Parshas Vayigash - Two-Face: The One Tracked Mind

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~

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 Ramban[2] 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 lenses, 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 passuk[3] 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.” Rashi[4] 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 Maharal[5] 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 Tzadikkim[6] 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 Aruch[7] 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 thoughts[8] 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.

           

           

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[1]    Beraishis 45:16

[2]    Ibid.

[3]    Beraishis 46:29

[4]    Ibid.                                

[5]    Maharal Gur Aryeh 46:29. See also Pardes Yosef 46:29

[6]    Orchos Tzadikkim - Sha'ar HaGaivah

[7]    Shulchan Aruch: Orach Chaim –53:11

[8]    Yirmiyahu 17:10

Parshas Miketz and Chanukah - I Think, Therefore I Am...Or Am I?

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~

Parshas Miketz

and

Chanukah

I Think, Therefore I Am...Or Am I?

By: Daniel Listhaus

וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ שְׁנָתַיִם יָמִים וּפַרְעֹה חֹלֵם וְהִנֵּה עֹמֵד עַל הַיְאֹר: וְהִנֵּה מִן הַיְאֹר עֹלֹת שֶׁבַע פָּרוֹת יְפוֹת מַרְאֶה וּבְרִיאֹת בָּשָׂר וַתִּרְעֶינָה בָּאָחוּ: וְהִנֵּה שֶׁבַע פָּרוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת עֹלוֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶן מִן הַיְאֹר רָעוֹת מַרְאֶה וְדַקּוֹת בָּשָׂר וַתַּעֲמֹדְנָה אֵצֶל הַפָּרוֹת עַל שְׂפַת הַיְאֹר: וַתֹּאכַלְנָה הַפָּרוֹת רָעוֹת הַמַּרְאֶה וְדַקֹּת הַבָּשָׂר אֵת שֶׁבַע הַפָּרוֹת יְפֹת הַמַּרְאֶה וְהַבְּרִיאֹת וַיִּיקַץ פַּרְעֹה: וַיִּישָׁן וַיַּחֲלֹם שֵׁנִית וְהִנֵּה שֶׁבַע שִׁבֳּלִים עֹלוֹת בְּקָנֶה אֶחָד בְּרִיאוֹת וְטֹבוֹת: וְהִנֵּה שֶׁבַע שִׁבֳּלִים דַּקּוֹת וּשְׁדוּפֹת קָדִים צֹמְחוֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶן: וַתִּבְלַעְנָה הַשִּׁבֳּלִים הַדַּקּוֹת אֵת שֶׁבַע הַשִּׁבֳּלִים הַבְּרִיאוֹת וְהַמְּלֵאוֹת וַיִּיקַץ פַּרְעֹה וְהִנֵּה חֲלוֹם

“It happened at the end of two years to the day: Pharaoh was dreaming that behold! - he was standing over the canal when behold, out of the canal there emerged seven cows of beautiful appearance and robust flesh, and they were grazing in the swamp. Then behold! - seven other cows emerged after them out of the canal – of poor appearance and gaunt flesh; and they stood next to the cows on the bank of the canal. And the cows of poor appearance and gaunt flesh ate the seven cows of beautiful appearance and robust; and Pharaoh awoke. He fell asleep and dreamt a second time, and behold, seven ears of grain were sprouting on one stalk – healthy and good. And behold – seven ears, thin, and beaten by the east wind, were growing after them. Then the seven thin ears swallowed up the seven healthy and full ears; and Pharaoh awoke, and behold it was a dream.”

-Miketz 41:1-7

            Pharaoh found himself next to the familiar Nile River he had visited so many times. This time, however, weird things started happening – fat cows, skinny cows, ears of grain eating each other – he was witnessing a once-in-a-blue-moon event. Amazing! “Where is my camera when I need it most?” he thought to himself. Suddenly there was a distant beeping sound and Pharaoh realized that his alarm was going off. He slammed his hand on the snooze button. He realized he was dreaming and suddenly his dream required interpretation.^[1]

            We have all experienced, at some point in our lives, a dream that felt so real that when we awoke we were actually surprised that the events we went through never occurred. Sometimes there are decisions we make or advice we give in a dream which seem so wise at the time, but when we awake and remember what we said – we often realize that it is complete nonsense. While we are asleep and dreaming, humorless jokes seem so funny, unreal pain hurts so much, fake joyous occasions give us the most elating feeling, and yet when we wake up we realize, like Pharaoh, that the whole thing was just a dream.^[2]

            The concept of waking up after a dream and realizing that everything which seemed so real was never material is something that is worth thinking about. In 1637, a French philosopher by the name of Rene Descarte, famously wrote in his work, The Discourse on the Method, “Je pense donc je suis” - I think, therefore I am. However, this famous philosophical realization is very difficult to understand. How does the fact that one thinks, convince one that he is truly alive in the fullest sense of the word? One could dream that he is responsible for thinking of a brilliant idea which solves an international issue; yet, upon awakening he will realize that what made so much sense while asleep suddenly sounds utterly ridiculous. In the same way, how could someone know that when we he is awake he is truly awake? Perhaps his thoughts when awake are really just as irrational as they are when he is in a dream state, and that really there is an even higher degree he could wake up from?

            As Jews we believe exactly this. We believe that although everyone lives in the same world, there are many levels of reality one could live on. The Gemara^[3] relates a story that took place with the daughter of Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa. One Friday night, R' Chanina ben Dosa saw that his daughter was upset. He went over to her and asked, “Why are you so sad?” She replied to him, “I mistook a container of vinegar for a container of oil and poured the vinegar into the lamp to light for Shabbos.” Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa responded, “My daughter, what does it matter to you? The One Who commanded oil to burn (i.e – Hashem), could also command this vinegar to burn.” The Gemara concludes and testifies that indeed the vinegar lit and the flame remained until it was time for Havdalah.

            Science makes sense to us in this world because we understand the properties of the elements. However, really, if we think about it, it could very well be that science does not make any more sense to us while we are awake than the things that seem to make perfect sense to us while we are asleep. Just like when one wakes up from a dream he experiences a new level of alertness and life, so too within the regular state of living as we know it when we are awake, we could enter a higher form of reality just like waking up from sleep. Although Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa and his daughter lived on this planet, they existed on a different plane from everyone else. They had complete trust and faith in Hashem. In their eyes, real science had and always will have one property – G-D’s will. Science is only one layer that the world functions on; if there is a higher level which calls for it to bend its rules, it must comply.

            The six-paragraph poem of Maoz Tzur^[4] is book-ended by tefillos (prayers) asking Hashem to please return us to Eretz Yisroel (Israel) with the Beis HaMikdash (Temple). The four middle paragraphs capture the main points of our exile. We were slaves in Mitzrayim (Egypt), attacked by Bavel (Babylon), survived the story of Purim, and were victorious during the episode of Chanukah. When the author of Maoz Tzur poetically describes what the Greeks tried to do, he writes, “...They breached the walls of my towers and they defiled all the oils....” The main purpose of the Greeks was not to wipe out the Jews. Rather, it was to make our oil for the Beis HaMikdash - tamei (impure). The Greeks were believers in “I think, therefore I am.” Things which made sense to them scientifically fit within their realm of believability. However, the obscure Jewish beliefs about tumah (impurity) and taharah (purity) were viewed as absolutely ridiculous. The Greeks therefore made the effort to demonstrate that making oil tamei does not affect the oil in the least. Its properties remain intact – it will still burn and will still refuse to mix with water. What the Greeks failed to realize, however, and refused to admit to, was that Hashem made a halacha (law) in the Torah that we could only use tahor oil in the Beis HaMikdash to light menorah.^[5] If that is Hashem's will, that is the only reality that really matters. Hashem’s laws are primary. Scientific properties, although clearly defined, are not first priority. Although it is true that as a general rule Hashem masks Himself behind teva (nature), we must never forget that that is only true because it is His will to do so. If however His will would be to override scientific properties, it would happen effortlessly. After all, the same Hashem Who commanded oil to burn could command vinegar to burn, or even water for that matter.

            The response we must have to the Greek culture is one of recognizing Hashem's presence in our daily lives. We say in Al Hanissim that the Chochomim instituted the Holiday of Chanukah as a period of time to stop and express thanks and praise to Hashem. Chanukah is the time that we stop and focus on the fact that it is not necessarily greater armies that win wars, or oil that burns, but rather Hashem's will which ultimately prevails. This has always been the ideology of the Jews and is our secret to survival. We do not rely on the science and nature of the world because according to any statistic or philosophy, our nation should not exist. We are a nation of spirituality – striving to constantly wake up on higher levels of reality.

            In Hallel^[6] we say that the other nations of the world believe in idols that are man-made. These “gods” have a mouth, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear; they have a nose, but cannot smell. Their hands – they cannot feel; their feet – they cannot walk; they cannot utter a sound from their throat. We then say that those who trust in them should become like them. Besides for the implicit prayer that we are saying that our enemies should be quieted, perhaps there is a deeper meaning in these passukim (verses) of Tehillim. Those who serve other gods think they have these abilities, but because it is without a basic realization of Hashem's existence, it is viewed as if they themselves do not even have these basic human senses. They think that they are living and moving in a reality, when the truth is that they are living within the restrictions of their own beliefs. If they would only wake up to higher realms of understanding of Hashem's will, they would realize that they were sleeping the whole time.

            The ideology of “I think therefore I am” does not clarify anything. Those who live by this mantra will never know if the thoughts they are thinking are logical. Science to us seems to make sense because all the properties align beautifully in nature. However, to the one who is really in sync with reality, it makes as much sense as non-sensible things seem reasonable while we are dreaming.

            Let us use this Chanukah to take one step closer in recognizing what reality is by accepting the fact that all that exists in this world is ratzon Hashem (G-D's will). With this we will hopefully merit to be part of the group that the author of Maoz Tzur refers to as the true b'nei beenah (men of insight) who instituted the days of Chanukah as a time to thank Hashem and recognize His essential role in this world as the Borei (Creator) and Manhig (Director).

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[1]    See Rashi Beraishis 41:7. It sounds like while he was dreaming, everything seemed possible, albeit weird. However, once he awoke and realized it was a dream that made no sense, he demanded an interpretation.

[2]    Of course depending on one's spiritual level or authoritative position, a dream could represent anything from being completely meaningless to what one had been thinking about during the day to a form of prophecy. (See Gemara Berachos 55a-55b).

[3]    Ta'anis 25a

[4]    A small prayer and poem which we recite each night of Chanukah after all the candles on the menorah are lit.

[5]    Even before the story of Chanukah occurred, there was a mitzva to light menorah each day in the Beis HaMikdash.

[6]    A tefillah (prayer) comprised of pieces of Tehillim to sing praises to Hashem. This is recited on Rosh Chodesh, Yomim Tovim (Holidays), and Chanukah after shemoneh esreh in Shacharis (morning prayers).

Parshas Vayeishev - Newton's Law

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~

Parshas Vayeishev

Newton’s Law

By: Daniel Listhaus

וַיַּכִּירָהּ וַיֹּאמֶר כְּתֹנֶת בְּנִי חַיָּה רָעָה אֲכָלָתְהוּ טָרֹף טֹרַף יוֹסֵף

“And he [Yaakov] recognized it and he said, “My son’s tunic! An evil beast devoured him! Yosef has surely been torn to bits!”

-Vayeishev 37:33

As one reads the story of Yosef and his relationship with the shevatim it is easy to recognize the sibling rivalry which existed. Yosef, being the first-born of Rachel, received special privileges and gifts from Yaakov, which his brothers did not.[1] As if that was not bad enough, the Torah relates that Yosef acted like a child.[2] When he had his dreams about being superior to his brothers he not only did not keep it to himself, but rather he flaunted and repeated it in front of his brothers many times.[3] Yosef would also be the first to “put down” his brothers and “tattle-tale” when he saw them doing improper things.[4] In the brothers’ eyes, he kept adding insult after insult to injury until they could not take it anymore and wanted to kill him. Although the meforshim (commentaries) come to explain the brothers’ reasoning as stemming from more than just pure jealousy, there is no doubt that the brothers were incorrect. It is so hard to understand how such great tzadikkim could make such a big mistake, and also quite difficult to understand how Yaakov avinu was seemingly clueless of the situation he had created. However, even leaving these elephant-in-the-room questions aside, the dialogue amongst the brothers while they were plotting as well as the series of events themselves are quite perplexing.

The Torah[5] relates that before Yosef arrived at the scene to get his brothers, the shevatim were already plotting against him. The passuk (verse)[6] says that when they saw Yosef coming, the shevatim unanimously[7] agreed to a simple three-step solution to solve their problem. They decided that they were going to kill Yosef, dispose of the body by throwing it into a pit, and then return to Yaakov and claim that a wild animal devoured his favorite son. Reuvein however realized that perhaps they had taken things a bit too far and therefore strongly suggested that instead of directly killing Yosef, it would be better if they would simply throw him into a pit and leave him to die on his own.[8] Rashi[9] comments that the Torah itself testifies to Reuvein’s good intentions to later return to the pit and rescue Yosef.

The moment comes and Yosef arrives. The brothers immediately stripped him of his kesones passim (the special fine woolen tunic that Yaakov had given to Yosef) and then threw him into a pit full of snakes and scorpions.[10] While Yosef was at the bottom of the pit, Reuvein temporarily went back home to take care of Yaakov while the remaining brothers sat down to a guiltless victory meal. In the middle of their meal they noticed an Arab caravan passing by on its way to Egypt. Upon seeing it, Yehuda suggested the following idea. Instead of even being responsible for passively killing Yosef, it would be much better if they sell him to the Arabs as a slave.[11] The brothers agreed and they did just that. The story continues with Reuvein returning and realizing what the brothers had done,[12] followed by the brothers having the idea of dipping the kesones passim in blood and bringing it to Yaakov avinu as a nice prop to show when they would tell him that a wild animal ate Yosef.[13] The passuk[14] relates that the brothers came home to Yaakov with the kesones passim and asked him if he recognized the tunic. Yaakov of course recognized it immediately and cried out, “An evil beast devoured him! Yosef has surely been torn to bits!”

            Although this story is one which we have read and heard many times, if one carefully reviews the story one will start to notice details which are hard to understand. First, why did the brothers take Yosef’s clothing? Their original plan was a simple three step process: kill Yosef, throw him into a pit, and claim that an animal killed him. Taking Yosef’s clothing was not part of the original plan. Why did the brothers rip off Yosef’s kesones passim if it was not part of the original plan?

            Additionally, after the sequence of events occurred as they did and the brothers ended up selling Yosef to the Arab caravan, why did they keep to their original story that a wild animal devoured Yosef? Why would they take the risk of going over to Yaakov and telling him that his son was eaten by a wild animal? They should have claimed that he had been kidnapped or that he simply never showed up to get them. After all, one does not need to be a mafia member to realize that it is dumb to claim with certainty that someone is dead if they might come back knocking on the door the next day. Granted, their claim made sense fitting with their original plan when they were actually going to kill Yosef; but at this point, why did they insist on keeping to their story? Furthermore, the meforshim[15] justify that the reason the brothers originally felt comfortable telling Yaakov this was because it would not exactly be a straight out lie. After all, if they would throw Yosef into a pit – whether dead or alive – there is no doubt that he would indeed be eaten by wild animals. However, after selling Yosef as a slave, they should have thrown out the claim that Yosef had been devoured by an animal, because at this point it would have been a straight out lie! Once Yehuda changed that plan to keeping Yosef alive and selling him as a slave, the backup excuse plan should have been aborted. It no longer made sense to make such a claim and also involved directly lying – something the shevatim were trying to avoid. So, why keep the story?

Third, even if we could come up with a reason why the brothers took the clothing, and even if we could come up with some reason as to why they still felt it necessary to stick to their original plan and get Yaakov to believe their claim that Yosef had been eaten alive by a wild animal, how could we understand why they felt it necessary to go the extra mile to dip the cloak in blood and show it to their father? Why not dump the cloak in the garbage dump or in one of the pits like any criminal would get rid of evidence? Remember, taking the kesones passim was not part of the initial plan so why did they feel the need to fit it in?

            The final details we must analyze are those at the end of this episode. When the brothers finally came home and went to Yaakov, they seem to have forgotten the one line they had rehearsed. Instead of saying, “A wild animal devoured your son”, they asked Yaakov, “Do you recognize this tunic?” Yaakov himself was the only one to come to the conclusion, “An evil beast devoured him!” It ends up that the brothers did absolutely nothing of their original plan. They did not kill Yosef, they did not leave him in a pit, and they did not claim a wild animal ate him. Instead they left him alive while implying to Yaakov that he was dead, and brought him Yosef’s clothes dripping with blood. This brings us to the final question of the interesting choice of words that the Torah records Yaakov shouting upon seeing Yosef’s kesones passim. The passuk[16] states that Yaakov cried out, “My son’s tunic! An evil beast devoured him! Yosef has surely been torn to bits!” Why did Yaakov need to give such detail? Let him just say an evil beast devoured him or that Yosef had been torn to bits. Why did Yaakov feel it necessary to say both?[17]

            Let us introduce some details, starting with the end of the story, to help with piecing this all together. Upon seeing the ripped and bloody tunic in front of him, Yaakov was quite confused as he went through all the possible options of causes of Yosef’s unexpected death. At first he eliminated the possibility that Yosef had been abducted and killed by armed robbers because had that been the case, they would have also taken his expensive shirt.[18] So, Yaakov concluded that it must have been a wild animal that devoured Yosef. However, after an additional second of thought, Yaakov found this too hard to believe. First-of-all, the Gemara[19] states that it is not the snake which kills but rather the sin. After a quick judgment, Yaakov could not imagine that Yosef had deserved a death penalty comparable to a wild animal devouring him. Furthermore, based on logic, Yaakov took back his initial response to think that it had been a wild animal because, had it really been a wild animal, then just like the animal did not eat Yosef’s shirt, it also would have left behind the rest of his clothes. Yet, all the brothers had presented Yaakov with was Yosef’s shirt.[20] So, Yaakov’s second response was to revert and say that it must have been done by a ba’al bechira (a human – who has free choice) who had a reason to rip off Yosef’s shirt but allow him to keep his pants. This confusion that Yaakov was left with added to his inability to be comforted.[21]              

            This brings an interesting point to surface. Despite the brothers’ whole plan not really making much sense, they were very close to being figured out. After all, if Yaakov was sure that a beast did not kill Yosef, and that it also could not have been a random kidnapper and killer, there were not too many options left. Either Yosef was still alive or someone who hated Yosef had killed him but left him the dignity of keeping some of his clothes. Perhaps this is what the brothers realized as they were standing in front of their father holding the torn, bloody tunic. Their plan had back-fired. They realized at the last moment that they could not declare the one-line script they had rehearsed because why would an animal leave behind only the shirt? So instead they left it up to Yaakov’s imagination and kept it simple by innocently asking him, “Do you recognize this tunic?”

            However, we still must ask what took them so long to realize this? The initial plan of killing Yosef had changed, so why did they hold onto their scheme for as long as they could? Claiming a wild animal had killed Yosef was unnecessary and risky once they had decided to sell him; taking his shirt was also unnecessary and risky, and certainly brining it all to Yaakov was not such a good idea. So how could we understand these details of the brothers’ scheme which they held onto for seemingly no reason and even to their disadvantage?

            One of the many forces Hashem put into the world of physics as part of the Earth’s teva (nature) is that an object in motion tends to stay in motion. Imagine yourself on a bus driving down a highway or on a speeding train. If you were to throw a ball straight up in the air, the expectation should be that it slams to the back of the vehicle. After all, if the train is speeding forward, you are in your seat, and the ball is in your hand but then you throw it up into the air, the ball is free from touching any part of the vehicle. So while the ball is thrown up into the air but the bus or train continues zooming forward, the ball should end up smacking against the back. Yet it does not. The reason it does not is because of the aforementioned phenomonen, better known as Newton’s Law. The entire environment of the vehicle is moving at the same speed forward – not just the train or bus itself, but its entire contents including the very air. When the ball is thrown straight up in the air, the movement is not contradictory to the force that is still propelling it forward. An object in motion tends to stay in motion.

            Besides for being effected by Newton’s Law physically in our interactions with the world, we could use it as a parable to see a parallel Newton’s Law within ourselves. A person in motion tends to stay in motion. Oftentimes, once an idea gets into a person’s mind and makes an impression, it will sit there until specific action is taken to uproot it.

            Perhaps with this we could understand the many perplexing details that took place with the brothers’ scheme in the parsha. Their original plan was simple: kill Yosef, throw him into a pit, and claim a wild animal devoured him. Reuvein came and convinced his brothers that perhaps killing would be too much. However, the rest would remain the same. He suggested they just skip part one and throw Yosef into the pit to leave him to die and then go to Yaakov and tell him that a wild animal ate him. In terms of what really matters, that Reuvein was trying to save Yosef, Reuvein scored well and the Torah testifies to his righteous intentions. However, in terms of creativity, Reuvein did absolutely nothing to change the rest of their initial plan – they would still throw him into a pit and still claim he was devoured by an animal. Next, enters Yehuda and says that even skipping to part two was still a little rough and that they could accomplish getting rid of Yosef while remaining completely innocent of murdering him directly and indirectly. However, the third part of the plan remained intact. After all, that was what they had set out to do and that was what they were going to accomplish. True, Reuvein suggested skipping part one while keeping the rest intact and granted Yehuda stepped up and further suggested altering step two. However, with no one else speaking up, the original plan of claiming that Yosef was eaten by a wild animal remained embedded in their heads.

            When Yosef showed up with his kesones passim, the brothers were furious. They originally had no intention of taking his shirt off. They were going to claim a wild animal ate him without the props. The Malbim[22] states this explicitly. The brothers did not originally rip off his clothing because it was part of their plan, but rather ripped it off out of jealousy and hatred. They just could not stand seeing it anymore. To them it symbolized Yaakov’s favoritism towards Yosef as well as Yosef’s egotistic attitude and merely seeing it set them off. They left him his pants and some dignity but the kesones passim was too much to bear. So now they had a curveball. There was no specific place in their plot for half of Yosef’s clothing but, luckily, it was easy to fit in. At that still needed to be carried out as part of their scheme was telling Yaakov that a wild animal ate Yosef. Perfect! It fits right in. All they had to do was to dip the kesones passim in blood and it could fit right into their story. Did they have to? No. They could have easily thrown it into the pit with Yosef and they did not have to even rip it off in the first place; but they did rip it up while their scheme was embedded in their minds, and it seemed to fit into their plot so easily. Their minds were so set on the basic plan they had already decided. The fact that it should have been reevaluated to consider if it still made sense, and the fact that there were pieces unaccounted for that now had to be fit in were completely irrelevant to them and were not able to stand in the way of their decision to claim that Yosef had been devoured by an animal.

            An object in motion tends to stay in motion. A decision in motion tends to stay in motion. A perception in motion tends to stay in motion. An assumption in motion stays in motion.  Oftentimes we embed decisions or perceptions in our own minds which become near impossible to remove. We would rather bend all other realities and logic in order to fit with what we have embedded within ourselves than to take the moment to reevaluate if our decisions, perceptions, and assumptions are really correct.

Not taking the moment to be willing to go back and honestly reevaluate with a willingness to tell ourselves that we are wrong could yield horrific results. It could negatively impact our perceived relationship with Hashem, it could cause us to wrongly classify and misjudge our peers, and it could be the cause of selling ourselves short of the potential we have.

            May Hashem help us recognize our own embedded incorrect decisions, perceptions, and assumptions so that we could take the moment to stop, reflect, and reconsider their accuracy and relevance.

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[1] Beraishis 37:3

[2] Beraishis 37:2

[3] See Rashi Beraishis 37:10

[4] Beraishis 37:2

[5] Beraishis 37:18

[6] Beraishis 37:20

[7] Although the simple reading implies that all the brothers had agreed to this plan, see Mosaf Rashi (37:19) who writes that Reuvein and Yehuda probably did not instigate the idea because, as seen from the later passukim, they both tried to water down the plan. Also, it would not make sense that the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah were involved since the Torah and Rashi tells us (37:2) that Yosef was friendly with them. It was also most likely not Yissocher or Zevulun since they were the youngest of B’nei Leah and would not speak up in front of their older and tougher siblings. The two most likely candidates were Shimon and Levi who were notorious for their teaming up against others when they deemed it necessary. (For example, they wiped out the city of Shechem). However, the simple reading of the passuk and the following passukim seems to be that all the brothers were involved.

[8] Beraishis 37:21-22 See Rashbam (37:24) who writes that all that was important was that the pit had no water because if it did then they would be effectively directly drowning him. However, the fact that the pit had snakes and scorpions would not be considered directly killing Yosef as it would not happen immediately when they threw him in. To say that the brothers did not know that there were snakes and scorpions is hard to believe because at that point they were still trying to kill him – just not directly – and they woud not have gone along with Reuvein’s suggestion if it did not include an obvious way  which would cause Yosef to die. The Ohr Ha’Chaim (37:20) also seems to hold of this. However, see Sifsei Chochomim (37:24) as well as Ramban (37:22) who seem to disagree and maintain that the brother’s were not aware because if they were, 1. Reuven probably would not have suggested it and 2. The brothers would have noticed that Yosef’s surviving it when they pulled him back out was a neis (miracle) for a righteous person, and that they were wrong for trying to kill him.

[9] Rashi ibid.

[10] Beraishis 37:23-24

[11] Beraishis 37:26-27

[12] Beraishis 37:29-30

[13] Beraishis 37:31-32

[14] Beraishis 37:32

[15] See, for example, Ohr Ha’Chaim 37:20

[16] Beraishis 37:33

[17] Or at least the order should be reversed – first notice it is torn up and then conclude that it was an animal that must have eaten him. See Be’er B’sadeh (37:33)

[18] Chizkuni Beraishis 37:33

[19] Berachos 33

[20] Malbim Beraishis 37:33

[21] Beraishis 37:35

[22] Malbim Beraishis 37:23. See also Mizrachi

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