Our Haftorah this week paints a beautiful picture of reconciliation between Judah and Joseph. The two kingdoms will become one and the tragic split in the Jewish people will be healed. Yet behind this vision lies a dark history of division that goes right back to the story of Joseph and his brothers. Yet in this week’s Parshah we have a seeming reconciliation between the brothers. It is obvious, however, that this did not work and the split continued. The reason for this can be found in the different narratives that emerge in the course of the story we read during these weeks. Last week we heard the long repressed narrative of the brothers. It is a story of Joseph’s anguish, the brothers’ callousness and their subsequent overwhelming guilt. This week we hear a different story. The narrative Joseph tells his brothers when he reveals himself to them is one of Divine providence. Everything that has happened, including the brothers’ actions, is part of a Divine plan to put Joseph where he is and thus save his family and many others. If the brothers hadn’t done what they did he would still be a shepherd in Canaan rather than the ruler of Egypt. Both these narratives are true but differing perspectives on the story. They therefore have ability to effect reconciliation. Joseph can feel his brothers’ anguish and guilt at what they did to him while they learn to live with their actions in the knowledge that it all turned out for the best. Yet true reconciliation doesn’t take place and the split in the family, and later nation, continues. The narratives don’t reconcile because they stay separate. Each side only hears their narrative while ignoring that of the other. This is obvious in what we read next week at the end of the story. After Jacob’s death the brothers, afraid of what Joseph will now do, again apologise. They haven’t heard what he said this week. Joseph as well simply replies with his narrative of Divine providence without acknowledging the brothers’ fears and the guilt from which it comes. So nothing is really solved and the division remains. This is an important lesson for us. In order to make peace and achieve reconciliation we need to hear and internalise the narrative of the other. While not surrendering our version of history we need to acknowledge that of our protagonist. Only if both sides truly hear the other can true peace and reconciliation be achieved.

ALIYAH BY ALIYAH SYNOPSIS

Rishon	Judah pleads for Benjamin before Joseph and offers himself instead.
Sheni	Joseph breaks down and reveals his identity to his brothers.
Shelishi	Joseph tells his brothers to go and bring the family to Egypt.
Revi’i	Pharaoh offers Joseph’s family the best land. The brothers go and tell Jacob, who faints.
Chamishi	Jacob and his family move to Egypt.
Shishi	Joseph is reunited with his father and is presented before Pharaoh.
Shevi’i	Joseph’s economic reforms give all the land to Pharaoh.
Haftorah	Ezekiel: 37;15-28:  The two kingdoms of Israel will be reunited into one nation.

Sidra Statistics

Parshat Vayigash

·         has 106 verses ;

·         is the 11th in Genesis, 11th in the Torah

·         9th longest in Genesis, 31st longest in the Torah

·         has no mitzvot.