By Rabbi Jordan Silvestri, Head of School
The story of Yosef and his brothers is slowly coming to an end. Yaakov has brought his family down to Egypt, they have designed a home in the land of Goshen and are preparing for life after Yaakov. His brothers, along with the people of Egypt, mourn the loss of Yaakov and all that he has contributed to their longevity, security and regional fortitude. It is a time of transition that naturally brings a sense of unrest and concern. It is no wonder that Yosef’s brothers retreat to a place of fear and uncertainty at the end of Parshat Vayechi.
וַיִּרְא֤וּ אֲחֵֽי־יוֹסֵף֙ כִּי־מֵ֣ת אֲבִיהֶ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ ל֥וּ יִשְׂטְמֵ֖נוּ יוֹסֵ֑ף וְהָשֵׁ֤ב יָשִׁיב֙ לָ֔נוּ אֵ֚ת כׇּל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר גָּמַ֖לְנוּ אֹתֽוֹ׃
The brothers of Yaakov become fearful when their father (Yaakov) dies. They say to each other, “Lest Yosef bears a grudge and returns all the bad that we have done to him!”
I do not know about you, but are you serious?! We are here again!
We already went through these feelings in Parshat Vayegash (last week’s parsha) and Yosef reminded the brothers that he was not upset. Rather, this was all part of Hashem’s plan. Yes, it was hurtful, unkind and broke down a sense of family and community. And, it was still within Hashem’s plan and, as such, not for me to bear any grudge. Yet, the brothers seemed to need to hear it one more time:
וְאַתֶּ֕ם חֲשַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עָלַ֖י רָעָ֑ה אֱלֹהִים֙ חֲשָׁבָ֣הּ לְטֹבָ֔ה לְמַ֗עַן עֲשֹׂ֛ה כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה לְהַחֲיֹ֥ת עַם־רָֽב׃
Even though you intended me harm, Hashem intended this for good inorder that we should be here, today, to be able to ensure everyone’s safety and longevity.
Instability of any kind could cause even the most faithful and resolute of us to shake at our very core. I would have hoped that the sons of Yaakov, the father of the modern day Jewish people, would have greater faith in one of their own.
The Chatam Sofer has a fascinating explanation to the words “you intended me harm.” There is a Midrash that explains that when Yosef was propositioned by Potiphar’s wife, he was nearly enticed by her overtures. What prevented him from giving in to his physical desires? An image of his father, Yaakov’s, face appeared, causing him to be scared and run away. Essentially, he got caught before the act by his father and ran away in shame.
The Chatam Sofer asks, if Yosef was worthy of receiving divine intervention before a potential sin, why did his brother’s not warrant a similar miracle before choosing to kill and ultimately selling him off? He explains that there was a greater plan in the works and each moment received what it needed to ensure that plan unfolded as was intended by Hashem.
We often find songs, books and movies that resonate so deeply within ourselves that we revisit them over and over as we uncover the secret treasures hidden deep within them. Boyd Varty, author of The Lion Tracker’s Guide to Life, is one of those books for me. It tells of a day in the life of the author, a lion tracker, as he and his tracking mentors uncover a family of lions through the South African bush. He details the life lessons that he uncovers throughout this process learning more deeply about himself and those around him.
Trackers follow the footprints of a lion, the clues that it leaves as it walks through the desert, jungle and watering holes. As long as you can spot the track, you will ultimately find a prize at the end of the yellow brick road. And, what matters most is what happens when the track disappears. The footprints are hidden by the elements. How do you not get turned upside down to find yourself between a mother lion and her cub?
Varty has the answer so eloquently. Tracking is a process of finding many first tracks as you live the motto, “I don’t know where I am going but I know exactly how to get there.”
The brothers and Yosef had no idea where they were going. Yosef didn’t think his being sold into slavery would result in him becoming the viceroy of Egypt. His brothers certainly did not think they would ever see Yosef again nor would they ultimately end up in the same place again. What they each did was find first tracks. One after another. With a deeply seeded appreciation that Hashem was the author of their stories and they were all destined for something bigger than themselves.
And, both in this week’s parsha and last week, the brothers lost the track. They did not know where to find their next first track resulting in them questioning Yosef’s values, his moral compass, and his ability to see beyond the momentary anger, disgust and hate that they exhibited toward him.
The first time was a bandaid as the brothers were simply processing Yosef’s identity. This time it stuck for Yosef showed his commitment to Hashem, His values, the moral compass that He instills in each of us and a clear dedication to securing the safety of the brothers, their children and their family for years to come.
It is not getting lost that matters. It is what we do with it that counts.