A Taste of Torah in honor of Shabbat
from Rabbi Avi Weiss

Parshat Va-Yeishev
December 11-12, 1998/ 23 Kislev 5758

After Yosef's (Joseph) two dreams, his siblings are naturally upset-believing that Yosef had aspirations to control them.  The rage turns into jealousy when his father Yakov (Jacob) seems to give credence to Yosef's dream.  (Genesis 37:11)

In response, Yosef's brothers set out to Shechem.  This is where, just a bit earlier, two of them killed all the male inhabitants for the rape of Dinah, their sister.   (Genesis 34)  According to the Midrash the brothers again go to Shechem to decide how to take retribution, this time against Yosef.  (Rashi, Genesis 37:12)

This is where Yakov sends Yosef to seek out to his brothers' welfare. (Genesis 37:13)  

Soncino, the 15th century Italian commentary , explains that although Yakov could have sent a servant to find out if his sons were well,  he purposefully sent Yosef in the hope that he would be able to make peace with them.

This begs the question: With the brothers' enmity towards Yosef so great, wasn't Yakov placing Yosef in danger?

Indeed, it can be suggested that Yosef felt that his father had set him up. Note that Yosef doesn't contact his father even after becoming second to the King of Egypt. Yosef may have felt that he was being cast aside, just like those who came before him. (Esav and Yishmael were cast aside by their parents.)

Yet Yosef could have misread his father.  Yakov may have sent Yosef to his brothers because of what occurred to him (Yakov) in his younger years. After Yakov took the blessings from his brother Esau he is advised by his mother to flee to avoid Esau's wrath. (Genesis 27:43-46)  In the end, the advice has devastating results as Yakov does not see his family for twenty-two years.

Once growing older, Yakov doesn't want to make the same mistake.  And so, when Yakov's sons feud he adopts a plan which is the direct opposite of what was suggested to him when he was younger. Rather than have Yosef separate from his brothers, he sends Yosef to his siblings in the hope that they will reconcile.

It is often the case that children vow not to make the mistakes of their parents.   What is ironic is that even as we try a different path, nothing is a guarantee.   Despite Yosef being sent to, rather than from, his brothers, he remains separated from his family for 22 years.

The message: While Yakov should be lauded for trying a new path, it is often the case that no matter what we do, "the song remains the same." (aval hamanginah tamid nisheret)

SHABBAT SHALOM

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Rabbi Avi Weiss, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale
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