Vayigash

This week, we come to the climax of the Joseph story. All through the drama, Joseph has not revealed his identity to his brothers; they think he is the vice-Pharaoh of Egypt. At the end of last week's parsha, Miketz, Joseph framed his younger brother Benjamin by placing his goblet in Benjamin's knapsack, making it look as if Benjamin had stolen it. As the brothers left Egypt on the way back to Canaan, Joseph sent his men to catch up with them and accuse them of the theft. The brothers, who knew nothing of the goblet's whereabouts, are indignant, and say the if any stolen object is found in the possession of one of them, that man should be put to death, and the rest of them made slaves. Joseph's men make a more reasonable demand - the guilty party will be enslaved in Egypt, and the rest of them will be set free. Their bags are searched, the goblet is found where Joseph put it, in Benjamin's bag, and the brothers, astounded, tear their clothing in a symbolic act of mourning. They return to Egypt, and meet with Joseph. At this stage, it is the brother Judah who speaks out. Instead of accepting Joseph's suggestion that only Benjamin, the 'guilty' party, should be enslaved, he insists that all the brothers should remain in Egypt as slaves of Joseph. Joseph demurs; it would be unreasonable for me to do that, he says. The guilty party will be my slave, the rest of you are free to go home. At this point, our parsha, Vayigash, begins. Judah approaches Joseph, and, in a long speech, recaps his family's history; the elderly father Yaakov at home, mourning the 'dead' brother Joseph, afraid of losing Benjamin as well, and therefore very nervous about his going to Egypt. Judah dramatically describes his predicament to Joseph - how can I destroy what's left of my father's life by returning home without his beloved Benjamin? His solution - I will stay here as your slave, and let Benjamin and my brothers go.  READ MORE »