Parashas Vayigash

I'd like to start with an expression of thanks to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, as this week apparently marks the one year anniversay of this blog. Baruch shehechiyanu v'kimanu, v'higianu lazman hazeh. If anyone has been inspired by any of the thoughts here, I am grateful to Hashem for allowing me to be the vehicle for that inspiration. I am also grateful to you, dear reader, who actually takes the time to read my musings.

In this weeks’ parashah, Yosef, Viceroy of Egypt, reveals his identity to his brothers. As he sends them back to Canaan to bring Yaakov and their families down to Egypt, he admonishes them “אַל תִּרְגְּזוּ בַּדָּרֶךְ, do not quarrel along the way.”

Rashi explains that the simple understanding of this statement is that Yosef was worried (“she’haya do’eg”) that the brothers might quarrel among themselves, blaming one another for his sale; accusing one another of having gossiped about him, leading to his becoming hated. Yosef therefore cautioned them not to argue, for this was all part of a Divine Plan.

Why would their internal dispute be a source of worry to Yosef? How would that affect him?

There are different reasons that people seek to resolve disputes.

There are those who simply want to move past their disagreements to live in peace and harmony, without the stress and challenges of conflict.

Others are prepared to forego their legitimate gripes against others in order that the Heavenly Court will be more forgiving toward them.

Then there are those who are more selfless, and who are committed to avoid or resolve discord as a matter principle, because they recognize the wrongness of disharmony and just want no part of it.

Others, however, are on a higher level.

Dovid Hamelech tells us: “...יִרְאַת ד' אֲלַמֶּדְכֶם... בַּקֵּשׁ שָׁלוֹם וְרָדְפֵהוּ; …I will teach you Fear of Hashem: Who is the man who wants life?...He seeks peace and purses it.” (Tehillim 34:12, 15)

For the person who fears Hashem, it is not enough to “seek peace” in his own life, he also “pursues peace” between others. The goal of such a person is universal peace and harmony, as Chazal (Berachos 64a) tell us “Torah scholars increase peace in the world,” i.e., among everyone.

Yosef’s words offer us a glimpse into of the purity of his motivations.

He was committed to increasing peace. Thus, he was worried that now that he and his brothers had buried the hatchet, they may get into a fight among themselves. Resolving his own issues with them by engendering a new conflict would be self-defeating. This is why he implored them to maintain peace among themselves.

Unfortunately, the resolution of one fight often leads to recriminations against others. That is not what Hashem wants. This parashah shows us what the true Torah approach is.

“לֹא מָצָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּלִי מַחֲזִיק בְּרָכָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא הַשָּׁלוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, ד' עֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן ד' יְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּוֹ בַשָּׁלוֹם, Hashem found no vessel that holds blessing for the Jewish Nation, only peace, for it says: May Hashem give strength to His Nation, may Hashem bless His Nation with peace.” (Ukztin 3:12)

May we all maintain and promote peace and harmony, and may Hashem fill our “vessel of peace” with blessings for the entire Nation, and may he bring the ultimate geulah, when there will be “neither hunger, nor war, nor jealousy or discord” (Rambam Hil Melachim 12:5).

Gut Shabbos.