Podcast: Play in new window | Download (3.5MB)
This week’s parasha is entitled VaYigash, which means, “and he drew near.” It covers Genesis 44:18 – 47:27.
Last week, Rabbi Glenn left us with a cliffhanger at the end of his parasha commentary as Joseph’s brothers were about to depart Egypt for the second time. The evening before, they had feasted with Joseph, who still kept his identity a secret from them and now, in the morning, their horses were loaded with provisions and they were getting ready to make the journey home to Jacob. Unbeknownst to them, however, Joseph had instructed that his special silver cup be placed in Benjamin’s (the youngest brother’s bag). After they had begun their journey, Joseph sent his house steward after them. The steward accuses them of stealing Joseph’s silver cup. The brothers strongly deny that they had stolen anything, but when their bags are searched, the silver cup turns up in Benjamin’s bag. What a horrible moment this must have been for the brothers and they are escorted back to Joseph who asks them why they did this terrible deed. Judah, then approaches Joseph and accepts the fact that they had done something terrible. However, instead of just blaming Benjamin for this, he places the blame for this situation upon all the brothers. Joseph tells everyone else that they can leave Egypt, but he will keep Benjamin as his slave, and it is at this point that Judah speaks from the heart for all the brothers and demonstrates to Joseph that they have truly changed from the time when they threw him into a pit and sold him into slavery.
Judah calls Joseph their lord and consistently refers to himself and his brothers as servants. Then he pays honor to Joseph and Benjamin’s mother, Rachel, by saying that their father, Jacob, had told them that his wife had borne him two sons, implying that Rachel was of higher status as a wife and therefore, Joseph and Benjamin were of higher status then the rest of the brothers. And, unlike the time when the brother’s deceived Jacob by bringing home Joseph’s blood-stained cloak and telling him that he had been killed by an animal, Judah explains that if they come back without Benjamin, it will be such a heartbreak that their father would die. Here, Judah demonstrates the compassion that the brothers have gained for their father since Joseph was sold into slavery. Finally, Judah implores Joseph to keep him as a slave and let Benjamin go.
Hearing evidence that his brothers had truly changed since they had sold him into slavery, Joseph sends his attendants away and reveals his true identity. After they get over the shock and realization that Joseph has compassion for them and was not going to take revenge, they have a joyful reunion. Joseph also explains that this was God’s plan for the situation to unfold this way so that he could make a place for them in Egypt to be safe during the famine and beyond.
Joseph has 20 donkeys loaded up with treasures and food from Egypt, partly to convince Jacob that Joseph was really in the position that he was so Jacob would feel comfortable leaving. Jacob believes and in Chapter 46, he departs, but not directly for Egypt. In contrast with Abram, who immediately left Canaan for Egypt when famine hit (Genesis 12:10), Jacob stops in Beersheba to offer sacrifices to God and wait upon His word before leaving for Egypt. God answers Jacob and tells him that the Lord will go down to Egypt with them. Reassured, Jacob departs for Egypt. Joseph and Jacob have a joyous reunion.
Joseph coaches his brothers and father on what to say upon meeting Pharaoh. He tells them to say that they are shepherds and that they would like to dwell in the land of Goshen. Since shepherds are considered loathsome to the Egyptians, this will give the Israelis a chance to live separately from them and the Israeli population can grow in peace. They speak exactly how Joseph had coached them and are given the land of Goshen.
Our narrative now turns back to the devastating famine that is still at hand and the rest of the parasha details how Joseph first receives all of the Egyptians’ money for grain, then livestock for more grain and finally all of the farmland for grain and seed, eventually forcing all the Egyptians, except for the priestly class into servitude where Pharaoh will be given 20% of all crops harvested.
What can we learn from parasha VaYigash?
First we learn the lesson of being compassionate to others. Although they wronged Joseph by selling him into slavery, the brothers learned to become more compassionate to the point when another brother was also facing slavery, they all offered themselves to protect him as well as their father from the devastating consequences losing Benjamin would bring. And Joseph demonstrated compassion by not holding years of his slavery against them saying this was God’s plan. Sometimes it takes a while, even years to gain more compassion, but we should always look to have this trait in the difficult human relationship moments that we encounter.
Secondly, as we have studied the life of Joseph over these past two weeks, we can see that difficult circumstances we encounter can be turned into good through God’s plan. It might noy seem apparent when we are going through these circumstances, but Joseph’s slavery turned into serving Pharaoh as the #2 official in Egypt and eventually provided a safe haven for the rest of Israel.
When we take these two characteristics, compassion and the ability to wait and see God’s plan through and apply them to Messiah’s life, we truly get a greater sense of His sacrifice. He did not just have compassion on a few human beings, but compassion for all humanity. And, as difficult as His death on the Cross was, He was able to bring sinful humanity back into relationship with God. Although the disciples huddled in the upper room thinking that all was lost, in time, they realized this great truth. Thank you, Yeshua, for giving even greater meaning to these two characteristics.