Kindness

Mikketz

Gen. 41:1-44:17

Précis: At the end (mikketz) of two years of Joseph’s imprisonment, Pharaoh dreams of cows and ears of corn. The butler who had shared Joseph’s cell now remembers him and calls him from prison. Joseph predicts seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh is so impressed that he appoints Joseph as his chief vizier and Joseph goes about storing grain during the times of plenty.

            Joseph marries Asenath and they have two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. When the famine comes, Jacob sends his sons to Egypt to purchase food. Joseph has them brought in while he remains in cognito. He accuses the brothers of spying, and sends them home after they leave one brother hostage and promise to return with their youngest brother, Benjamin. Upon their return, the brothers (including Benjamin) meet the still-unrevealed Joseph. Joseph has their bags filled not only with grain but also with the money used to purchase the grain and has a gold cup hidden in Benjamin’s belongings. When they are “caught” by Joseph’s men, they learn that whoever stole the cup would become Joseph’s slave, while the others return to their homeland. On this cliffhanger, the parasha ends.

Gen. 42:23-24 “They did not know that Joseph understood, for there was an interpreter between him and them. He turned away from them and wept.”

            Mel Brooks’ great character, The 2000 Year Old Man, upon being asked if he had had any children, replied “Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds. And they never call, they don’t stop by, they never write.” Joseph’s story always leaves me wondering why it was that Joseph never contacted his father upon his ascension to the highest level of political power in Egypt. I came across one possible explanation.

            Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev (1740-1810) teaches that Joseph’s silence is actually a sign of his righteousness.  He realized that sending word to his father would ruin the relationship between his brothers and their father. Similarly, in the verse quoted, he remains unrevealed because he realized that it would be humiliating his brothers if they learned that he had risen to power over them, despite their cruel treatment. The apparent coldness was actually a kindness.

            With the recent passing of President George H.W. Bush, we have lost an American leader whose kindness was, in retrospect, quite remarkable. He spoke, of course, about America being composed of “a thousand points of light.” I hope that the example of Joseph in our text and President Bush in our American story will remind us during this week of Chanukah of the importance of bringing more light and kindness to others.