Torah Commentary - Vayigash
*Commentary courtesy of Menahem Me-Zahav
With today’s Sidrah we conclude one of the most dramatic and exciting stories in the Bible - The reunion between Joseph and his brothers (who do not yet recognize Joseph). The Sidrah is named after its 1st word: “Vayigash Eilav Yehudah – And Judah approached him - Joseph“ (Genesis 44:18).
In last week’s Sidrah (Miketz) we read that Benjamin, Joseph’s younger brother, was in grave danger of being enslaved in Egypt. By Joseph’s order, his silver wine cup has been planted in Benjamin’s belongings. Joseph’s people have just accused Benjamin of theft, thus seriously threatening his freedom. The brothers (Including Benjamin) still do not know, that “The prominent Egyptian whose wine cup was (supposedly) stolen by Benjamin”, is not other but, their own brother Joseph.
Judah – Yehudah – The Leader of the Family.
Starting with today’s Sidrah and continuing evevn more so, with next week’s Sidrah of VaYechI, that contains Jacob’s final blessings (of his children), a new “player” besides Joseph, will be introduced. It is Judah, the 4th son of Jacob, Judah’s descendants, are destined to be the leaders of the Jewish people.
The Jewish people are named in Hebrew “Yehudim” ( * Please see the note below).
Judah, the natural leader in the family of Jacob, rises to the occasion and demonstrates to all – especially to Joseph, that he and all his brothers are definitely worthy, of Joseph’s full forgiveness. It is Judah’s finest hour. Before leaving for the 2nd time to Egypt, he has promised his old and ailing father Jacob, who lost already one son (Joseph), to return Benjamin unharmed from Egypt. If Benjamin does not return, his father will not survive. Therefore - “Please let me stay in Egypt as your (Joseph’s) slave and the boy (Benjamin) return with his brothers to his father” proclaims Judah passionately (Genesis 44:33). Joseph is genuinely overwhelmed, with Judah’s demonstration of righteousness, and love for his family, his father and especially the love for Joseph’s own brother - Benjamin. If Joseph had still any shadow of a doubt, whether his brothers are worthy of his forgiveness – It is Judah’s speech, made under great duress, that convinces Joseph, that time has come for a complete reconciliation, and a reunion with his brothers.
Note (*)
Most of the Jewish people today, are decendants of the tribe of Judah. A relatively small number is
represented by the tribes of Benjamin and Levi (Who belonged also to the Judea Kingdom). The other
10 Tribes were exiled (with the”Exile of the 10 Tribes” by the Assyrians 722 BCE. Their whereabouts
are unknown. Please see the note: “The Northern Kingdom of Israel, Samaria – Shomron” at the end).
Reconcilliation brtween the Brothers.
In a most dramatic move, after sending everyone but his brothers, out of the room, Joseph finally reveals his true identity. “And Joseph could not control his emotions…And he sobbed and cried (so loud that) the news reached Egypt and Pharaoh’s palace…And Joseph said to his brothers: I am your brother Joseph whom you have sold into Egypt…And now do not feel distraught (of what you did)…Since God sent me here to save lives” (Genesis 45:1-5). It must have been God’s intention that he (Joseph) come to Egypt ahead of the family to save them from (the now raging) famine.
Joseph sends them back to Canaan and urges them to bring Jacob and the entire family down to Egypt. Pharaoh, who is pleased to hear of Joseph’s family, offers them to settle in Egypt. Per Joseph’s advice, they will choose to settle in the district of Goshen.
The whole family of Jacob is now in Egypt.
Jacob is “stuned” by the good news about Joseph (Being alive and a second in command after Phataoh).
He hopes ro see his son Joseph soon. However, he does not seem to be ready, to leave Israel, where the heavy famine is still raging. He is then tpld by God, that the whole event is by His (God’s) own design. Leaving Israel will be only temporary. “And God told Israel (Jacob) by vision at night: Jacob Jacob
I am the God of your father. Fear not going down, on your descending way, to Egypt, for I (God) will make you there a great nation. I will go with you down to Egypt and I will lift you up on your ascending way back to Israel...And Joseph will lookout for you (at your old age)” Genesis 46:2-4.
In a matter of weeks, Jacob arrives in Egypt, and there is a most joyous reunion between Jacob and Joseph, and the entire family.
The Great Nation that will Soon be Developing.
Jacob is now 130 years old. He will live in Egypt another 17 years. Joseph who is now in his early 40s will live to the age of 110.
In the very last Passuk we get a glimpse at what is going to develop out of the 70 Jewish people who migrated to Egypt in order to survive the great famine in their homeland: “And Israel settled in Egypt, and they acquired a holding there. And they multiplied and their number greatly increased” (Genesis 47:27). Around 300 years later (13th Century BCE) the descendants of Jacob, the Jewish people, will number close to 1 million people. (“600,000 Grown Up Males, not counting women and children”, will be leaving Egypt, as per Exodus 12:37).
Haftarah: Ezekiel 37:15-28, Pg. 291
Ezekiel was among the prominent Jews, who were forcibly brought to Babylonia, in what became to be known “The exile of King Yehoyachin” (598 BCE). 12 years later, the Kingdom of Judeah, its capital Jerusalem and the Temple, were destroyed (586 BCE). Most of the Jewish people, who were left after the previous exile, were then exiled as well.
A prior disaster befell the Jewish people over 100 years earlier. It was the destruction by the Assyrians,
of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Based in Samaria), and “The Exile of the 10 Tribes” (722 BCE - Please see the note below).
Living in Babylonia, the prophet Ezekiel preaches repentance and a true return to God. It will certainly bring divine forgiveness to those, who are sincere in their belief in God. Their award will be substantial. God will return them to their land, and the 2 Kingdoms, The Kingdom of Judeah (Jerusalem), and the Northern Israeli Kingdom (of Ephraim - Samaria) will again be united, as in King David’s time. In order to reaffirm God’s commitment, Ezekiel uses 2 wooden sticks, symbolizing the Judean and the Israeli Kingdoms. By binding them together into one stick, he predicts the reunification of the 2 kingdoms, into one. “Behold,
I (God) will take the stick of Ephraim…and I will put it together with the stick of Judah…and they shall be one in my hand” (Ezekiel 37:19).
The linkage to our Sidrah is clear. In the Sidrah we witness the reunion and the happy ending to a 23 year rift between Joseph and his brothers (with the dominant figure of Judah). In the Haftarah we are told about the future reunification of the kingdom of Judeah and the kingdom of Israel (with its dominant tribe of Ephraim son of Joseph). Jacob’s sons, after reunification, will transform into the great nation of Israel. Their decendants will soon be reunited, and privileged with the newly rebuilt Temple in Jeusalem. “And I (God) will place my Sanctuary among them forever” (Ezekiel 37:26).
Note:
The Northern Kingdom of Israel (Samaria - Shomron)
There is not too much known, about the Northern Kingdom of Israel, that was based in Samaria – Shomron. Created by Jeroboam - Yarav’am Ben Nevat (Son ov Nevat) - of the Tribe of Ephraim
(Circa 925 BCE). He tore his kingdom off, from the original kingdom of Israel, that was ruled by The House of King David. The Kingship of Samaria unlike the Kingship of Judea (Jerusalem), changed hands very frequently. It was caused by the unusual frequent incidents, of Army Coups, against the heads of the Kingdom of Samaria.
The House of Yarav’am Ben Nevat - The founder of the Kingdom of Samaria (Of the Tribe of Ephraim, hence the occasional reference as The Kingdom of Ephraim) lasted only for 2 generations. We do not know the tribal origin of all the other kings, who came into power afterwards. We do however know that the 8th ruler, King Ahab - Ach’av happened to belong to the same Tribe of Ephraim. Ahab was probably the most notable ruler of the Kingdom of Samaria. He ruled for 21 years (874 - 853 BCE) thus, achieving a “feat” that none of the other kings of Samaria succeeded in.
The entire kingdom of Samaria throughout its 200 years of exietance, was always worshipping
idols.
King Ahab And his wife Jesebel – Isevel, are infamously labelled, in the Biblical Book of I Kings, as the arch enemies, of the Prophets of God.
There was never any love lost, between the 2 kingdomes (Samaria vs Jerusalem).
Constant skirmishes, which proliferated many times into full scale wars, can best describe the relations between the two.
The Kingom of Samaria was destroyed by the Assyrian King Shalman’esser (722 BCE).
Most of the Jewish People of Samaria were exiled, in what is known to us as “Galut Asseret Ha’shevatim” - “The Exile of the Ten Tribes”.
This Exile, has not survived, and most of its people, have apparently merged with other small nations around them.
In complete contrast, The Exile to Babylonia of the Jewish People, some 140 years later, after the destruction of The Temple and The Kingdom of Judea (586 BCE), has superbly survived.
It flourished culturally, in Babylonia where all the exiles were (forcibly) settled. The Rabbis of two famous Babylonial Yeshiva’s at Sura and Pumbedita can be credited with the issue of The Babylonian Talmud, a major basis for today’s Halacha.
