Shabbat Vayiggash

Written by Rabbi Dr Michael Shire Thursday, 05 January 2006

Parashat Vayiggash

This portion, actually my Barmitzvah portion, continues the long narrative of Joseph and his struggle with his brothers. For the past three Shabbatot we have read of the strange and heroic journey of this man Joseph. Unlike his father and grandfather and great grandfather, he journeys alone in life with no matriarch at his side. In fact he is not considered a patriarch either. God does not seem to have a direct relationship with him as he had with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Rather God inspires him with dreams and interpretations of dreams.

From being a young precocious boy showing off his ambitious aspirations and annoying his brothers by being the favourite with the multi-coloured coat, he becomes the highest authority in the land of Egypt. Yet the Torah dwells not on his success or his power to do good, it rather emphasises his growth as a human being, his maturity as a family member and his ability at reconciliation.

When he first emerges from the pit, in Hebrew Bor, he is the young handsome slave seduced by Potiphar’s wife. When he next emerges from jail, the Hebrew word used is also Bor, he acknowledges his own humility and interprets Pharaoh’s dream in God’s name. A change has come about, he recognises the importance of his task and feeds the Egyptian people during their famine.

When the brothers arrive to buy food, he disguises himself, at first unsure as to whether they are truly repentant for abandoning him or not. He forces them to repeat their actions with Benjamin, like Joseph the only other son of Rachel. All the other brothers are sons of Leah or her maidservant. However this time the brothers protect Benjamin and remain loyal to their father Jacob. Joseph realises they are truly repentant and reveals himself to them in private. He even gives them garments of coloured cloth. It is a true act of reconciliation which even the brothers could not fully believe as they become afraid again when Jacob dies and there is no father to plead for them.

So finally Jacob and Joseph meet and these final chapters of Genesis prefigure the slavery and Exodus that are to come in the next book of the Torah. Jacob and his family leave the promised land and settle with Pharaoh’s blessing in Egypt, in a little fertile corner called Goshen. God appears to Jacob at Beersheba, the frontier of the land – the place where he once met angels descending and ascending a ladder, and on his return met a man with whom he fought and who changed his name to Israel. Now God promises Jacob that he will take him down to Egypt but bring his descendants back in a future time to be a great nation. Joseph is the supplier of all their needs and protects them as they settle in Goshen. However the promise to Abraham remains in force as the dying Jacob begs to be buried in Canaan. Joseph will carry out this last request and indeed instructs his children to do the same for him. Generations later when a pharaoh arose who knew not Joseph, it was Moses who carried Joseph’s bones back to Israel.

Joseph is our last hero in the book of Genesis. He starts out like many such heroes as a young inexperienced boy and is thrust into adventure. He overcomes many obstacles to finally see his true mission and God’s purpose for him. He returns to his Jewish destiny by reconciling with his family and ensuring their survival in a terrible time of famine. He may not be considered a patriarch but to me now and to a 13 year old barmitzvah boy, he was and is my favourite bible hero.

Rabbi Dr Michael Shire
Acting Principal