Parshas Vayigash (5761)

Bs”d

Parshas Vayigash (5761)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

Perhaps the most dramatic scene in the Chumash and maybe in the history of the world was the moment Yosef revealed his true identity to his brothers.  It wasn’t only the shock that this Egyptian monarch was their brother but even more was the realization that Yosef’s dreams were actually a true prophecy.  He was truly Divinely destined to be above them and to be their ruler. The realization of living in such error and deception with such twisted and wrong conceptions that led them to radical conclusions and actions, bringing them to the brink of actually executing him, was devastating.  It isn’t possible to comprehend the mental anguish these great giants and searchers of the truth suffered when shocked in to the reality of having made such an awesome blunder and having been so mistaken and far from the truth.

Just a side thought—when Yosef served them the meal and sat them in the order of their birth and maternal connection, it could very well be he was presenting them with a less painful opportunity to realize the truth.  If they would have had the right mindset, having Yosef on their minds, there was sufficient material to grasp the truth.  Firstly, Yosef’s dreams of ruling over them. Also his appearance was not so radically different with his newly acquired beard that it was not possible to recognize him.  Putting all the factors together might have brought them to the truth, thus having the opportunity of having the revelation without the tremendous ‘tzaar’ of the shock.

The truth is now “out” and it is indeed the Divine Will that Yosef should be the ruler, malchus, presiding not just over the Egyptians but also over his brothers and, yes, even over his father.  Although we cannot fathom the Divine purpose for this in its entirety, there is one reason in the Chumash itself that is not noticed or properly understood.  46;33/4:… When Pharaoh summons you and says what is your occupation then you should say your servants have been cattlemen from our youth until now both we and our forefathers so that you may settle in the land of Goshen, every shepherd is an abomination to Egypt.”   The family is about to be introduced to the most powerful leader in the world and they have to stay temporarily in his country.  They happen to have an occupation that is an absolute abomination, do you have to tell this to him?  It is as though they were saying—yes we are cannibals, we kill and eat people and sell the meat—absolutely revolting.  Did you have to tell him?  “Yes, we all do it, we and our forefathers, all preoccupy ourselves with this revolting abomination.”  If Yosef wasn’t in the position he was, to suggest such an outrageous program would have surely been rejected.  It was only from the shock of the revelation that Yosef was destined to rule over them, did they cooperate with him.

HaShem entrusted Yosef to set up and arrange Bnei Yisroel in the galus which was now to transpire in Egypt.  He had this awesome responsibility to set it up in a way that should be the most beneficial and advantageous for Bnei Yisroel.  This was meant for Egypt and also as a role model for any other galus that Klal Yisroel might have to encounter in the future.  The imperative key to success is isolation from the goyim.

The climax of this long, treacherous drama starting from the early dreams of Yosef was to bring us to this point that Yosef should institute and teach us isolation.  It isn’t always pleasant—it is sometimes difficult and sometimes embarrassing (as with the brothers of Yosef in Egypt), and it isn’t always what we want.

(Bamidbar 23:9): “Hain Am Livodod Yishkon”  —  “Behold it is a nation that will dwell in solitude”.  We should merit seeing the end of this galus sooner than now—amen v’amen.