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Shiurim & Adult Education
THOUGHTS ON VAYIGASH BY MALCOLM GREENBAUM
In this week’s parashah we witness the emotional reunion of Yosef and his brothers, and ultimately Yosef’s reunion with his father.
Initially, it appears that the parashah’s focus is on Yosef, the man who saves his family during the time of great famine.
But perhaps Yehuda is the hero of the story, and with the benefit of hindsight, history supports this. In time, Yehuda becomes one of the Israel’s mighty nations. We, the Jewish people, get our name from him as well.
What makes Yehuda deserving of this honour and ultimate legacy? After all, he was the brother responsible for selling Yosef to the Ishmaelite traders, and it is likely that he showed Yaacov the blood-stained tunic, allowing him to jump to the conclusion that his favourite son had been eaten by a beast.
A lot can happen in twenty-two years. For all this time Yehuda has lived with the knowledge of the pain he has caused his father. Perhaps this is why, at the beginning of Vayigash, it is Yehuda who is making an impassioned plea for Binyamin’s release and offering to be enslaved in his place.
The parsha begins ‘vayigash elav Yehuda (and Yehuda went up to him (Yosef))’ There are several interpretations of this verse. Some commentators suggest that Yehuda was preparing for a battle with Yosef.
Bereshit Rabbah (93:4) says that Yehuda drew close to Yosef physically and emotionally. The S’fat Emet understands this to say ‘Yehuda approached himself,’ meaning that he discovered who he really is. He grew in this time, he looked inwardly and was perhaps humbled by the death of two sons and his interaction with Tamar. He is willing to give up his freedom, and possibly his life, to secure his brother’s release.
Yehuda cannot change the fact that his father still has a favourite son, but he can and has changed his attitude towards that knowledge. When appealing for Binyamin’s release, Yehuda’s concern is for his father’s well-being. Yehuda, the man who was once so angry with his brother that he suggested selling him to a travelling caravan, will now bring father and son together.
The text has little to say about the brothers’ relationships after the reunion, but Yehuda and Yosef share a special relationship in the time to come.
In Parashat Vayechi, Yehuda is the first of Yaakov’s sons whose blessing is not a rebuke. Yosef’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, are the only two grandsons blessed.
In the haftarah for Vayigash, Ezekiel uses sticks inscribed with the names of Yehuda and Yosef to demonstrate G-d’s love for his people Israel. Bringing these sticks together, G-d says he will gather the Bnei Yisrael from among the nations they have gone to and bring them to their own land (Ezekiel 37:21). I believe that this further stresses the importance of the relationship between Yehuda and Yosef and enlightens us about an aspect of the parashah that we might not normally consider.
Yehuda’s actions speak of a strong commitment to his family and emphasise the importance of speaking up and fighting for what is right.
Yehuda has grown as an individual, he has changed, and he has learned what is important in life. While we may never have to experience such dramatic events in our lives, we should continue to grow as individuals and strive to live up to Yehuda’s example.
Shabbat shalom
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