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Vayigash
January 3, 2009
Torah Genesis
44:18-47:27
Haftorah Ezekiel
37:15-28
Habesorah
(Gospel) Luke 6:9-16
The Torah portion opens with the revelation of
Joseph's identity and reconciliation with his brothers. As we read the
Parasha, Jacob is told that his son is alive and he is brought to Egypt
along with the entire family where they settle and prosper in exile in
Goshen. Joseph gathers the wealth of Egypt by selling food and seed
during the famine.
Joseph’s story has been retold many times. In
recent years, an animated film about Joseph’s story has been released. You
may know it as Joseph, King of Dreams.
We begin with Judah approaching Joseph and
saying "Please my master! Your servant now (wants to say) something that
my master will listen to. Please do not get angry at your servant, for you
are as Pharaoh." What we have before us is a very touching scene. This
family has hurt one another incredibly.
Joseph’s father is Jacob, also known as Israel.
Jacob had several wives. By these wives Jacob had 10 sons and an
unrevealed number of daughters. Jacob favors one wife, Rachel, over the
others and shows favoritism to the two sons he has fathered with her.
Joseph is one of these sons. It has led to hate and discontent among the
other brothers. They are caught up in the
“father-always-loved-you-better-than-me” syndrome. Though it is
understandable, what led these brothers to have these feelings due to the
actions of their father, Joseph’s brothers did a horrible thing. They
acted on their jealousy. Initially, in their hate, they intended to kill
their brother and tell their father that Joseph had been eaten by a lion.
Instead, a caravan conveniently passing by led them to sell their brother
into slavery.
What a dysfunctional family! Yet we read in
Genesis 45:1-45:28 that Joseph loves them and seeks reconciliation. “I am
your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be
distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here,
because it was to save lives that G-d sent me ahead of you. For two years
now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there
will not be plowing and reaping. But G-d sent me ahead of you to preserve
for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
So then, it was not you who sent me here, but G-d. He made me father to
Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.”
Joseph had not been acting as a long lost
brother, but as the Egyptian viceroy appointed by Pharaoh. He put his
brothers into jail and questioned them to try and get them to reflect upon
their sin and come to repentance. When Judah gave this wonderful
confession and offered this sacrifice, Joseph could no longer contain
himself. In an instant he ordered all of his servants out of the room, and
the well waters opened, as he burst out in tears. The brothers must have
wondered what was happening when Joseph just blurted out, “I am Joseph! Is
my father still living?”
He lives! Think about that. What were the odds
that Joseph would end up as the viceroy of the Egyptians second only
Pharaoh himself? Yet G-d had predicted it through Joseph’s dreams. The
brothers were beyond dumbfounded. It actually says, his brothers were not
able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence. If they
had met Joseph on the road, back in Israel, or even as a slave, that would
have been surprising enough. They wouldn’t have had to fear his
vengeance. But as the ruler of Egypt, they suddenly realized that their
hopes of a happy future were unlikely. The odds were for them to be
whipped, stoned, or throne into prison.
This reminds me of how terrifying it will be
for those who have rejected Messiah, when he appears on Judgment Day.
Revelation 1:7 says to look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye
will see him and wail because of their rejection of Him. Yet Messiah
forgives. So, too, Joseph forgives. Joseph’s brothers were expecting a
verdict of condemnation, for they certainly deserved it. But what did
Joseph say to them? “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into
Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves
for selling me here.” Instead of condemning them and exposing their old
blemish, Joseph only briefly mentioned that they sold him into Egypt.
Since they had shown their repentance, from that point on, he forgave
them. Four times he has to do so, even over 30 years after their act, to
try and convince them that he really wasn’t going to get revenge.
Isn’t this a wonderful illustration as to what
God does with us? We, like Joseph’s brothers, live with unresolved guilt.
Our consciences continue to bring up past sins, and we search for refuge,
but don’t seem to find it in the excuses and attempts to reform our
lifestyles. It terrifies us to think of standing before a holy God. But
in an unpredictable way, our holy G-d and King, like Joseph, instead of
condemning us as He should, does his best to reassure us.
We are forgiven. Messiah died for us (Romans
5:5-8). He promises us in Psalm 103:12 that, as far as the east is from
the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. These promises
give us hope. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us "For I know the thoughts that I
think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to
give you a future and a hope."
We are told over and over again that Yeshua was
full of compassion for the sick, for the widow who lost her son, when he
saw the multitude of people who were need of healing both physical and
spiritual.
Joseph wept over the brothers so Yeshua wept
over his people. In a very real and physical way, Joseph embraced his
brothers and let them see and feel that he really had forgiven them. So it
is the same with us. The same was true with Jacob. G-d’s Word says, when
they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the
carts Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob
revived.
Just as Jacob was revived when he heard that
his son lives so should our spirit be revived ,because Our King lives!
Shavua Tov
Rabbi Z.
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