Vayeshev 1998

In the Torah portion Veyeshev, we learn about the terrible hatred that the brothers had for Joseph. They are ready even to kill him, and if it would not have been for the intervention of Reuven, who said, "Let us put him in a pit and not kill him directly," because he later wanted to save him, or for the later active intervention of Yehuda, who suggested that they sell him to Egypt, they would have killed him.  How could this happen? How could such hatred arise? After all, these were seemingly righteous people, but it seems they were so filled with their own righteousness that they became self-righteous.  They had surveyed their own history, and they noticed how in every generation there was one bad apple.  At the time of their grandfather, there was Ishmael, who was sent out of the camp.  At the time of their father, there was Esau, who could not understand the Jewish religion and its demands. To them, Joseph was the bad apple. They had to get rid of him.  He was going to ruin the family.
The rabbis teach us that Joseph was reminding the brothers that they were going to have to change their ways.  Abraham's prophecy was going to come true. They had to stop being shepherds and learn new professions.  That's why he dreamed of sheaves and not sheep.  They could not understand him.  Joseph was a brilliant man.  He had visions of the future, but they could not connect

his present to the future. They were mired in the past. They did not know that the important thing in Judaism is its ethical principles and Halacha, not outward professions and dress, etc.  They could not relate to Joseph.
We know, too, that throughout these latter Torah portions, Joseph and Judah are vying for leadership of the Jewish people, and although Yaacov wants to give the leadership to Joseph, he could not do it.  He had to give it to Judah, but how is it possible mat he could give the leadership to Judah? Judah was a flawed person.  In fact, we learn how after they sold Joseph, it says, "And Yehuda went down."  He married a Canaanite girl.  Some commentaries say he married a daughter of a merchant and not a Canaanite girl.  He had three children with her. The oldest married Tamar.  He died and then his brother married her, as was the custom, because they had no children, and then he died. He was then supposed to give the youngest boy, Shaila, to be Tamar's husband, but he was afraid to do so.  Then Yehuda's wife died.  He spied out a prostitute at the crossroads of a town where he was shearing sheep, and he made arrangements to visit her.  He left as a pledge his seal, his cord, and his staff, saying that the next day he would send her a goat and retrieve his things, but

the next day when he sent his friend with a goat, there was no prostitute at the crossroads, and, what's more, the people did not know about that prostitute.  A few months later, it was brought to his attention that his daughter-in-law, Tamar, was pregnant.  She was brought before him to be judged.  Whether it was to be branded with a scarlet letter or actually be killed is a dispute.  After all, she was betrothed to Shaila, his youngest son.  She presented the cord, the staff, and the ring, and said, "By the man to whom these things belong I have become pregnant.  Identify, if you please, to whom does this seal, cord, and staff belong?" Yehuda immediately assumed responsibility, and said they belonged to him.  He could have just pardoned her and not given a reason, but because he assumed responsibility, he was recognized as a true leader. However, he did not assume responsibility until his cord and staff and seal were presented.
It seems that many times the people involved in leadership are also involved with sexual missteps. Joseph, on the other hand, had the exact opposite experience.  In Egypt the wife of his master, Potifar, tried to seduce him, but at the last moment he pulled away, and she grabbed hold of his garment.  It

caused him to be cast into prison, but Joseph is one of the few people to be known as Hatzadek, a righteous person, yet he was not chosen for leadership of the Jewish people.  It is true when his brothers came down to Egypt, he provided for them and he ruled over them, but they really could not relate to him.  When they were at home together they hated him.  Now they held him in awe and were afraid of him. To be able to be a leader of people, they have to be able to relate to you.  They have to feel that they are like you.  Yehuda, in spite of the fact that he participated in the kidnapping of his brother and selling him, and in spite of the fact that they he married a Canaanite woman, and in spite of the fact mat he got involved in a sexual escapade with his daughter-in-law, yet he was chosen to be leader of the Jewish people.  It seems that leadership and warts go together.  Even Aaron, who had participated in the sin of the golden calf, was chosen to be the high priest. Judah assumed responsibility for his actions, but only after the cord and seal and staff were presented.  He had not made any private inquiries first to determine the truth.
We all know today that President Clinton, too, has been involved in a sexual scandal.  He has assumed responsibility, of course, not until all the evidence

was dragged out, but, unfortunately, the hatred that is ensuing, the righteousness that is becoming self-righteousness is going to be very destructive. We know that he will never be removed from office.  This is strictly a partisan affair.  He made be impeached, but in the Senate you need two-thirds vote, and there are only 55 Republicans.  This pursuit of so-called righteousness will probably end up ruining the economy, causing the stock market to go down, and will also cause such bitterness and acrimony mat the country will not be able to function.  Partisanship has taken over and the country's interests have been given the heave ho. This is unfortunate because he only has two years left to serve anyway.
We have to be careful because in pursuit of narrow grievances you destroy everything.  How many couples have had their marriages ruined because of narrow grievances?  I can tell you of at least ten thriving businesses mat went under because one of the partners had a grievance against the other and was relentless in following it.  Not only did he destroy the partner but also himself. Pursuing narrow so-called righteous goals usually ends up in self-righteous hatred and destruction.

I am reminded of the story they tell about a truck driver who went into a cafe. He ordered a cup of coffee, scrambled eggs, and a doughnut. Three motorcyclists parked and entered the cafe.  One of them drank the truck driver's coffee, the other ate the doughnut, and the third ate his scrambled eggs. The truck driver did not say a word.  He got up, left a tip, paid his bill, and walked out.  The head motorcyclist went up to the cashier and said, "That fellow is not much of a man."  The cashier replied, "He also isn't much of a driver.  He has just run over all your motorcycles."  Let's be careful in pushing partisanship and self-righteousness.  It will end up destroying us all.  Let's all hope and pray that we will demand assumption of responsibility, but not destruction so that we can live together in peace so the Mashiach will come quickly in our day.  Amen.