I can’t believe he would do that! What was he thinking? Did he really consider the possible outcomes of his decisions? These are all questions that I am dumbfounded with when facing the parental decisions that יעקב, Yaakov, made in this week’s פרשה, Parsha, of וישב, Vayeshev. The story of the 12 sons of יעקב opens with his beloved יוסף, Yosef, being given preferential treatment by his father and, in turn, יוסף sharing the prophetic dreams of his dominance over his brothers. These elements were handpicked for disaster.
Did anyone truly think יוסף brother’s would not begin to despise him? After constant ridicule, shared rumors and reports, are we surprised that יוסף’s brothers decided to remove him from the equation? I am more surprised with their composure and refrain in choosing to sell him rather than kill him. They seemingly learnt from the example of קין והבל, Cain and Avel, and chose a kinder, more compassionate resolution to their troubles.
Yet, if we look closely to how the brothers spoke of יוסף and their plan against him, something seems off putting:
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוּדָ֖ה אֶל־אֶחָ֑יו מַה־בֶּ֗צַע כִּ֤י נַהֲרֹג֙ אֶת־אָחִ֔ינוּ וְכִסִּ֖ינוּ אֶת־דָּמֽוֹ׃
And Yehuda said to his brothers (after seeing the Ishmaelite caravan) what value is there to us if we kill our brother and are covered with his blood? - Bereishit 37:26
Did יהודה, Yehuda, the brother whom all of our future kings would descend, have zero sympathy for יוסף? Could it be that the only thought to reconsider their actions was based on the value proposition (or lack thereof) of killing their brother? We are left awe struck that a son of יעקב could be so callous and crass.
As we turn our attention to next week and the holiday of חנוכה, Chanukah, we find a similar question persists. The חשמונאים, Hasmoneans, were the group of כהנים, Kohanim, led by מתתיהו, Mattiyahu, who took a stand in the face of Greek oppression and their decrees against religious rights and practice. After their unlikely win, they sanctified the בית המקדש, Temple, and, together with the rest of the nation, rededicated themselves to Torah lifestyle they fought to maintain. As such, they appointed themselves as rulers and kings over the Jewish people. Simply enough, right? Wrong!
The רמבן, Ramban/Nachmanides, explains that the ultimate demise of the חשמונאים was due to their taking on the role of the kingship from the tribe of יהודה, Yehuda, where it rightfully belonged. They had made the ultimate sacrifice for their people and felt they deserved a role that befits a king. They thought about what was in it for them and not what Hashem had designed to be done for the people at large. In time, Herod, once their servant, ultimately is the source of their demise.
Each year פרשת וישב falls out the week prior to חנוכה. That is not a coincidence. The story of יוסף’s brother and that of the חשמונאים resemble the same concern - when we act for our sake alone we ultimately plant the seeds that will grow forth our downfall. After the selling of יוסף, his brother יהודה makes many mistakes regarding his family for it all to result in him being publicly embarrassed in his own court and, as we mentioned earlier, the חשמונאים who defeated the mighty Greeks were thwarted by their own servant. When we only think of ourselves we are blind to those around us, who in turn, plot against us in the dark that is of our own creation.
The light of the חנוכיה, chanukiah, acts as a piercing force of clarity and resolve. As we light our candles, we bring forth an understanding of who we are, what role we play in our greater community and our Jewish story. We are reminded how dark we have made it around us and what just a small jug of oil could do to help us illuminate the space around us.
On behalf of the entire RMBA community, Eileen and I wish you and your extended families a חנוכה שמח, a Happy Chanukah. May this year’s light - the light of our children, our parents and grandparents who support our mission and the light Hashem shines down upon us and within each of us - bring us the clarity we seek and help us fight our way through the darkness around us to realize the world we are destined to create.