'Torah Portion

Joseph Was Truly
A Man Of Many Colors

Since Joseph had gone, Benjamin had
become father Jacob's favorite. Joseph
knew this when he saw that Benjamin
was missing from the group that first
came to Egypt. Joseph realized that
Jacob was protecting the baby of the
family, as he had earlier coddled Joseph.
Would the brothers, given half a chance,
en we first met Joseph
get rid of Benjamin as they had Joseph;
herding sheep with his
or would they act differently now?
older brothers, he was an
Could this then be the reason that
unappealing teen-ager,
Joseph gave his brothers a difficult time
in the first place? Did he put them in
spoiled by his father Jacob's favoritism.
the "pit" in order to humble them, just
Hateful of Joseph, the older brothers got
as God had transformed Joseph by hav-
even by ridding themselves of their
ing him thrown into the pit
brother and leading Jacob to
by his brothers? Did Joseph
think that his beloved son had
see his role as an educator,
been torn apart by a wild ani-
emulating the Torah's greatest
mal.
educator, God?
In this week's parshah, we
We cannot be certain of
are witness to the first reunion
Joseph's motives in dealing
between Joseph and his broth-
"harshly" with his brothers.
ers in 20 years. All the broth-
Perhaps he wants to educate
ers, with the notable exception
them; perhaps he seeks
of Joseph's only full brother
RABBI IRWIN
revenge.
Benjamin, stand before a man
GRO NER
What makes this story so
they think is a pure Egyptian,
Spec id to
engaging is that while
overseer of food distribution,
The Jew ish News Joseph is ostensibly testing
the man on whose discretion
his brothers, we are testing
their lives depend. We know,
Joseph. What kind of man is he now?
of course, that the man is Joseph, now
In the preceding episodes, Joseph
risen to great power under the pharaoh.
Joseph startles both his brothers and
resisted the blandishments of
Potiphar's wife. For such scruples,
us by lashing out in a combination of
Joseph would be known in Jewish tra-
third-degree interrogation and blatant
dition as a paragon of virtue, a tzad-
accusation. Joseph places his brothers
dik. Furthermore, instead of taking
under arrest for three days. Why? Is it to
credit for solving the riddles of his jail-
rake his anxious brothers over the coals?
mates' dreams, he gave all the credit to
Why doesn't he just tell his brothers
God. Joseph seems to have matured,
who he is? We aren't sure.
but has he? Joseph is a man of many
Joseph's motivation at this point may
colors, not so easy to decode.
be uncertain, but the impact on the
The Torah's story does not spell out
brothers is made clear. They are con-
the ethics of Joseph's behavior. As a
sumed with guilt for having thrown
medium of religious education, it
Joseph into the pit and for ignoring his
requires us to make that evaluation our-
screams while they sat down and dined.
Many modern interpreters think that
selves. If we actively read the Torah and
think about the unanswered questions,
it was not God but Joseph who was
we exercise and develop our own moral
seeking justice. Joseph arrested them to
sense. The Torah teaches through stories
avenge himself and punish his brothers
as well as through laws. ❑
for their past cruelty to him.
This interpretation has the merit of
satisfying our psychological expecta-
tions; but as we read on, hard questions
arise. Joseph keeps brother Simeon
hostage, insisting that the brothers
return with their youngest brother
Congregation B'nai Moshe's weekly
Benjamin. When the brothers bring
Learning Minyan and Stay and
Benjamin back, Jospeh weeps uncon-
Learn Study Group will both focus
trollably. Why does Joseph then falsely
on the holiday of Chanukah, Saturday,
accuse Benjamin of theft by having his
Dec. 27.
goblet placed in Benjamin's sack?
The Learning Minyan meets from
From this development, it would
10:15-11 a.m. The Stay and Learn
seem that Joseph is setting up a test.
Study Group meets for approximately
one hour immediately following kid-
Irwin Groner is senior rabbi of
dush, usually starting at 12:30 p.m.
Congregation Shaarey Zedek.

Shabbat Miketz:
Genesis 41:1-44.17;
Numbers 7:30-35.

Learning Minyan-
Chanukah Study

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