[Picture: Joseph and his brothers... Artist: John Paul Stanley freebibleimages]

[For articles on the “Sabbath of Va-igash" in Hebrew, click here]

Rabbi Dr. Yossi Feintuch was born in Afula and holds a Ph.D. in American history from Emory University in Atlanta. He taught American history at Ben-Gurion University.

Author of the book US Policy on Jerusalem.

He is the rabbi of Congregation Shalom Bayit in Bend, Oregon.

*  *  *

What makes for complete biblical repentance may be found in this weekly Torah portion Va-igash; Joseph forgives his brothers for the woes they brought upon him (and on their father to boot).  Indeed, Joseph revealed to them his true identity at the moment when they had evinced true atonement. Before we turn to examine the brothers’ reformation let’s observe its components as enacted by others, beginning with the first one to commit to change past actions, God! After all, it is God, who mindful that flooding the whole planet did nothing to improve the human race, pledged to avoid in the future a repeat of another colossal killer stratagem. Henceforth, a veritable repentance would have to include a commitment to change from past actions. Likewise, the sinful Ninevites in the Book of Jonah turned ‘’back from their evil ways’’.

[Picture: Joseph and his brothers... Artist: John Paul Stanley. freebibleimages]

When God admonished Aaron and Miriam for their gossip about Moses’ wife, that segued into slander that targeted Moses himself, Aaron went to confess his wrongs as he interfaced with his victimized brother: ‘’…we were foolish, by which we sinned!’’ An admission of sin, then, even directly before the wronged person, is a must in the process of a personal transformation.

These three elements then: personal expression of regret, admitting wrongdoing even before the wronged person, and finally its cessation when an opportunity to repeat it chances by, were enacted by Joseph’s brothers in his presence.

He first heard them lamenting in remorse: ‘’Oh, we… saw his soul’s distress when he pleaded with us [from the pit], but we didn’t listen’’ (Genesis 42:21).  Later, Judah, in effect, confessed before Joseph their sin against him: ‘’What can we say to my lord? What can we speak, by what can we show ourselves innocent? God has found out your servants’ crime’’ (44:16).

[Picture: ‘’What can we say to my lord? What can we speak, by what can we show ourselves innocent? God has found out your servants’ crime’’ (44:16)." freebibleimages]

No, Judah could not have thought for a second that even if Benjamin stole Joseph’s cup of divination doing so would amount to the level of a ‘’crime”. Though Judah knew that Benjamin was framed he attributed the crime – ostensibly, the thievery of the Egyptian viceroy’s vessel that was discovered in Benjamin’s sack --  to all brothers; ‘’the crime of your servants’’, not of a mere one servant.  What did they have to do with it? No, Judah was not really addressing the stolen cup incident. Using such a loaded word ‘’crime’’ -- (‘’A-vohn’’ in Hebrew; Cain uses this word to describe the enormity of his action, murdering Abel, or alternatively his punishment for it by becoming ‘’a restless wanderer’’) – could not describe such a theft. When Laban accuses Jacob of stealing his ‘’gods’’ (which Rachel stole) he doesn’t use such a word.

Judah, then, must have confessed the brothers’ criminal role in the sale of Joseph to slavery; at the least that was their intent when they cast Joseph into the pit, even if the Midianites -- unbeknown to the brothers -- were those who got him out of there, and then sold him off to the Ishmaelites as a slave. From Judah’s brilliant defendant’s speech (in this weekly Torah portion), it can be seen that Judah somehow felt that Egypt’s Food Czar, Benjamin’s prosecutor, was Joseph, as Judah (representing the brothers) confessed to Joseph their serious iniquity against him.

[Picture: From Judah’s brilliant defendant’s speech (in this weekly Torah portion), it can be seen that Judah somehow felt that Egypt’s Food Czar, Benjamin’s prosecutor, was Joseph, as Judah (representing the brothers) confessed to Joseph their serious iniquity against him... freebibleimages]

Full repentance, however, is determined only when the transgressor finds himself in a situation whereby the foul action may be repeated, but the former perpetrator walks away from the opportunity. In his speech addressed to Benjamin’s accuser, Joseph, Judah doesn’t only refuse the former’s demand that ‘’the man in whose hand the goblet was found – he shall become my servant, but you – go up in peace to your father’’ (44:17). Rather, Judah who had instigated the abandonment of one innocent brother in the past (Joseph), while not caring for his father inevitable unceasing pain, is now protecting that brother’s (full) brother, who was technically guilty. Indeed, Judah begs the Viceroy to allow for a swap: ‘’ So now, pray let your servant stay instead of the lad, as servant to my lord, but let the lad go up with his brothers (v. 33). Otherwise, if Benjamin wasn’t free, our father ‘’will die’’ (v. 31).

It is time now for Joseph to reveal his true identity – his brothers just completed a full regimen of penance; they experienced remorse, confessed their crime and walked away from another opportunity to reiterate a similar woe.

[For articles on the “Sabbath of Va-igash" in Hebrew, click here]