Dear TBZ community:
וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלָיו יְהוּדָה
Vayigash elav Yehudah
And Judah approached him
Our parasha (Torah portion) begins with this dramatic and powerful moment of possibility, vulnerability, and true encounter.
Parshat Vayigash continues the saga of Joseph and his brothers. At this time, Joseph’s brothers don’t know their fate, as Joseph does not let them go back to their father, Jacob. In this moment of uncertainty, Judah approaches Joseph with a plea for forgiveness. Even though Judah doesn’t know he is speaking to his brother, he feels compelled to express his pain to Joseph and begs him to allow them to return home. Contained in Genesis 44:18-34 is a moving description of Judah’s feelings and vulnerability. This is, perhaps, a moment of teshuva (repentance) for Judah. But perhaps this is also a moment of reaching out across differences; and to do so, Judah must look inwards. Reaching out is intrinsically connected to reaching in.
Judah has taken his role of the guarantor of Benjamin seriously. Chizkuni, the medieval commentator, explains that “לפי שהוא ערבו – the reason why Judah was the one carrying on this dialogue was that it was he who had guaranteed Benjamin’s safe return to their father” (Chizkuni to Genesis 44:32).
Earlier in the narrative of this story, before returning to Egypt with his brother,
Judah says to his father Jacob:
אָנֹכִי אֶעֶרְבֶנּוּ מִיָּדִי תְּבַקְשֶׁנּוּ אִם־לֹא הֲבִיאֹתִיו אֵלֶיךָ וְהִצַּגְתִּיו לְפָנֶיךָ וְחָטָאתִי לְךָ כׇּל־הַיָּמִים
I myself will be surety for him; you may hold me responsible: if I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, I shall stand guilty before you forever (Genesis 43:9).
And in this week’s parasha, Judah explains this to Joseph:
כִּי עַבְדְּךָ עָרַב אֶת־הַנַּעַר מֵעִם אָבִי לֵאמֹר אִם־לֹא אֲבִיאֶנּוּ אֵלֶיךָ וְחָטָאתִי לְאָבִי כׇּל־הַיָּמִים
Now your servant has pledged himself for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, I shall stand guilty before my father forever’ (Genesis 44:32)
The word arev (ערב) means surety, pledge. We know it from the concept of כל ישראל ערבים זה לזה, all Israel are responsible for each other. The idea of pledging ourselves or taking responsibility for another human being is a powerful one. Perhaps Judah takes this role because he knows he failed in the past when he had an opportunity to save Joseph.
Earlier in their story, Judah saved Joseph from death, but Judah doesn’t fully stand up and save Joseph from being sold. When Joseph is in the pit, Judah doesn’t see his brother’s face – his face of fear, his face of helplessness. Judah doesn’t see him. Although he doesn’t kill him, he doesn’t save him either. He doesn’t actively stand up for Joseph. But this time, Judah faces his own truth and is able to articulate it. It is in that moment that Joseph opens up, cries, and reveals himself to his brothers.
Like Judah, each of us has opportunities in our life, individually and as a collective, to face our own truths and take responsibility. Responsibility for the times we did not stand up, for the past, and for the present. Our tradition teaches us that every day is a day of potential teshuvah, not just one season a year. Because by being vulnerable, by looking inwards, we can face the world and those in front of us with honesty and truth. Judah does that! He faces his truth and that becomes a moment of revelation and forgiveness. But more powerfully, Judah reaches out, doesn’t hide, but connects.
Last week in my Shabbat N’kabla message I suggested that during these very difficult times, instead of aiming for unity, we should aim for “connection.” This week’s teaching adds one more layer to this idea: one that says, to be able to reach out to others and connect, we also must look inwards with honesty.
May this Shabbat bring blessings and consolation to all of you and your loved ones. May we find strength, courage, and patience, and open our hearts with generosity. May all those who are ill find healing.
And my most fervent prayer, each day: May all the hostages come home soon to their families and friends, and may we see peace.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rav Claudia
P.S.: I will not be writing a Shabbat message next week. Our office will be closed December 25 through January 1. May 2024 come with blessings and more hopeful times.