“And the news was heard in Pharaoh’s house saying: ‘Joseph’s brothers
have come.” Pharaoh and his servants were pleased” (45:16). Thus concludes the
reunion of Joseph and his brothers.
This simple, seemingly transitional, verse tells us a great deal about the
respect that Joseph earned in Egypt. From the narrative of the Torah, one sees
that he was an outstanding politician, and while, like all politicians, he
obviously knew how to handle people and deal with authority, he also displayed
tremendous foresight for the benefit of those under his care. Joseph is
described as a fair leader and a man who maintained his morality even in
difficult times. Such inner strength is a character trait that I think most of
us wish to see more of in our modern political leaders.
Another frequently discussed theme of the story of Joseph is his unwavering
emunah (faith). Even as he is reunited with his brothers, deep in an emotional
moment, he affirms his belief that everything that has occurred to him has been
part of God’s plan. It is, in truth, a level of emunah that I think many Jews
today deeply wish to attain but certainly feel far away from.
There is tremendous power in the apex of this narrative - the moment when
Joseph reveals himself. This section of the Torah builds to an incredible sense
of anticipation: “Joseph could no longer control himself before all his
attendants, and he cried out, ‘Have everyone withdraw from me!’ So there was no
one else about when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. His sobs were so
loud that the Egyptians could hear, and so the news reached Pharaoh’s palace” -
45:1-2).
Perhaps we could look at this text with a different perspective than simple
family reunion: How relieved Joseph must have been to finally be among his own
people. Not just the joy of being reunited with his brothers, not just the
excitement of seeing his father, and not just the affirmation of his belief
that God had a plan, but rather the recognition that finally he would be among
people who shared his beliefs, his culture and his language. In fact, the
Midrash (Genesis Rabbah 93:10, cited by Rashi) relates that Joseph revealed
himself to his brothers in Hebrew.
Recently I attended a four-day course in London. There was one other Jewish
participant at the program, a delightful woman from El Salvador who was
strongly affiliated but not specifically religious. As much as I enjoyed the
program, I spent a significant amount of the mealtimes explaining to people why
my meals were different, a conversation that often segued into larger
discussions about religious beliefs and traditional life. It was fascinating
for me particularly in that, as an East Coast Jew, I am used to people knowing
at least a little something, but many of these international students had never
seen special kosher meals before. And while I have always enjoyed being an
ambassador of Judaism, arriving at my hosts’ home for Shabbat was a great
relief. I was now in my natural element, where I didn’t have to explain my food
choices, or why I didn’t shake hands, or feel as if I stood out for my way of
dress.
Joseph did take on the semblance of an Egyptian while he lived in Egypt, but
one can imagine that he never felt as if he was in his own skin, so to speak.
Even as he rose through the ranks, he was always, in his own mind, an outsider.
And the only way that he could shed that feeling of being different was by
being together with his own kind. Revealing himself to his brothers was not
just a joy, but it was also an internal pleasure of simply acknowledging one’s
true self.
Joseph’s life in Egypt is a journey that most people today can relate to. Most
of us live in foreign lands, and we have grown up steeped in two cultures - our
Jewish world and our national identities. Most of us are not rising political
leaders, but all of us have an obligation to remember our values, our morals,
and our faith, no matter what situation we are put in. As important as this
inner strength is, however, we should never forget the necessity of the
strength we gain from being part of a community.
Perhaps one could look at Pharaoh’s reaction to the news of the arrival of
Joseph’s brothers in a different light. Pharaoh and his servants knew that they
could trust Joseph, knew that he was working for their benefit and that he took
his responsibilities seriously. Perhaps now they saw that Joseph would be an
even stronger leader for having reconnected with the Children of Israel.
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