Vayigash | The Hero Rises

In one of the most epic scenes in Tanach, the sin of Mechirat Yosef bears down with shame upon the brothers. Binyamin is found with the precious cup and the writing is on the wall.  They are faced with an almost identical situation - Yaakov’s remaining beloved son of Rachel is about to be taken away - likely killed. The overwhelming grief of Yaakov and the deep shame of the brothers is on the cusp of finding a horribly new low.

The air is murky, the facts are unclear. Everything is confused and grey. Where is the truth? What is going on? How will the brothers act with the odds stacked against them and their lives on the line? Overcome by fear, are the brothers going to, once again, give in to insecurity and self-interest - perverting their moral fibre to survive?

Rav Reggio (‘YaShaR’, c.1800) writes, “Vayigash eilav Yehuda - When the harsh judgment to take Binyamin as a slave was heard, and his brothers were silent in fear, he distanced himself from them and approached alone to speak with Joseph. It was on him to save Binyamin."

The brothers are paralyzed by a concoction of shame, insecurity and guilt. Yehuda pushes through it. He has committed himself to the truth - to the legacy of his father and the future of his brothers - despite them - no matter what it takes. Yehuda knows what failure feels like and he has learnt how to own it and rise up with greater strength. 

As the YaShaR writes - first Yehuda distances himself from his brothers and then he approaches Yosef alone - to own the truth. Rav Avraham ben HaRambam explains, “He stepped forward - in space and in speech - with words and with courage.”

In today’s world, it takes tremendous strength to stand up for simple truths. It is a sad reality, but one which we must approach with courage and moral fortitude - if we are to hold on to that which is good, pure and G-dly.

Philosophers describe the ‘death of the hero’ in our ‘post-modern’ era. If everything is relative and there is no objective truth - then there is no good and evil - no heroes nor villians. Everyone holds on to their overly entitled perspective - and if nothing is worthy, then everything is worthless. Truth is outdated - an old and weak intellectual crutch. Moral relativism is the solitary king ruling boldly on the trash heap of falsehood and perversion. 

But in Israel, we have heroes. The frontline ones are draped in olive green and sacrifice their comforts and, too often, their lives to fight for absolute truth, goodness, morality and humanity. The homefront ones work undercover - dressed in civilian clothes - fighting for their country and their values in every choice to live life, hold on to normalcy and keep their homes together. Our children have heroes again.

We are the Am HaYehudi - the proud descendants of Yehuda - the hero who does not fear to take that lonely step forward - to fight for truth and humanity. Am Yisrael Chai.

We are used to standing alone - when the truth demands it. We have done it before and we are doing it again. We are a proud nation of absolute lions.

"הֶן־עָם֙ לְבָדָ֣ד יִשְׁכֹּ֔ן וּבַגּוֹיִ֖ם לֹ֥א יִתְחַשָּֽׁב"

“It is a people that shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.”

(Bamidbar 23:9)

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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.