Parshat Vayichi 5769

Parshat Vayichi 5769
Salvation

© Rabbi Ari Kahn 2008

Salvation
As Yaakov’s last days approach, feelings of his own mortality become acute. He knows that he will soon depart from this world, and he has an overwhelming desire to impart a message to his children - a message of salvation. He gathers them to share with them a vision of what will transpire at the end of days.

ספר בראשית פרק מט
(א) וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב אֶל בָּנָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הֵאָסְפוּ וְאַגִּידָה לָכֶם אֵת אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא אֶתְכֶם בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים:
1. And Yaakov called to his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. Bereishit 49:1

Then, instead of a clear picture of nirvana or apocalypse, we receive a series of messages, blessings, and rebukes. In the middle of these blessings Yaakov says:

ספר בראשית פרק מט
(יח) לִישׁוּעָתְךָ קִוִּיתִי ה': ס
I have waited for your salvation, O Lord. Bereishit 49:18


It is unclear what these words mean, and their placement is confusing. Had these words been said in the beginning of the blessings, the reader would have understood them as an expression of missed opportunity: Yaakov takes stock of his life as he prepares his parting words to his sons, and he quite naturally reflects upon what might have been. He utters a prayer for redemption as he stands poised to blessing his sons. But these words are not in the preamble to the blessings. Alternatively, we might expect these words to have been said at the end, after Yaakov concluded his message to each of the sons. But they are not found at the end. They are found between the blessings of Dan and Gad, making it unclear if this is connected to Dan, or an introduction to the blessing of Gad, or perhaps blurted out in the middle, disconnected from the other blessings.[1]

The Blessing for Dan
ספר בראשית פרק מט
(טז) דָּן יָדִין עַמּוֹ כְּאַחַד שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: (יז) יְהִי דָן נָחָשׁ עֲלֵי דֶרֶךְ שְׁפִיפֹן עֲלֵי אֹרַח הַנּשֵׁךְ עִקְּבֵי סוּס וַיִּפֹּל רֹכְבוֹ אָחוֹר: (יח) לִישׁוּעָתְךָ קִוִּיתִי ה': ס
(יט) גָּד גְּדוּד יְגוּדֶנּוּ וְהוּא יָגֻד עָקֵב: ס
Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that bites the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. I have waited for your salvation, O Lord. Bereishit 49:16-18

The seventh Tribe mentioned in the blessings is Dan. Dan is said to be a judge, which is not surprising; the very name Dan evokes Din - Judgment. It is the continuation of the verse which is problematic, “as one of the tribes of Israel”. Why be compared to one of the tribes? Why, indeed, is Dan like a tribe of Israel? Dan is one of the tribes! And which tribe is he like? What follows is even more disturbing: Dan is compared to a serpent, biting the heels of the horse – causing the rider to tumble to the ground. Why the comparison to serpents? Serpents, especially venomous ones, have not enjoyed a wonderful reputation ever since the Garden of Eden. But the combination -- judge and serpent-- is particularly perplexing. And now that we have been thoroughly confused, Yaakov speaks that three - word verse (in Hebrew): “I have waited for your salvation, O Lord.”

Rashi[2] understands that the “judgment” of Dan is connected to vengeance, the vengeance which would be taken from the Philistines. The specific reference is to a Judge who will be born to the tribe of Dan: Samson (Shimshon). In Rashi’s words, Shimshon will be like one of the “special” tribes: Yehuda, specifically David. Although Shimshon reminds us more of Goliath than of David, parallels between David and Shimshon may be found, most notably both were warriors and both were victorious over the Philistines.

Rashi stresses that Yaakov’s blessing of Dan, and his allusion to Shimshon, is a prophecy. Indeed, the language and imagery of these verses sound as if Yaakov has had a vision. He sees a rider, a horse, and a serpent from below.

In this vision, Yaakov - who can no longer see - prophesizes, and it is the image of Shimshon, who in the end of his life also lost his sight, that comes to him. Blinded, humiliated, Shimshon implores God for one more burst of strength so that he can take down the “rider and horse”, or the Philistines and their cathedral.[3]

ספר שופטים פרק טז
(כח) וַיִּקְרָא שִׁמְשׁוֹן אֶל ה’ וַיֹּאמַר אֲדֹנָי ה’ זָכְרֵנִי נָא וְחַזְּקֵנִי נָא אַךְ הַפַּעַם הַזֶּה הָאֱלֹהִים וְאִנָּקְמָה נְקַם אַחַת מִשְּׁתֵי עֵינַי מִפְּלִשְׁתִּים:(כט) וַיִּלְפֹּת שִׁמְשׁוֹן אֶת שְׁנֵי עַמּוּדֵי הַתָּוֶךְ אֲשֶׁר הַבַּיִת נָכוֹן עֲלֵיהֶם וַיִּסָּמֵךְ עֲלֵיהֶם אֶחָד בִּימִינוֹ וְאֶחָד בִּשְׂמֹאלוֹ:(ל) וַיֹּאמֶר שִׁמְשׁוֹן תָּמוֹת נַפְשִׁי עִם פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיֵּט בְּכֹחַ וַיִּפֹּל הַבַּיִת עַל הַסְּרָנִים וְעַל כָּל הָעָם אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ וַיִּהְיוּ הַמֵּתִים אֲשֶׁר הֵמִית בְּמוֹתוֹ רַבִּים מֵאֲשֶׁר הֵמִית בְּחַיָּיו:(לא) וַיֵּרְדוּ אֶחָיו וְכָל בֵּית אָבִיהוּ וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֹתוֹ וַיַּעֲלוּ וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אוֹתוֹ בֵּין צָרְעָה וּבֵין אֶשְׁתָּאֹל בְּקֶבֶר מָנוֹחַ אָבִיו וְהוּא שָׁפַט אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה:
28. And Shimshon called to the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray you, and strengthen me, I pray you, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. 29. And Shimshon took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and he supported himself on them, on one with his right hand, and on the other with his left. 30. And Shimshon said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people who were in there. So the dead whom he slew at his death were more than those whom he slew in his life. Shoftim 16:28-30

According to Rashi this very scene is what Yaakov sees in his vision. He hears Shimshon’s prayer to God; “O Lord God, remember me, I pray you, and strengthen me, I pray you, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.” Yaakov’s enigmatic words as he blesses Dan, Shimshon’s forebear, “I have waited for your salvation, O Lord,” are parallel to Shimshon’s prayer.

While the nature of visions is often messages communicated in symbolic fashion, we would be more comfortable with Rashi’s interpretation had Shimshon uttered the identical words found in the closing line of the blessing of Dan.

The Serpent
The Ramban[4] agrees that Yaakov’s vision is about Shimshon: Other than Shimshon, there never was a Judge who fell into the hands of the enemy. For this reason, Shimshon is compared to a serpent. According to this approach, Shimshon, who had occupied an exalted position, fell drastically: he fell from his position, he fell to the ground and he fell into the hands of the enemy.

According to the Ramban, Yaakov himself, seeing the failed mission of Shimshon, calls out to God and begs for salvation.[5]

Taking the long view, the ascendency of Shimshon does not bring authentic salvation. Shimshon was a failed leader, a leader who despite enormous capabilities did not live up to his potential. For the ultimate redeemer, the Jewish people would have to wait. Shimshon from the tribe of Dan is like one of the great tribes Yehuda – he is like David, who will eventually have the real Messiah come from his lineage, but Shimshon fails – he proves to be a serpent and not Messiah.[6]

It is noteworthy that according to both Rashi and Ramban, Shimshon is described as a serpent (in Hebrew, spelled Nun Het Shin (NACHASH). The Ariza”l teaches that Shimshon, who could have been a Messiah, instead became a Nachash. As in many of the teachings of the Ariza”l, it is worth noting that the two words have the same numerical value (358).[7]

The serpent loses his legs when he seduces Eve to partake of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. According to the Zohar this tree was a vine, and the fruit, grapes[8]. That is the kind of drink which causes confusion between good and evil. According to Rabbinic teachings, the serpent was motivated by lust for a woman – Eve: a woman he could not have[9]. When Shimshon loses his strength, the cause was a foreign woman,[10] a woman who was off limits. Shimshon, as we know, was a Nazarite: He was forbidden to drink wine his entire life, his hair was to grow long, he was to exist in a natural state – which perhaps we can now identify as an “Eden existence”. Transgressions against these personal restrictions - the foreign woman, drinking wine and cutting his hair – are the cause of his destruction, and turn him from a savior to serpent.

In Yaakov’s vision, he sees the Nachash biting the heel of the horse, a symbol of pride and power. The horse falls over, crushing and killing the rider – but also killing the serpent - Shimshon[11].

Rabeynu Bechaya[12] says that Yaakov utters these enigmatic words of awaiting redemption when he feels the frustration of seeing Dan’s failure. Yaakov looks ahead, to another tribe, for this salvation. The next tribe Yaakov blesses is Gad; redemption will come through Gad. Had Yaakov maintained the age-order of the brothers, he should have blessed Naftali after Dan, rather than Gad. Therefore, we may infer that Gad somehow is meant to follow Dan in terms of the essence of the prophecy.[13]

Yaakov’s blessing for Gad is short but contains at least one word which links it back to Dan: heel (akev):

ספר בראשית פרק מט
(יט) גָּד גְּדוּד יְגוּדֶנּוּ וְהוּא יָגֻד עָקֵב: ס
Gad, a troop shall overcome him; but he shall overcome at the last (literally heel). Bereishit 49:19

The word akev is found in Yaakov’s blessing to Dan, as the heel of the horse that the serpent attacks, and in the blessing of Gad, referring to the eventual victory. The word akev is relatively unusual in the Torah. The first use of this word is back in the Garden of Eden, and the context is the punishment of the Serpent.

ספר בראשית פרק ג
(יד) וַיֹּאמֶר ה’ אֱלֹהִים אֶל הַנָּחָשׁ … הוּא יְשׁוּפְךָ רֹאשׁ וְאַתָּה תְּשׁוּפֶנּוּ עָקֵב:
14. And the Lord God said to the serpent, … he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. Bereishit 3:14

The “original Serpent” is associated with the heel; Dan is compared to the serpent attacking the heel of the Horse. On the other hand, Gad, next in line for a blessing, is also associated with a heel.

Eliyahu
Dan, through Shimshon, is like David the Redeemer. Gad, in turn, is like Dan. Whereas Dan, (Shimshon) will fail[14], Gad will eventually bring about Redemption. This seems quite confusing, for we know that redemption comes from Yehudah. How, in fact, is Gad connected to the Messianic process?

The Midrash states that Eliyahu, the precursor of the Mashiach, was from the Tribe of Gad.

ט ותלד זלפה שפחת לאה, בכולם כתיב ותהר וכאן ותלד אלא בחורה היתה ולא היתה ניכרת בעיבורה, ותאמר לאה בא גד, אתיא גדא דביתא אתא גדא דעלמא, בא מי שעתיד לגדד משתיתן של עובדי כוכבים ומנו אליהו, )בראשית רבה (וילנא) פרשה עא(
AND LEAH SAID: FORTUNE IS COME-BA GAD (ib. 11): the fortune of the house has come; the fortune of the world has come; he [namely, Eliyahu] has come who will overthrow (gadad) the foundations of the heathen.[15]
Midrash Rabbah – Bereishit 71:9

The name of Eliyahu’s father is never mentioned in the text; this lacuna makes identification of his tribe quite challenging[16]. We do know that he is from Gilad (which geographically would make him “part” of Gad).
Another Midrashic comment on these verses sheds more light:

מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה צט פסקה י
(יא) דן ידין עמו כמיוחד שבשבטים זה יהודה ד"א כאחד כיחידו של עולם שאינו צריך סיוע במלחמה שנאמר (ישעיה סג) פורה דרכתי לבדי כך שמשון העומד מדן אינו צריך אחרים שיסייעו אותו בלא חרב אלא בלחי חמור יהי דן נחש עלי דרך שפיפון כל החיות מהלכות זוגות זוגות והנחש אינו מהלך בדרך אלא יחידי ד"א יהי דן נחש עלי דרך כשם שהנחש נקמן כך היה שמשון שנאמר (שופטים טז) ואנקמה נקם אחת כיון שראה אותו יעקב אמר לישועתך קויתי ה' אין זה מביא את הגאולה אלא מגד שנאמר גד גדוד יגודנו והוא יגוד עקב לאותו שהוא בא בעקב (מלאכי ג) הנה אנכי שולח לכם את אליה הנביא שהוא משבט גד לכך נאמר והוא יגוד עקב:
When Yaakov saw him [Shimshon] he exclaimed, ‘I [still] WAIT FOR THY SALVATION, O LORD: not he will bring the redemption, but [one descended] from Gad, as it says, GAD, A TROOP SHALL TROOP UPON HIM, BUT HE SHALL TROOP UPON THEIR HEEL (XLIX, 18), which alludes to him who will come at the end [lit. ‘heel’]: Behold, I will send you Eliyahu the Prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord (Mal. III, 23). He was of the Tribe of Gad, for that reason it says, BUT HE SHALL TROOP UPON THEIR HEEL. Midrash Rabbah - Genesis 99:10

Not Mashiach, rather the precursor of Mashiach will come from Gad: Eliyahu, the herald of Mashiach.

Gad and Dan are linked in their messianic involvement. Yaakov, who is searching for a vision of Mashiach, sees someone with potential of being Mashiach, only to be disappointed: Simshon will be a failed (not false) Mashiach. Then the spotlight turns to Gad, who will give rise to Eliyahu the herald of Mashiach.

This connection may shed light on the blessings given by Moshe to these two tribes. Once again they are mentioned together; once again Naftali is skipped, but this time the order is inverted, and Gad precedes Dan:

ספר דברים פרק לג
(כ) וּלְגָד אָמַר בָּרוּךְ מַרְחִיב גָּד כְּלָבִיא שָׁכֵן וְטָרַף זְרוֹעַ אַף קָדְקֹד: (כא) וַיַּרְא רֵאשִׁית לוֹ כִּי שָׁם חֶלְקַת מְחֹקֵק סָפוּן וַיֵּתֶא רָאשֵׁי עָם צִדְקַת ה’ עָשָׂה וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל:(כב) וּלְדָן אָמַר דָּן גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְזַנֵּק מִן הַבָּשָׁן:
20. And of Gad he said, Blessed be he who enlarges Gad; he lives as a lion, and tears the arm with the crown of the head.21. And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the Lord, and his judgments with Israel. 22. And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion’s cub; he shall leap from Bashan. Devarim 33:20-22

Here both Gad and Dan are referred to as lions, king of the beasts. Significantly, Yehuda[17] is referred to as a lion by Yaakov: Royalty will come from Yehuda, the scepter will depart from Yehuda. If that is they case, why does Moshe refer to Gad and Dan as lions, indicating royalty?

The Midrash teaches that the blessings given to each tribe were actually given to the collective Jewish people, and even though a preponderance of leadership is found in Yehuda some was spread among the other tribes.

(ד) כל אלה שבטי ישראל שנים עשר וגו' כבר כתיב ויברך אותם ומה ת"ל איש אשר כברכתו ברך אותם אלא לפי שבירכן יהודה באריה דן בנחש נפתלי באילה בנימין בזאב חזר וכללן כולן כאחד ועשאן אריות ועשאן נחשים תדע שהוא כן יהי דן נחש והוא קורא אותו אריה הה"ד (דברים לג) דן גור אריה לקיים מה שנאמר (שיר ד) כולך יפה רעיתי ומום אין בך: מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה צט פסקה ד
4. ALL THESE ARE THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, etc. (XLIX, 28). AND HE BLESSED THEM is already written; why add, EVERYONE ACCORDING TO HIS BLESSING HE BLESSED THEM? But because he had blessed them, comparing Judah to a lion, Dan to a serpent, Naphtali to a hind, and Benjamin to a wolf; he subsequently included them altogether as one, declaring them all to be lions and serpents. The proof lies in this: Dan shall be a serpent (ib. 17); yet he [Moshe] calls him a lion: Dan is a lions whelp This is in confirmation of the verse, “Thou art all fair, my love, and there is no spot in thee (S.S. IV, 7). (Devarim 33, 22). Midrash Rabbah - Bereishit 99:4)

According to this teaching there is something fluid, almost interchangeable, about the various parts that make up the Twelve Tribes. Therefore Moshe can see a lion in both Gad and Dan – even though primarily the lion is associated with Yehuda.

We know that Mashiach comes from the Tribe of Yehuda; this is one of the messages that Yaakov shares with Yehuda in this week’s parsha:

ספר בראשית פרק מט
(ח) יְהוּדָה אַתָּה יוֹדוּךָ אַחֶיךָ יָדְךָ בְּעֹרֶף אֹיְבֶיךָ יִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְךָ בְּנֵי אָבִיךָ: (ט) גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה מִטֶּרֶף בְּנִי עָלִיתָ כָּרַע רָבַץ כְּאַרְיֵה וּכְלָבִיא מִי יְקִימֶנּוּ:(י) לֹא יָסוּר שֵׁבֶט מִיהוּדָה וּמְחֹקֵק מִבֵּין רַגְלָיו עַד כִּי יָבֹא שִׁילֹה וְלוֹ יִקְּהַת עַמִּים:
8 Yehuda, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons shall bow down before thee. 9 Yehuda is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, you will rise. He stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? 10 The sceptre shall not depart from Yehuda, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until Shiloh arrives; and unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be. Bereishit 49:8-10

Rashi, based on Targum Unkolus, explains the phrase “until Shiloh arrives” as, “until the arrival of the Mashiach”. The scepter is in the domain of Yehuda forever. Mashiach will come from Yehuda. But a potential for salvation existed in Dan, and the precursor is in Gad. In his prophesy, Moshe sees this potential, and refers to both Gad and Dan as lions.

The connection of Gad to the Mashiach was manifest in the figure of Eliyahu, but where do we find an active role for Dan? Was there an historical figure from the Tribe of Dan who played a role in the redemptive process? When the Mishkan was built, the major role was that of the chief architect, Bezalel from the tribe of Yehuda. There was, however, a major auxiliary role performed by someone else; Oholiav, the son of Ahisamach, from the Tribe of Dan.

ספר שמות פרק לא
(א) וַיְדַבֵּר יְדֹוָד אֶל משֶׁה לֵּאמֹר: (ב) רְאֵה קָרָאתִי בְשֵׁם בְּצַלְאֵל בֶּן אוּרִי בֶן חוּר לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה: (ג) וָאֲמַלֵּא אֹתוֹ רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים בְּחָכְמָה וּבִתְבוּנָה וּבְדַעַת וּבְכָל מְלָאכָה: (ד) לַחְשֹׁב מַחֲשָׁבֹת לַעֲשׂוֹת בַּזָּהָב וּבַכֶּסֶף וּבַנְּחשֶׁת: (ה) וּבַחֲרשֶׁת אֶבֶן לְמַלֹּאת וּבַחֲרשֶׁת עֵץ לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּכָל מְלָאכָה: (ו) וַאֲנִי הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי אִתּוֹ אֵת אָהֳלִיאָב בֶּן אֲחִיסָמָךְ לְמַטֵּה דָן וּבְלֵב כָּל חֲכַם לֵב נָתַתִּי חָכְמָה וְעָשׂוּ אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִךָ:
And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all kinds of workmanship. And I, behold, I have given with him Oholiav, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the hearts of all who are wise- hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded you. Shmot 31:1-6

The creation of the Mishkan, the seat of God, is a Yehuda/Dan production. The Pesikta teaches that the same two tribes were responsible for the building of the First Temple.[18]

One of the roles of the Mashiach is the building of the Temple. We can now understand that although Dan, via Shimshon, failed to BE the Mashiach, Dan succeeded in a supporting role in building the Mishkan and the First Temple. Gad, too, succeeds in a supporting role, in the person of Eliyahu.

When Yaakov blesses his sons, the tribes of Gad and Dan are not the only ones listed out of order. The first four tribes are blessed in the order of their birth: Reuven, Shimon, Levi, Yehudah. The next son born is Yissachar, but when Yaakov blesses them. Yissachar and Zevulun are inverted. These two tribes are generally found in close proximity to Yehuda, as in the encampment in the desert where these tribes flank Yehuda on each side.

According to the Midrash, the Tribes of Yissachar and Zevulun had an agreement between them: Zevulin embarked on marine expeditions, while Yissachar remained behind and was involved in spiritual quests[19]. Yissachar represents Torah, Zevulun represents business. It is interesting that the sequence is “business before Torah”. Yehuda, who represents leadership, kingship, the Mashiach, will need to be flanked by business leaders and Torah sages. Their support is essential for success. Yaakov inverts the order and places the business leaders before the Sages.

Ultimately, Yaakov was prophesying about the end of days, the Mashiach. The shifts in the sequence of the tribes surround Yehuda and the concept of Mashiach, the major focus of the End of Days.

Although Yaakov does not tell us clearly what will take place, it is clear that Yaakov had a detailed vision of the elements of the End of Days. From our perspective some 4000 years later, we can easily appreciate why the message was cloudy: Had the Jewish People known that salvation was so far away, the frustration and despair could have been devastating.

Yehuda, the eventual Mashiach via the line of David, will come. He will be preceded by Eliyahu from the tribe of Gad. Yehuda will be flanked by the scrupulously honest businesspeople represented by Zevulun. He will be empowered by men and women of Torah represented by Yissachar. He will be aided in the building of the Beit Hamikdash by spiritual descendents of Dan. And as we wait for that great day, we can only echo those words, be they the words of Yaakov, Dan, Shimshon or Gad:

לִישׁוּעָתְךָ קִוִּיתִי ה'-
I have waited for your salvation, O Lord!

[1] This suggestion is cited and rejected in the Ktav V’kabalah, Bereishit 49:18
הכתב והקבלה על בראשית פרק מט פסוק יח
וראיתי לי"מ בטעם המקרא, כי אז חזק החולי על יעקב והתפלל שיושיענו השם ויחזק עוד כחו עד שיברך גם שאר בניו: ואין טעם בזה, ומי הרשהו לעשות עצמו כמתנבא לאמר מה שלא ראה:
[2] Commentary of Rashi to Bereishit 49:16
רש"י על בראשית פרק מט
(טז) דן ידין עמו - ינקום נקמת עמו מפלשתים כמו כי ידין ה' עמו:
כאחד שבטי ישראל - כל ישראל יהיו כאחד עמו ואת כולם ידין ועל שמשון נבא נבואה זו. ועוד יש לפרש כאחד שבטי ישראל כמיוחד שבשבטים הוא דוד שבא מיהודה:

[3]See Midrash Rabbah 98:14:
DAN SHALL BE A SERPENT IN THE WAY (XLIX, 17). As the serpent is found among women, so was Shimshon the son of Manoah found among women. As a serpent is bound by an oath, so was Shimshon the son of Manoah bound by an oath: ‘And Shimshon said unto them: Swear unto me (Judg. XV, 12).’ Just as all the serpent's strength resides in his head, so it was with Shimshon: If I be shaven, then my strength will go from me (ib. XVI, 17). As a serpent's eyelid quivers after death, so [we read of Shimshon], So the dead that he slew at his death were more than they that he slew in his life (ib. 30).
THAT BITES THE HORSE'S HEELS- Call for Shimshon, that he may make us sport (ib. 25).1 R. Levi said: It is written, And there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women (ib. 27). These were the number on the edge of the roof, but no one knows how many were behind them, yet you read, Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him... in the burying place of Manoah his father (ib. 31)! This was because our ancestor Yaakov prayed in the matter, so THAT HIS RIDER FALLETH BACKWARD-let all return back to their place.

[4] Ramban Bereishit 49:18
רמב"ן על בראשית פרק מט פסוק יח
(יח) לישועתך קויתי ה' לא היה בכל שופטי ישראל מי שנפל ביד אויביו זולתי שמשון שהוא הנחש הזה, כדכתיב (שופטים ב יח) והיה ה' עם השופט והושיעם מיד אויביהם כל ימי השופט והוא היה האחרון לשופטים, כי שמואל נביא היה ולא נלחם להם, ובימיו מלכו המלכים, וכאשר ראה הנביא תשועת שמשון כי נפסקה אמר לישועתך קויתי ה', לא לישועת נחש ושפיפון, כי בך אושע לא בשופט, כי תשועתך תשועת עולמים:

[5] Rabbenu Bachya agrees with the Ramban that Shimshon is a failed leader, and therefore may be referred to us a serpent, yet he allows for Rashi’s interpretation – that it may have been Yaakov putting words into Shimshon’s mouth and not Yaakov praying upon seeing the failed Shimshon.
רבינו בחיי על בראשית פרק מט פסוק יח
לישועתך קויתי ה' - כתב הרמב"ן ז"ל כי הכתוב הזה תפלת יעקב לפי שראה ברוה"ק כי היה שמשון המושיע אחרון לשופטים, ואע"פ שהיה שמואל אחריו שמואל נביא היה ולא היה נלחם כמוהו ולפיכך כשראה יעקב כי תשועת שמשון נפסקה עמו ומת בנפילת הרוכב יחדו אמר לישועתך קויתי ה' לא לישועת שמשון הנמשל לנחש ושפיפון:
ויתכן לפרש כי הוא תפלת שמשון כי ראה יעקב אחרית השופט הזה האחרון כי הוא הנושך והמפיל והרוכב אחור, והוא המתפלל לישועתך קויתי ה' שכן התפלל (שופטים טז) זכרני נא וחזקני נא אך הפעם הזה האלהים, ואע"פ שמת בכללם הנה זאת תשועתו שינקם מאויביו וימות עמהם כי בזה היה חפץ כמ"ש (שם) תמות נפשי עם פלשתים:
[6] The Midrash says that when Yaakov saw Shimshon, he thought he was the Messiah.
see Midrash Rabbah 98:14
Our ancestor Jacob saw him (Shimshon) and thought that he was the Messiah. But when he saw him dead he exclaimed, ‘He too is dead! Then I wait for Thy salvation, O God ' (Gen.XLIX, 18).
[7] See Sefer Haliqutim Book of Judges chapter 5.
ספר הליקוטים - ספר שופטים - פרק ה
וכראות יעקב אבינו זה, אמר לישועתך קויתי ה', כי לא בזה שחשבתיו משי"ח, נהפך לנח"ש, כי כן עולה בגימטריא. ונתקטעו רגליו, ונקרא שפיפון, שני פעמים שפי, כי חיגר בשתי רגליו היה, כמ"ש רז"ל.

[8] See Zohar Bereshit 36a
“According to a tradition, Eve pressed grapes and gave to Adam, and in this way brought death into the world.”
[9] See Rashi Bereishit 3:1
רש"י על בראשית פרק ג פסוק א
(א) והנחש היה ערום - מה ענין זה לכאן היה לו לסמוך ויעש לאדם ולאשתו כתנות עור וילבישם אלא ללמדך מאיזו סבה קפץ הנחש עליהם ראה אותם ערומים ועוסקים בתשמיש לעין כל ונתאוה לה:
[10] One wonders if, aside from an etymological similarity, Delilah is “related” to Lilith.
[11] For this description spelled out fully see commentary of the Alshech, Torat Moshe 49:17
ספר תורת משה בראשית מט:יז
(יז) אמר כי שמשון יהי כנחש עלי דרך, כי תשועתו החילה על ידי היותו נוטר איבה כנחש, שעל שנתנו האשה אשר לו יעדה, למרעהו, הלך במשטמות ושרף בלפידים מגדיש ועד קמה ועד כרם זית, ואחר כך בלחי החמור הכה אלף איש. ובאחרון היה לו כמשל שפיפון עלי אורח צר, שנושך עקבי סוס מאחוריו. ומכאב עקביו מגביה הסוס ידיו ומפיל רוכבו אחור ונופל הסוס ורוכבו על השפיפון וימות גם הוא. כן קרה לו לשמשון שנדמה לשפיפון שאחז בכח העמודים אשר הבית נכון עליהם, שהם עקבי הבית שידמו לעקבי סוס, ויהי כנושך ואוחז בהם, ויפלו כל הרוכבים ויושבים על הבית עם הבית וימות גם הוא. באופן היתה תשועת ישראל על ידי מה שלא הושיע את עצמו כי מת, ואין זו תשועה אמתית, כי אם (יזז) לישועתך קויתי ה' שהיא הפך זה - והוא ענין מאמרם ז"ל בכמה מקומות (שוחר טוב תהלים צח א) מצינו שתשועתו של הקב"ה תשועתן של ישראל, זה ה' קוינו לו נגילה ונשמחה בישועתו, ובהושיע את עצמו יושיע אותנו - והוא הפך שמשון שאת עצמו לא הושיע ואנחנו נושענו:
[12] Rabbenu Bachya Bereishit 49:19
רבינו בחיי על בראשית פרק מט פסוק יט
ובמדרש והוא יגוד עקב כיון שראה יעקב לשמשון הבא מדן אמר לישועתך קויתי ה', אין זה מביא את הגאולה אלא מגד, והוא יגוד עקב אותו שבא בעקב שנאמר (מלאכי ג) הנה אנכי שולח לכם את אליה הנביא שהוא מגד, ע"כ בב"ר:
[13] It is noteworthy that this is not the only time in this chapter that the blessing of the tribes is out of age order.
[14] There is another person who is son of Dan who may be related to topic: Chushim. He kills Esav at Yaakov’s funeral. It is interesting that while Shimshon has gone blind yet can still hear, Chushim can see but can not hear. Significantly, Chushim (in Hebrew) is an anagram of Mashiach.
[15] Despite the unequivocal statement of Eliyahu’s linege, the Midrash does proceed to debate the subject:
אליהו משל מי ר' אליעזר אמר משל בנימין, דכתיב (ד"ה =דברי הימים= א ח) ויערשיה ואליה וזכרי בני ירוחם כל אלה בני בנימין, ר' נהוראי אמר משל גד היה, הה"ד (מלכים א יז) ויאמר אליהו התשבי מתושבי גלעד, א"ר פליפי בר נהוראי מאן חזית למימר כן, א"ל דכתיב (יהושע יג) ויהי להם הגבול יעזר וכל ערי הגלעד, מה מקיים ר' אלעזר קרא דר' נהוראי מתושבי גלעד מיושבי לשכת הגזית הוה, ומה מקיים ר' נהוראי קרא דר' אלעזר ויערשיה ואליהו אלא מדרשות הן, בשעה שהיה הקב"ה מרעיש עולמו היה מזכיר זכות אבות בני ירוחם והקב"ה מתמלא רחמים על עולמו, פעם אחת נחלקו רבותינו בדבר אלו אומרים משל גד ואלו אומרים משל בנימין בא ועמד לפניהם, א"ל רבותינו מה אתם נחלקים עלי אני מבני בניה של רחל אני. )בראשית רבה (וילנא) פרשה עא(
The Rabbis debated: To which tribe did Elijah belong? R. Leazar said: To Benjamin, for it is written, And Jaareshiah, and Elijah, and Zichri, were the sons of Jerobam... All these were the sons of Benjamin (I Chron. VIII, 27, 40). R. Nehorai said: To Gad, for it says, And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead, said (I Kings, XVII, 1). Said R. Philippi to R. Nehorai: What reason have you for saying so? Because it is written, And their [sc. the Gaddites’] border was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead (Josh. XIII, 25), he replied. How does R. Eleazar interpret the verse quoted by R. Nehorai? ’Of the inhabitants of Gilead’ means, of those who sat in the Hall of Hewn Stones. And how does R. Nehorai interpret the verse quoted by R. Eleazar, ’And Jaareshiah and Elijah’? These names are meant for allegorical interpretation: when He [God] would shake (mar'ish) the world [in His wrath], Elijah recalls (mazkir) the merit of the ancestors, whereupon, lo, ’The sons of Jerobam,’ which means, God is filled with compassion (rahamim) for His world. On one occasion our Rabbis were debating about him [Elijah], some maintaining that he belonged to the tribe of Gad, others, to the tribe of Benjamin. Whereupon he came and stood before them and said, ' Sirs, why do you debate about me? I am a descendant of Rachel[15]. Midrash Rabbah - Genesis 71:9

[16] See Rabbi Moshe Cordovero Pardes Rimonim Shaar 24, Chapter 14, who cites a mystical teaching in the name of Rabbi Moshe D’Leon that Eliyahu’s father is never mentioned because Eliyahu was not born, he was an angel and hence returns to heaven when his mission is complete.
ספר פרדס רמונים - שער כד פרק יד
שוב מצאנו בשם ר' משה דליאון ז"ל ועל מה ששאלת בענין אליהו שעלה למרום מה שלא עלה אדם אחר. תדע לך כי בסתרי תורה ראיתי סוד נפלא עד מאד. אליהו לא תמצא לו בכל התורה אב ואם ולא שכתוב בו בן פלוני אלא אליהו התשבי מתושבי גלעד. ואמרו כי קודם לכן ירד מן השמים ושמו ידוע בסתרי החכמה. ועוד שאח"כ נראה אל החכמים בהרבה מקומות בהרבה דיוקנין ולזמנים בדמות טייעא לזמנים כפרש לזמנים כא' מגדולי הדור בהרבה עניינים דמותו ותוארו.

[17] Bereishit 49:8-10
[18] Pesikta Rabati parsha 5
פסיקתא רבתי פרשה ו
דבר אחר ותשלם כל המלאכה את מוצא כשנעשה המשכן שני שבטים היו שותפין במלאכתן א"ר לוי בשם ר' חמא בי ר' חנינא שבטו של דן ושבטו של יהודה שבטו של יהודה בצלאל שבטו של דן אהליאב בן אחיסמך למטה דן וכן במלאכת המקדש שני השבטים הללו היו שותפין וישלח המלך שלמה [ויקח את חירם וגו'] (מלכים א' ז' י"ג) בן אלמנה הוא ממטה דן ושלמה בן דוד שהיה משבטו של יהודה א"ר לוי בשם ר' חמא בי ר' חנינא מכאן שאין אדם צריך להיות מחליף בצירו והיה שדי בצריך (איוב כ"ב כ"ה) אתה הוא אלהינו ובצירנו ואנו עמיך אמר דוד כי הוא אלהינו ואנחנו עם מרעיתו וצאן ידו היום אם בקולו תשמעו (תהלים צ"ה ו'):

[19] See Rashi 49:13, see Midrash Rabba Bamidbar 13:16

רש"י על בראשית פרק מט פסוק יג
(יג) זבולן לחוף ימים - על חוף ימים תהיה ארצו. חוף כתרגומו ספר מרק"א בלע"ז (יבמות מח) והוא יהיה מצוי תדיר על חוף אניות במקום הנמל שאניות מביאות שם פרקמטיא שהיה זבולן עוסק בפרקמטיא וממציא מזון לשבט יששכר (תנחומא) והם עוסקים בתורה הוא שאמר משה (דברים לג) שמח זבולן בצאתך ויששכר באהליך זבולן יוצא בפרקמטיא ויששכר עוסק בתורה באהלים:

מדרש רבה במדבר פרשה יג פסקה טז
זבולון לחוף ימים ישכון מזרק אחד כסף כנגד הארץ שהיא עשויה ככדור שהיתה חלק יששכר שנאמר (שם) וירא מנוחה כי טוב וגו' שלשים ומאה משקלה מזרק אחד וגו' הרי מאתים כנגד מאתים ראשי סנהדראות שהיו בשבט יששכר שנאמר ראשיהם מאתים ולכך תלה חשבון הגדול בזבולן לפי שגדול מעשה יותר מן העושה שלולי זבולן לא היה יששכר יכול לעסוק בתורה שהוא היה מאכילו ונותן לתוך פיו

Parshat Vayigash 5769 - Wagons

Parshat Vayigash 5769
© Rabbi Ari Kahn 2008


Wagons

The Message
The brothers return from their mission with spectacular, perhaps unbelievable news: Yosef is alive!

(כו) וַיַּגִּדוּ לוֹ לֵאמֹר עוֹד יוֹסֵף חַי וְכִי הוּא משֵׁל בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם וַיָּפָג לִבּוֹ כִּי לֹא הֶאֱמִין לָהֶם: (כז) וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֵלָיו אֵת כָּל דִּבְרֵי יוֹסֵף אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֲלֵהֶם וַיַּרְא אֶת הָעֲגָלוֹת אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַח יוֹסֵף לָשֵׂאת אֹתוֹ וַתְּחִי רוּחַ יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם: בראשית פרק מה
And they told him, ‘Yosef lives, and he rules over all of Egypt. And (Yaakov’s) heart skipped a beat, for he did not believe them. They relayed to him the words Yosef had spoken to them, and Yaakov saw the carriages Yosef sent to transport him, and their father Yaakov’s spirit came to life. Bereishit 45: 26-27.

Yaakov, who had experienced so much pain in his life, did not wish to be set up for yet another disappointment. How can Yosef be alive? And if he is alive, can he really be ruler over Egypt? Yaakov dismisses the idea, fights off the news. Only upon seeing the wagons does Yaakov believe his ears and eyes. What changed his perspective? What convinced him? The straightforward meaning of the text would seem to be that Yaakov was convinced only upon seeing the impressive wagons of Pharoh; perhaps seeing a physical indication of the might of the Egyptian empire[1] was what made Yaakov accept the news, for only someone with great power or influence could arrange for the royal fleet to come to this distant land, to his own doorstep, and transport Yaakov and his family to Egypt. Rashi explains:

רש"י על בראשית פרק מה פסוק כז
(כז) את כל דברי יוסף - סימן מסר להם במה היה עוסק כשפירש ממנו בפרשת עגלה ערופה זהו שנאמר וירא את העגלות אשר שלח יוסף ולא נאמר אשר שלח פרעה:
By sending the wagons (agalot), Yosef sent him a sign. What was the (topic) they had studied before he (Yosef) left? The topic of the beheaded heifer (egla arufa). Thus the text states, “when he saw the agalot which Yosef sent,” and not which Pharoh sent. Rashi 45:27

Rashi combines the seeing of the visual image of physical agalot with the words of Yosef: both contain a message, a secret shared by father and son years ago. No one but Yosef and Yaakov could have known the topic of their private conversation.

Rashi’s explanation is not without problems, for although Rashi’s comment refers to the phrase “all the words of Yosef,” Yaakov is only convinced when he sees the agalot. Furthermore, the “secret sign” which could only be known by Yaakov and Yosef, the last topic of instruction they studied before Yosef’s disappearance, was the egla arufa, the beheaded calf. To Yaakov’s ears, this is linguistically connected to the agalot, the wagons sent for him. However these words do not share a common root; they are in fact two different words.[2] Moreover, the idea to send the wagons was Pharohs, and not Yosef’s:

ספר בראשית פרק מה
(יז) וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה אֶל יוֹסֵף אֱמֹר אֶל אַחֶיךָ זֹאת עֲשׂוּ טַעֲנוּ אֶת בְּעִירְכֶם וּלְכוּ בֹאוּ אַרְצָה כְּנָעַן: (יח) וּקְחוּ אֶת אֲבִיכֶם וְאֶת בָּתֵּיכֶם וּבֹאוּ אֵלָי וְאֶתְּנָה לָכֶם אֶת טוּב אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וְאִכְלוּ אֶת חֵלֶב הָאָרֶץ: (יט) וְאַתָּה צֻוֵּיתָה זֹאת עֲשׂוּ קְחוּ לָכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם עֲגָלוֹת לְטַפְּכֶם וְלִנְשֵׁיכֶם וּנְשָׂאתֶם אֶת אֲבִיכֶם וּבָאתֶם: (כ) וְעֵינְכֶם אַל תָּחֹס עַל כְּלֵיכֶם כִּי טוּב כָּל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לָכֶם הוּא: (כא) וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כֵן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶם יוֹסֵף עֲגָלוֹת עַל פִּי פַרְעֹה וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶם צֵדָה לַדָּרֶךְ:
17. And Pharoh said to Yosef, Say to your brothers, Do this; load your beasts, and go to the land of Canaan;18. And take your father and your households, and come to me; and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.19. Now you are commanded to take your wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.20. Also give no thought to your goods; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.21. And the people of Israel did so; and Yosef gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharoh, and gave them provision for the way.

While the text in Verse 27 attests that Yaakov had thought the wagons were sent by Yosef, it was Pharoh’s idea – indeed, he commanded Yosef to send the wagons. Verse 21 stresses that Yosef sent the wagons because of Pharoh’s command.
Calf or Carriage?
Why would Rashi seek, in these wagons, the communication of a secret message? Furthermore, by making the imaginative association between agalot and egla, Rashi introduces an element which is not an organic part of the discussion; namely a calf – egel. The very word sounds a problematic chord, resonating throughout Jewish thought with overtones of the Egel HaZahav, the Golden Calf. The web of negative associations this element dredges up entangles Yosef himself[3], and his most infamous descendent, Yerovam.[4] Rashi could have avoided all these entanglements had the text been left unembellished by the agalot/egla association.

Rashi’s comment in this case, as is most cases, is based on a rabbinic tradition, which in this instance makes the connection between agalot and egla arufa.[5] What remains to be seen is how this comment can be reconciled with Rashi’s clearly -stated mandate, to explain the straightforward, “plain” meaning[6] of the text.[7]

Moral Responsibility
There would seem to be a deeper meaning which is being communicated within these sources. What is the egla arufa? When is it used?

 דברים פרק כא
(א) כִּי יִמָּצֵא חָלָל בָּאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר ה’ אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ לְרִשְׁתָּהּ נֹפֵל בַּשָּׂדֶה לֹא נוֹדַע מִי הִכָּהוּ:(ב) וְיָצְאוּ זְקֵנֶיךָ וְשֹׁפְטֶיךָ וּמָדְדוּ אֶל הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹת הֶחָלָל:(ג) וְהָיָה הָעִיר הַקְּרֹבָה אֶל הֶחָלָל וְלָקְחוּ זִקְנֵי הָעִיר הַהִוא עֶגְלַת בָּקָר אֲשֶׁר לֹא עֻבַּד בָּהּ אֲשֶׁר לֹא מָשְׁכָה בְּעֹל:(ד) וְהוֹרִדוּ זִקְנֵי הָעִיר הַהִוא אֶת הָעֶגְלָה אֶל נַחַל אֵיתָן אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֵעָבֵד בּוֹ וְלֹא יִזָּרֵעַ וְעָרְפוּ שָׁם אֶת הָעֶגְלָה בַּנָּחַל:(ה) וְנִגְּשׁוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי לֵוִי כִּי בָם בָּחַר ה’ אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְשָׁרְתוֹ וּלְבָרֵךְ בְּשֵׁם ה’ וְעַל פִּיהֶם יִהְיֶה כָּל רִיב וְכָל נָגַע:(ו) וְכֹל זִקְנֵי הָעִיר הַהִוא הַקְּרֹבִים אֶל הֶחָלָל יִרְחֲצוּ אֶת יְדֵיהֶם עַל הָעֶגְלָה הָעֲרוּפָה בַנָּחַל:(ז) וְעָנוּ וְאָמְרוּ יָדֵינוּ לֹא שפכה שָׁפְכוּ אֶת הַדָּם הַזֶּה וְעֵינֵינוּ לֹא רָאוּ:(ח) כַּפֵּר לְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר פָּדִיתָ ה’ וְאַל תִּתֵּן דָּם נָקִי בְּקֶרֶב עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְנִכַּפֵּר לָהֶם הַדָּם:(ט) וְאַתָּה תְּבַעֵר הַדָּם הַנָּקִי מִקִּרְבֶּךָ כִּי תַעֲשֶׂה הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי ה’: ס
1. If one is found slain in the land which the Lord your God gives you to possess, lying in the field, and it is not known who has slain him; 2. Then your elders and your judges shall come forth, and they shall measure the distance to the cities which are around him who is slain; 3. And it shall be, that the city which is nearest to the slain man, the elders of that city shall take a heifer, which has not been worked with, and which has not pulled in the yoke; 4. And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer to a rough ravine, which is neither plowed nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer’s neck there in the ravine; 5. And the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near; for them the Lord your God has chosen to minister to him, and to bless in the name of the Lord; and by their word shall every controversy and every assault be tried; 6. And all the elders of that city, which is nearest to the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley; 7. And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, nor have our eyes seen it. 8. Be merciful, O Lord, to your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and lay not innocent blood to your People of Israel’s charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them. 9. So shall you put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when you shall do that which is right in the sight of the Lord. Deuteronomy Chapter 21 1-9

The law of egla arufa was instituted as a ritual of responsibility when a murder takes place. A lifeless body is found in a field, and the text of the Torah outlines the halachic responsibility, determined by a ritualistic measuring of the proximity to the scene of the crime.

The Talmud stresses that the Torah law has a moral component, requiring introspection. Moral responsibility is what should be measured: “What could the town have done to prevent the murder?” This is what the leadership should be taking stock of. In fact, in Talmudic literature, the egla arufa is used in a dramatic speech in a case in which the actual application of the halacha was precluded, being that the victim was not quite dead yet, and the perpetrator was known:

תלמוד בבלי מסכת יומא דף כג עמוד א
תנו רבנן: מעשה בשני כהנים שהיו שניהן שוין ורצין ועולין בכבש, קדם אחד מהן לתוך ארבע אמות של חבירו - נטל סכין ותקע לו בלבו. עמד רבי צדוק על מעלות האולם, ואמר: אחינו בית ישראל שמעו! הרי הוא אומר )דברים כא( כי ימצא חלל באדמה ויצאו זקניך ושפטיך, אנו על מי להביא עגלה ערופה? על העיר או על העזרות? געו כל העם בבכיה. בא אביו של תינוק ומצאו כשהוא מפרפר. אמר: הרי הוא כפרתכם, ועדיין בני מפרפר... וירושלים בת אתויי עגלה ערופה היא? והתניא: עשרה דברים נאמרו בירושלים, וזו אחת מהן:]דף כג עמוד ב[אינה מביאה עגלה ערופה. ועוד: )דברים כא( לא נודע מי הכהו כתיב - והא נודע מי הכהו. אלא כדי להרבות בבכיה.
Our Rabbis taught: It once happened that two priests were equal as they ran to mount the ramp and when one of them came first within four cubits of the altar, the other took a knife and thrust it into his heart. R. Zadok stood upon the steps of the Hall and called out: “Our brethren of the House of Israel, hear ye! Behold it says: ‘If one be found slain in the land…’ On whose behalf shall we bring the egla arufa, on behalf of the city or of the Temple Courts?’ The entire People wept. Then the father of this young priest came and found him in the throes of death. He said, ‘Here is your atonement, and my son is not yet dead…’ But does [the community of] Jerusalem bring an egla arufa? Surely it has been taught: Ten things were said concerning Jerusalem and this is one of them — it does not bring an egla arufa. Furthermore (Devarim 21): ‘And it is not known who has smitten him,’ - but here it is known who has smitten him! Rather, [R’ Zadok’s question was rhetorical] to increase the weeping. (Talmud Bavli Yoma 23a)

Given the near-murder almost perpetrated upon Yosef, the reference to egla arufa is chilling. Yosef seems to be calling for a careful measurement of responsibility; is he blaming his father? Is he blaming his brothers? Or is Yosef asking all involved to take the required steps and find the responsible party?

The Depth of Hevron
While this explanation may be compelling, most commentaries prefer a more technical association, with a particular law derived from egla arufa: One of the legal responsibilities which emerge from this law is the obligation to accompany a guest out of one’s home and send them off with provisions for their journey.[8] Numerous commentaries see the allusion to egla arufa as Yosef’s way of reassuring his father that he was not to be blamed for what had happened: Yaakov had, indeed, fulfilled his halachic obligation by accompanying Yosef to the Hevron city limits.[9] When Yosef attempted to persuade his father to return home, Yaakov taught him the law of egla arufa, and the importance of accompanying someone at the outset of a journey.

The backdrop for this explanation is a subtle term used as Yosef is sent on his mission:

ספר בראשית פרק לז
(יג) וַיֹּאמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל יוֹסֵף הֲלוֹא אַחֶיךָ רֹעִים בִּשְׁכֶם לְכָה וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ אֲלֵיהֶם וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ הִנֵּנִי:(יד) וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ לֶךְ נָא רְאֵה אֶת שְׁלוֹם אַחֶיךָ וְאֶת שְׁלוֹם הַצֹּאן וַהֲשִׁבֵנִי דָּבָר וַיִּשְׁלָחֵהוּ מֵעֵמֶק חֶבְרוֹן וַיָּבֹא שְׁכֶמָה:
13. And Israel said to Yosef, ‘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’. 14. And he said to him, ‘Go, I beg you, see whether it is well with your brothers, and well with the flocks; and bring me word.’ So he sent him out from the valley of Hevron, and he came to Shechem.

Hevron, the town where Yaakov now lives, is situated up in the hills. Why, then, does the text say that Yaakov sent him from the “valley of Hevron”? This curious phrase is what leads some commentators[10] to understand that Yaakov accompanied Yosef down from the hill area, walking with him out of city limits, where he taught him the law of egla arufa.

Interestingly, Rashi’s comments on this verse take a different approach. “Valley” is seen to denote spiritual, rather than geographical or topographical depth. In Rashi’s comments on this verse, the valley relates to something deep (amok) in Hevron, specifically the Covenant between God and someone who now lies buried deep in Hevron: Avraham. This Covenant spelled out the impending exile, slavery and eventual salvation,[11] and at the very moment that Yosef is sent along his way, the elements are in place for the exile to begin. While Yaakov surely thought that Yosef was traveling northward toward Shechem, little did he know that Yosef was in actuality heading south. The time had arrived for the Divine plan to be set in motion, and nothing would hold it back. The Covenant would be fulfilled. Exile was now beginning.

Yaakov, for his part, was none too keen to see this part of Jewish history come to fruition at this particular juncture. Just prior to Yosef’s departure, we are told that Yaakov had finally settled down. Understandably, after a life full of twists and turns and too much “excitement”, Yaakov hoped for some peace and quiet.[12]

Commenting on the words, “These are the generations of Yaakov,” Rashi tells us that the destinies of Yaakov and Yosef were intertwined. Rashi concludes with an additional comment: Yaakov wished to settle in tranquility, and he was “ambushed” by the anger of (the) Yosef (episode). Yaakov wanted peace, but the vicissitudes of his life were enough for many lifetimes. He would have been happy to put the next chapter on hold, to slow the pace of events, to wait a bit. The next chapter was exile, and the Talmud tells us that Yaakov was supposed to be actively involved:

תלמוד בבלי מסכת שבת דף פט/ב
אמר רבי חייא בר אבא אמר רבי יוחנן ראוי היה יעקב אבינו לירד למצרים בשלשלאות של ברזל אלא שזכותו גרמה לו דכתיב בחבלי אדם אמשכם בעבותות אהבה ואהיה להם כמרימי עול על לחיהם ואט אליו אוכיל:
R. Hiyya b. Abba said in R. Yohanan's name: It would have been fitting for our father Yaakov to go down into Egypt in iron chains, but his merit spared him, for it is written, ‘I drew them with the cords of a man, with bands of love; and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat before them.

Yaakov was meant to descend in iron chains,[13] but instead he arrived on a royal convoy, with love in his heart, anticipating the reunion with his son.[14] Be that as it may,[15] he was now in Egypt and the exile could begin. The seeds of the Covenant, from the depths of Hevron, had begun to take root.

Unlike Yaakov, Yosef is not spared. Their destinies are linked; even if Yaakov looks away from his historic role at this juncture, Yosef must fulfill it instead. It is Yosef who is brought down to Egypt in shalshela’ot barzel, iron chains.

The Ariza”l teaches that barzel (spelled bet resh zayin lamed) is an acronym of Bilah Rachel Zilpah and Leah, the mothers of the 12 tribes. The implication is that had Yaakov come in chains of barzel, his family would have been united, they would have come together as one. Instead they come via the hatred of Yosef, fractured.

For the Jewish People, the Egyptian experience is known as the smelting furnace (cor barzel),[16] a place where Jewish character was distilled, refined, where impurities were burned off. The number of times the Torah instructs us to remember that we were slaves in Egypt is almost too many to count[17]. The Egypt experience creates morals as an imperative, and we are given no choice in the matter.[18] Perhaps this is why it was appropriate that the sojourn in Egypt began in chains of iron.

Aside from building Jewish character, the mystics[19] saw the purpose of exile as the liberation of holy souls trapped in non-Jewish bodies. The goal of the Exile in Egypt was liberation - of the Jews as well as the souls of some non-Jews. That may be the reason that Moshe took out the mixed multitude, yet that seems to have had negative results.

The Arizal,[20] commenting on Yaakov’s blessing to Yosef, makes reference to Rabbi Akiva, whose was skinned alive by the Romans, who used “combs of iron” - barzel. According to tradition Akiva is one of those holy souls that makes his way over to Judaism.[21] While the barzel is used to kill, Rabbi Akiva accepts his role. He accepts his chains. He is ready for the next chapter to unfold. He teaches his students the importance of love and ethics, and embraces his role in history. He is Akiva ben Yosef, he is a son of Yosef, and the name Akiva is an alternate form of Yaakov. He is Akiva the son of Yosef, accepting the role thrust upon Yosef by Yaakov’s desire for tranquility. He embraces the barzel.

Had the descent to Egypt taken place in an atmosphere of love, as one united family, perhaps the results would have been different. The Exile had indeed been fore-told, but the cruelty, the death, the despair, were not necessarily preordained. Instead, jealousy and discord lead them down to Egypt. One brother was rejected, almost killed. Had they had enough love for one another, they would have come to Egypt as a galvanized spiritual force. They would have been capable of uplifting the holy souls that were lost in Egypt. Perhaps it was the lack of love that Yosef was referring to when he made mention of the egla arufah.

When the Torah speaks of the egla arufah, the role of the Kohanim is stressed alongside the role of the Elders. The Tribe of Levi are singled out as peacemakers:

“And the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near; for them the Lord your God has chosen to minister to him, and to bless in the name of the Lord; and by their word shall every controversy and every assault be tried.”

Not only is their mandate the creation of peace, they are described here as those who bless in the name of God. As we know, the essence of the Priestly Blessing is peace, and before bestowing this blessing upon the congregation, the Kohanim invoke their mandate to bless the People of Israel with love. Ironically, it is the sons of Levi (together with Shimon) who fight against and annihilate every last inhabitant of the city of Shechem. Moreover, they are identified as the instigators of the plan to kill Yosef.[22] What a long way they come to symbolize brotherly love and responsibility! In the case of the egla arufa ceremony, God Himself inserts the Kohanim into the equation; it is they, specifically, whom the Torah commands to take a role, to take responsibility. We can only surmise the extent that Yosef’s near-murder at the hands of his brothers impacts the egla arufa ceremony.

The path taken to Egypt was one of hatred, jealousy and deceit. Far from unified in love, the tribes were guilty of hate.

Perhaps a little more love could have made a huge difference.
[1] Perhaps this is the meaning of the passage in Moaz Zur which refers to Egypt as Malchut Egla. However, see Yirmiyahu 46:20, and see Netiv Bina, R’ Yissachar Yaacobson, vol. 2, p. 373 who associates Egla with calf.
[2] See Daat Zikanim L’Baalie Tosfot 45:27
דעת זקנים מבעלי התוספות על בראשית פרק מה פסוק כז
וקשה לשני הפירושים לפרש עגלות לשון עגלה.
[3] See Rashi on Sh’mot 32:4,where the emergence of the Golden Calf from the smelted gold is associated with Yosef:
רש"י שמות פרק לב
עגל מסכה - כיון שהשליכו לכור, באו מכשפי ערב רב שעלו עמהם ממצרים ועשאוהו בכשפים ויש אומרים מיכה היה שם שיצא מתוך דמוסי בנין שנתמעך בו במצרים, והיה בידו שם, וטס שכתב בו משה עלה שור, עלה שור, להעלות ארונו של יוסף מתוך נילוס, והשליכו לתוך הכור ויצא העגל:
[4] See Melachim 1 12:28 where Yerovam makes not one but two Golden Calves, in an attempt to create a pagan alternative to Jerusalem.
ספר מלכים א פרק יב
(כח) וַיִּוָּעַץ הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיַּעַשׂ שְׁנֵי עֶגְלֵי זָהָב וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם רַב לָכֶם מֵעֲלוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַם הִנֵּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלוּךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם:
(כט) וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת הָאֶחָד בְּבֵית אֵל וְאֶת הָאֶחָד נָתַן בְּדָן:
[5] For example see Midrash Sechel Tov (Buber edition) chapter 37 section 13
שכל טוב (בובר) בראשית פרק לז ד"ה יג) ויאמר ישראל
יג) ויאמר ישראל אל יוסף. שנשאר בבית אצלו ועוסק בתורה עמו, ואותו שעה היו עוסקין בענין עגלה ערופה, וכן אנו עתידין לדרוש בוירא את העגלות אשר שלח יוסף (בראשית מה כז): הלוא. מלא ו', כבר דרשנו: הלא אחיך רועים בשכם לכה ואשלחך אליהם ויאמר לו הנני.
[6] See Rashi’s commentary to Bereishit 33:20
רש"י על בראשית פרק לג פסוק כ
ואני ליישב פשוטו של מקרא באתי
[7] See comments of the Kli Yakar 45:27 who expresses amazement at Rashi’s apparently uncharacteristic commentary to this verse.
כלי יקר על בראשית פרק מה פסוק כז
ופירושו רחוק מאוד וכי דרכו של רש"י להוציא המקרא מפשוטו לגמרי, שהרי הכתוב אומר אשר שלח יוסף לשאת אותו, ועוד עגלות למה לי די בעגלה אחת:
Later in his commentary Kli Yakar offers an alternative explanation of Rashi.
[8] See Rashi Dvarim 21:7, based on Talmud Bavli Sotah 45b
רש"י על דברים פרק כא פסוק ז
(ז) ידינו לא שפכה - וכי עלתה על לב שזקני בית דין שופכי דמים הם אלא לא ראינוהו ופטרנוהו בלא מזונות ובלא לויה. הכהנים אומרים כפר לעמך ישראל:
[9] See comments of Hizkuni 45:27
חזקוני על בראשית פרק מה פסוק כז
אשר שלח יוסף - אמר יעקב לא היה מוציא בני עלי יציאות על חנם לטרוח ולהביא כמה עגלות אם לא היה בני. כאן פרש"י סימן מסר להם במה היה עוסק ושפירש ממנו בעגלה ערופה, וא"ת מה סימן הוא זה אלא אביו ליוהו כדמתרגמינן וישלחהו מעמק חברון ואלויה אמר לו יוסף לאביו חזור בך אמר לו בני גדולה לויה שעתידה פרשת עגלה ערופה שנוספה בתורה, כדכתיב ידנו לא שפכה את הדם וכי תעלה על דעתך שסנהדרין הורגין אלא לא פטרנוהו בלא מזון ובלא לויה, וסימן בחון הוא שלא היה יודע בו אלא אביו והוא. וי"מ שבאותן עגלות ששלח היו בהן עגלות למשוך אותם ובכך היה סי' שהלשון נופל על הלשון כמו ששנינו עגלה המושכת בקרון פסולה לעגלה ערופה, והוכחה יש בדבר דכתיב אשר שלח על פי פרעה וכי צריך היה יוסף שהיה שליט ליטול רשות לשלוח עגלות לאביו אלא מהעגלות היה צריך ליטול רשות שאין פרה וחזירה יוצאה משם אלא אם כן ניטלה האם שלה בשביל שלא תלד ועגלות אלו שלח יוסף שלמות על פי פרעה.
[10] See Hizkuni op cit. who cites the Targum as translating “he sent” as “he accompanied”. This translation is not in Targum Unkolus 37:14 or Targum pseudo Yonatan, see Rabbi Menachem M. Kasher in Torah Shelyama page 1411 note 107, where he cites others who have the same tradition and a possible source.
[11] See Rashi Berishit 37:14, based on Talmud Bavli Sotah 11a.
רש"י בראשית פרק לז פסוק יד
(יד) מעמק חברון - והלא חברון בהר, שנאמר (במדבר יג כב) ויעלו בנגב ויבא עד חברון, אלא מעצה עמוקה של [אותו] צדיק הקבור בחברון, לקיים מה שנאמר לאברהם בין הבתרים (לעיל טו יג) כי גר יהיה זרעך:
[12] See my book Explorations Parshat Vayeshev, where I cite a teaching from Rabbi Soloveitchik, that Yaakov had thought that the details of the Covenant with Avraham had already been fulfilled through Yaakov’s own exile in the house of Lavan.
[13] See comments of Bat Ayin parshat Vayeshev, who connects Yaakov’s desire for tranquility, with his potential destiny of descending in chains.
ספר בת עין - פרשת וישב
ולפרש זה, על פי מאמר חז"ל (ע' בר"ר פו ב), ראוי היה יעקב אבינו לירד למצרים בשלשלאות של ברזל, וגלגל הקב"ה את הדבר על ידי יוסף וירד בכבוד גדול למצרים. ולפי"ז נפרש שבוודאי רצון יראיו יעשה, ויעקב ידע שהוא ראוי לירד למצרים בשלשלאות של ברזל, בבחינת גלות על פי סיבה הידוע להבורא ב"ה, ולכן ביקש יעקב לישב בשלוה, היינו פירוש שהתפלל מה' שישב בשלוה, וה' ברוב רחמיו עושה רצון יראיו וגלגל הדבר שתקפוץ עליו רוגזו של יוסף כדי שירד למצרים בכבוד:
[14] The Midrash Tehilim, Psalm 105, brings the opinion that Yaakov was to come down in chains, and then adds that this is comparable to the parable: If you want a cow, first bring the calf – the cow will follow. It is interesting that it uses a calf (egla) in the analogy.
מדרש תהילים מזמור קה
ויקרא רעב על הארץ. אמר רבי יהודה בר נחמן בשם רבי שמעון בן לקיש, ראוי היה יעקב לירד למצרים בשלשלאות של ברזל ובקולרין, ועשה לו הקב"ה כמה עלילות וכמה מנגנאות ונמכר יוסף למצרים כדי לירד. ויקרא רעב על הארץ, וכל כך למה, (שם מו, ו) ויבא יעקב מצרימה. אמר ר' פנחס הכהן בר חמא, משל לפרה אחת שהיו רוצין למשוך אותה למקולין שלה ולא היתה נמשכת. מה עשו, משכו בנה תחלה והיתה רצה אחריו. כך עשה הקב"ה מנגנאות, שעשו אחי יוסף כל אותן הדברים כדי שירדו למצרים גם כן כדי שירד גם יעקב, שנאמר (הושע יא, ד) בחבלי אדם אמשכם:
[15] See comments of the Siftei Cohen 37:14
שפתי כהן על בראשית פרק לז פסוק כח
עוד יש לומר שנתרצית כדי שירד יעקב בכבוד כמו שאמרו ז"ל (שבת פ"ט ע"ב) עתיד היה יעקב לירד בשלשלאות של ברזל לזה נשתתפה עמהם ולא נתגלה הדבר ליעקב כדי שירד בכבוד:
[16] Devarim 4:20, 1 Melachim 8:51, Yirmiyahu 11:4
[17] In fact, the exact number is 36 times!
[18] See Megale Amukot on Parshat Vayeshev, who links the furnace of steel, with the chains of steel, with Yaakov’s desire for tranquility, and the cow following the calf (egel) to Egypt.
ספר מגלה עמוקות על התורה - פרשת וישב
וישב יעקב ראוי הי' אבינו יעקב לירד בשלשלאות של ברזל. וקשה התחיל בשלשלאות של ברזל והביא ראי' מפסוק (הושע יא) בחבלי אדם אמשכם היה לו לומר ראוי היה למשוך בחבלים אבל הענין נרמז כאן חטא של גלות מצרים הוא בא מן אדה"ר ולפי שיעקב תיקונו ושופריה של אדה"ר היה לכן היה ראוי לירד להוציא אותם מכור הברזל שהי' מצרים כור של ברזל לכן המשיל במדרש משל לנפח ז"ש בחבלי אד"ם ר"ל החבל ושלשלת קשור מן אדם הראשון וזה קדם הירידה ליעקב דווקא שהוא שופרי' דאדם (משלי ה') ובחבלי חטאתו יתמוך (תהלים קיט) חבלי רשעים עודני הקב"ה עשה (תהלים יו) חבלים נפלו לי בנעימים (דברים לב) יעקב חבל נחלתו (שמואל י) חבל נביאים (תהלים יו) אף נחלת שפרה עלי ר"ל לפי שיונק יוסף מן יצחק ק"ץ ח"י עלמין כשישב יעקב בארץ מגורי אביו קפץ עליו רוגזו של יוסף קפץ באף לא אמר חטאו של יוסף אבל רמז רוגזו של יוסף הוא סוד יניקת יוסף מן רוגזו של יצחק (קהלת ב) אף חכמתי עמדה לי דרז"ל חכמתי שלמדתי באף עמדה לי וכן אני אומר שאמר יעקב אף נחלת ר"ל נחלת יוסף שהיא נוטה קצת לאף שפרה עלי כי לטובתו נשברה רגל פרתו ר"ל בן פורת יוסף שראוי הי' יעקב לירד בשלשלאות וגרמה זכות שבא לשם ע"י פרות שחלם לפרעה לכן מדמה במדרש משל לפרה שרוצים לשחוט אותה בבית המטבחיים שלוקחין העגל והיא תבא אחריה וכן (ירמי' מז) עגלה יפיפיה מצרים שירדו למצרים כדמיון עגל ז"ש אף נחלת ראוי' הי' באף רק זכות שפרה עלי קרי בי' פרה. ע"י פרה בא לשם ולפי שמצרים הוא כו"ר הברז"ל שכן מלך מצרים עולה הכי וישלחהו מעמ"ק חברו"ן ג"כ נתאמץ מענין י' פ' אהי"ה שהוא מנין עמ"ק וי"פ הוי"ה מנין חבר"ן ושניהם יחד עולים כו"ר הברז"ל והוא סוד וישאו עיניהם והנה נושאים נכא"ת הוא ג"כ שניהם יחד עולים כו"ר הברז"ל עם הכולל שניהם יחד וכן נכא"ת עולה אהי"ה וי"פ הוי"ה במילוי אלפין:
[19] See Pri HaAretz Vayigash
ספר פרי הארץ - פרשת ויגש
הנה ארז"ל במדרש (ב"ר פו, א) וש"ס (שבת פט ע"ב) ראוי היה יעקב אבינו לירד בשלשלאות של ברזל למצרים אלא וכו' ומשל בהמה שמוליכין אותה למקולין ואינה רוצה לילך מושכין אותה בחבל ע"ש. הנה המשל הוא הוראת ענין ירידת יעקב ובניו למצרים בכדי להעלות נצוצות הקדושות ממצרים כידוע על פסוק (שמות יב, לו) וינצלו את מצרים כתרגומו ורוקינו, ואמרו רז"ל (ברכות ט ע"ב) כמצודה שאין בה דגים.
[20] Sefer Haliquitim Vayeshev chapter 48
ספר הליקוטים - פרשת וישב - פרק מח
אמר ב"פ פורת, א' על יוסף וא' על ר' עקיבא. ורומז על מיתתו, בפ' וימררוהו ורובו, שסרקו את בשרו במסרקות של ברזל. וזה על כי וישטמוהו בעלי חצים, שנעשו הקליפות בעלים לעשר טיפות שיצאו מעשר אצבעותיו, והם זרועי ידיו. מידי אביר יעקב, נרמז על ר' עקיבא. משם רועה אבן ישראל, שהשיג למעלה מבחינת מרע"ה, והבן. ע"כ:
[21] Most likely his father had converted.
[22] Rashi Bereishit 49:5
רש"י על בראשית פרק מט פסוק ה
(ה) שמעון ולוי אחים - בעצה אחת על שכם ועל יוסף ויאמרו איש אל אחיו וגו' ועתה לכו ונהרגהו. מי הם א"ת ראובן או יהודה הרי לא הסכימו בהריגתו א"ת בני השפחות הרי לא היתה שנאתן שלימה שנא' והוא נער את בני בלהה ואת בני זלפה וגו' יששכר וזבולן לא היו מדברים בפני אחיהם הגדולים מהם על כרחך שמעון ולוי הם שקראם אביהם אחים:

Parshat Miketz 5769

Parshat Miketz 5769
Of Spies and Thieves

© 2008 Rabbi Ari Kahn

The Trap
After a series of strange negotiations and reversals of fortunes, the brothers of Yosef have procured food, and are finally united and on their way home to their father. The performance of what they had first thought to be a simple task - buying food - turned out to be impossibly difficult. It resulted in threats, arrests, incarceration and what seemed at the outset as unimaginable horror. But this is all behind them – they are free, mission accomplished. Shimon is with them, Binyamin is with them, once again they are united; they are whole. At least they think they are united. There is one more brother who is still unaccounted for. He is apparently not on their minds, and soon the illusion of a peaceful trip home, with all their trials and tribulations behind them, will be shattered -- with a vengeance.

Yosef sends off a messenger with the following instructions:

בראשית פרק מד
(א) וַיְצַו אֶת אֲשֶׁר עַל בֵּיתוֹ לֵאמֹר מַלֵּא אֶת אַמְתְּחֹת הָאֲנָשִׁים אֹכֶל כַּאֲשֶׁר יוּכְלוּן שְׂאֵת וְשִׂים כֶּסֶף אִישׁ בְּפִי אַמְתַּחְתּוֹ:(ב) וְאֶת גְּבִיעִי גְּבִיעַ הַכֶּסֶף תָּשִׂים בְּפִי אַמְתַּחַת הַקָּטֹן וְאֵת כֶּסֶף שִׁבְרוֹ וַיַּעַשׂ כִּדְבַר יוֹסֵף אֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר:(ג) הַבֹּקֶר אוֹר וְהָאֲנָשִׁים שֻׁלְּחוּ הֵמָּה וַחֲמֹרֵיהֶם:(ד) הֵם יָצְאוּ אֶת הָעִיר לֹא הִרְחִיקוּ וְיוֹסֵף אָמַר לַאֲשֶׁר עַל בֵּיתוֹ קוּם רְדֹף אַחֲרֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים וְהִשַּׂגְתָּם וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם לָמָּה שִׁלַּמְתֶּם רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה:(ה) הֲלוֹא זֶה אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁתֶּה אֲדֹנִי בּוֹ וְהוּא נַחֵשׁ יְנַחֵשׁ בּוֹ הֲרֵעֹתֶם אֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתֶם:(ו) וַיַּשִּׂגֵם וַיְדַבֵּר אֲלֵהֶם אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה:
1. And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth.2. And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his grain money. And he did as Yosef had spoken.3. As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.4. And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Yosef said to his steward, Arise, follow after the men; and when you do overtake them, say to them, Why have you repaid evil for good?5. Is not this the cup from which my lord drinks, and whereby indeed he divines? You have done evil in so doing.6. And he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words. (Bereishit 44)

No Crime; Why Punishment?
The brothers reply with self-righteous indignation: they are innocent and can prove it from their previous behavior.
בראשית פרק מד
(ז) וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו לָמָּה יְדַבֵּר אֲדֹנִי כַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה חָלִילָה לַעֲבָדֶיךָ מֵעֲשׂוֹת כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה:
(ח) הֵן כֶּסֶף אֲשֶׁר מָצָאנוּ בְּפִי אַמְתְּחֹתֵינוּ הֱשִׁיבֹנוּ אֵלֶיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן וְאֵיךְ נִגְנֹב מִבֵּית אֲדֹנֶיךָ כֶּסֶף אוֹ זָהָב:
7. And they said to him, Why did my lord say these words? God forbid that your servants should do such a thing; 8. Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan; how then should we steal from your lord’s house silver or gold? (Bereishit 44)

Their strategy is strange. Why, in an attempt to prove their innocence, would they dredge up a previous charge of larceny against them? They run the risk of actually reinforcing the suspicions against them: In light of this latest episode, the previous charge could now be re-opened and reinterpreted, and their guilt established. They note that they had returned the money that was found in their grain-sacks when they returned home, yet this proves nothing: The fact that they returned the money may have been an act of pragmatism, enabling them to purchase more food despite having earlier left their account in arrears.

The brothers continue to defend themselves, but the next line of reasoning, while noble and dramatic, might easily bear dire consequences.

בראשית פרק מד
(ט) אֲשֶׁר יִמָּצֵא אִתּוֹ מֵעֲבָדֶיךָ וָמֵת וְגַם אֲנַחְנוּ נִהְיֶה לַאדֹנִי לַעֲבָדִים:
9. If any of your servants is found to have it, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.

Quite remarkably, they make the most bizarre offer: Death to the perpetrator, enslavement for the rest - extreme punishment for the guilty and the innocent alike. The counter-offer is equally strange: While the emissary appears to accept their offer, he actually downgrades the punishments. The death sentence is removed from the table, the innocent will go free, and only the guilty party will be enslaved:
בראשית פרק מד
(י) וַיֹּאמֶר גַּם עַתָּה כְדִבְרֵיכֶם כֶּן הוּא אֲשֶׁר יִמָּצֵא אִתּוֹ יִהְיֶה לִּי עָבֶד וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ נְקִיִּם:(יא) וַיְמַהֲרוּ וַיּוֹרִדוּ אִישׁ אֶת אַמְתַּחְתּוֹ אָרְצָה וַיִּפְתְּחוּ אִישׁ אַמְתַּחְתּוֹ:(יב) וַיְחַפֵּשׂ בַּגָּדוֹל הֵחֵל וּבַקָּטֹן כִּלָּה וַיִּמָּצֵא הַגָּבִיעַ בְּאַמְתַּחַת בִּנְיָמִן:(יג) וַיִּקְרְעוּ שִׂמְלֹתָם וַיַּעֲמֹס אִישׁ עַל חֲמֹרוֹ וַיָּשֻׁבוּ הָעִירָה:(יד) וַיָּבֹא יְהוּדָה וְאֶחָיו בֵּיתָה יוֹסֵף וְהוּא עוֹדֶנּוּ שָׁם וַיִּפְּלוּ לְפָנָיו אָרְצָה:(טו) וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם יוֹסֵף מָה הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתֶם הֲלוֹא יְדַעְתֶּם כִּי נַחֵשׁ יְנַחֵשׁ אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר כָּמֹנִי:(טז) וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוּדָה מַה נֹּאמַר לַאדֹנִי מַה נְּדַבֵּר וּמַה נִּצְטַדָּק הָאֱלֹהִים מָצָא אֶת עֲוֹן עֲבָדֶיךָ הִנֶּנּוּ עֲבָדִים לַאדֹנִי גַּם אֲנַחְנוּ גַּם אֲשֶׁר נִמְצָא הַגָּבִיעַ בְּיָדוֹ:
10. And he said, Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and you shall be blameless.11. Then each of them quickly took down his sack to the ground, and each of them opened his sack.12. And he searched, and began at the eldest, and ended at the youngest; and the cup was found in Binyamin’s sack.13. Then they tore their clothes, and each of them loaded his ass, and returned to the city.14. And Yehuda and his brothers came to Yosef’s house; for he was yet there; and they fell before him on the ground.15. And Yosef said to them, What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can certainly divine?16. And Yehuda said, What shall we say to my lord, what shall we speak, or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found. (Bereishit 44)

When the cup is found in the sack of Binyamin, again the brothers increase the punishment. Rather than punishment for the “guilty party” alone, as the steward had suggested, the brothers now increase the punishment and suggest that all of them become slaves. They are rebuffed: Yosef gives them a lesson in morality, explaining that only the guilty should suffer. In words that echo his great-grandfather Avraham, he says it is unjust for the innocent to be punished with the wicked.

בראשית פרק מד
(יז) וַיֹּאמֶר חָלִילָה לִּי מֵעֲשׂוֹת זֹאת הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר נִמְצָא הַגָּבִיעַ בְּיָדוֹ הוּא יִהְיֶה לִּי עָבֶד וְאַתֶּם עֲלוּ לְשָׁלוֹם אֶל אֲבִיכֶם:
17. And he said, God forbid that I should do so; but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, go up in peace to your father. (Bereishit 44)

Yehuda then delivers a soliloquy, recounting history and finally offering his own imprisonment, instead of Binyamin. It would seem that Yehuda could have arrived at this result with much less fuss had he actually wanted it: he could have taken the blame for stealing the goblet from the moment it was discovered, thereby exonerating Binyamin. Yehuda was surely a more likely culprit, having been present at both episodes, while Binyamin was only present at the second meeting.

בראשית פרק מד
(יח) וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלָיו יְהוּדָה וַיֹּאמֶר בִּי אֲדֹנִי יְדַבֶּר נָא עַבְדְּךָ דָבָר בְּאָזְנֵי אֲדֹנִי וְאַל יִחַר אַפְּךָ בְּעַבְדֶּךָ כִּי כָמוֹךָ כְּפַרְעֹה:
(לב) כִּי עַבְדְּךָ עָרַב אֶת הַנַּעַר מֵעִם אָבִי לֵאמֹר אִם לֹא אֲבִיאֶנּוּ אֵלֶיךָ וְחָטָאתִי לְאָבִי כָּל הַיָּמִים:(לג) וְעַתָּה יֵשֶׁב נָא עַבְדְּךָ תַּחַת הַנַּעַר עֶבֶד לַאדֹנִי וְהַנַּעַר יַעַל עִם אֶחָיו:
18. Then Yehuda came near to him, and said, Oh my lord, let your servant, I beg you, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant; for you are as Pharaoh….33. Now therefore, I beg you, let your servant remain, instead of the lad, a slave to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brothers.34. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that shall come on my father. (Bereishit 44)

Negotiations?
The entire episode seems like a wonderful lesson in how not to negotiate. We might better understand the brothers’ conduct in this scene if we are sensitive to their spiritual or religious needs: They are not negotiating, they are seeking punishment. They are consumed with feelings of guilt for a crime they committed many years ago – the sale of Yosef. It is this guilt they express. Ironically, the one brother not involved in any way with that earlier crime is Binyamin, which makes his entanglement in this episode confusing. Be that as it may, the brothers have perpetrated a crime and are now seeking punishment. They are prepared to be enslaved.

Yehuda’s words lead Yosef to reveal his identity, bringing the story to its bittersweet conclusion. The family is reunited, but in Egypt, where slavery will soon begin. Moreover, their guilt in the sale of Yosef hovers over the brothers for the rest of their days.

Spies?
This interaction is not the first strange, nearly-incomprehensible dialogue between Yosef and his brothers. When they meet after many years of separation, Yosef recognizes them immediately, but they see only an aristocratic Egyptian. The conversation is obscure:

בראשית פרק מב
(ז) וַיַּרְא יוֹסֵף אֶת אֶחָיו וַיַּכִּרֵם וַיִּתְנַכֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם וַיְדַבֵּר אִתָּם קָשׁוֹת וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם מֵאַיִן בָּאתֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ מֵאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לִשְׁבָּר אֹכֶל:(ח) וַיַּכֵּר יוֹסֵף אֶת אֶחָיו וְהֵם לֹא הִכִּרֻהוּ:(ט) וַיִּזְכֹּר יוֹסֵף אֵת הַחֲלֹמוֹת אֲשֶׁר חָלַם לָהֶם וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם מְרַגְּלִים אַתֶּם לִרְאוֹת אֶת עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ בָּאתֶם:(י) וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו לֹא אֲדֹנִי וַעֲבָדֶיךָ בָּאוּ לִשְׁבָּר אֹכֶל:(יא) כֻּלָּנוּ בְּנֵי אִישׁ אֶחָד נָחְנוּ כֵּנִים אֲנַחְנוּ לֹא הָיוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ מְרַגְּלִים:(יב) וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם לֹא כִּי עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ בָּאתֶם לִרְאוֹת:
7. And Yosef saw his brothers, and he knew them, but made himself strange to them, and spoke roughly to them; and he said to them, From where do you come? They said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.8. And Yosef knew his brothers, but they did not know him.9. And Yosef remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said to them, You are spies; to see the nakedness of the land you have come.10. And they said to him, No, my lord, your servants came to buy food.11. We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men, your servants are no spies.12. And he said to them, No, to see the nakedness of the land you have come. (Bereishit 42)

We gather that Yosef was less than overjoyed to see the people who had so mistreated him. He feigns ignorance of their identity and, remembering his dreams, accuses them of being spies. Of course, they deny the charge, yet he repeats it. He insists that in fact the brothers are spies. They interject with what seems like irrelevant information and explain that they are all brothers.

בראשית פרק מב
(יג) וַיֹּאמְרוּ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר עֲבָדֶיךָ אַחִים אֲנַחְנוּ בְּנֵי אִישׁ אֶחָד בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן וְהִנֵּה הַקָּטֹן אֶת אָבִינוּ הַיּוֹם וְהָאֶחָד אֵינֶנּוּ:(יד) וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יוֹסֵף הוּא אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֲלֵכֶם לֵאמֹר מְרַגְּלִים אַתֶּם:
13. And they said, Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is absent.14. And Yosef said to them, That is what I spoke to you, saying, You are spies.

Yosef counters that this is exactly what he meant. The give and take is strange: What is the proper response to charges of this nature? The exchange is unclear. If we succeed in deciphering this passage, we may then gain insight into Yosef’s thoughts, his motivation, his plan.

The Missing Brother
The easiest explanation is that in fact none of the dialogue makes sense: Yosef has decided to take revenge, and their attempts to defend or explain themselves are futile. Whatever they would say would be useless in the face of Yosef’s power to entrap them. As readers, then, we should not look for deeper meaning in the dialogue.

Yet everything we know from the preceding narrative, everything we have learned about Yosef’s personality, indicates that he is neither impetuous nor whimsical. He is a visionary; he considers long-term consequences and implications. When he resists the seductive advances of his master’s wife, conquering momentary passion, he displays self-restraint that we might expect to see again in this new scenario. And when he meets Pharoh, he does not merely explain the monarch’s dreams, he proceeds to formulate a fourteen-year economic plan, which will rescue the Egyptian economy from drought and recession.

Here, too, when he confronts his brothers, Yosef has a plan. Like a master chess player, he has already thought through all of his moves, their counter moves and his end-game.[1]

Accusing the brothers of espionage may have been a preventive strike: Yosef is aware that his rags-to-riches story is well known in Egypt, and he has thought of the only way of preventing his brothers from hearing the details of his miraculous ascent to power. Once he has accused them of being spies, Yosef effectively prevents his brothers from asking the Egyptians, “Who is this Zafnat Paneach? Where did he come from?” Once they have been charged with spying, such inquiries would effectively prove them guilty, resulting in imprisonment or death. Outflanked, the brothers must now proceed in silence; they cannot ask probing questions about their inquisitioner.

There may be another reason Yosef chooses this particular charge with which to accuse the brothers, and the answer is almost too obvious. When he accuses them of being spies, he inwardly wants them to admit that they are in fact looking for something – or more precisely, for someone: their brother Yosef. Perhaps what Yosef wants more than anything is to hear these words from his brothers: They are searching for him, just as, so many years earlier, when Yosef met an anonymous man in the field who asked him what he was looking for, Yosef responded, “I seek my brothers”. The words echo and haunt us. Despite all the enmity, jealousy and hatred, ultimately Yosef is only seeking out his brothers. He hopes that his brothers will ask the anonymous, unfamiliar man who stands before them, “Have you seen our brother?”

How would the story have ended if the brothers had confided in Zafnat Paneach: “Yes, long ago we had a twelfth brother, who was last seen when he was taken down to Egypt as a slave. Our elderly father thinks that he is dead. We were young and impetuous, and didn’t consider the long term implications of our actions. We didn’t realize that we would break our father’s heart. We didn’t consider the moral and ethical considerations. Now we are indeed searching – not spying. We are looking for something precious, someone whose value we failed to appreciate when he was in our midst. It is our brother we seek.”

Had the brothers admitted to being “spies”, would the charade have continued?

Yosef seems to lead them precisely to this point when he says:

בראשית פרק מב
… וְהָאֶחָד אֵינֶנּוּ:(יד) וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יוֹסֵף הוּא אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֲלֵכֶם לֵאמֹר מְרַגְּלִים אַתֶּם:
…and one is absent.14. And Yosef said to them, That (of He) is what I spoke to you, saying, You are spies;

The accusation of being spies is specifically in regard to the one missing brother! He is telling them, perhaps inwardly pleading with them; “You are looking for your lost brother.” We can image Yosef, his heart racing, hoping, praying, that it is true that the brothers are looking for him. But they shatter that sweet illusion and deny any spying. Therefore, Yosef sets an alternative plan in motion: He seeks to jar their memories. He will force them to remember what they have buried away deep in their collective memories. He will remind them that there was once a twelfth brother, that his name was Yosef – and that Yosef is still looking for his brothers.

So, the alternative plan begins: They are all arrested and thrown into prison. Yosef forces them to relive his own experience, in an attempt to jolt them into recognition. Interestingly, various words are used to describe the imprisonment of Yosef and now the brothers. All of these are connected to the “original sin” of the sale of Yosef, who is cast into a pit by his brothers before he is sold. Later, when Yosef tells his life story to a fellow prisoner, he describes his imprisonment “in the pit”, referring either to the Egyptian prison in which they are languishing, or perhaps the pit into which his brothers cast him – or both (Bereishit 40, 15). When he is released from prison and brought before Pharoh, the narrative describes his release “from the pit” (Bereishit 41:14). Linguistically, thematically, and apparently emotionally, Yosef’s prison experience is linked with his initial indignity - when he was thrown into the pit by his brothers. The brothers’ prison experience, though engineered by Yosef to hark back to his own trauma, is described in different terms. They are placed under guard, but not in the pit.

A few days in prison brings the brothers to a very raw emotional place. Their guilt rises from the subconscious to the forefront of their consciousness, and the conversation finally turns to Yosef:

בראשית פרק מב
(כא) וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו אֲבָל אֲשֵׁמִים אֲנַחְנוּ עַל אָחִינוּ אֲשֶׁר רָאִינוּ צָרַת נַפְשׁוֹ בְּהִתְחַנְנוֹ אֵלֵינוּ וְלֹא שָׁמָעְנוּ עַל כֵּן בָּאָה אֵלֵינוּ הַצָּרָה הַזֹּאת:(כב) וַיַּעַן רְאוּבֵן אֹתָם לֵאמֹר הֲלוֹא אָמַרְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶם לֵאמֹר אַל תֶּחֶטְאוּ בַיֶּלֶד וְלֹא שְׁמַעְתֶּם וְגַם דָּמוֹ הִנֵּה נִדְרָשׁ:
21. And they said one to another, We are truly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.22. And Reuven answered them, saying, Did I not speak to you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and you would not hear? Therefore, behold, also his blood is required.

They remember, and they acknowledge that punishment is due. They accept their guilt and believe they should be punished. Yet they take no action to rectify the situation. They do not make any inquiries regarding Yosef’s fate or whereabouts. They do not admit their wrongdoing to Yaakov.

When all but Shimon are released and their money is returned to their bags, they have no inkling that an additional encounter is being engineered.

Celebration
Eventually, the brothers return to Egypt. The money which they discover in their sacks is returned, and more provisions are purchased. A joyous reunion takes place with their brother who has been absent because he was thrown into prison – Shimon. Yosef watches the brothers rejoice in their regained unity, as they celebrate their family being “whole” again. Of course, there is still one brother missing, one brother unaccounted for, one brother who does not even seem to be missed: Yosef.

They are invited to eat. The last time Yosef saw, or to be more precise, heard his brothers eating was when he was in the pit: They had callously dined while Yosef, stripped of his coat, cried out to them from the pit. Now they eat together, all twelve brothers. Yosef yearns for their companionship, yet they acknowledge neither his absence - nor his presence. Can they still hear his cries? Does it haunt them? Late at night when they try to sleep do they still hear Yosef screaming? Does the image of his being carried away still fill their minds – or is Yosef forgotten?

As far as the brothers are concerned, they are dining with Egyptian royalty, and apparently they get carried away, and allow themselves to eat and drink, and they become inebriated.[2] They have much to celebrate: Their family is whole once again. They are about to go home. They looked forward to putting this entire episode behind them, forgetting all the unpleasantness - just as they forgot Yosef.

Their bags are packed and their money is returned, and Yosef’s goblet surreptitiously placed in the bag of Binyamin. Yosef’s master plan requires that one more episode be relived.

They are on their way, when they are accosted on the road. Their bags are searched, and they are made to feel vulnerable and humiliated. This happened once before, years earlier, when they were young, when they were still one family:
בראשית פרק לא

(כב) וַיֻּגַּד לְלָבָן בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי כִּי בָרַח יַעֲקֹב:(כג) וַיִּקַּח אֶת אֶחָיו עִמּוֹ וַיִּרְדֹּף אַחֲרָיו דֶּרֶךְ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים וַיַּדְבֵּק אֹתוֹ בְּהַר הַגִּלְעָד:
…(לג) וַיָּבֹא לָבָן בְּאֹהֶל יַעֲקֹב וּבְאֹהֶל לֵאָה וּבְאֹהֶל שְׁתֵּי הָאֲמָהֹת וְלֹא מָצָא וַיֵּצֵא מֵאֹהֶל לֵאָה וַיָּבֹא בְּאֹהֶל רָחֵל:(לד) וְרָחֵל לָקְחָה אֶת הַתְּרָפִים וַתְּשִׂמֵם בְּכַר הַגָּמָל וַתֵּשֶׁב עֲלֵיהֶם וַיְמַשֵּׁשׁ לָבָן אֶת כָּל הָאֹהֶל וְלֹא מָצָא:

22. And it was told to Lavan on the third day that Yaakov had fled. 23. And he took his brothers with him, and pursued him seven days’ journey; and they overtook him at Mount Gilead…33. And Lavan went into Yaakov’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the two maidservants’ tents; but he did not find them. Then he went out from Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent.34. Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, and put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat upon them. And Lavan searched all the tent, but did not find them.

When Lavan catches up with Yaakov, he has a long litany of complaints, including:

30. And now that you are surely gone, because you so long for your father’s house, why have you stolen my gods?

Accused of a crime of which he knows of he is innocent, Yaakov makes an unfortunate pronouncement: Death to the culprit!
בראשית פרק לא
(לב) עִם אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא אֶת אֱלֹהֶיךָ לֹא יִחְיֶה נֶגֶד אַחֵינוּ הַכֶּר לְךָ מָה עִמָּדִי וְקַח לָךְ וְלֹא יָדַע יַעֲקֹב כִּי רָחֵל גְּנָבָתַם:
32. With whom you will find your gods, let him not live. Before our brothers point out what I have of yours, and take it with you. For Yaakov did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

Years later, when the brothers recommend a death sentence for the culprit, they are mimicking their father’s response to a similar situation: Yaakov had responded to the theft of Lavan’s idols[3], and the cup which they have been accused of stealing, is reported to be used for “divination”.[4]
The brothers are not negotiating. They are under extreme pressure, and they revert back to a time when they were frightened and vulnerable. They recall their father’s reaction, and respond likewise.

Later, when Yehuda speaks up, he, too, imitates his father’s response to that earlier scene:

בראשית פרק לא
(לו) וַיִּחַר לְיַעֲקֹב וַיָּרֶב בְּלָבָן וַיַּעַן יַעֲקֹב וַיֹּאמֶר לְלָבָן מַה פִּשְׁעִי מַה חַטָּאתִי כִּי דָלַקְתָּ אַחֲרָי:
36. And Yaakov was angry, and chided Lavan; and Yaakov answered and said to Lavan, What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me?

Yosef is trying to jar their memories, and he takes them back to the most traumatic episode of their childhood: They are hastily removed from their grandfather’s home, the only home they know. They will soon face the threat of Esav and his henchman. Between these two pressure points, they are chased down on the road, stopped and searched. And they respond exactly as their father did: “Let the thief be put to death”

Yosef throws it back in their faces. His response seems to shout: “If you identify with your father so completely, so automatically, that you mimic his words, why do you treat him as you do? Why have you let him mourn all these years? If you want to be like your father, why don’t you reach out to your estranged brother as he reached out to Esav? Why, in your minds, is Yosef dead and forgotten?”

Time after time, bit by bit, in one subtle act after another, Yosef works on their memory. He replicates harsh experiences in order to achieve catharsis. As a therapist working with a patient, Yosef forces them to revisit some of the most horrific episodes of their lives, with one goal: to remind them, to wake them up – “Haven’t you forgotten something? Aren’t you looking for someone? Aren’t you really spies?”

Only when Yehuda presses on and finally speaks of his father’s pain and loneliness, does Yosef relent.

ספר בראשית פרק מד
(כז) וַיֹּאמֶר עַבְדְּךָ אָבִי אֵלֵינוּ אַתֶּם יְדַעְתֶּם כִּי שְׁנַיִם יָלְדָה לִּי אִשְׁתִּי:(כח) וַיֵּצֵא הָאֶחָד מֵאִתִּי וָאֹמַר אַךְ טָרֹף טֹרָף וְלֹא רְאִיתִיו עַד הֵנָּה:(כט) וּלְקַחְתֶּם גַּם אֶת זֶה מֵעִם פָּנַי וְקָרָהוּ אָסוֹן וְהוֹרַדְתֶּם אֶת שֵׂיבָתִי בְּרָעָה שְׁאֹלָה:(ל) וְעַתָּה כְּבֹאִי אֶל עַבְדְּךָ אָבִי וְהַנַּעַר אֵינֶנּוּ אִתָּנוּ וְנַפְשׁוֹ קְשׁוּרָה בְנַפְשׁוֹ:(לא) וְהָיָה כִּרְאוֹתוֹ כִּי אֵין הַנַּעַר וָמֵת וְהוֹרִידוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ אֶת שֵׂיבַת עַבְדְּךָ אָבִינוּ בְּיָגוֹן שְׁאֹלָה:(לב) כִּי עַבְדְּךָ עָרַב אֶת הַנַּעַר מֵעִם אָבִי לֵאמֹר אִם לֹא אֲבִיאֶנּוּ אֵלֶיךָ וְחָטָאתִי לְאָבִי כָּל הַיָּמִים:(לג) וְעַתָּה יֵשֶׁב נָא עַבְדְּךָ תַּחַת הַנַּעַר עֶבֶד לַאדֹנִי וְהַנַּעַר יַעַל עִם אֶחָיו:(לד) כִּי אֵיךְ אֶעֱלֶה אֶל אָבִי וְהַנַּעַר אֵינֶנּוּ אִתִּי פֶּן אֶרְאֶה בָרָע אֲשֶׁר יִמְצָא אֶת אָבִי:
27. And your servant my father said to us, You know that my wife bore me two sons; 28. And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I have not seen him since;29. And if you take this (son) from me as well, and harm befall him, you shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.30. Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad’s life;31. It shall come to pass, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die; and your servants shall bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol.32. For I, your servant, am collateral for the lad to my father, saying, If I bring him not to you, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.33. Now therefore, I beg you, let your servant remain instead of the lad a slave to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brothers.34. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest perhaps I see the evil that shall come on my father.

His father’s pain was never Yosef’s desire; quite the opposite. It was his father’s misery which tormented him. Yosef relents at this juncture, for Yehuda has shown heroism. It would have been easy for Yehuda to reason that Rachel and her sons were all tainted by the same evil: Rachel had stolen the terphim years ago, Yosef her son was no better, and now the younger son Binyamin has proved his own moral turpitude – by stealing like his mother and being selfish and self-centered like his brother. In fact, this was the direction in which Yosef was leading him, and would have been the easy way for Yehuda to resolve his own dilemma. But Yehudah displays leadership and responsibility. He is willing to be enslaved so Binyamin can go free. Yehuda is unwilling to cause or endure his father’s pain.

To Yehudah’s heart-wrenching plea – Yosef has the ultimate response.

ספר בראשית פרק מה
(ג) וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹסֵף אֶל אֶחָיו אֲנִי יוֹסֵף הַעוֹד אָבִי חָי וְלֹא יָכְלוּ אֶחָיו לַעֲנוֹת אֹתוֹ כִּי נִבְהֲלוּ מִפָּנָיו:
3. And Yosef said to his brothers, I am Yosef; does my father still live? And his brothers could not answer him; for they were shocked by him.

Yehuda explains that Yaakov’s life is intertwined with Binyamin’s; he tells this “stranger” that Yaakov had a wife whom he loved and that if this last remaining son were to be wrested from him Yaakov will die. Yosef asks: “I am Yosef – is my father still alive? Are you really so concerned about Yaakov’s well-being that you claim he will die if his beloved son is taken from him?” He challenges and chastises: “I am Yosef. Could my father be alive? Can he have survived what you have already done?”[5]

To this there is no answer. To this there can not be an answer. All of their neat explanations are gone. No justifications will work. The stark truth of Yosef’s existence stares them into silence. They have no words, only guilt.

The Rabbis compared this experience of silence to the Day of Judgment, when God, the All-knowing, judges man. No finesse, no legalese, no justifications: on that day, only the humiliation of facing the truth remains.[6]

Apparently, what Yosef seeks is not revenge; that could have been easily achieved, given his position of power. Instead, he takes his brothers on a tour – an emotional guilt trip. He does not seek their humiliation; that was never his objective. He wants to remind them of the past, to remind them that there is someone they have forgotten.

בראשית פרק לז:טז
וַיֹּאמֶר אֶת אַחַי אָנֹכִי מְבַקֵּשׁ…
And he said, It is my brothers that I seek (37:16)

He wants his brothers to be looking for him; all he ever wanted was his brothers.
[1] It unclear if Yosef did succeed in arriving at the end, when Yosef reveals himself, the text attests that “Yosef could not contain himself any longer” it sounds that he did wish to contain himself at least bit longer. See Bereishit 45:1
[2] Bereishit 43:34 …And they drank, and were merry with him.
[3] According to the Midrash Tanchuma Vayetze (Warsaw Edition) section 12, Rachel takes the teraphim to prevent Lavan from divining the location of her family as they escape.
מדרש תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת ויצא סימן יב
(יב) ויבא אלהים אל לבן הארמי בחלום הלילה זה אחד משני מקומות שטמא הטהור כבודו בשביל הצדיקים, כאן, ובמקום אחר ויבא אלהים אל אבימלך בחלום הלילה (בראשית כ) בשביל שרה, התחיל לבן אומר ליעקב ועתה הלך הלכת וגו' למה גנבת את אלהי, השיבו עם אשר תמצא את אלהיך לא יחיה, באותה שעה נגזר על רחל מיתה, ומשש לבן את כל האהל ולא מצא, ורחל לקחה את התרפים, למה גנבה אותם כדי שלא יהו אומרים ללבן שיעקב בורח עם נשיו ובניו וצאנו, וכי התרפים מדברים הם, כן דכתיב (זכריה י) כי התרפים דברו און,
[4] See Bereishit 44,5: Is not this it in which my lord drinks, and whereby indeed he divines?

ספר בראשית פרק מד
(ה) הֲלוֹא זֶה אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁתֶּה אֲדֹנִי בּוֹ וְהוּא נַחֵשׁ יְנַחֵשׁ בּוֹ הֲרֵעֹתֶם אֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתֶם:
[5] See the commentary of the Seforno, 45:3

ספורנו עה"ת ספר בראשית פרק מה פסוק ג
(ג) העוד אבי חי. אי אפשר שלא מת מדאגתו עלי:
[6] Midrash Tanchuma Vayigash Warsaw edition siman 5, also see Kli Yakar, and Rabbenu Bachya
מדרש תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת ויגש סימן ה
אמר להן יוסף לא כך אמרתם שאחיו של זה מת אני קניתיו אקראנו ויבא אצלכ', התחיל קורא יוסף ב"י =בן יעקב= בא אצלי יוסף ב"י בא אצלי ודבר עם אחיך שמכרוך והיו נושאין עיניהם בארבע פינות הבית א"ל יוסף למה אתם מסתכלין לכאן ולכאן אני יוסף אחיכם, מיד פרחה נשמתן ולא יכלו לענו' אותו אר"י ווי לנו מיו' הדין ווי לנו מיום תוכחה ומה יוסף כשאמר לאחיו אני יוסף פרחה נשמתן כשעומד הקב"ה לדין דכתיב ביה (מלאכי ג) ומי מכלכל את יום בואו ומי העומד בהראותו שכתוב בו כי לא יראני האדם וחי (שמות לג) עאכ"ו,