The Confidence for Courage in Horrifying Times |
The tragedy of the Sale of Yosef (that we read on this past Shabbos) has long been seen as a symbol of the most significant challenge of the Jewish Family: maintaining our unity and loyalty to one another, despite our differences. Chazal saw it as a foreshadowing of the failures that would haunt us, and ultimately lead to the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash: baseless hatred. Reading this narrative this year, through the lens of the national experience of Oct. 7, 2023 through today, offers a different perspective: the abandonment of Yosef.
Hostage-taking recurs in the Tanakh: in Sdom (Bereishis 14), Arad (Bamidbar 21), and Tziklag (1 Shmuel, 30). Chazal considers hostage-taking to be a capital crime (Shmos 20:13, Rashi) and the responsibility to free hostages is a “great mitzvah” (Talmud Bavli, Bava Basra, 8). The case of Yosef, however, differs significantly from the other instances. In all other cases, there was an immediate and concerted effort to return the captives. In all three cases, those closest to the hostage immediately set out to return their relatives, and these efforts were successful. However, in the case of Yosef, no one came looking for him. Day after day, year after year, Yosef must have been waiting to see if any of his brothers........