Midreshet Amit

Torah

Back to Main Page

Va-Yigash: Rebuke, Compassion and Selflessness

By: Rachel Katz and Hila Fisher

In this week’s parasha, Yosef finally reveals himself to his brothers, by exclaiming: “I am Yosef. Is my father still well?” To which he leaves his naïve brothers in a state of disbelief. We then see Yosef’s extreme humility as he goes on to explain to his brothers that they should not be fearful of him, as he expressed no anger toward them. He explains that everything happens for a reason, and the reason they sold him to Egypt was so that he would arrive in Egypt before they did, enabling him to begin preparing for the unprecedented famine. However, various commentators question whether Yosef’s first interactions with his brothers were really without any anger for what they had done to him.

An interesting observation of the reunion with Yosef and his brothers is the words that immediately leave Yosef’s mouth after his great reveal. Yosef instantly asks: “is my father still well?” A number of acharonim highlight Yosef’s use of words, as he did not mention their betrayal. However, Malbim says that the words: “is my father still alive” include a great deal of rebuke, as it implies that Yosef is reprimanding his brothers for what they have put Yaakov through. This emphasizes Yosef’s humility, as he does not stop for a second to rebuke them for what they have done to him, he only questions the affect they had on his father. Beis HaLevi, further explains the meaning of this rebuke by explaining that Yosef’s question about his father was an answer to Yehuda who was asking for mercy for his fathers sake. Thus, it is as if Yosef said to him: “Are you asking for mercy? How then were you not concerned about Yaakov’s life when you sold me?” Therefore, in some sense, the simple question of “is my father still well?” was another reprimand to his brothers, as he couldn’t understand why it was only now that they cared about the feelings of their father, Yaakov.

Kli Yakar explains another concept of the rebuke. He illustrates that when Yosef revealed himself, he stressed, “is MY father well?” He specifically refers to Yaakov as ‘my’ father, as if to say ‘my father is not your father after what you did to me’. In addition, at first he also said to them, “I am Yosef” leaving out “your brother” until later. Thus, they were afraid that he would not treat them like brothers and that was the main source of their great anxiety. Only once he expressed to the brothers: “I am Yosef you brother, whom you sold” did they begin to feel less fearful. He stressed that he was their brother even though they had sold him. However, this does not divert from the fact that the first words he spoke to them were a hidden rebuke; they understood this and so they were afraid from their first interaction.

Despite suggestions that Yosef’s first words to his brothers were brought with a hidden rebuke, the Or HaChayim, explains that when Yosef saw that the brothers remained silent, he could not understand what the silence meant. He attributed their silence to one of two causes; either the brothers were mortified for what they had done, or they were still in doubt as to whether he was really their brother. He reacted to both their shame and doubt. In regard to their shame he told them: “I am Yosef your brother. You have nothing to be ashamed of before me. I have always been your brother.” And in reference to their doubt, he proved that he was Yosef by adding, “whom you sold to Egypt.” That was clear proof, as no one else knew about this incident. This last explanation of the Yosef’s reunion with his brothers shows that he had still much compassion toward them after all this time. Overall, we learn from Yosef’s behaviour towards his brothers that despite their wrongdoings, he still found light in the situation and recognised that everything happens for a reason. Additionally, Yosef teaches us the attribute of selflessness, as his sole concern was his father Yaakov.