Parshas Vayigash - Two-Face

Parshas Vayigash

Two-Face

By: Daniel Listhaus

“The news was heard in Pharoah's house saying, 'Yosef's brothers have come!' And it was pleasing in the eyes of Pharoah and in the eyes of his servants.”

-Vayigash 45:16

After being separated from his family for twenty-two years, Yosef was about to find himself being reunited with his father, Yaakov. The passuk¹ relates that when Pharoah heard that Yosef's family was coming down to Mitzrayim, he was extremely happy. However, the reason he was happy was not because he was sharing in Yosef's simcha of being reunited with his family. Instead, Pharoah was ecstatic for a very different reason.

When Pharoah appointed Yosef as second-in-command of the entire country, there were many people who raised an eyebrow. How could Pharoah take Yosef and bring him into royalty? Yosef was not only a slave in Mitzrayim, but a foreigner. It was unheard of that a foreign slave should reach any position of importance. The people in Mitzrayim may have understood that Pharoah did not have much of a choice, and that Yosef was indeed necessary to save the economy; however they were still furious at Pharoah for nominating Yosef as part of the royal palace. The Ramban² explains that when Pharoah heard that Yosef's family was coming, he was relieved because now people would see the type of background that Yosef came from and no longer be ashamed that such a person was vice president of Mitzrayim. Yaakov's household was one of royalty. So, when the Mitzriyim would see them, they would stop pestering Pharoah about his decision of appointing Yosef over Mitzrayim.

Clearly, the Ramban is showing us that Pharoah was self-centered. He looked at everything through colored glasses, trying to see how any occurrence could benefit him. One would think that after all that Yosef did for Pharoah, Pharoah would feel at least a minimal connection to Yosef, and should therefore have been happy for Yosef when he heard that Yaakov was coming to Mitzrayim. Yet, as the Ramban explains, do not be fooled by Pharoah's expression of happiness, because he was only happy for selfish reasons.

Imagine for a moment that a girl, whose father went to fight in Afghanistan, was under a lot of stress at home from missing her father, and therefore started causing problems at her private school. Because of this girl's behavior issues at school, some prospective parents were turned off and decided not to send their kids to such a school where there are kids with attitude and behavior problems. Then, one day, her father comes back from overseas. At that point, this girl would surely be very happy, finally reunited with her father. Now, let's say that the principal is standing there and smiling while watching this girl's father embracing his daughter for the first time in years. The situation might suggest that he is happy for the girl, and feels a rush of emotions while witnessing, first-hand, the surreal experience that this girl is having. Imagine, however, that although the principal is standing there smiling, he is really thinking to himself nothing other than, “Finally, now this girl might start behaving and we could have an easier time recruiting new students”.

If one were able to read the principal's mind and he was in fact thinking such thoughts, one would be absolutely disgusted with him. How could one be so selfish, that at such a momentous event in someone's life, to only be thinking about how the ramifications are good for himself? Yet, this was exactly what was going through Pharoah's head. When the news came that Yaakov was coming to Mitzrayim, Pharoah stood there with a smile on his face, but only because he thought of the relief that would finally come to him after years of hearing complaints about Yosef the slave becoming second to the king.

When Yaakov came to Mitzrayim, the passuk³ states, “Yosef harnessed his chariot and went up to meet Yisroel his father, to Goshen; and he appeared to him, fell on his neck, and he wept on his neck excessively.” Rashi⁴ explains that although Yosef fell on Yaakov's neck, Yaakov did not immediately return the affection with a hug, kiss, or crying tears of joy, because he was saying Kriyas Shema.

The obvious question is why did Yaakov have to be saying Shema at this point? He was about to see his son, who he thought had died, after so many years. Why didn't Yaakov go to an earlier minyan? Yaakov should have scheduled his reciting of Shema in a way that would not interfere with his reuniting with Yosef. So, why was Yaakov saying Shema at this particular point?

The answer said over by the Maharal is that Yaakov avinu wanted to channel all the love and excitement that had poured into his heart with the thought of seeing Yosef after such a long time. So, right at the climax when he was about to see Yosef, Yaakov invested all those emotions into announcing Hashem's Oneness and declaring his love towards Hashem.

Yaakov's mind worked in the exact opposite way of Pharoah's. As aforementioned, Pharoah was someone who would take anything he witnessed and try to figure out how it could benefit him. Yaakov, on the other hand, would take any actions, emotions, and thoughts he had, and have in mind that they should all be for Hashem. Yaakov lived a life of higher purpose and therefore realized the importance of having good intentions when living his life.

The Orchos Tzadikkim⁵ describes that everything we do could be used for kedusha as long as we have the right intentions when doing them. Even things as simple and mundane as taking a shower, could be a mitzva if we have the correct mind-set. We could wash ourselves so that we look clean, or we could wash ourselves because we recognize that we are representatives of Hashem, and it is therefore part of our duty to look and dress in a respectable manner. The same activity with just a slight difference in intention could make a tremendous difference in the quality of the action.

The Shulchan Aruch⁶ brings a halacha that it is very nice if a shaliach tzibbur (the chazzon) has a sweet voice and davens with fear of Hashem. However, if someone davens as shaliach tzibbur because he likes showing off his voice or likes to hear himself sing, then it is disgusting for such a person to represent the congregation.

Hashem understands exactly what we are thinking and what our motives are⁷. It is extremely hard to separate our own personal motives and do things for purely the right reasons. However, it is important to understand that being a two-face like Pharoah is not the proper way to live. Rather everything we do should be used as a means for becoming closer to Hashem.

1Beraishis 45:16

2Ibid.

3Beraishis 46:29

4Ibid.

5Orchos Tzadikkim - Sha'ar HaGaivah

6Shulchan Aruch : Orach Chaim – 53:11

7Yirmiyahu 17:10