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Saturday, December 27, 2008

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:

Sunday, December 21, 2008

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,

Monday, December 15, 2008

Parshat Vayeshev/Chanuka 5769

Parshat Vayeshev/Chanuka 5769
Ketz Bavel -Zerubavel

© 2008 Rabbi Ari Kahn

The tale of Yaakov’s family life unfolds as a dramatic story, replete with jealousy, punctuated by hatred, and nearly culminating in fratricide: Yaakov had many sons, but of all his sons he favored Yosef, the son of his beloved, lamented wife. As the plot unfolds, we find Yosef humiliated, stripped of his royal garb,[1] and taken as chattel. And then the story is put on hold: Chapter 37 ends with the following sentence:


ספר בראשית פרק לז
(לו) וְהַמְּדָנִים מָכְרוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל מִצְרָיִם לְפוֹטִיפַר סְרִיס פַּרְעֹה שַׂר הַטַּבָּחִים:
36. And the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaohs, and captain of the guard.37:36

In order to see what happens to Yosef we are forced to wait, for throughout Chapter 38 our attention is turned to Yehuda. Details of his personal life are shared, and through the recounting of Yehuda’s celebration and tragedy, his loves and his lust, we gain insight into his personality. And all this time, Yosef languishes. The Yosef narrative is picked up in Chapter 39, almost precisely as it was left:


ספר בראשית פרק לט
(א) וְיוֹסֵף הוּרַד מִצְרָיְמָה וַיִּקְנֵהוּ פּוֹטִיפַר סְרִיס פַּרְעֹה שַׂר הַטַּבָּחִים אִישׁ מִצְרִי מִיַּד הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים אֲשֶׁר הוֹרִדֻהוּ שָׁמָּה:
And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the hands of the Ishmaelites, who had brought him down there. 39:1

We as the reader know that the text is building inexorably to the point at which these two key characters meet, the apex of the story. As a literary device, the structure of the Parsha is understandable. But the Torah is far more than compelling writing. It is more than just “a good read”. What lies beneath the surface of the text is far more than character development. The Torah is more than history, more than literature; it is theological truth, which the sensitive reader should seek to discern and internalize.

Yosef and Yehuda are not merely individuals who lived long ago. They represent leadership, salvation and redemption; they embody the concept known as Mashiach.

The Midrash asks a brazen question: Where was God during the sale of Yosef?[2] The answer is eye-opening: God was creating the light of Mashiach. The interlude which delves into the descent and rise of Yehuda is the tale of Yehudah being primed for a leadership role. But this is no ordinary leadership role: The Davidic dynasty, and ultimately Mashiach, are Yehuda’s offspring. More importantly, the character traits Yehuda displays are the very same as those necessary for Mashiach, and Chapter 38 opens a window through which these character traits can be viewed as they develop.

The Midrashic teaching regarding God’s agenda during the sale of Yosef gives us a far-reaching, unifying view of Jewish history: Before the Children of Israel begin the first exile, the light that will guide them home at the end of the final exile has already been created. The story of Yehuda is no divergence. It is part and parcel of the larger story of exile and redemption.

Jewish tradition speaks of an additional Mashiach, one not as well known or as well-publicized: Mashiach ben Yosef (The Messiah, son of Yosef). This week’s Parsha, then, is not only the story of Yosef and Yehuda, two dominant personalities; it is much more. Knowing that Yosef and Yehuda represent two elements of Redemption, we are forced to reread and reconsider this week’s Parsha on the meta - level, examining both the personal stories and behavior of the two key characters as well as the implications these have on the Jewish view of Messianic Redemption.

Like Yosef, Mashiach ben Yosef is a vulnerable Messiah. We don’t know how his mission will work out, for, like Yosef, his position is precarious, and at times it appears that he will fall into the traps set by others, and fail. There were times that Yaakov thought Yosef was dead – but the epic words uttered by Yaakov “Od Yosef Chai! Yosef lives on!” reverberate through history, and according to the great mystics, apply equally to Mashiach ben Yosef. Just as the rumors of Yosef’s demise were greatly exaggerated, so, it is believed, Mashiach ben Yosef will ultimately succeed.


תלמוד בבלי מסכת סוכה דף נב/א
תנו רבנן משיח בן דוד שעתיד להגלות במהרה בימינו אומר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא שאל ממני דבר ואתן לך שנאמר אספרה אל חוק וגו' אני היום ילדתיך שאל ממני ואתנה גוים נחלתך וכיון שראה משיח בן יוסף שנהרג אומר לפניו רבונו של עולם איני מבקש ממך אלא חיים אומר לו חיים עד שלא אמרת כבר התנבא עליך דוד אביך שנאמר חיים שאל ממך נתתה לו וגו'
Our Rabbis taught, The Holy One, blessed be He, will say to the Messiah, the son of David (May he reveal himself speedily in our days!), Ask of me anything, and I will give it to thee, as it is said, ‘I will tell of the decree etc. this day have I begotten thee, ask of me and I will give the nations for thy inheritance’. But when he will see that the Messiah the son of Joseph is slain, he will say to Him, ‘Lord of the Universe, I ask of Thee only the gift of life.’ As to life’, He would answer him, ‘Your father David has already prophesied this concerning you’, as it is said, He asked life of thee, thou gavest it him, [even length of days for ever and ever].

The prototype of the two Messiahs resurfaces at various junctures in the Torah: When all the other spies turn the people against God and the notion of inheriting the Promised Land, two individuals stand apart from the others. Calev (from the Tribe of Yehuda) and Yehoshua (from the Tribe of Yosef), remain strong, and do not lose sight of Jewish destiny.

Within this national destiny, Yosef has two dreams regarding his personal role. The first dream concerns wheat, representing food or economics at the most basic level. The second dream is about the sun, moon and stars; it is about power. Yosef envisions himself as both an economic leader and as the leader of the people.

The Rabbis tell us that only the first dream came true. Yosef does collect all the wheat in Egypt; he becomes the “great provider”. He feeds his brothers, and insures the physical survival of the Children of Israel. Yet although his brothers eventually bow down to him, they never accept him as their leader. As we shall see, there will be repercussions of this non-acceptance.

The need for two different Messiahs begins to come into focus, for clearly each has a separate task to accomplish, each has different capabilities. When those tasks become confused, when the capabilities do not fit the job at hand, when the battle is fought with the wrong weapon, problems arise.

Jewish history is made up of so many confrontaions, battles won and lost, exiles of varying nature and duration. So it has been, and so it was foretold:

בראשית פרק טו
(יב) וַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לָבוֹא וְתַרְדֵּמָה נָפְלָה עַל אַבְרָם וְהִנֵּה אֵימָה חֲשֵׁכָה גְדֹלָה נֹפֶלֶת עָלָיו: (יג) וַיֹּאמֶר לְאַבְרָם יָדֹעַ תֵּדַע כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָהֶם וַעֲבָדוּם וְעִנּוּ אֹתָם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה:
12. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Avram; and, lo, a fear of great darkness fell upon him. 13. And (God) said to Avram, Know for a certainty that your offspring shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years. Bereishit 15.

Rashi[3] explains that the darkness which Avraham feared refers to the exiles his descendents would experience in the future. The Ramban, citing Pirkei D’Rebbi Eliezer, says that Yaakov shared Avraham’s dream, and that is the inner meaning of Yaakov’s vision of angels ascending and descending the heavenly ladder. The angels represent the various monarchies who ruled over Israel, each rising and eventually falling into the dustbin of history. These exiles are inevitable, inescapable, and an integral part of Jewish destiny. In fact, the future exiles are mentioned in midrashic comments as early as the second verse of the Torah:

בראשית רבה (וילנא) פרשה ב ד"ה ד ר"ש בן
ד ר"ש בן לקיש פתר קריא בגליות, והארץ היתה תהו זה גלות בבל שנאמר (ירמיה ד) ראיתי את הארץ והנה תהו, ובהו זה גלות מדי (אסתר ו) ויבהילו להביא את המן, וחושך זה גלות יון שהחשיכה עיניהם של ישראל בגזירותיהן שהיתה אומרת להם, כתבו על קרן השור שאין לכם חלק באלהי ישראל, ורוח אלהים מרחפת זה רוחו של מלך המשיח, היאך מה דאת אמר (ישעיה יא) ונחה עליו רוח ה', 
4. R. Shimon b. Lakish applied the passage to the [foreign] Powers. NOW THE EARTH WAS TOHU (‘UNFORMED’) symbolizes Babylonia: “I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was tohu (Yiemiyahu 4, 23) AND VOHU (‘VOID’) symbolizes Media: “They hastened (va-yavhillu) to bring Haman (Esther 4, 14) AND DARKNESS symbolizes Greece, which darkened the eyes of Israel with its decrees, ordering Israel, ‘Write on the horn of an ox that ye have no portion in the God of Israel.’ UPON THE FACE OF THE DEEP (refers to) this wicked State: Just as the great deep cannot be plumbed, so one cannot plumb [the depths of iniquity of] this wicked State. AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD HOVERED: this alludes to the spirit of Mashiach, as you read, “And the spirit of God shall rest upon him (Yishaiyahu 11, 2).
Midrash Rabbah – Bereishit 2:4


Yet not all exiles are created equal. Different exiles present different challenges, and therefore require different responses. Yaakov himself is exiled twice. The more prominent exile is clearly the second, when he goes to Egypt. This sojourn will last hundreds of years, and will culminate with the slavery of the people. The challenge of this exile is clear – physical survival.

However, this is not the only exile that Yaakov endures. There was an earlier episode, which has very different characteristics: Perhaps visiting one’s family might not be seen as an exile; indeed, Yaakov was not really enslaved by Lavan, he merely had a bad employer. We might say that the Lavan experience was not one of slavery, but it was exile nonetheless. Much like the Egypt experience, Yaakov does succeed in his exile, but the success is not to his benefit: His father-in-law is the main beneficiary of his good fortune, and the problems only escalate when Yaakov wants to leave. As opposed to the Children of Israel in Egypt, Yaakov has a good job and a comfortable life in Lavan’s home. His challenge there is spiritual survival.

Let us examine the different types of redeemers needed for the different types of exiles. The Prophet Amos speaks or a series of calamities:

עמוס פרק ה
(יח) הוֹי הַמִּתְאַוִּים אֶת יוֹם ה’ לָמָּה זֶּה לָכֶם יוֹם ה’ הוּא חֹשֶׁךְ וְלֹא אוֹר: (יט) כַּאֲשֶׁר יָנוּס אִישׁ מִפְּנֵי הָאֲרִי וּפְגָעוֹ הַדֹּב וּבָא הַבַּיִת וְסָמַךְ יָדוֹ עַל הַקִּיר וּנְשָׁכוֹ הַנָּחָשׁ: (כ) הֲלֹא חֹשֶׁךְ יוֹם ה’ וְלֹא אוֹר וְאָפֵל וְלֹא נֹגַהּ לוֹ: (כא) שָׂנֵאתִי מָאַסְתִּי חַגֵּיכֶם וְלֹא אָרִיחַ בְּעַצְּרֹתֵיכֶם: (כב) כִּי אִם תַּעֲלוּ לִי עֹלוֹת וּמִנְחֹתֵיכֶם לֹא אֶרְצֶה וְשֶׁלֶם מְרִיאֵיכֶם לֹא אַבִּיט:
18. Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light. 19. As if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned with his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. 20. Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light? Very dark with no brightness in it? 21. I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell the sacrifices of your solemn assemblies. 22. Though you offer me burnt offerings and meal offerings, I will not accept them; nor will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

Amos’s words are cryptic: What is this darkness? Who is the lion? Which bear is he referring to? And what forest, what serpent?

אסתר רבה (וילנא) פתיחתות ד"ה ה רבי יודא
רבי יודא בר"ס פתח (עמוס ה') כאשר ינוס איש מפני הארי, רבי הונא ור' אחא בשם ר' חמא בר' חנינא כאשר ינוס איש מפני הארי וגו' זו בבל, על שם קדמיתא כאריה ופגעו הדוב זו מדי על שם (דניאל ז') וארו חיוה אחרי תנינה דמיה לדוב, ר' יוחנן אמר לדב כתיב, דא היא דעתיה דר' יוחנן דאמר ר' יוחנן (ירמיה ה') על כן הכם אריה מיער זו בבל (שם) זאב ערבות ישדדם זו מדי, נמר שקד על עריהם זו יון (שם) כל היוצא מהנה יטרף זו אדום, ובא הבית זה יון שהיה הבית קיים, ונשכו הנחש זו אדום, שנאמר קולה כנחש ילך וכה"א פתחי לי אחותי זו בבל, רעיתי זו מדי, יונתי ביון, תמתי באדום, שכל ימי יון היה בית המקדש קיים, והיו ישראל מקריבין בו תורים ובני יונה על גבי המזבח,
R. Judah b. R. Simon opened with the text: As if a man did flee from a lion, etc. (Amos, V, 19). R. Huna and R. Hama in the name of R. Hanina said: ’As if a man did flee from a lion’-this refers to Babylon, which is designated by the words, The first was like a lion (Dan. VII, 4). And a bear met him (Amos loc. cit.), this refers to Media, designated in the words, And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear (Dan. VII, 5). (R. Johanan said: The word ’ledov’ (a bear) is written defectively. This accords with the opinion of R. Johanan given in his dictum, Wherefore a lion out of the forest doth slay them (Jer. V, 6): this refers to Babylon. A wolf of the deserts doth spoil them (ib.), this refers to Media. A leopard watcheth over their cities-this refers to Greece. Everyone that goeth out thence is torn in pieces-this refers to Edom.) And he went into the house (Amos, loc. cit.)-this refers to Greece, in the era of which the Temple was still standing. And a serpent bit him-this refers to Edom, of which it says, The sound thereof shall go like the serpent's (Jer. XLVI, 22). Similarly it says, Open to me, my sister (S.S. v, 2): this refers to [Israel under] Babylon. My love (ib.)-this refers to Media. My dove--this refers to Greece. My undefiled-this refers to Edom. ’ Dove ‘ refers to Greece because throughout the days of the Grecian domination the Temple stood and Israel used to offer pigeons and doves on the altar.

The attack of Yavan (Greece) is different from all the others, because this one took place at home. Other than Chanuka, all biblical and rabbinic holidays commemorate events that took place outside the Land of Israel. Chanuka is the exception; therefore, in the prophesy of Amos, “went into the house” refers to the Greek period. It is one thing to be attacked on the road, when one is vulnerable. It is quite another thing to be attacked at home. This “exile” of the Greek period took place as the Temple was still standing;[4] a strange exile, indeed.

The Yalkut Shimoni[5] takes the same verse from the Book of Amos, and applies it to Yaakov’s life: Here, Lavan is the lion, Esav the bear and Shechem the serpent who attacks him at home. This interpretation creates a parallel between Yaakov’s life and future exiles, and implies that Yaakov endured a third Exile. Specifically, a parallel is drawn between the story of Chanukah and the story of Dinah. This is particularly interesting in light of a Midrash that credits the Maccabean Rebellion to a speech given by one of the Maccabee sisters named Chana. The Midrash explains that the Jewish uprising was a response to one of the famous Greek laws imposed upon the Jews (and presumably upon other nations that fell under Greek rule), namely the principle of ius primæ noctis (droit du seigneur)—the authority of the Greek Governor to deflower virgin brides on their wedding night before they could join their husbands. The Midrash relates that Chana, a daughter of Matityahu the High Priest, demonstratively disrobed at her wedding celebration. Her outraged brothers took up their swords to end the outrage via “honor killing”, but Chana protests: “I disrobed before righteous people, and you are incensed. But this evening I will be taken to the Governor, and not to my husband, and you are silent!” She exhorts them to action, and convinces them to take up arms against the true enemy. Thus, according to this Midrash, the battle of Chanukah ensued.[6]

There are several parallels between Chana’s story and Dinah’s story: As we noted earlier, the Jews are in their homeland, and not on foreign soil. In the story of Dinah, the “saviors” were her brothers Shimon and Levi. Chana’s defenders are her brothers the Maccabees, descendents of Levi. This is more than coincidence; Chana herself points this out, as quoted by the Midrash:

“You should learn from Shimon and Levi brothers of Dinah…put your trust in God and He will save you…”

The larger picture, then, is painted on the backdrop of “home”, the Holy Temple. The guardians of the home are the tribe of Levi who work in the Holy Temple. The savior, in both of these episodes, is not from the tribe of Yehuda, the leader of the brothers, nor is he from the tribe of Yosef, whose leadership was rejected earlier in Bereishit and is not yet accepted, even in the days of the Maccabean Dynasty.

The very foundations of the Second Temple echo the fractured leadership: The Prophet Hagai tells us of a man named Zerubavel, Governor of Judea, who is chosen to rectify Israel’s anomalous situation: God admonishes the Jews, who have attained lives of comfort in their beautiful homes, while the House of God lays in ruins:

חגי פרק א
(א) בִּשְׁנַת שְׁתַּיִם לְדָרְיָוֶשׁ הַמֶּלֶךְ בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשִּׁשִּׁי בְּיוֹם אֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ הָיָה דְבַר ה’ בְּיַד חַגַּי הַנָּבִיא אֶל זְרֻבָּבֶל בֶּן שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל פַּחַת יְהוּדָה וְאֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן יְהוֹצָדָק הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל לֵאמֹר: (ב) כֹּה אָמַר ה’ צְבָאוֹת לֵאמֹר הָעָם הַזֶּה אָמְרוּ לֹא עֶת בֹּא עֶת בֵּית ה’ לְהִבָּנוֹת: פ
(ג) וַיְהִי דְּבַר ה’ בְּיַד חַגַּי הַנָּבִיא לֵאמֹר: (ד) הַעֵת לָכֶם אַתֶּם לָשֶׁבֶת בְּבָתֵּיכֶם סְפוּנִים וְהַבַּיִת הַזֶּה חָרֵב:
1. In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the High Priest, saying, 2. Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say that the time has not yet come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built. 3. Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4. Is it time for you, yourselves, to dwell in your well timbered houses, while this house lies in ruins?

When the decision is made to put down the foundation stone, the prophet advises to pay careful attention to the date the building has begun:

חגי פרק ב
(יח) שִׂימוּ נָא לְבַבְכֶם מִן הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה וָמָעְלָה מִיּוֹם עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה לַתְּשִׁיעִי לְמִן הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר יֻסַּד הֵיכַל ה’ שִׂימוּ לְבַבְכֶם:
18. Consider now from this day onward, from the twenty fourth day of the ninth month, from the day when the foundation of the temple of the Lord was laid, consider it.

On the 24th of the ninth month – Kislev - we are ordered to build, and instructed to pay close attention. Perhaps there was something that was missed, an opportunity that was not realized. A second prophesy, received on the very same date, makes the message more clear:

חגי פרק ב
(כ) וַיְהִי דְבַר ה’ שֵׁנִית אֶל חַגַּי בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה לַחֹדֶשׁ לֵאמֹר: (כא) אֱמֹר אֶל זְרֻבָּבֶל פַּחַת יְהוּדָה לֵאמֹר אֲנִי מַרְעִישׁ אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ: (כב) וְהָפַכְתִּי כִּסֵּא מַמְלָכוֹת וְהִשְׁמַדְתִּי חֹזֶק מַמְלְכוֹת הַגּוֹיִם וְהָפַכְתִּי מֶרְכָּבָה וְרֹכְבֶיהָ וְיָרְדוּ סוּסִים וְרֹכְבֵיהֶם אִישׁ בְּחֶרֶב אָחִיו: (כג) בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא נְאֻם ה’ צְבָאוֹת אֶקָּחֲךָ זְרֻבָּבֶל בֶּן שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל עַבְדִּי נְאֻם ה’ וְשַׂמְתִּיךָ כַּחוֹתָם כִּי בְךָ בָחַרְתִּי נְאֻם ה’ צְבָאוֹת:
20. And again the word of the Lord came to Haggai on the twenty fourth day of the month, saying: 21. Speak to Zerubabvl, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; 22. And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those who ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, everyone by the sword of his brother. 23. On that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubavel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, says the Lord, and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you, says the Lord of hosts.

Both prophecies revolve around the same day – the day that will one day become the Eve of Chanuka. God will shake heaven and earth; Zerubavel is the chosen one. A redeemer from the tribe of Yehuda!

When it comes to holiness, Yehuda is at the fore. Nachshon, son of Aminadav from the tribe of Yehuda, is the first to jump into the waters of the Red Sea. David and Shlomo build the First Temple. Now, Zerubavel is there to build the Second Temple. The Third, final, everlasting Temple will be built by Messiach ben David.[7]

But Zerubabvel remains an elusive character: From the prophecies of Hagai, he seems so important and so central. He is the Chosen One, sent by God to build the Temple – no wonder some commentaries refer to him as “Messiach ben David”![8] Yet he disappears without a trace. What became of him? Why was this nascent messianic movement aborted? How and why did things go wrong?

Let us consider the chronology of events: The story of Purim takes place between the return of the Jews and the building of the Second temple. The Jews in Shushan, the heroes of the Book of Esther, were those who chose not to return to Israel and participate in the building of the Second Commonwealth. They stayed in Shushan. Every time the book of Esther refers to “Shushan the Capitol” the reader should be reminded that Jerusalem is the real capitol of the Jewish People. These Jews should have been in Jerusalem, not Shushan. The man who was the instrument of the salvation of these Jews was Mordechai, together with his cousin Esther. What do we know about them?

There was a man from Yehudah in Shushan the Capitol, and his name was Mordechai, son of Yair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjamite; Esther 2:5

Mordechai is described as an ish Yehudi, and an ish Yemini, a descendent of Yehudah and Binyamin. Mordechai and Esther mark an important bond, a convergence between the children of Leah and Rachel. But there is another significant relationship between Yehudah and Binyamin – the Beit Hamikdash is built straddling the Binyamin - Yehudah border.[9] In this sense, Mordechai and Esther represent the Temple itself, at a time when certain Jews rejected the Temple by choosing to remain in the Persian exile, disobeying God’s call to return to their Land under the guidance of Zerubavel and build the Second Temple.

Arguably, had all Jews returned to Israel with Zerubavel, the Purim story could have been averted.[10] Had the Jews accepted Zerubavel, the Messianic age would have begun and the Second Temple could have been the final, everlasting Temple. When the building began –Jews forgot to come. They chose Shushan, arguably the political and economic epicenter of the world, over Jerusalem, the spiritual epicenter, which remained unbuilt. The project began on the 24th of Kislev but, tragically, stopped. “Pay attention,” said the prophet Hagai: many years later, on the 25th of Kislev, they would complete the process, and consecrate the Second Temple. But in an ideal world, the festivals of Purim and Chanuka would not exist!

The sons of Yaakov may have had their reasons for rejecting Yosef’s leadership. In fact, they might have argued that this was the wisest course of action. After all, they might have argued, “the man was a dreamer; he had delusions of grandeur, and would surely never amount to anything”. Tragically, the story of Chanuka is the story of the rejection of Yehuda’s leadership, as well. Zerubavel, Governor of Yehuda, should have been a rallying point for all of the People of Israel, the clear leader and redeemer, but he was rejected as well. And when a person, possessed of the obvious gifts of leadership that Zerubavel had, is rejected despite their greatness, one never knows where it will lead.

God’s personally-appointed Mashiach gathers some of the exiles – but not enough. Many stay behind. He starts the building of the Temple. He brings people closer to God, and encourages them to leave their non-Jewish spouses. But in the end, he fails to complete the mission. Another candidate will have to be appointed to complete the task. The Jews who chose to stay in Shushan were brought to the brink of destruction – but another festival was soon revealed, as their salvation eventually came.

Zerubavel is the Mashiach the Jews didn’t want. He helped build the Temple[11] we didn’t want, and he tried to get people to return to a Land they didn’t want. Chanukah actually celebrates the completion of the building of the Second Temple. It is commemorated on the 25th of Kislev, completing what was begun on the 24th of Kislev. But even the Maccabees had one fatal flaw – they neglected to return the leadership role to its rightful owner – someone from the tribe of Judah. Instead, they sinned by retaining the kingship for themselves,[12] once again rejecting the leadership of Yehudah. Inevitably, this led to a whole new exile, a new darkness, with its own struggles and challenges.

The End of Days is described by our prophets as the result of accepting the leadership of both Yosef and Yehuda:. The Messianic Age will see the fusion of these two paradigms of leadership, a union of Yosef and Yehuda, and the emergence of the Mashiach:

יחזקאל פרק לז
(יט) דַּבֵּר אֲלֵהֶם כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי ה’ הִנֵּה אֲנִי לֹקֵחַ אֶת עֵץ יוֹסֵף אֲשֶׁר בְּיַד אֶפְרַיִם וְשִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל חברו חֲבֵרָיו וְנָתַתִּי אוֹתָם עָלָיו אֶת עֵץ יְהוּדָה וַעֲשִׂיתִם לְעֵץ אֶחָד וְהָיוּ אֶחָד בְּיָדִי: (כ) וְהָיוּ הָעֵצִים אֲשֶׁר תִּכְתֹּב עֲלֵיהֶם בְּיָדְךָ לְעֵינֵיהֶם: (כא) וְדַבֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי ה’ הִנֵּה אֲנִי לֹקֵחַ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִבֵּין הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר הָלְכוּ שָׁם וְקִבַּצְתִּי אֹתָם מִסָּבִיב וְהֵבֵאתִי אוֹתָם אֶל אַדְמָתָם: (כב) וְעָשִׂיתִי אֹתָם לְגוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ בְּהָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמֶלֶךְ אֶחָד יִהְיֶה לְכֻלָּם לְמֶלֶךְ וְלֹא יהיה יִהְיוּ עוֹד לִשְׁנֵי גוֹיִם וְלֹא יֵחָצוּ עוֹד לִשְׁתֵּי מַמְלָכוֹת עוֹד:
19. Say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions, and will put them with him, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in my hand.20. And the sticks on which you write shall be in your hand before their eyes. 21. And say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the people of Israel from among the nations, where they have gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land; 22. (K) And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, nor shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all;

This, then, is essence of the world in its corrected state: One nation, one Temple, one Land, one God: unity.

Postscript for Chanuka
When Chana’s brothers saw her act of defiance at the wedding celebration, they saw only impurity. Only upon further contemplation did they understand that in fact there was a source of purity to her behavior. That essence of purity is akin to the flask of oil found in the Temple. Even though the Temple was defiled, deep in the recesses of the Temple there was a "pach katan", a small flask containing enough oil for one day. Where did this flask originate? Was it related to Yaakov searching for "pachim katanim"[13](little flasks) on the night before his confrontation with Esav? Was it related to the oil with which Yaakov anointed the monument he built after the episode of Dina?[14] Perhaps the lone, pure flask of oil found by the Maccabees is related to both of these events.
Chana shone a spotlight so that her brothers could see the purity hidden beneath the impurity. She understood that deep inside each of us there is a pach katan which yearns to be uncovered and must be lit. While her brothers saw impurity, she taught them to seek out the inner purity, and to fight for it.
Every Jewish soul is comparable to a small flask of pure oil with the seal of the Kohen Gadol. Sometimes its light is clearly visible, sometimes we must search. But when the Maccabees found the oil and lit the Menorah – the oil didn't last only one day as we would have expected. It didn't even last for seven or eight days. The light of that pach katan of purity, so much like the hidden light within each of us, has lasted for 2300 years, and still burns strong.

[1] See Ramban Shmot 28:2
[2] Midrash Rabbah Berieshit 85:1

מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה פה פסקה א
ויהי בעת ההיא וירד יהודה מאת אחיו (מלאכי ב) בגדה יהודה ותועבה נעשתה וגו' א"ל כפרת יהודה שקרת יהודה ותועבה נעשתה בישראל יהודה נעשה חולין (שם) כי חלל יהודה קדש ה' אשר אהב ויהי בעת ההיא (מיכה א) עוד היורש אביא לך יושבת מרשה עד עדולם יבא מלכן וקדושן של ישראל עד עדולם יבא כבודן של ישראל עד עדולם יבא דכתיב ויט עד איש עדולמי ויהי בעת ההיא רבי שמואל בר נחמן פתח (ירמיה כט) כי אנכי ידעתי את המחשבות שבטים היו עסוקין במכירתו של יוסף ויוסף היה עסוק בשקו ובתעניתו ראובן היה עסוק בשקו ובתעניתו ויעקב היה עסוק בשקו ובתעניתו ויהודה היה עסוק ליקח לו אשה והקב"ה היה עוסק בורא אורו של מלך המשיח ויהי בעת ההיא וירד יהודה (ישעיה סו) בטרם תחיל ילדה קודם שלא נולד משעבד הראשון נולד גואל האחרון
1.AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME, THAT JUDAH WENT DOWN FROM HIS BRETHREN, etc. (XXXVIII, 1). It is written, Judah hath dealt treacherously, etc. (Mal. II, 11). He [God] said to him [Judah]: ' Thou hast denied, O Judah; thou hast been false, O Judah! And an abomination is committed in Israel... for Judah hath profaned, etc. (ib.)-thou hast become profane, O Judah. The holiness of the Lord which He loveth, and hath married the daughter of a strange god’ (ib.)-as it says, AND I T CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME, THAT JUDAH WENT DOWN, etc. I will yet bring unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah, him that shall possess thee; the glory of Israel shall come even unto Adullam (Micah I, 15)- [’The glory of Israel’ means] the Holy One of Israel; to Adullam shall come the King of Israel. Even unto Adullam shall come’ -AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME, etc. R. Samuel b. Nahman commenced thus: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord (Jer. XXIX, 11). The tribal ancestors were engaged in selling Joseph, Jacob was taken up with his sackcloth and fasting, and Judah was busy taking a wife, while the Holy One, blessed be He, was creating the light of Messiah:
[3] See Rashi Bereshit 15:12, also see comments of the Targum (pseudo) Yonatan who is a bit more specific in the identity of these exiles.
רש"י בראשית פרק טו פסוק יב
(יב) והנה אימה וגו' - רמז לצרות וחשך של גליות:

[4] See Midrash Tehillim (Buber edition)18:11
מדרש תהלים (בובר) מזמור יח ד"ה [יא] בצר לי
בצר לי אקרא ה', בבבל. ואל אלהי אשוע. במדי ופרס. ישמע מהיכלו קולי, ביון. ושועתי לפניו תבא באזניו. באדום. [ולפי שבטלו את ישראל מן התורה, דכתיב בה והגית (בה) [בו] יומם ולילה (יהושע א ח), לפיכך אני פורע ממנה באש, שנאמר לעולם יעלה עשנה (ישעיה לד י), ולפי ששרפו בית המקדש שהיה עשן יוצא ממנו, שנאמר והבית ימלא עשן (שם /ישעיהו/ ו ד), קול (ה') מהיכל (ישעיה סו ו), אמר להם אין אתם זכורים מה שעשיתם בהיכלי, קול ה' משלם גמול לאויביו (שם שם /ישעיהו ס"ו/)]. ר' פנחס ורב אחא בשם ר' חמא בר חנינא אמרי למה הזכיר במלכות השלישית היכל ה', שכל ימיה של מלכות יון בית המקדש קיים, ולמה אמר בצר לי במלכות ראשונה, ולא אמר בצרות, לפי שכל הנביאים מייחדין צרותיהן של ישראל וממעטין אותן, שנאמר בצר לך ומצאוך (דברים ד ל), ראה ה' כי צר לי (איכה א' כ), וירא בצר להם (תהלים קו מד), אל ה' בצרתה לי (שם /תהלים/ קכ א), ר' יהודה אומר מטעם אחר (במלכות יון שלא נחרב הבית בימיו) כאשר ינוס איש מפני הארי (עמוס ה יט), זו בבל, שנאמר קדמייתא כאריה (דניאל ז ד). ופגעו הדוב (עמוס ה יט). זו מדי ופרס, שנאמר וארו (חוזוא תנינא דמיא) [חיוה אחרי תנינה דמיה] לדוב (דניאל ז ה). ובא הבית (עמוס שם /ה'/). זו מלכות יון, שהיה בית המקדש קיים בימיה, ולא היו מכעיסין על בית המקדש שהיה בנוי, וכשהיו רואין שמעון הצדיק היו עומדין לפניו. וסמך ידו (אל) [על] הקיר ונשכו הנחש (עמוס שם /ה'/). זו מלכות הרשעה, שנאמר קולה כנחש ילך (ירמיה מו כב).

[5] Yalkut Shimoni Amos remez 544
ילקוט שמעוני עמוס רמז תקמד
כאשר ינוס איש מפני הארי. זה לבן שרדף אחר יעקב כארי לטרוף נפשו, ופגעו הדוב זה עשו עמד על הדרך כדוב שכול להמית אם על בנים, ובא הבית וסמך ידו על הקיר ונשכו הנחש, כשבא יעקב אל ארץ כנען לביתו בא עליו שכם בן חמור שנאמר וישכב אותה ויענה:

[6] Otzar Midrashim page 189
אוצר המדרשים (אייזנשטיין) חנוכה עמוד 189
כיון שראו יונים שאין ישראל מרגישין בגזירותיהם עמדו וגזרו עליהם גזירה מרה ועכורה, שלא תכנס כלה בלילה הראשון מחופתה אלא אצל ההגמון שבמקום ההוא. כיון ששמעו ישראל כך רפו ידיהם ותשש כחם ונמנעו מלארס, והיו בנות ישראל בוגרות ומזקינות כשהן בתולות, ונתקיים עליהם בתולותיה נוגות והיא מר לה (איכה א'), והיו יונים מתעללות בבתולות ישראל, ונהגו בדבר הזה שלש שנים ושמונה חדשים, עד שבא מעשה של בת מתתיהו כהן גדול שנשאת לבן חשמונאי ואלעזר היה שמו, כיון שהגיע יום שמחתה הושיבוה באפריון, וכשהגיע זמן הסעודה נתקבצו כל גדולי ישראל לכבוד מתתיהו ובן חשמונאי שלא היו באותו הדור גדולים מהם, וכשישבו לסעוד עמדה חנה בת מתתיהו מעל אפריון וספקה כפיה זו על זו וקרעה פורפירון שלה ועמדה לפני כל ישראל כשהיא מגולה ולפני אביה ואמה וחותנה. כיון שראו אחיה כך נתביישו ונתנו פניהם בקרקע וקרעו בגדיהם, ועמדו עליה להרגה, אמרה להם שמעוני אחיי ודודיי, ומה אם בשביל שעמדתי לפני צדיקים ערומה בלי שום עבירה הרי אתם מתקנאים בי, ואין אתם מתקנאים למסרני ביד ערל להתעולל בי! הלא יש לכם ללמוד משמעון ולוי אחי דינה שלא היו אלא שנים וקנאו לאחותם והרגו כרך כשכם ומסרו נפשם על ייחוד של מקום ועזרם ה' ולא הכלימם, ואתם חמשה אחים יהודה יוחנן יונתן שמעון ואלעזר, ופרחי כהונה יותר ממאתים בחור, שימו בטחונכם על המקום והוא יעזור אתכם שנאמר כי אין מעצור לה' להושיע וגו' (ש"א =שמואל א'= י"ד). ופתחה פיה בבכיה ואמרה רבש"ע אם לא תחוס עלינו חוס על קדושת שמך הגדול שנקרא עלינו ונקום היום נקמתנו. באותה שעה נתקנאו אחיה ואמרו בואו ונטול עצה מה נעשה, נטלו עצה זה מזה ואמרו בואו ונקח אחותינו ונוליכנה אצל המלך הגדול ונאמר לו אחותנו בת כהן גדול ואין בכל ישראל גדול מאבינו, וראינו שלא תלין אחותינו עם ההגמון, אלא עם המלך שהוא גדול כמותינו, ונכנסנו עליו ונהרגהו ונצא, ונתחיל אח"כ בעבדיו ובשריו, והשם יעזרנו וישגבנו, נטלו עצה וכו' ועשה להם הקב"ה תשועה גדולה, ושמעו בת קול מבית קדש הקדשים: כל ישראל נצחו טליא באנטוכיא, כן יעשה המקום ישועה בימינו אלה.
[7] Midrash Sochar Tov Beresit 49
שכל טוב (בובר) בראשית פרק מט ד"ה ורבותינו דרשו ויקרא
לכך נאמר יהודה אתה יודוך אחיך, שכל אחיו מודים שהקב"ה בחר במלכות בית יהודה, וכן בחנוכת המזבח הקריב נחשון בן עמינדב למטה יהודה בראשונה, וכן אחרי מות יהושע כתיב וישאלו בני ישראל בה' מי יעלה לנו (בתחלה) אל הכנעני [בתחלה] להלחם [בו] ויאמר ה' יהודה יעלה (שופטים א ב), וכן לא בחר הקב"ה באיש שיבנה לו בית אלא מבית יהודה, שהרי בית ראשון דוד יסדו, ושלמה שכללו, ובבית שני כתוב ידי זרבבל יסדו (את) הבית הזה וידיו תבצענה (זכרי' ד ט), ולעתיד אין הקב"ה מושיע את ישראל אלא ע"י גואל מבני יהודה, שנאמר ויצא חוטר מגזע ישי (ישעי' יא א), ואומר ונשא נס לגוים ואסף נדחי ישראל ונפוצות יהודה וקבץ מארבע כנפות הארץ (שם שם יב), ואומר ודוד עבדי נשיא להם (בתוכם) לעולם (יחזקאל לז כה), ואומר ועבדו את ה' אלהיכם ואת דוד מלכם אשר אקים להם (ירמי' ל ט), זה מלך המשיח העומד מבית דוד שמזרע יהודה: גור אריה יהודה. זה מלך המשיח:

[8] See the comments of Metzudot Dovid Yechezkel 21:31, also see his comments to Zecharya 4:6,4:9
מצודת דוד יחזקאל פרק כא פסוק לא
השפלה - יהויכין שכבר גלה והושפל אותו אגביה כי מזרעו יצא זרובבל מלך המשיח:
מצודת דוד זכריה פרק ד פסוק ו
(ו) זה דבר ה' - ר"ל בזה ירמז כאלו אמר ה' על מלך המשיח הבא מזרע זרובבל:
מצודת דוד זכריה פרק ד פסוק ט
(ט) ידי זרובבל יסדו וגומר - זרובבל עצמו הניח היסוד מהבית הזה כן ידיו ישלימו את בנין הבית ר"ל ידי המשיח הבא מזרעו ישלימו להניח אבן היסוד מהבית העתיד ואמר ידיו על ידי המשיח הבא מזרעו כדרך שאמר כי הנה האבן אשר נתתי לפני יהושע (לעיל /זכריה/ ג) הנאמר על כ"ג הבא מזרעו אשר יכהן אז ואמר ענין השלמה על כי יהיה הבית האחרון והוא תשלום הבתים ולפי שבית העתיד תעמוד במקום הבית הזה עצמו אמר תבצענה כאלו ישלים הבית הזה וכמ"ש גדול יהיה כבוד הבית הזה האחרון (חגי ב):
[9] See Talmud Bavli Yoma 12a
[10] See Talmud Bavli Yoma 9b
[11] See Torat Haolah part 3 chapter 83
ספר תורת העולה לרמ"א ז"ל - חלק ג - פרק פג
אמנם עיקר הקדושה והטהרה הוא בעולם הבא, אמנם מקדש שני הוא נגד ימות המשיח, ולזה נבנה בו שני בתים נגד שני המשיחים המקובלים באומה שהם משיח בן יוסף ומשיח בן דוד, וכן היו עיקרי בוני המקדש זרובבל ועזרא שהם שני משיחים, ונחמיה לא בנה רק חומות ירושלים שהוא דוגמת אליהו ז"ל שיגלה במהרה בימנו לפני בא יום ה' הגדול,
[12] See commentary of Ramban to Bereshit 49:10
רמב"ן על בראשית פרק מט פסוק י
וזה היה עונש החשמונאים שמלכו בבית שני, כי היו חסידי עליון, ואלמלא הם נשתכחו התורה והמצות מישראל, ואף על פי כן נענשו עונש גדול, כי ארבעת בני חשמונאי הזקן החסידים המולכים זה אחר זה עם כל גבורתם והצלחתם נפלו ביד אויביהם בחרב והגיע העונש בסוף למה שאמרו רז"ל (ב"ב ג:) כל מאן דאמר מבית חשמונאי קאתינא עבדא הוא, שנכרתו כלם בעון הזה ואף על פי שהיה בזרע שמעון עונש מן הצדוקים, אבל כל זרע מתתיה חשמונאי הצדיק לא עברו אלא בעבור זה שמלכו ולא היו מזרע יהודה ומבית דוד, והסירו השבט והמחוקק לגמרי, והיה עונשם מדה כנגד מדה, שהמשיל הקדוש ברוך הוא עליהם את עבדיהם והם הכריתום:
ואפשר גם כן שהיה עליהם חטא במלכותם מפני שהיו כהנים ונצטוו (במדבר יח ז) תשמרו את כהונתכם לכל דבר המזבח ולמבית לפרכת ועבדתם עבודת מתנה אתן את כהונתכם, ולא היה להם למלוך רק לעבוד את עבודת ה':
[13] See Talmud Bavli Chulin 91, and Rashi Bereishit 32:25
[14] See Bereishit 35:14