Thursday, December 20, 2012

Parshas Vayigash - Two-Face: The One Tracked Mind


Parshas Vayigash



Two-Face: The One Tracked Mind
By: Daniel Listhaus

וְהַקֹּל נִשְׁמַע בֵּית פַּרְעֹה לֵאמֹר בָּאוּ אֲחֵי יוֹסֵף וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינֵי פַרְעֹה וּבְעֵינֵי עֲבָדָיו

The news was heard in Pharaoh’s house saying, 'Yosef's brothers have come!' And it was pleasing in the eyes of Pharaoh 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 passuk (verse)1 relates that when Pharaoh heard that Yosef's family was coming down to Mitzrayim (Egypt), he was extremely happy. However, the reason he was happy was not because he was sharing in Yosef's simcha (joyous occasion) of being reunited with his family. Instead, Pharaoh was ecstatic for a very different reason.

When Pharaoh appointed Yosef as second-in-command of the entire country, there were many people who raised an eyebrow. How could Pharaoh take Yosef out of prison 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 Pharaoh did not have much of a choice, and that Yosef was indeed necessary to save the economy; however they were still furious at Pharaoh for nominating Yosef as part of the royal palace. The Ramban2 explains that when Pharaoh heard that Yosef's family was coming, he was relieved because now people would see the type of background that Yosef came from and would no longer be ashamed that such a person was vice president of Mitzrayim. After all, Yaakov's household was one of royalty and wealth, not one of destitute slaves. So, when the Mitzriyim would see them, they would stop pestering Pharaoh about his decision of appointing Yosef over Mitzrayim.

This Ramban really puts Pharaoh in perspective. He was a completely self-centered individual who 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 Pharaoh, Pharaoh would at least feel a minimal connection to Yosef, and should have been happy for Yosef when he heard that Yaakov was coming to Mitzrayim. Yet, as the Ramban explains, we must not be fooled by Pharaoh’s expression of happiness, because he was only happy for selfish reasons.

Just to give an example closer to home, imagine for a moment a girl whose father went to fight in Afghanistan for many years. Growing up in a home with only a mother to support the family was very stressful for this child and as a result she eventually 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 were kids with attitude and behavior problems. Then, one day, this girl's father comes back from overseas and decides to pay a surprise visit to his daughter at school. He goes to the school office and has them page her over the intercom. One could imagine the happiness of this girl as she walks into the office and is surprised to see her father. During this emotional scene, the principal is standing in the office and smiling as he watches this girl's father embracing his daughter for the first time in years. The situation might suggest that the principal 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, you are able to read his mind and know that 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 indeed able to read the principal's mind and found that 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 Pharaoh’s head. When the news came that Yaakov was coming to Mitzrayim, Pharaoh 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.
The family of Yaakov, however, has a very different approach to life. When Yaakov finally came down 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 reciting 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 Maharal5 explains 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 Pharaoh’s. As aforementioned, Pharaoh 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 Tzadikkim6 describes that everything we do could be used for kedusha (Holiness) 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 Aruch7 brings a halacha (law) that although it is very nice if a shaliach tzibbur (the one who leads davening) has a good, sweet voice, if he is davening 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. Unlike Pharaoh who viewed the world selfishly, only caring about how things benefited him, our perspective as Jews is to do everything with the intention of bringing kiddush Hashem (literally – sanctifying Hashem['s Name]) into the world – whether it be doing things for others to bring peace or even things for ourselves, but with the intention of doing it with kedusha. There could be two people singing the same way. However, Hashem knows our thoughts8 and the one who sings to show off his voice is repulsive in the eyes of Hashem, while the one who does it solely to beautify the davening is considered pleasant.

There is no doubt that it is extremely hard to separate our own personal motives and do things for purely the right reasons. We constantly allow our personal hopes and desires to get in the way. However, we must understand that being a two-face like Pharaoh with a one tracked mind of self interest 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.
5Maharal Gur Aryeh 46:29. See also Pardes Yosef 46:29
6Orchos Tzadikkim - Sha'ar HaGaivah
7Shulchan Aruch: Orach Chaim –53:11
8Yirmiyahu 17:10

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