"Torah Lights"
 
Video Insights on the Parsha
 
 by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin

Efrat, Israel -- “Yehudah, your brothers will praise and acknowledge you… the sons of your father will bow down to you… the scepter shall not depart from Yehudah nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet until peace will come; unto him shall be the ingathering of the nations” (Genesis 49:8-10). 

Despite the cloak of striped colors Yaakov had given his beloved Yosef decades earlier, symbolizing the bestowal of the birthright upon the son of Rachel, the aged Yaakov makes it indubitably clear that it is Yehudah – and not Yosef – who will receive the birthright (bechorah),

To be sure, Yosef does receive the double blessing of material prosperity (berakhah – Gen. 22-26, esp. 25); but this is only a consolation prize, a back-seat gift to the bequeathal of majesty and messianic leadership, the birthright portion of Yehudah.

What made the patriarch Yaakov change his mind?  

I’d like to suggest that the first glimmering of doubt arrives with the announcement of Yosef’s dreams: the brothers’ sheaves of grain bowing down to his sheaf, and the sun, moon and stars bowing down to him. These arrogant visions add an ideological basis to the jealousy of the brothers, theoretically providing them with just cause for getting rid of this upstart ‘Jacobson’ who hankers after the agricultural achievements of more sophisticated Egypt and sees himself – and not G-d – eventually assuming center stage and receiving universal, even cosmic, obeisance. When we remember Yaakov’s dream of a ladder uniting heaven and earth, G-d standing at its apex and the patriarch requesting safe return to Israel, Yosef’s dreams seem sacrilegious at best and idolatrous at worst. “The brothers were jealous of him, whereas his father observed the matter [Hebrew hadavar] closely,” (37:11), waiting to see the outcome, reserving judgment.

Yaakov was certainly aware of the ‘problematica’ that emerged from his son’s dreams, but he was also enamored of the universalism and lofty ambition the dreams revealed. If only Yosef would recognize G-d as the center and director of human affairs, if only Yosef would stop bragging about his dreams and start listening to the dreams of others and help them realize those dreams, if only Yosef would become more humble, leaving room for G-d as well as for other people, then Yosef’s universalism and ambition could be seen as crucial ideals and characteristics for the King Messiah who must ultimately teach the world to accept a G-d of morality, compassion and peace. But this would all depend on how the young, brash and callow Yosef matures, and Yaakov had patience… And Yaakov desperately wanted to believe in this first son of his first love and favored wife.

However, there is one more crucial element necessary for the birthright: its recipient must be able to unify the sons of Israel. After all, only a united Israel has a chance to influence the nations of the world. Tragically, until this point, Yosef has been the symbol of divisiveness among the brothers, he above them, and they against him. It is in order to change this situation that, Yaakov sends Yosef on a mission to look after the welfare of his brothers, to make strides to look after their shalom (peace, welfare) after his arrogant actions and dreams prevented them from speaking to him in shalom (37:14, cf to 37:4), and then to bring back to his father davar, the crucial matter (davar) that he was closely observing (37:11, 13, 14).  

But this well-intended mission only exacerbates the division, the disunity of the brothers emphasized by the return of a bloodied cloak of striped colors in place of the arrogant dreamer. Alas, one brother of the twelve has been crushed, a limb from the collective body of Israel cruelly torn off. 

This aborted mission to “test” Yosef’s ability to unite his brothers – and his response of hineni despite the apparent danger inherent in his task – will haunt Yaakov for the next several decades as he bears the guilt for having initiated, albeit unwittingly, the “Sacrifice of Yosef” (Leon Kass’s phrase).  

Eventually, as a direct result of his humiliations and journeys, Yosef matures and comes to understand that, despite his eminence in Egypt, he is hardly as powerful as his dreams predicted. By the end he succeeds in placing G-d at the center (Gen 41:16), ultimately recognizing Israel as his homeland when he requests to be buried there (Gen. 50:2,5).

At the same time, although he magnanimously forgives his brothers, one might argue that because he does not admit his part in the ‘crime’ and doesn’t seek their forgiveness, Yosef can never  truly walk the path of  humility. Neither does he inform his father that he is alive – perhaps because he continues to harbor resentment towards him for mis-managing the family. Yosef places no responsibility upon himself. A great measure of supercilious haughtiness seems to cling to his person. Such arrogance cannot pave the way to family unity!

Yehuda on the other hand does manage to earn the voluntary acceptance of his brothers with his plan Swayed by his argument the brothers agree to sell Yosef instead of leaving him to die in the pit (Gen. 37:26,27). Yehuda is also willing to stand as a guarantor for Benjamin thereby winning his father's trust… (Gen. 43:8-10) Moreover Yehuda is truly humble, willing to publicly admit regarding Tamar, “she is more righteous than I…” (Gen. 38:26).

Finally, Yehuda is the only brother clever enough to see through the masquerade of the Grand Vizier, figuring out that he must be the missing Yosef, and thereby crafting a defense of Benjamin in a way that compels and inspires Yosef to reveal himself to his brothers and his father so that the family does eventually reunite.

In the end, Yehuda’s unique qualities pave the way for the aged patriarch’s decision that only he, of all the twelve brothers, is worthy of bearing the birthright of Israel. 

Shabbat Shalom