,
a son of Rachel, they can be forgiven. This is precisely what happens.
Consequently, Binyamin becomes the unifying force in Israel. The Temple will
stand in his territory. When the People become disunited, the unifying factor which
is its foundation crumbles, and the Temple will fall, destroyed by sinat chinam.
The unity of the brothers was incomplete; it revolved around Binyamin, and not
around Yosef, as it should have, as it could have. The laws of teshuva describe
complete teshuva as having the same opportunity arise and refraining from sin.

How is one proved a repentant sinner? … Rab Judah indicated: With the
same woman, at
the same time, in the same place. (Yoma 86b, codified by Rambam “Laws
of Teshuva” 2:1).

This did not take place; the rectification for the brothers’ sale of Yosef took place
when they rallied around Binyamin, not when they presented themselves to the
Prince of Egypt as spies, searching for their brother, and was therefor incomplete.
The Second Temple will one day fall; the teshuva involving Binyamin was not
sufficient to eradicate the sin of the brothers. Only teshuva involving Yosef
himself could have provided the complete antidote for the power of sinat chinam
the brothers had unleashed. We can now understand the comment of Rashi, when
Yosef and Binyamin embrace:

He cried on his shoulder”; about the two Temples which will stand in the portion of
Binyamin and will be destroyed (45:14)

The teshuva of the brothers was enough to allow the Temple to be built on the
territory of Binyamin, but it was not enough to prevent its eventual destruction.
Yosef understood that one day the Jewish People will have to rally behind Yosef,
not as a substitute for Yehuda, but as a preparation for the Kingdom of Yehuda.
Apparently, the Ramban’s comment that Yosef waited for fruition of his dreams
before contacting his father, referred to the creation of spiritual precedents for the
Jewish People: This is the idea of the Messiah Son of Yosef, who prepares the way
for the Messiah Son of David (himself a descendent of Yehuda). According to
tradition, the Messiah Son of Yosef will unite all Israel in preparation for the arrival
of the Messiah son of David, but will die in the process (Sukka 52a), in an act of
self-sacrifice for his People. Just like his ancestor Rachel, whose self-sacrifice
allowed the building of the Second Temple, his self-sacrifice 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 for a "nicer" life. In each case, the
ultimate goal cannot be achieved without the self-sacrifice of Rachel and her
descendants.

Yosef the dreamer, the visionary, the interpreter of dreams, saw that which his
brothers could not. He dedicated his life to others; he was the great provider for
others. He passed on himself a sentence of loneliness, in order that others would
have the chance to be redeemed.
He was truly beautiful, just like his mother.