Vayeishev

“And he (Yosef) said to them (the brothers): ‘Please listen to this dream which I dreamt.’ He told his father and his brothers, and his father rebuked him. . .” (Breishis, 37: 6-10)

On these words, the midrash writes: The Almighty said, “This is the way the prophets would rebuke the Jewish people, (saying), ‘Please hear the word of G-d, saying, etc., ‘ (and just as the Torah relates that Yaakov said to Yosef) ‘And his father rebuked him’, so will the Jewish people rebuke their prophets.” (B.R. 84, 10-11)

We see from the words of the midrash an entirely different approach to the story of Yosef and his brothers than the approach we usually bring to this difficult passage. The midrash makes it clear that the description of his dreams to his brothers by Yosef was not a personal matter, but an act of prophecy, vital for the success of the nation.

Indeed, the Almighty testifies, in the words of the midrash, that Yosef did not express his visions of future rulership from a position of arrogance over his family. On the contrary, by comparing Yosef to the prophets, we see that our sages viewed Yosef’s act as a loving rebuke, coming from a point-of-view of humility. In other words, Yosef was urging his family—“Please listen”—incline your ears and understand that kingship has been given to me, the youngest of us all, and as such, recognize the fact —and here Yosef’s words hurt—that this character trait of kingship is not present in you.

The fundamental aspect of “kingship” is nothing other than self-control, being a ruler over oneself and one’s desires. This type of kingship is internal and does not negatively impact anyone else. Thus, our sages tell us in numerous places, “Man malki—rabbanan”, Who are the true kings?

The rabbinic sages. Thus, Yaakov felt that Yosef’s words would make no positive effect and he therefore rebuked Yosef. The midrash explains, however, that in truth, Yosef’s exhortation was appropriate. Indeed, so too would the prophets in the Jewish future exhort the people over their lack of this internal “kingship” , and they too would be rebuked for words which would fall on deaf, unlistening ears.

Yosef, not a self-interested lad, but a prophet, burning with a message.

(This d'var Torah is based on the work Peninei Daas, the essays of the Telsher Rosh HaYeshiva Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Bloch, zt"l, edited by Rabbi Noson Tzvi Baron, shlit"a, and Rabbi Avrahom Chaim Levin, shlit"a, vol. 1, pp. 98-9)

“And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers and they hated him could not speak of him peacefully.” (Breishis 37: 4)

The entire story of the Selling of Josef is nearly beyond comprehension. The twelve brothers, the “tribes of G-d”, sons of Yaakov, the chosen of the Patriarchs, the foundation and root of the Jewish people—Avraham and Yitzchok could not bring them forth, for in their progeny it was necessary to separate out a “chaff” (Yishmael and Eisav) , while only Yaakov merited that his offspring would be complete, perfect. The Patriarchs are called “the footstool of the Divine Presence”, and the twelve ‘tribes of G-d” brought this relationship to actuality, functioning in human society as a spiritual manifestation of the twelve heavenly “mazalos”, constellations, who receive the Divine influence directly from the Presence of the Almighty specifically attuned to the guidance of the Jewish people (see the esoteric literature for a more detailed discussion of this aspect of the Twelve tribes.)

How, then, could it be possible that such individuals could perform an act of such abject cruelty, to endeavor to kill the young child of their beloved father’s old age and in so doing cause him a level of pain and mourning that he would not be comforted? How could they not take pity on the young Yosef’s plight, as they themselves testify about their actions, (Breishis 42: 21) “For we are indeed guilty, after we saw the pain of his soul when he beseeched us for mercy”. How could such men be so heartless? The entire incident is a wonder, and what is almost even more astounding, is how they were able to sit and eat a meal following the sale, in peace and comfort no less!?!

Our sages, in their penetrating wisdom, clarify this conundrum for us. The Twelve Tribes were indeed all righteous and wise, and everything they did in this incident was done with forethought and justice (see Seforno, who explains the rationale that the brothers used to base their actions). They judged Yosef as a “pursuer”, and delivered a judgement of death based on the legal principle, “If one comes to kill you, rise to kill him first”. They were justified in this analysis, explain our sages, and included in their judgement a variety of considerations and exhalted factors without number, connected to all kinds of spiritual issues, as is discussed in detail in the Zohar.

There it is explained that Yaakov’s love for Rachel, and for the children from that union, Yosef and Binyamin, was such that the secrets of Creation and the roots of the souls of the Universe could come to perfection through their two tribes alone. The brothers of Yosef, when they saw that he brought to their father criticisms of their behavior, feared that through this Yaakov would separate them from the foundations of the Jewish people (just as Avraham and Yitzchok had separated Yishmael and Eisav). This, to the brothers, was a fate worse than death, and therefore, they viewed Yosef as a pursuer in the most profound sense of the word. Thus, they delivered a judgement with the enormous “gevuros ha-daas”, strength of insightful character, which is always found in spiritual giants of their nature. Moreover, according to their view, they had decided according to the truth of the halacha, and thus had the “menuchas ha-nefesh”, the peace of mind to sit down to a meal once the decision had been executed. The Torah itself attests to the correctness of this analysis, for afterwards, when it relates the brothers’ remorse over their misdeed, the Torah only mentions the lack of mercy when they saw and heard their brother’s entreaties, but entirely omits the incident of the sale itself. Rather, it was decided with serious and sober forethought and was only an error in judgement, not in the statement of the law.

The Torah, in telling us that in truth, the brothers’ behavior flowed from a hidden character flaw, from a spark of jealously (as it says, “and his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his other brother and they were jealous”), teaches a profound lesson. As great as a person may be in his service of Hashem, he still is subject to the blandishments of the evil inclination and all the character flaws potentially active in man. We see from here the extent that one’s nature still functions even in the greatest of individuals, and how each and every one of us must take care to see the truth, not the blurred vision of the “yetzer hara”.

(This d'var Torah is based on the work Peninei Daas, the essays of the Telsher Rosh HaYeshiva Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Bloch, zt"l, edited by Rabbi Noson Tzvi Baron, shlit"a, and Rabbi Avrahom Chaim Levin, shlit"a, vol. 1, p. 97-98)