BS”D
KINGS AND KINSMAN:
PARSHAT VAYIGASH
Shira Smiles shiur – 2021/5782
Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein
Parshat
Vayigash
begins with Yehudah approaching Yosef in what appears to be a high level summit
meeting of two heads of state. It is easy to understand Yosef as the royal
representative of his nation, but why is Yehudah the man representing Bnei
Yisroel in what is meant to be high level stakes for Binyamin’s freedom. By
referencing a verse in Tehillim, we can begin to probe the significance
of this meeting: “Behold, the kings assembled, they came together (Psalms
48:5).” Our commentators understand these kings to refer to Yosef and Yehudah,
two aspects of royalty and royal dynasties that would play important roles in
the history of Bnei Yisroel. According to the medrash, the other brothers
present recognized that something extraordinary was taking place between these
two men. They therefore stood back and observed these two royal personages
argue with each other.
It
is an accepted maxim that two kings cannot rule simultaneously over the same
realm. How can we then understand that both Yehudah and Yosef were the kings
over Bnei Yisroel? Further, what were their inherent characteristics that made
them the material of royalty?
In
Ben Melech, Rabbi Minsberg notes that even in the animal kingdom there
appear to be two “kings.” While the lion is usually referred to as the king of
the animals, he is king over the wild beasts, while among the domesticated
animals, the bull seems to reign supreme. In Yaakov Avinu’s blessing of his
sons, Yehudah is compared to a lion from whom royalty will never depart, Yosef
is compared to a bull. When we enumerate the seven “Shepherds” of our people,
as we do on Sukkot with the Ushpizin/guests we invite, Yosef is included
along with our Patriarchs, Moshe, Aharon, and David. How is Yosef included
along with the other six obvious leaders and shepherds of our people?
In
fact, continues Rabbi Minsberg, Yosef’s descendants did indeed shepherd the
nation. Yehoshua, who led Bnei Yisroel into the Promised Land after Moshe’s
death, was a descendant of Yosef through Ephraim, and Yeroboam ben Nevat was
king of the Northern Kingdom when the Davidic Dynasty split after King
Solomon’s death. As we readily see from our history, while the Davidic Dynasty
is eternal and will reemerge with the coming of Moshiach, the Yosef reign is
temporary. Some therefore see, that the ‘Yosef’ referred to in the
Usphizin, is none other than Yoshua.
Rabbi
Reiss finds allusions to these roles in the very names of these leaders. In
Tehillim 81, Yosef is called YeHosef, the “Heh” of Hashem’s name being
added to his original name. In contrast, Yehudah contains all four letters of
Hashem’s name with the addition of a “Daled.” Rabbi Reiss suggests that
their persona and their roles are already indicated in their names. Yosef, the
son of Rachel who kept her silence, sanctified God’s Name in private, while
Yehudah, whom Leah named as a public testament of gratitude to God, was
destined to sanctify God’s name among the masses. Most conspicuous, perhaps, is
Nachshon ben Aminadav, great, great great grandson of Yehudah who jumped into
the Red Sea precipitating the splitting of its waters.
Let
us go back directly to Yosef and Yehudah themselves. Yosef, although publicly
viceroy of Egypt, manifested his nobility most in private, in his personal
restraint against the advances of Potifar’s wife. On the other hand, Yehudah’s
acceptance of responsibility was public. As soon as he realized that he was the
secret father of Tamar’s twins, he acknowledged his role publicly, even at risk
of inviting widespread scorn and condemnation.
Even
Yosef’s dream hints at the source of Yosef’s greatness, continues Rabbi Reiss
citing the medrash. Yosef relates that in his dream, kamah alumati/my
sheaf [of wheat] rose up. But almah also means silence, that this trait
of silence inherited from his mother was the source of his rising to greatness.
And when he achieved the public greatness in Egypt, Yosef was given the
additional name of Tzofnat Paneach/The Hiddenness Revealer. One would
expect Revealer to precede Hiddenness, calling him The Revealer of the Hidden.
That would certainly seem more logical than this configuration. However, the
essence of Yosef was his inner strength and spirit, not what appeared
outwardly. Even Yosef’s reported preening such as curling his hair was meant to
camouflage his inner pure spirit. In essence, Yehudah is the public personality
while Yosef is the inner, private personality.
Bnei
Yisroel is like one body with multiple limbs, explains Rav Moshe Shapiro in Mima’amakim
quoting the Maharal. In this analogy, Yosef represents the
heart of desire while Yehudah represents the head that leads to action. In
human psychology, desire and ideation precede action. As Jews, we are asked to
turn both towards Hashem’s service, to elevate both desire and action, and thus
to coronate Hashem as our King and Commander. When the two are not aligned, we
need the outer structure of kingship to move us in the right direction.
This
explains why our first king, King Saul, had to be descended from Rachel who
epitomized the inner heart of our people. Saul’s mission was to prepare the
hearts of Bnei Yisroel to accept a king who would act in full accordance with
Hashem’s will. Had Saul succeeded, his dynasty would have ruled alongside the
Davidic dynasty. Unfortunately, by bowing to the desires of the people and
failing to eradicate Amalek, to control his own heart, sovereignty was torn
from him, and David’s would be the only eternal dynasty.
Later
in our history, when the Nation split, the Northern Kingdom was ruled by King
Yerovoam from the Tribe of Ephraim, son of Yosef. Yerovoam was able to turn the
people’s hearts away from Hakodosh Boruch Hu and created a new holiday to
worship an idol. This wound in the heart of of the nation precipitated the
exile of the Ten Tribes under his dominion so that they are “lost” to the Body of
Israel. [Only within the last 50-75 years are we “finding” these lost tribes
and incorporating them into Knesset Yisroel, a phenomenon many see as the
beginning footsteps of the coming of Moshiach. CKS]
King
David also sinned. Why did he not lose the crown? David’s sins were sins
of the heart. Since David’s dynasty was predicated on the mind rather than the
heart, the basis for its dominion remained intact.
While
ten tribes followed Yeroboam, the Tribe of Binyamin remained with Yehudah. The
destinies of Binyamin and Yehudah were interwoven. The Beit Hamikdosh, the
“heart” of Bnei Yisroel was in Binyamin’s territory which itself was as a
finger protruding into Yehudah’s territory. Further, Binyamin felt tremendous
gratitude to Yehudah for risking his life to save him from imprisonment by the
Egyptian Viceroy, the disguised Yosef.
Yosef,
or more generally Rachel, the heart, always had to precede the practical head.
So Yehoshua, had to lead Bnei Yisroel into the Promised Land, and Saul had to
be the first king of Israel. But in the future, the two will be united. Both in
Tehillim (80:2) and in the Prophet Amos (5:16) the entire nation
is called Yosef, while in all of Megillat Esther the nation is called Yehudi
even though Mordechai and Esther were from the Tribe of Binyamin (actually
descendants of King Saul, CKS). [And in Yirmiyahu 31:19 Hashem calls
Bnei Yisroel, “My beloved son Ephraim.” CKS]
This
future unity is alluded to in the first words of this Parshah, “Vayigash eilov
Yehudah/And Yehudah approached [Yosef].” When Moshiach comes, the power of the
heart and the power of the mind will unite and, depending on the immediate
circumstances, the heart or the mind would take the lead, alternating as
necessary, to lead Bnei Yisroel in revealing God’s glory.
The
roles of Malchut Yosef and Malchut Yehudah are not parallel, but
of sowing versus reaping, for example, of inner preparation and outer
manifestation, continues Mima’amakim. Throughout history, one or the
other served to protect us from our enemies. Yehudah’s humility in publicly
confessing his role for Tamar’s pregnancy is a foil for the haughtiness of
Edom/Rome, while Yosef’s control of his inner world is a foil for wild animal
that characterizes Yishmael. When the two unite, they will have the power to vanquish
all enemies. The entire Book of Bereishit is about these two areas. The
generation of the flood was corrupted in its passions and desires, while the
generation that built the Tower of Babel was so haughty they wanted to
challenge God in the heavens.
The
challenge of the times decides whether our best tool is restraint and silence
or action. The two models may shift quickly. In the events surrounding our
Purim holiday, for example, Esther remained silent and secretive about her
background. Yet, when the time came, she first urged Mordechai to take action
through [service of the heart, internal] prayer, and then took action by
approaching Ahashuerosh, denouncing Haman, and extracting the king’s permission
to wage war against the enemies of the Jews. Heart, speech and action must be
in sync with Hashem’s will and with the circumstances of the time. A third
model of a kingdom united with both will be realized at the end of days.
As
with everything the Torah records, it is important that we find the personal
message for our own lives. The brothers stood in awe observing these two giants
in full control over themselves. We need to understand that we also need to be
the king and ruler over ourselves, writes Rabbi Mordechai Ezrachi. Rather than
allow circumstances or desires to dictate our actions, we must focus both our
minds and our hearts toward doing what is right in the eyes of God. [As a
secular poet William Ernest Henley wrote, we must realize that “I am master of
my fate; I am captain of my soul.” CKS]
This
is the essence of true royalty, explains Rabbi Bloch. Royalty based on power
over others is completely external and fickle. In contrast, royalty based on
one’s integrity, on one’s mastery over self, is admired by others and gains
their allegiance. It provides a model for others to follow, as it did for the
brothers. Yosef became viceroy through the integrity others recognized within
him, and Yehudah demonstrated his integrity by his willingness to be humiliated
for the sake of truth and justice. In this manner, two kings can indeed
approach each other with respect and acceptance. Thus, Yehudah and Yosef, who
both exemplified the traits of self control, humility and forethought, could
indeed approach each other.
In
Shaarei Derech, Rabbi Fryman suggests that the title Melech
is itself an acronym for the requisite traits of a true king: M=Moach/mind,
L=Lev/heart, C(K)=Koved/liver/symbol
of physicality. Thus, one must first control one’s mind, then turn one’s heart
to desire that which is correct, and then the physical manifestations of these
will follow through action. As Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz notes, one’s thoughts
have the power to elevate [or lower] a person, so that a person will move only
in ways that are consistent with his thoughts. If we have the thought, we can
will ourselves to do things we would otherwise not feel like doing, adds Rabbi
Simcha Zissel Ziv. Focus your thoughts and desires on doing the right thing and
then follow through. We improve ourselves through this process. In other words,
using today’s vernacular, “Fake it until you make it.”
Yaakov
Avinu, in blessings his sons before his death, recognizes the traits of each of
his sons. He grants both Yehudah and Yosef leadership, based on their inherent
character. Why? Because, according to Rabbi Lopiansky, he recognized in both
Yehudah and Yosef his own defining quality, the quality of emes/truth.
But each possessed a different aspect of truth. Yosef was an ish emes/man
of truth. He sees things in absolute truth, unvarnished by any human perception.
This is the quality of angels. Yehudah took this one step further. He was modeh
al ha’emes/a person who admits the truth. Yehudah lets the truth penetrate
his heart so that he recognizes his errors and his guilt, and accepts full
responsibility even at great personal risk. When Yehudah approached Yosef here
and took full responsibility not only for Binyamin’s predicament, but also for
the sale of Yosef, Yosef was overcome with such a demonstration of truth and
had to restrain himself from bursting out crying.
Dovid
Hamelech carried on Yehudah’s legacy, admitting his sin and doing teshuvah,
exemplifying truth as it needs to be practiced on earth. Yosef knew the truth
of angels, those beings who never sin. At the end of days, these two will
merge. Until then, each of us has the responsibility to search for Truth
through our minds and our hearts, and then act in ways that align with that
Truth.