Parashat Vayigash

by Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon

Founder and Board Chairman, JobKaitf  

When going through the story of Yosef and his brothers, a startling question arises.  Yosef, his father’s favorite son must have known of his father’s pain with his absence. Why didn’t Yosef immediately return home after he was released from jail? This is a question asked by many commentators.
   One answer brought down, was that Yosef wanted his brothers to do teshuva, repent for their actions.  According to the Rambam in Hilchot Teshuva, in order to do complete teshuva, one must be in the same situation and not commit the same sinful act. In order for the brothers to do real teshuva, Yosef knew that they would have to be in the same situation. When the brothers finally bring Binyamin (the other son of Rachel, Yaakov’s wife) to Egypt and they save him, Yosef realizes that his brothers have done complete teshuva.
   This answer is strange.  Yosef is not in charge of people’s teshuva. And besides, how does this address the fact that Yaakov was caused many years of pain.
   I would like to offer another answer.  Let us imagine what would have happened if Yosef had returned home years earlier.
   The first question his father would have asked would be “what happened to you?”  Yosef would then have had to explain that his brothers sold him into slavery.  This would have crushed the entire family.

   The tensions between the brothers would have exploded into a family feud.  The family might never have recovered. The nation of Israel would not have been able to continue from this family.
The entire family’s future hung on the way Yosef handled telling his father the truth. Yaakov would only be able to understand what had happened after there was finally peace amongst all the brothers.
Yosef realized the responsibility he had for the future nation of Israel. Although it caused his father pain and Yosef missed his family, he was ready to wait many years or even forever.
   There are many things that happen in life, which cause us pain.  Sometimes, it seems much easier to look for the “simple” way to stop the pain.  But, as Jews, we should keep our eyes on what is ultimately best for the long term good of the Jewish people.  Often, looking for the quick solution, neglects the long term consequences and potential problems.  As we read this week’s Torah portion, may we be blessed to have strong, peaceful family relationships and continue to grow stronger as a nation.
 
Shabbat Shalom!