After an unimaginably painstaking wait, Yaakov reluctantly prepares to send his sons back into the darkness of Egypt. Their food stocks are running low and their beloved brother is still being held captive.
The last time Yaakov faced such an ominous threat was ahead of his terrifying reunion with Eisav. His family is now, once again, heading into the eye of the storm. Just as with the fateful encounter with his brother, Yaakov considers a gift as part of his 3-pronged approach - prayer, gift and action.
But what could he possibly send as a gift? Does he seek to appease, persuade, impress, redeem?
He instructs his sons to take from ‘Zimrat Ha’aretz’ - typically translated as, ‘the fruits/produce of the land’. The literal translation of the term, however, is, ‘to take from the song of the land’.
Rashi and most commentators resolve this by explaining that the brothers are to take the renowned produce of the Land - items so wonderful ‘that everyone sings about them’.
Sforno elaborates, “Although when one presents a gift to an ordinary person it is important to impress him with the quantity of the gift… this man who has everything, will only be impressed with the quality of the gift… therefore take rare items…in small quantities.”
Rav Hirsch has a different, remarkable insight, based on his etymological genius - connecting ‘zmorah’ and ‘zemer’ - branch and song. “Zmorah is the part of the vine where the rising juices in the vine are preserved, mixed, and refined so that they can produce the fruit of the vine. The fruit does not grow directly from the stem but the juices flow through the spreading and winding 'zmorot' until they sprout and emerge as grapes. We find the same connection between the tune and the words of the song. Emotions and concepts that have not yet ripened in the human spirit, have not yet become clear in thought, and have not yet become worthy of expression in words; they mature and clarify on the wings of the tune, and in the heights of inspiration, the word is found.”
With a shattered heart, Yaakov offers up a song for the restoration of his family. But, this can’t be the final song. What happened to the promises that G-d made to him, his father and his grandfather? What happened to his ladder connecting heaven and earth? What happened to the dreams of his beloved Yosef? This can’t be how it ends.
Yaakov does not have a full song to send as a gift - the best he has to offer is a raw, broken and unfinished symphony. At the same time that he desperately needs the viceroy of Egypt to see the quality of his family, he also needs to show him the depth of his anguish - the distance between his ‘present’ and his pain - his song and his sorrow.
Of course, it’s precisely the same song that Yosef needs to hear. What has come of his father after all these lonely years - does he still remember him? Does he now sing a new song, without him?
Yaakov sends his heart with his sons. He packages his horror and his hope in a tune that promises a beautiful ending, but with notes still waiting to be played, unknown words waiting to be sung… still wedged in the zmorah of the zmirah.
Am Yisrael has the most magnificent song to sing for the nations. Though the world seems far from ready to hear this music of truth - we have to keep on singing. Right now it is a broken, unfinished symphony - but it is sprouting nonetheless - and the full new song is waiting to be sung. ושם נשיר שיר חדש.
“Love is not some kind of victory march, no it's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah” (Leonard Cohen)
“Those who sow with tears, will sing with joy” (Shir Ha’Maalot)
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Dedicated to the safety of our chayalim, the return of our captives and a refuah shleima for all. Written with continued Tefillot for the safe return and refuah shleima of Daniel Shimon ben Sharon btoch sha'ar shvuyey Yisrael.
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