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Note: Last week I offered to send anyone interested a copy of an essay-type piece which pulls together all of my material on Ya’akov and Eisav. That essay is now available to anyone (not only those with MS Word Hebrew), either as an MS Word file or an Adobe Acrobat (PDF) file. The cost is that you must send me your comments once you’ve read it! If you’re interested, send email to emayer@ymail.yu.edu

Parashat VaYeshev turns the focus of the Torah from Ya’akov and his development as a spiritual/moral leader to the character and development of Ya’akov’s successors, his sons. Having learned together through the parshiot from the beginning of the Torah until now, it should come as no surprise to us that—like Adam, Hava, Noah, Avraham, Sara, Yitzhak, Rivka, Ya’akov, Rahel, and Le’ah—Ya’akov’s sons, while gifted and blessed, are not perfect. This faces us with the question we have dealt with in previous weeks with regard to some of the great figures above: why are these individuals chosen to found the nation with a special relationship with Hashem? The Torah clearly records their sins and exposes their flaws. What makes them great?

One approach to this question is that taken by some midrashim (rabbinic commentary on the Torah) and medieval commentators: that the figures above, including the twelve sons of Ya’akov, are indeed perfect or close to perfection. This approach requires reinterpretation of the many incidents the Torah reports which appear to show that these figures sinned or were flawed in important ways.

We have been taking a different approach, one which accepts a more literal meaning of the events in the Torah. In answering questions which arise, we look to the text of the Torah itself for answers. This means that we must accept that our founders were far from perfect, but, more importantly, it leaves us with the hard work of understanding what makes them great and what lessons we can learn from them.

Beginning in VaYeshev, the Torah focuses especially on the development of Yosef and Yehuda, and, to a lesser degree, Re’uvein. As we learn through VaYeshev, MiKetz, and VaYigash, our job is to follow these figures through their challenges and triumphs.

Last week we completed a chapter in Ya’akov’s life: his development from “Ya’akov” to “Yisrael,” from subtlety, deception, and avoidance of challenges to straightforwardness, strict honesty, and courage. With this week’s parasha, the Ya’akov-Eisav rivalry is history and the focus moves to Ya’akov’s sons.

By now, we have noticed the recurring theme that the family dynamics of the households of our Avot are somewhat less than perfect: Avraham is beset by the conflict between himself and his nephew, Lot, and suffers through the strife between his wives, Sara and Hagar; Yitzhak and Rivka participate in the competition and conflict between their sons; Ya’akov is the nexus of the competition between his wives for affection and fertility.

The mythical Jewish family is middle or upper-middle class, with a mom and dad, about three kids, no serious internal conflict, no underachievers. Today, the media devote lots of print and airtime to showing us that there are Jewish families of all kinds, some with one parent, some with four parents, some with no kids, some far below or high above middle class, some torn by strife and conflict, some burdened with ‘underachievers.’ I suppose this is a revelation to those who believe in this “mythical Jewish family,” but it strikes me that this “mythical family” certainly did not grow out of Sefer Bereshit, where we find multiple female parents in one family, midlife deaths of wives and mothers, a persistent pattern of childlessness, siblings murdering one another or trying to, children and spouses being thrown out of houses, siblings who sell each other into slavery, strife between parents . . . never a dull moment. The Torah recognizes the reality of family life and does not hide the uncomfortable truth or try to project an unachievable model for us to follow. May all of our families be happy and healthy . . . but our often less-than-perfect reality is affirmed by the family snapshots we see in the Torah’s album.

We now turn to look at Ya’akov’s children, his relationship with them, their relationships with each other, and their development.

No characteristic is simply a strength or a weakness. Each can play either role, depending on how we handle it. At this point in his life, Yosef is full of potential, but his youthful lack of wisdom turns some of his assets against him.

How is it that Yosef’s brothers arrive at an emotional state where they are ready to murder or sell him? The Torah describes the development of the relationship:

These are the offspring of Ya’akov: Yosef, seventeen years old, shepherded the sheep with his brothers and was the supervisor of the sons of Bilha and Zilpa, his father’s wives. Yosef brought evil reports of them to their father. Yisrael loved Yosef better than all of his other sons, because he was the son of his old age, and he made him a striped cloak. His brothers saw that his father loved him better than all of his brothers, and they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.

Who fires the first shot in this battle? Who first sets in motion the process which ends in Yosef’s sale? Suprisingly, the answer is Ya’akov, Yosef’s own father.

Yosef is his father’s favorite because he is a “ben zekunim”—“the son of his old age.” But how much age difference is there between Yosef and his brothers? Several mefarshim (commentators) point out that Yosef is in fact the same age as several of his brothers! He is the same age, for example, as Yissakhar and Zevulun. And his own brother, Binyamin, is even younger than he is—even more of a “ben zekunim” than Yosef is. So what does “ben zekunim” mean, since it can’t mean simply a son born in the father’s old age?

Mefarshim disagree on the exact definition, but the Ramban’s approach is perhaps the closest to “peshat” because it answers our question and also translates “ben zekunim” fairly literally. The Ramban says “ben zekunim” means that Yosef was chosen by his father to *serve* him in his old age. According to the Ramban, it was common practice for elderly people to choose one child to serve them, help them perform needed tasks, get from place to place, etc. This child would remain with the parent while the other children went about their business. “Ben zekunim,” then, does not mean “a son born in his father’s old age,” it means “a son who was chosen for his father in his old age.”

Ya’akov has chosen Yosef as his “ben zekunim,” the son who keeps him company, runhis errands, and helps perform tasks. This includes a crucial function which Ya’akov passes to Yosef: the task of keeping an eye on his sons (Seforno 37:4 asserts that Ya’akov appoints Yosef to take charge of his brothers in managing the flocks). Yosef, as his father’s representative, performs this task by reporting to his father what his brothers are up to, which, as we hear, is not always good. And as we know, the brothers’ opportunity to kill or sell Yosef is provided by Ya’akov himself, who sends Yosef off to observe the brothers and return with a report.

While we’re on the topic of Yosef’s leadership qualities, what evidence is there that Yosef is a talented leader? There is a pattern in Yosef’s life which we see repeated several times with regard to leadership: people tend to give Yosef so much responsibility, such a degree of carte blanche to supervise things as he sees fit, that they all but abdicate their own role as leaders. There are four examples of this pattern:

God was with Yosef, and he was a man of success; he remained in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that God was with him, and that everything he did, God made successful. Yosef found favor in his eyes and served him; he appointed him over his house, and EVERYTHING HE OWNED, HE PLACED IN YOSEF’S HANDS. From the time he appointed him in his house over everything he owned, God blessed the house of the Egyptian because of Yosef, and God’s blessing was upon all he had, in the house and in the field. He left [”abandoned,” perhaps] all of his possessions in Yosef’s hands; HE DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIS OWN POSSESSIONS, except the bread he ate . . . .

Not only is Yosef put in charge of everything, but Potifar basically abdicates as master of the house. Potifar actually has no idea what is going on in the house. He trusts Yosef so implicitly that he knows only that his meals arrive and that he eats them.

When the *mistress* of the house notices him and begins to make passes at him, we see even more powerfully the degree to which Yosef has become master of the house. She may be attracted to him not just because he is so handsome, but also because he has supplanted her husband as man of the house. She would never have laid eyes on a lowly slave, even a good-looking one, but this slave has become master of the house—almost husband-like. Because his status has risen, it now becomes possible for her to think of him as a sexual partner (or target).

God was with Yosef and drew favor to him, putting his favor in the eyes of the warden of the prison. The prison warden put all of the prisoners in the prison into Yosef’s hands; anything that was done there—he did it. THE PRISON WARDEN DID NOT SEE ANYTHING UNDER HIS CARE, since God was with him, and whatever he did, God made successful.

Again, we notes the pattern above: not only does his superior give him responsibility, he basically gives up his job and lets Yosef do it. Yosef has functionally replaced the warden. Again, a person in authority trusts Yosef so implicitly that he lets Yosef do whatever he wants. The warden himself has no idea what goes on from day to day in the prison. Yosef is such a capable leader, such a natural authority-wielder, that when he arrives, whoever is in charge is so overawed by his capabilities (and so delighted to be free to watch television) that Yosef seems to inevitably replace that leader.

Paro said to his servants, “Is there anyone like this man, in whom is the spirit of God?” Paro said to Yosef, “Since God has told all this to you, no one can be as wise and understanding as you. You shall be OVER MY HOUSE; by your word shall my people be sustained, and I SHALL REMAIN GREATER THAN YOU ONLY IN THE THRONE.” Paro said to Yosef, “See: I have placed you over all of Egypt.” Paro removed his ring from his hand and put it on Yosef’s hand, dressed him in linen clothing, and put a gold cape on his neck . . . .

Once again, Yosef demonstrates brilliant leadership, and the authority figure in this scenario—Paro—concludes that Hashem is with him. Paro appoints him as his second-in-command and relinquishes control of the single most important activity of his country for the next fourteen years: storing and distributing grain. Yosef **becomes** Paro, in effect. This self-replacement is confirmed by Paro’s transfer of the signet ring to Yosef: whatever Yosef decrees *becomes* the will of Paro. Later, when the famine begins and the people begin to starve, they come to Paro—who tells them to go to Yosef and to do whatever he tells them. Yosef has completely taken over, just as in the previous examples. (The words “over my house” clearly echo Potifar’s words in appointing Yosef over his own household.)

In summary of what we’ve said so far about Yosef and his brothers, the brothers hate him because:

Clearly, Ya’akov is responsible for putting Yosef in this tricky position. And as we are about to see, there is more to Ya’akov’s role.

The next thing the Torah says makes the brothers angry is that Ya’akov makes for Yosef a “ketonet pasim,” a cloak with stripes -- perhaps colored stripes. But we are not talking about children here. Why does this cloak bother the brothers so much? Certainly, it is understandable that Ya’akov’s preference for Yosef angers them. But why does the cloak make things worse? It seems so trivial!

The Ramban (Shemot 28:2) and the Seforno (Bereshit 37:3) suggest that the “ketonet pasim” represents leadership—kingship. This cloak is not just the ancient Near Eastern version of a nice sweater, it is *ROYAL* garb, the cloak of a king (examples from Tanakh: Shmuel II 13:18, Yeshayahu 21:22). This is what it represents to the brothers; this is why it bothers them so much: Not only is Yosef the favorite son in terms of Ya’akov’s affections, but he appears to have been selected by Ya’akov to be the family’s next leader!

Ya’akov’s selection of Yosef particularly challenges Re’uvein, the biological first-born and natural choice to lead the family, and Yehuda, who begins to takes a prominent leadership role in the family, clashing with Yosef more than once.

All of this is quite a lot of ‘baggage’ for Yosef to carry around, and none of it seems to be his fault. Yosef’s predicament appears to be created by Ya’akov, as the Torah explicitly tells us that the brothers hate him for his cloak and for reporting on them.

But then the Torah reports that Yosef reports his dreams to his brothers. Usually, when we look at this story, even if Yosef’s behavior (trumpeting to his brothers his dreams of ruling over them, 37:5-8) seems inappropriate to us, we assume he is just naive, an immature but talented 17-year-old who assumes his brothers will share his excitement about his bright future.

This is certainly one way to read the story. But there is another possibility, one which makes more sense in the context of the tense and hate-filled relationship the Torah says already exists. It is difficult indeed to believe that Yosef is unaware of the hatred already generated by his father’s favoritism toward him (37:3). Ya’akov’s preference is no secret—Yosef actually walks around wearing the sign of that preference—and Yosef must notice that his brotheseem unable to speak to him without almost spitting at him, as the Torah reports. In this cont, how can he not realize that telling his brothers about his dreams of ruling over them will aggravate the situation?

Some suggest (see Hizkuni) that Yosef is attempting to convince his brothers that they should not hate him. He is hinting that his future as a leader is not something his father is giving to him; in truth, Hashem Himself is behind his rise to power. But if so, once he has tried to convince them of this by telling them the first dream, and he sees that their hatred has only grown, why does he report to them another dream which shows them bowing to him again? Isn’t it clear to him that this strategy has totally backfired?

The Radak (37:5-7; see also Seforno 37:19) provides an entirely different approach to Yosef’s role in this story. He suggests that in the already tense and hate-filled context, Yosef’s sharing his dreams of dominating the family is not a naive mistake, but a very purposeful and *aggressive* move! Yosef *knows* his brothers hate him—and he wants them to know that one day they will all bow to him! He tells them his dreams not because he is foolish enough to imagine that they will be happy for him, but in order to taunt them!

This view is supported by the fact that Yosef takes more than one opportunity to share these dreams with his brothers. Even if he somehow manages to convince himself the first time around that his brothers might be happy for him, he cannot be foolish enough to expect the same positive reaction the second time.

Yosef, it seems, is not the happy-go-lucky young man we might have imagined, with stars in his eyes and a jumbo helping of naivete. He is quite aware of his brothers’ feelings about him, and he responds to their palpable hatred by taunting them with visions of their subservience to him. What we are beginning to see is that the situation is not quite as simple as it might have seemed, and that everyone involved—Ya’akov, the brothers, and Yosef, all contribute a drop of poison to the relationship between the brothers and Yosef.

All of the elements of the approach we have been developing here answer another question: everyone understands that later on, the brothers deserve (to some degree) the manipulation Yosef perpetrates on them by pretending not to know them and accusing them of espionage. After all, they sold him! Yosef needs to see if they have learned anything since then. But why does Yosef himself deserve to be sold as a slave? And why does Ya’akov deserve to be deprived of his favorite son for 22 years? Are we to say that the whole story is just an accident, just the result of the evil in which the brothers decide to engage? According to our approach, Yosef and Ya’akov have both made great mistakes; both need to learn something important.

Yosef responds to the animosity of his brothers by putting his future leadership “in their faces”: he announces to them that he has dreamed that he will rule over them. And then, for good measure, he does it again. What better learning process for Yosef than to be sold as a slave, the diametrical opposite of a king? This is not to say that Yosef’s dreams are only expressions of his arrogant ambitions—they are not his inventions, they are prophetic. But it was his choice to broadcast them to his brothers, his decision to respond to their hatred with high-handedness. Yosef will learn humility as a slave and prisoner. And then he can rise to responsible leadership.

It is also clear that this is not a lesson that his brothers consciously mean for Yosef to learn: they certainly do not sell him into slavery in order to rehabilitate him. They, of course, are ready to kill him, and only reconsider on second thought and decide to sell him. Their decision seems motivated by squeamishness about murder and perhaps also some greed, but no desire to aid Yosef in his personal development.

Yosef displays not only humility, ascribing his power to Hashem, but also shows that he now understands leadership on a much more profound level than before. Previously, he had used his prophetic dreams of leadership as a weapon against his brothers. Arrogantly, he had waved in their faces that they would one day bow to him. Of course, this very act showed that he was totally unfit to lead at that point—part of leadership is being accepted by the group one is leading.

But by now, Yosef has matured; he not only interprets Paro’s dream, but even successfully proposes the centerpiece of Egyptian economic-agricultural policy for the next fourteen years (7 of plenty and 7 of famine)! Fresh from jail, a slave shapes the future of the entire region and earns himself the power of second-to-the-king, largely because he couches his policy suggestion as something Hashem has told him. If he had phrased his suggestion as something he had thought of, Paro would either have thrown him out, executed him for chutzpah, or at least rejected his plan, for no king would accept a plan that is not only not his own plan, but which comes from a foreigner-slave-prisoner! As Hashem’s plan, however, Paro can and does accept it.

The same Yosef who years before lorded his future supremacy over his brothers now behaves as if he is only a pipeline for Hashem. In order to learn these lessons about humility and leadership, Yosef had to be reoriented. He needed to be sold as a slave in order to see that his destiny was totally in Hashem’s hands, that he would be a leader only if Hashem decided he would be, and that if Hashem preferred, he would be slave to an Egyptian minister or rot in an Egyptian jail forever.

Ya’akov has made mistakes as well, and the loss of Yosef is designed to punish him:

Lavan said to Ya’akov, “What have you done, STEALING [va-tignov] my heart, treating my daughters like captives of war? Why did you sneak and run away, STEALING [va-tignov] me and not telling me . . . .”

Ya’akov answered and said, “Because I was afraid you would STEAL [ti-gnov] your daughters from me.”

“For I have been STOLEN away [ganov gunavti] from the land of the Ivrim . . . .”

The Torah gives tremendous prominence to the word “ganav” ithe story about Ya’akov’s flight from Lavan’s house—and the same word is used here by Yosef in a double formation (“ganov gunavti”).

Please send all comments to eitan@juno.com

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