A Meeting in the Darkness (parashat Vayigash)

Hanukkah in Jerusalem.

To say that there is no other place to be on this holiday? And what about other holidays? Yes, Jerusalem is Jerusalem, in all seasons of the year, and yet Hanukkah is Hanukkah. And in the days that are the darkness within the darkness, when there is the least moon (the end of one Hebrew month and the beginning of the next one) and the least sun visible (the shortest days of the year), in every alley, there is, as the song says, “a small light and we are all a steadfast light.”

And during these days, of darkness within the darkness, we read about Joseph in Egypt and the moving meeting of the brothers.

We have become accustomed to this story. Every year anew. Judah, the shepherd, in his somewhat worn-out clothes, perhaps barefoot or in some sandals made of ropes and animal skin, his staff in his hand, his head bowed, humbled, hesitating, rethinking his transgressions. And his younger brother in front of him, dressed in Egyptian royal clothing, sparkling, formal, decorated, confident in the high position he has reached, controlling almost everything, understanding and knowing – almost – everything.

Joseph sees kingship; he sees how what he learned and dreamed in his father’s home will touch favorably the entire world: he is the “mashbir”, the “distributor”, providing food for the most powerful empire in the world. In a place where everyone “counted sheep”, he sees sheaves, sun, moon and stars. The world in its entirety.

We do not know Judah’s dreams. We can only guess them through his actions, if he even had time to dream. He lives in a world of family, guarantee, loyalty, mutual responsibility. The shepherd of the sheep must concentrate on what is here and now: where to take the sheep today, tomorrow, in this season. And the world? Who knows. We will do our part and “the Torah will go forth from Zion”.

And yet.

In the heart of the grand ruler, the deputy to Pharaoh – there are tears. And in Judah’s heart – a pride, commitment and confidence.

Each of them represents a different approach that exists within the Jewish people: One says, we must take the gifts we have received and share them with the world. “Only in this way” will we become a “light to the nations.” The other says, first of all, let us build ourselves and then and “only in this way” will we become a “light to the nations.” Joseph wants a “universal” Judaism. Judah wants “the Torah of Israel for the People of Israel in the Land of Israel.”

The righteous Joseph, whose father makes a special coat for him and who “curls his hair,” is not a spoiled child with delusions of grandeur. He sees that continuing the vision and blessing given to Abraham of “and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3) means saving Egypt, the largest and most powerful empire in the world, from famine, disaster and death, and through this salvation, passing on to the world the way of life, values ​​and Torah of the sons of Jacob, the sons of Israel.

Yosef is like the “Joint” (JDC) and the State of Israel who send rescue and aid to every place in the world, whether it is agriculture experts to Africa or emergency forces to an earthquake in Turkey and so on, in the hope that through this action, we can also share the values ​​given to us by the Torah, and in return receive some credit, sympathy and a place among the nations.

But both today and back then, our success in this way is limited, to say the least. We think that if we are “nice” and “useful” to our neighbors and to the world, “everyone” will see it, and hence the path to “tikkun olam” – making the world a better place – is quick. It is tempting. And there is logic in this, a lot of it even. But even Joseph, the almost omnipotent one who bought all of Egypt during those years of famine, failed to buy the “land of the priests” (Genesis 47:18-22), that is, he failed to really touch the heart and core of Egypt. And from this core, later, great evil emerged, and much of it, directed against us.

This was Joseph’s “Concepcion.” And what can be done against it? There needs to be someone within the team – extremely annoying – who thinks differently, who understands the whole situation completely differently, and who can point out and illuminate other options, another path.

Now the importance of the encounter between Joseph and Judah is even clearer. These are not just brothers who “make peace” after more than 20 years because of “no choice,” but rather, the Children of Israel who deeply understand that it is not “despite” but precisely “because of” the great difference between them, that seems almost impossible to bridge, that everyone is needed. Judah cannot live alone in the Land, cut off from the entire world. He needs the “shever”, the “break (famine) in Egypt,” to learn languages, to go out, to get to know, to be involved with people. In Egypt, Joseph succeeds – almost – in everything, but not in living apart from his family and his way of life. He and Osnat, his wife, raise their two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, to be part of the tribes of Israel.

Moreover:

When the whole family goes down to Egypt, it is said: “And Judah was sent before him to Joseph to teach before him… (ibid., 46:28). Rashi says about the word “before him” – ‘before he arrives there. And a Midrash Aggada (about the words) “to teach before him” says it means – to establish for him a house of learning from which teaching will come forth.”

As in every flight, the instruction is to first put on the oxygen mask and then, take care of those around you. That is, it is good and beautiful and right and important to engage in repairing the world, and it is also something we pray for every day, that we may be worthy of “repairing the world (in accordance with  kingdom of Hashem),” but we must also learn and strengthen who we are, or at least understand those who are busy and fighting for that as well.

I think about this in the dark, cold, rainy streets of Jerusalem, and especially when I find myself suddenly in a dark alley-way filled with light. How should we arrange the meeting between Judah and Joseph? How should we face each other with tears and pain, out of commitment to the family that we are? I hope we will find the way.