Dear TBZ community:
וַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ שְׁנָתַ֣יִם
After two year’s time
These are the first words of this week's Parasha: After two year’s time.
The word מִקֵּ֖ץ, translated here “after”, comes from the word קץ- the word “end”. Miketz marks a transition, the end of a time and the beginning of another.
The story we “finished” reading last week, was the story of Joseph and his complicated relationship with his brothers -- a relationship so destructive that his brothers sell Joseph as a slave and he lands in jail in Egypt.
The story that we “begin” to read this week is of Joseph’s journey from slave to Pharaoh’s right-hand-man, even receiving a new name צָֽפְנַ֣ת פַּעְנֵחַ֒, Zaphenath-paneah. Joseph becomes a new person, with a new role and a new fate.
In the meantime, Jacob and his children suffer from the famine that has covered the land, and the ten brothers go down to Egypt to find food. They travel to Egypt, where Joseph, their brother, is a ruler.
Chapter 42, verses 7-8 describe the moment of encounter:
וַיַּ֥רְא יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־אֶחָ֖יו וַיַּכִּרֵ֑ם וַיִּתְנַכֵּ֨ר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם וַיְדַבֵּ֧ר אִתָּ֣ם קָשׁ֗וֹת וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ מֵאַ֣יִן בָּאתֶ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ כְּנַ֖עַן לִשְׁבָּר־אֹֽכֶל
When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them; but he acted like a stranger toward them and spoke harshly to them. He asked them, “Where do you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan, to procure food.”
וַיַּכֵּ֥ר יוֹסֵ֖ף אֶת־אֶחָ֑יו וְהֵ֖ם לֹ֥א הִכִּרֻֽהוּ
For though Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.
Though Joseph recognizes his brothers, he decides to behave like a stranger, moreover, as the story develops, Joseph takes his time to reveal himself to them and ultimately to forgive them.
In next week's parasha, we will read about the heartfelt moment of reconciliation and embrace, but the journey to arrive at that moment is not easy, and not simple.
Let’s imagine for a moment a different development of the biblical story, one that skips from verse 42:8 (quoted above) directly to 45:1:
וְלֹֽא־יָכֹ֨ל יוֹסֵ֜ף לְהִתְאַפֵּ֗ק לְכֹ֤ל הַנִּצָּבִים֙ עָלָ֔יו וַיִּקְרָ֕א הוֹצִ֥יאוּ כָל־אִ֖ישׁ מֵעָלָ֑י וְלֹא־עָ֤מַד אִישׁ֙ אִתּ֔וֹ בְּהִתְוַדַּ֥ע יוֹסֵ֖ף אֶל־אֶחָֽיו
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.
וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֶת־קֹל֖וֹ בִּבְכִ֑י וַיִּשְׁמְע֣וּ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע בֵּ֥ית פַּרְעֹֽה
His sobs were so loud that the Egyptians could hear, and so the news reached Pharaoh’s palace.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יוֹסֵ֤ף אֶל־אֶחָיו֙ אֲנִ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף הַע֥וֹד אָבִ֖י חָ֑י וְלֹֽא־יָכְל֤וּ אֶחָיו֙ לַעֲנ֣וֹת אֹת֔וֹ כִּ֥י נִבְהֲל֖וּ מִפָּנָֽיו
Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still well?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dumbfounded were they on account of him.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יוֹסֵ֧ף אֶל־אֶחָ֛יו גְּשׁוּ־נָ֥א אֵלַ֖י וַיִּגָּ֑שׁוּ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֲנִי֙ יוֹסֵ֣ף אֲחִיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־מְכַרְתֶּ֥ם אֹתִ֖י מִצְרָֽיְמָה
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come forward to me.” And when they came forward, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, he whom you sold into Egypt.
וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ אַל־תֵּעָ֣צְב֗וּ וְאַל־יִ֙חַר֙ בְּעֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם כִּֽי־מְכַרְתֶּ֥ם אֹתִ֖י הֵ֑נָּה כִּ֣י לְמִֽחְיָ֔ה שְׁלָחַ֥נִי אֱלֹהִ֖ים לִפְנֵיכֶֽם
Now, do not be distressed or reproach yourselves because you sold me hither; it was to save life that God sent me ahead of you.
If we skip those almost three chapters, the story reads: The brothers arrive. Joseph recognizes them. He tells them who he is. They all get emotional and embrace each other. Joseph forgives.
But that is not the story. When Joseph first sees his brothers, he remembers וַיִּזְכֹּ֣ר יוֹסֵ֔ף אֵ֚ת הַחֲלֹמ֔וֹת , he remembered the dreams. He remembers his past, what his brothers did to him and the suffering he endured. The medieval commentator Radak explains saying:
“He realized now that they had hated him on account of his dreams; this is why when he remembered all that they had done to him instead of repaying them in kind, he only made them extremely uncomfortable for a while"
The three intervening chapters are necessary for Joseph to find his capacity to forgive and for the brothers to recognize their culpability and their need for forgiveness. In these three chapters, Joseph tests his brothers relentlessly, even cruelly, perhaps because he needs to feel his anger fully before he can forgive. Though the brothers don't know that Joseph is testing them, it is only after they acknowledge their past actions that Joseph opens up his heart and cries and forgives.
Was this a step necessary for true reconciliation? Could forgiveness and reconciliation happen without Joseph “trying out” his brothers and acting from a place of anger? Are those three chapters, when Joseph makes his brothers suffer and worry, when he makes them insecure and afraid, necessary?
I believe that these are relevant questions in our own lives -- in our personal relationships and even currently in our country as we transition from one government to another.
Can we move easily from past to present - should we forgive, call for unity, move on? Is it desirable? Is it healthy? Is it authentic? Is skipping those three chapters even possible?
How do we move from the tragedies and the pain inflicted over these past four years? Is it possible to move on from the 310,000 Americans who have died and the many more who will die from Covid 19? Is it possible to move on from the atrocity of children separated from their parents and put in cages? Is it possible to move on from the racism, the bigotry, the hatred that has become a part of a narrative of too many citizens, lawmakers, and political leaders in our country? Is it possible to move on from the disregard for the environmental disaster we are living in? Is it possible to move on and forgive the blatant attempt to undermine our democracy?
I don’t know, and I suspect we all might feel differently about when, how and if we can move on. But I know that for Joseph it wasn't easy or seamless. He had to experience his anger. He had to see his brothers admit truth and express regret. Only then could he forgive.
The road for us ahead won’t be easy or seamless. We have a few chapters of our own to go between now and when we can cry, forgive and embrace. The road for healing the soul of our country is ahead of us. I pray that we all have the capacity to encounter it with as much honesty as possible, with a bit of grace, and with patience. And especially with generosity of heart. We will need truth and we will need reconciliation.
May this Shabbat bring renewal and blessings 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.
May we have a joyful and restful Shabbat!
Shabbat Shalom,
