Ziv : Parashat Vayigash 2

In this parasha the family story of the sons of Israel continues. We are witnessing the final reconciliation, after acts of betrayal and violence: Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, and for the first time they are able to talk to him. It is said that after having kissed his brothers, “only then were his brothers able to talk to him” (45:15). In Hebrew, the same letters form the word “violence” and the word “mute”. Lack of speech may cause violence, and violence may prevent speech. We were told that since his father Jacob showed his preference for Joseph while giving him a splendid robe, his brothers “could no longer talk to him” (37:4). Here, after the exchange of words that bring about reconciliation, Joseph gives his brothers “a change of clothing”. Maybe to replace those that they rent in their anguish (44:13) or to repair what happened to him years ago when his brothers stripped him of his robe… And Joseph does something that we may find strange: he does not hesitate to give far more to his brother Benjamin, risking to rekindle the anger and jealousy of the brothers. He is thus repeating the story of his father and his grandfather.

Joseph is not the only one deciding this reconciliation; Judah also has a share in it, when he offers his life in exchange for Benjamin’s. He also is repairing the fault he committed when he decided to sell Joseph to Egypt.

In the Torah, the history of man began with the murder of Abel by Cain, a story to be followed by others that are full of hatred and jealousy between brothers. It ends with the reconciliation of the sons of Jacob, called to form the people of Israel, bearer of the promises and of the covenants. This is the topic of the haftara in the book of Ezekiel: the tribes of Joseph in the North, and that of Judah in the south are united again, and they can hear the words: “They shall be my people and I will be their God”. “The acts of the fathers are a sign for the sons” says the classic rabbinic epigram.

At the end of the parasha, the old Jacob goes down to Egypt accompanied by his family. We have a list of his descendants, and among them a daughter appears: Serah the daughter of Asher. Why is she mentioned here alone? (46:17). The tradition says that she was to live a very long life, and will be the one that will indicate the place of Joseph’s bones to Moses, in order for him to bury them in the land of Canaan (Joshua 24:32). Another tradition (Talmud Sota 13a) even says that she never died, exactly like Elijah the prophet. She also remains till the end of time (cf. Luke 2:36). Shabbat shalom.