Miller's Musings Parshas Vayeshev: Don't Just Stand There....Do Something!

בס''ד

As the story unfolds through the ensuing Parshios, one thing that becomes patently clear is that Yosef Hatzadik was no fool.  Languishing in a prison cell in the most dismal situation that a person could find himself in, Yosef, through Hashem’s direct guidance, raises himself up from abject poverty into becoming second in command of the most powerful nation on earth.  All this came about through his foresight and wisdom in the advice he gave to Pharaoh about how to deal with the impending famine that he predicted Egypt would face.  His intelligence now verified, we must question what Yosef’s thinking was in repeatedly reporting his brothers’ misdeeds to his father Yaakov, surely knowing the ill will this would induce and the acrimony that would be caused?

The word “את” in the Torah normally acts as sign pointing to the direct object, the thing that is having something done to it.  So when the Posuk says Yosef was shepherding “את” his brothers, although it is usually translated as being “with his brothers”, we could perhaps suggest that the shepherding was actually also being done to his brothers.  Yosef saw his brothers engaging in spiritually dangerous actions and felt compelled to do something about it, to guide them, as a shepherd would, back onto a safe path through the involvement of their father, despite this tempting their ire.  This may be why the Posuk continues by informing us of Yosef’s closeness with the sons of Yaakov’s secondary wives, whom according to the Midrash, he would befriend after their denigration by the sons of Leah.  This act of selflessness perhaps acts as evidence to the altruistic motives behind his less obviously benevolent deed, in notifying Yaakov of his brothers’ indiscretions.

There are two possible ways to act when confronted by the negative acts of others.  One is to stand idly by, comforting ourselves with the reassurance that it is none of our business to intercede in someone else’s life.  The other is to realise that just as we would never refrain from intervening if someone’s physical existence was at risk, we are equally responsible to do whatever is necessary when another’s spirituality is in jeopardy.  Of course the latter is the correct course of action, even when there may be a danger of negative consequences to us.  What form this intervention takes requires careful thought and consideration to achieve maximum effect within the confines of the guidelines the Torah gives for such an undertaking.   But if we truly care about those around us, doing nothing is simply not an option. 

*May the holiness of Shabbos inspire true compassion for each other *

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם

לרפואה שלימה: שרה יעל בת ברכה אסתר