This week’s parasha, VaYigash, presents the story of the reunification of Ya’akov’s sons and the family’s move from the Land of Cana’an to Egypt. At the end of last week’s parasha, Yosef set up a ruse in which Binyamin was accused of stealing a royal goblet. Our parasha opens with Yehuda’s plea to Yosef on behalf of Binyamin in the moments before Yosef’s revelation of his true identity to his brothers.
In this moment, Yosef and Yehuda demonstrate that they have become the leaders of b’nei yisrael – Yosef through his position of power in Egyptian society and Yehuda through his commitment to responsibility for Binyamin’s safety and his follow through on that commitment.
This week’s haftarah – a passage from Sefer Yechezkel – relates a prophecy that describes a future time for b’nei yisrael. In this famous prophecy, Hashem commands Ezekiel to make a demonstration to the people involving two wooden tablets. On one tablet, Ezekiel is to inscribe, “For Yehuda and the Children of Israel, his compatriots”. On the other tablet, Ezekiel is to inscribe, “For Yosef, the wooden tablet of Ephraim, and all the Children of Israel, his compatriots”. Hashem commands Ezekiel to bring the two tablets together in his hands – and at that moment the two tablets will become one.
Hashem tells Ezekiel to explain to b’nei yisrael that this demonstration represents Hashem’s commitment to His people – He will unify a nation that has become spread out and steeped in moral pollution of the surrounding base societies. Rav Samson Rafael Hirsch explains that the prophecy is describing two camps within the nation of Israel – one identified with Yosef and one identified with Yehuda. Although one camp is identified with Yosef and one with Yehuda, each camp is not living in accordance with the ideals of its namesake – their connection to these patriarchs represents their respective shortcomings. According to Rav Hirsch, the prophecy records Hashem’s commitment to unify the nation by rehabilitating the values of each of these camps and reconnecting the people to their namesakes.
Rav Hirsch’s explanation of this prophecy begs the question - what respective philosophies or value systems do Yosef and Yehuda represent? Asked in another way, in what quality are the two camps described in Yechezkel’s vision deficient? In the prophecy, what is stopping the Yosef camp from joining with the Yehuda camp?
In a passage in Sefer Hoshea, the prophet speaks extensively about the shortcoming associated with the “camp of Yosef” described in this prophetic time – they place too much trust in other nations and place little trust in Hashem. This description of the “camp of Yosef” connects with what we know about the value system that Yosef HaTzadik exemplified – he is the committed Jew in exile. He remained moral even in the face of an opportunity for sin with the wife of Potiphar. He pronounced his belief and trust in Hashem in his conveying the interpretation of the dreams of Paroh. The quality that exemplifies the “camp of Yosef” is placing trust in Hashem even in exile – when G-d’s Providence is less apparent.
In a passage in his sefer, the prophet Isaiah speaks extensively about the shortcoming associated with the “camp of Yehuda” – punctilious observance of the mitzvot coupled with a complete lack of commitment to honesty and truth. He castigates the “camp of Yehuda” for the fact that their performance of mitzvot does not lead to a greater enlightenment or commitment to emet – truth – and chesed – loving-kindness. Our patriarch, Yehuda, is a paragon of the cultivating of truth and honesty through commitment to Hashem’s will. When Tamar confronted him with his sin, Yehuda instantly admitted the sin and took responsibility for her welfare. When pressed to return to Egypt to retrieve his brother, Shimon, Yehuda made an honest and reasoned commitment to his father to take Binyamin to Egypt and to return him home safely. The quality that exemplifies the “camp of Yehuda” is growth in understanding and allegiance to truth and honesty through the performance of mitzvot.
Returning to our question – what is preventing the reunification of the camps associated with Yosef and Yehuda in the time of Ezekiel? The answer is that the moral shortcomings of the people keep them from being a united people. The prophet presents an inspiring solution to this problem – Hashem will lead the people in moral development and this growth will create the opportunity for reunification. Indeed, this prophecy serves as a model for all situations of disharmony within the various camps of b’nei yisrael – personal and communal moral growth is a powerful agent for national harmony.
In this moment, Yosef and Yehuda demonstrate that they have become the leaders of b’nei yisrael – Yosef through his position of power in Egyptian society and Yehuda through his commitment to responsibility for Binyamin’s safety and his follow through on that commitment.
This week’s haftarah – a passage from Sefer Yechezkel – relates a prophecy that describes a future time for b’nei yisrael. In this famous prophecy, Hashem commands Ezekiel to make a demonstration to the people involving two wooden tablets. On one tablet, Ezekiel is to inscribe, “For Yehuda and the Children of Israel, his compatriots”. On the other tablet, Ezekiel is to inscribe, “For Yosef, the wooden tablet of Ephraim, and all the Children of Israel, his compatriots”. Hashem commands Ezekiel to bring the two tablets together in his hands – and at that moment the two tablets will become one.
Hashem tells Ezekiel to explain to b’nei yisrael that this demonstration represents Hashem’s commitment to His people – He will unify a nation that has become spread out and steeped in moral pollution of the surrounding base societies. Rav Samson Rafael Hirsch explains that the prophecy is describing two camps within the nation of Israel – one identified with Yosef and one identified with Yehuda. Although one camp is identified with Yosef and one with Yehuda, each camp is not living in accordance with the ideals of its namesake – their connection to these patriarchs represents their respective shortcomings. According to Rav Hirsch, the prophecy records Hashem’s commitment to unify the nation by rehabilitating the values of each of these camps and reconnecting the people to their namesakes.
Rav Hirsch’s explanation of this prophecy begs the question - what respective philosophies or value systems do Yosef and Yehuda represent? Asked in another way, in what quality are the two camps described in Yechezkel’s vision deficient? In the prophecy, what is stopping the Yosef camp from joining with the Yehuda camp?
In a passage in Sefer Hoshea, the prophet speaks extensively about the shortcoming associated with the “camp of Yosef” described in this prophetic time – they place too much trust in other nations and place little trust in Hashem. This description of the “camp of Yosef” connects with what we know about the value system that Yosef HaTzadik exemplified – he is the committed Jew in exile. He remained moral even in the face of an opportunity for sin with the wife of Potiphar. He pronounced his belief and trust in Hashem in his conveying the interpretation of the dreams of Paroh. The quality that exemplifies the “camp of Yosef” is placing trust in Hashem even in exile – when G-d’s Providence is less apparent.
In a passage in his sefer, the prophet Isaiah speaks extensively about the shortcoming associated with the “camp of Yehuda” – punctilious observance of the mitzvot coupled with a complete lack of commitment to honesty and truth. He castigates the “camp of Yehuda” for the fact that their performance of mitzvot does not lead to a greater enlightenment or commitment to emet – truth – and chesed – loving-kindness. Our patriarch, Yehuda, is a paragon of the cultivating of truth and honesty through commitment to Hashem’s will. When Tamar confronted him with his sin, Yehuda instantly admitted the sin and took responsibility for her welfare. When pressed to return to Egypt to retrieve his brother, Shimon, Yehuda made an honest and reasoned commitment to his father to take Binyamin to Egypt and to return him home safely. The quality that exemplifies the “camp of Yehuda” is growth in understanding and allegiance to truth and honesty through the performance of mitzvot.
Returning to our question – what is preventing the reunification of the camps associated with Yosef and Yehuda in the time of Ezekiel? The answer is that the moral shortcomings of the people keep them from being a united people. The prophet presents an inspiring solution to this problem – Hashem will lead the people in moral development and this growth will create the opportunity for reunification. Indeed, this prophecy serves as a model for all situations of disharmony within the various camps of b’nei yisrael – personal and communal moral growth is a powerful agent for national harmony.
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