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The Lesson Of Brotherly Love

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January 12 • 2017

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Parshat Vayechi:
Genesis 47:28-50:26;
I Kings 2:1-2:12.

he climax of our biblical por-
tion of Vayechi comes in the
death-bed scene in which
Jacob bestows blessings upon each
of his sons, the future 12 tribes of
our nation. Which son will receive
the Abrahamic mission/covenant
and why?
SHABBAT LIGHTS
God promised Abraham that
Shabbat: Friday, Jan. 13, 5:05 p.m.
“through him all the families of the
Shabbat Ends: Saturday, Jan. 14,
Earth would be blessed.” To achieve
6:11 p.m.
this, Abraham needed to ensure that
the bearer of the birthright would
Shabbat: Friday, Jan. 20, 5:13 p.m.
have “compassionate righteousness
Shabbat Ends: Saturday, Jan. 21,
and moral justice” (Genesis 18:19).
6:18 p.m.*
When Jacob is blessed with 12 sons,
* Times according to Yeshiva Beth Yehudah calendar.
it seems that another qualification is
added: the ability to unite the family.
Jacob thought that Joseph, first-
Judah’s proposal that all the broth-
born son of his beloved Rachel, was
ers become his slaves because of the
the perfect candidate. However,
stolen goblet, he wonders why they
Jacob’s favoritism began a process
had been singled out by the Grand
of familial dissolution. When Joseph
Vizier. Who in Egypt might be out to
brought back tales of his
get them? Unless, the Grand
brothers’ transgressions to
Vizier is actually Joseph.
their father, he bred resent-
When Judah thinks he has
ment in his siblings, fatefully
uncovered the true identity of
fracturing the family of Israel.
the vizier, he knows he must
Joseph is now sold into
find a way to bring Joseph
slavery. Jacob is suspicious
back into the bosom of the
of the role the brothers may
family. He must effect a rap-
have played in his beloved
prochement between Father
Rabbi Shlomo
son’s “disappearance,” but he
Jacob and all of his sons, in
Riskin
such a way that everyone
is wary of causing even more
will understand the futility of
familial dissension by voicing
dredging up past history.
his thoughts.
So Judah faces Joseph, ostensibly
When the brothers come to Egypt,
pleading for Benjamin’s freedom, but
the siblings are reunited. Joseph is
using the chance to describe their old
hidden behind the mask of the Grand
father who still mourns for Joseph. He
Vizier; his brothers unaware of his
convinces Joseph that Jacob had not
presence. But we, the readers, see the
been linked to the plot, and also sub-
potential for family reconciliation.
tlety tries to impute guilt upon Joseph
Joseph faces Judah, the other can-
for not contacting his grieving father.
didate for the birthright. Each has
How can Joseph now inflict further
come a long way in developing the
traits necessary for leadership. Having pain on the patriarch by keeping him
from Benjamin?
a child with his daughter-in-law
By offering himself as a slave in
taught Judah the importance of taking
responsibility for one’s siblings and for place of Benjamin, Judah is also prov-
ing that he, who had initially proposed
familial future, and it has established
the sale, had finally learned the les-
his credentials as a paragon of com-
son of brotherly love. Judah succeeds.
passionate righteousness and moral
Joseph reveals himself and rejoins the
justice. Joseph, too, has proven his
family. Jacob-Israel and his children
moral rectitude.
are reunited — by Judah, who has now
Initially, Judah thought God was
proven that he is the most worthy
sending all the trials and tribulations
recipient of the coveted birthright. •
to the brothers because they sinned
in having sold their brother Joseph
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin is chancellor Ohr Torah
into slavery. But when Joseph rejects

Stone and chief rabbi of Efrat, Israel.

