את אחי אני מבקש - My Brothers I am Seeking

Parshiot VaYishlach - Miketz

The events of the last year would be unbelievable if we had not all just gone through them. Who would have included the fall of Assad and the destruction of the Syrian army in those events? As far as I know, just about no one. Not the military or the intelligence establishments and not the media pundits or politicians.

At the same time the amount of support and assistance that is taking place among the people is amazing. The networks helping with food, the needs of the soldiers and their families, the wounded, the displaced and for those who are just stressed out because of the war and hostages and the great unknown is just incredible. This does not get much air time but its impact and importance in our society is far greater than all the cracks being reported. Israel would not have achieved what it has without this social unity and caring.

However, I should not downplay the strife between different factions and ideologies within Israel. It indeed exists and only adds to the stresses we are experiencing and in some cases poses a more serious threat to our national survival than all of our external threats.

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately in the big scheme of history), this strife has been part of our nation from its inception. Last week’s and this week’s parshas deal with the growing conflict between Yosef and his brothers. We are told: וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אָהַ֤ב אֶת־יוֹסֵף֙ מִכׇּל־בָּנָ֔יו כִּֽי־בֶן־זְקֻנִ֥ים ה֖וּא ל֑וֹ וְעָ֥שָׂה ל֖וֹ כְּתֹ֥נֶת פַּסִּֽים׃

And Yisrael loved Yosef best of all his sons for he was his “child of old age”; and he made him a “coat of many colors.”

וַיִּרְא֣וּ אֶחָ֗יו כִּֽי־אֹת֞וֹ אָהַ֤ב אֲבִיהֶם֙ מִכׇּל־אֶחָ֔יו וַֽיִּשְׂנְא֖וּ אֹת֑וֹ וְלֹ֥א יָכְל֖וּ דַּבְּר֥וֹ לְשָׁלֹֽם׃

And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of his brothers, they hated him and could not speak a word of peace to him. (Bereshit 37: 3-4)

Putting aside the parenting issues, what transpires is really a battle of place and purpose between the brothers. The above lines are immediately followed by Yosef’s sharing of his dreams with his brothers and father. Whether sheaves of wheat or stars in the sky, they will bow to him. Yosef’s dreams encompass the physical and spiritual worlds and do not leave much room for his brothers. Their hate for him only grows. The brothers cannot picture a world in which Gd’s promise to Avraham is once again distilled down to only one son. Yaakov’s becoming Yisrael has changed that paradigm and Yosef is a threat to this new reality.

It seems Yaakov understands the conflict. He also understands that the brothers have to work this out for themselves. He cannot enforce a solution on them. Yaakov sees the need to establish ערבות “Areyvut” within the family. Areyvut in Hebrew is usually translated as “guarantor” but has a much deeper meaning, more similar to an “interdependency” even to the point where the lives of those involved are intertwined and cannot exist one without the other. This is the meaning of the Hebrew phrase: כל ישראל ערבים זה בזה, All of Yisrael are responsible one for the other. Just as my hand has to worry about my foot, we are all part of the same body.

And so Yaakov sets things in motion, not knowing how they will play out. וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־יוֹסֵ֗ף הֲל֤וֹא אַחֶ֙יךָ֙ רֹעִ֣ים בִּשְׁכֶ֔ם לְכָ֖ה וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ הִנֵּֽנִי׃

Yisrael said to Yoseph, “Your brothers are pasturing at Shechem. Go there, I will send you to them.” Yosef answered, “I am ready.” (Bereshit 37:13) Yosef uses the term “הנני” (hi-neni), meaning “here I am” but it really signifies that I am ready to do whatever is asked. Avraham says it when called by Gd. Yaakov uses it when Gd speaks to him in his dream with the ladder. Yosef uses it now, knowing his father is sending him into the lion’s den.

Yaakov concludes: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ לֶךְ־נָ֨א רְאֵ֜ה אֶת־שְׁל֤וֹם אַחֶ֙יךָ֙ וְאֶת־שְׁל֣וֹם הַצֹּ֔אן וַהֲשִׁבֵ֖נִי דָּבָ֑ר וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֙הוּ֙׃

“Go and see the peace of your brothers and the peace with the flocks, and bring me back a word.” (Bereshit 37:14)

Yaakov uses the same wording as the brothers, Peace and Word, go and bring back both from your brothers, he tells Yosef.

However the brothers are not ready for peace or to exchange words with Yosef. From the moment they see him they plot against him. Reuven convinces his brothers not to kill him outright. Still, they strip him and throw him into a pit to die. Yosef’s cries for mercy fall on deaf ears.

At this moment there is no areyvut from any of the brothers towards Yosef. Even Reuven who plans to return him to his father is not willing to risk a confrontation with them and allows Yosef to slip through his grasp.

Only in Parshat Miketz do we see the brothers realizing that what they are being subjected to in Egypt is due to their selling their brother into slavery. Their freedom, their lives are intertwined with Yosef’s. With recognition comes repentance and we finally have Yehuda take complete responsibility for Binyamin, first by promising his protection over him to his father and second by placing his life on the line when Yosef declares that he will take Binyamin as his slave.

Finally, the concept from which we draw the definition of areyvut is acted out. כל ישראל ערבים זה בזה is learned from this scene, which plays out next week in Parshat Vayigash. כִּ֤י עַבְדְּךָ֙ עָרַ֣ב אֶת־הַנַּ֔עַר מֵעִ֥ם אָבִ֖י לֵאמֹ֑ר אִם־לֹ֤א אֲבִיאֶ֙נּוּ֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְחָטָ֥אתִי לְאָבִ֖י כׇּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃

For your servant has pledged himself for the boy to my father, saying, “If I do not bring him back to you, I shall stand guilty before my father forever.” (Bereshit 44:32)

Yaakov’s goal is achieved and Yosef’s mission is complete after 22 years. וַיִּגַּ֨שׁ אֵלָ֜יו יְהוּדָ֗ה וַיֹּ֘אמֶר֮ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִי֒ יְדַבֶּר־נָ֨א עַבְדְּךָ֤ דָבָר֙ בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י׃

Then Judah lunged toward him and said, “Please, my lord, let your servant speak to my lord a word in my lord’s ears.” (Bereshit 44:18)

Israel and the Jewish People are still in a very precarious position. There are still enemies out there working towards our destruction. Some weakened, others stronger and new factions emerging. However, the greatest threat is the destructive elements from within.

We all need the courage of Yosef, who was willing to walk into the lion’s den in order to make peace with his brothers. I pray that all Yisrael will remember our family story and live up to the Jewish teaching that כל ישראל ערבים זה בזה.

Hanukah Sameach,

Meir

Image by anielbaez0 from Pixabay