by Rebbetzin Malkah Forbes
Beit HaShofar, Seattle

"And Yaacov settled..." begins this week's parasha.  As we approach the word settled, we should feel a sense of unsettledness - for in the Torah, there is never an opportunity for a righteous man to settle.  We experience the beginning of the journey of Yosef - a journey that would not only bring himself but Yaacov to a place of testing like that of Avraham.  It would also bring Yosef  into the very midst of Egypt, the depths of himself, and catapult the Children of Israel into the last stages of prophetic fulfillment of the promise given to Avinu Avraham.  And it would all start with another simple "hineni."

In this parasha, we are introduced to Yosef as the eldest son of Rachel, his beloved wife.  The love of Rachel is perpetuated in Yosef as we see Yaacov bestow upon Yosef a colorful tunic - one unlike the tunics his brothers don.  This precipitates hate within their hearts due to the favoritism given to Yosef. 

"Now Yisrael loved Yosef more than all his sons since he was a child of his old age, and he made him a fine woolen tunic.  His brothers saw that it was he whom their father loved most of all their brothers so they hated him; they could not speak to him peaceably."  (Bereishis 37:3-4)

Because of this favoritism, Yosef brings his father reports of lashon hara (evil speech) of his brothers doings, thus breeding the sibling rivalry found in the previous generations.  After Yosef reveals his two dreams in which he is a leader and elements are bowing down to him, the relationship he has with his brothers further disintegrates into jealousy.  However, despite Yosef's immaturity, Yaacov keeps the dreams in mind - for he knows that if they are divine dreams, they will impact the future.   It is at this point we see that the fractured relationships which exist within the family structure set the stage for Yosef to be propelled to his ultimate destiny.

"So his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind."   (Bereishis 37:11)

Immediately following this passage in the Torah, Yaacov, who knows of the dysfunctional relationship between Yosef and his brothers, asks Yosef to inquire of his brothers pasturing in Shechem, as well as the flock, and return with word of their welfare.  The young and eager Yosef, aware of the ill feelings his brothers harbor against him, replies, "hineni."  This response, we know from past parashot, is one of humility and readiness as we have seen from the example of Avraham and Yitzchak and their use of hineni.

What is behind the request of Yaacov? Why would he knowingly ask his son to go to Shechem, a place where his daughter, Dina, was violated and a place of danger to Yaacov's sons?  As a "dweller of tents" in his youth, Yaacov sees himself in his son, Yosef.  Not only that, he sees the rivalry of Yosef to his brothers, reminiscent of him and Esau.   He sees in Yosef his own past, his own immaturity,  and the need to throttle his son into a place were he can be spiritually molded.  He realizes the naiveté of Yosef and longs to bring him beyond the tent so he can mature and be transformed.  He also sees the hope of the continued fulfillment of the promise given to Avraham through Yosef.  Just as Rivka saw potential in Yaacov, so Yaacov sees this in Yosef.  The only option was to spur on Yosef's growth by changing his surroundings.

"And Yisrael said to Yosef, 'Your brothers are pasturing in Shechem, are they not?  Come, I will send you to them.'  He [Yosef] said to him, ‘Hineni!'  And he [Yaacov] said to him, ‘Go now, look into the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring me back word.'  So he sent him from the depth of Hebron and he [Yosef] arrived at Shechem."   (Bereishis 37:13-14)

The Response

Though Yosef is characterized as a lad, he responds to the Holy One by honoring his father in righteousness.  By this, we see he is following in the footsteps of his forefathers - for the righteous respond to the Holy One with obedience. It is at this point that Yosef begins a process of testing likened to that of Avraham  - for in leaving the very place of Hebron, he goes to Shechem where his sequence of trials begins.  Yaacov sends him from the "depths" of the land where the promise resides and away from all that he knows.  Yosef, who will literally descend from the physical locale of Hebron, will come out of spiritual depths which have nursed him from the cradle - all for the sake of the promise.  Yaacov goes from hearing and contemplating Yosef's dream to launching his son into the arms of Hashem.  This very decree by Yaacov would ultimately lead to the enslavement of the Children of Yisrael in Egypt for generations.

SO HE SENT HIM OUT OF THE VALE OF HEBRON. But surely Hebron lies on a mountain, yet you say, OUT OF THE VALE OF HEBRON? Said R. Aha: He went to bring about the fulfillment of the deep designs which the Holy One, blessed be He, had arranged between Himself and His noble companion who is buried in Hebron [Abraham], viz. And shall serve them, and they shall afflict them (Midrash Rabbah Genesis LXXXIV:13)

As Yosef makes his way into Shechem,  he wanders around the unfamiliar territory.  Some translations even interpret his wandering as "blundering."  Truly at this point, Yosef is out of his comfort zone - he is in a diaspora of sorts in body and spirit.  While he could have turned back at this point, unable to find his brothers, hasgochah protis (divine providence) would have it that he continue on his path to reach his brothers.  During his wandering in Shechem, no doubt he contemplated his mission that his father had entreated.  However, because of the devotion to Yaacov and the honor he upheld for him, Yosef walked into the uncomfortable place where no doubt he felt danger and insecurity.  As Yosef continues wandering he is then met by a man, whom our sages consider to be the angel Gavriel, and is directed to his brothers location.

"A man discovered him, and behold! - he was wandering in the field;  the man asked him saying, ‘What do you seek?'  And he [Yosef] said, ‘My brothers do I seek; tell me, please, where they are pasturing.'  The man said, ‘They have journeyed on from here, for I heard them saying, ‘Let us go to Dothan.' '  So Yosef went after his brothers and found them  at Dothan."  (Bereishis 37 :15-17)

What is interesting to note is that it isn't only Yosef who encounters Gavriel - the Torah states his brothers have also met Gavriel along the way.  Is this the divine backup plan that this encounter between the brothers will take place, that nothing will prevent Yosef from walking into the spiritual and physical testing that lay before him?  As we know from the experience of Sodom, Gavriel was used to carry out divine judgment and bring a course correction.  Gavriel's meeting with Yosef's brothers was necessary to spur them on towards Yosef's capture and sale.  Yosef's brothers, the angel, and Yaacov are pawns in the cosmic plan for the transformation of Yosef and the fulfillment of prophecy.

Though Yaacov heeded his instincts to help his son grow by sending him out,  it is certain that Yaacov regretted the mission later on as he is informed of the supposed death of Yosef.  As he sees the tunic covered in blood, he is mystically brought back to the pain of his grandfather, Avraham, and the grief that he must have felt holding the knife over Yitzchak, ready to take the life of his son and the future of the promise.  The heartache that Yaacov feels over the loss of his son, an event which had not happened to any of the patriarchs, is unbearable as he ponders that which caused Yosef to be taken.  His refusal to be comforted was a response of not only taking responsibility for what has happened, but also one of disbelief.  While Avraham was spared the death of his own son, Yaacov seemed to not have the same fate.  This most likely exacerbated the grief and devastation that Yaacov felt.  What had he done to deserve the death of Yosef and where did he fail in releasing Yosef to be transformed?

"R. Tanhum said in R. Berekiah's name: He [Joseph] treated him with honour, in accordance with the reverence due to a father from his son. AND HE SAID TO HIM: HERE AM I. R. Hama b. R. Hanina said: Our ancestor [Jacob] was ever mindful of these words and was consumed with remorse. ‘I knew that thy brethren hate thee, and yet thou didst answer me: HERE AM I.' " (Midrash Rabbah - Genesis LXXXIV:13)

"Then Yaacov rent his garments and placed sackcloth on his loins; he mourned his son many days.  All his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to comfort himself, and said:  ‘For I will go down to the grave mourning for my son.'  And his father bewailed him."  (Bereishis 37:34-35)

And He Unsettled

Yaacov is brought back to the place in which he is in, despite his grief - Hebron.  And within Hebron is Avraham  -  the promise of descendants as numerous as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore.  Encircling Hebron is the divine password, whispered on the wind and resounding throughout the generations - hineni.  Enshrouded in that word is the divine mystery that once it is uttered, the heavens are opened and the will of the Holy One is activated. The memories of the akeidah, the trials of Avraham, and the current condition of Yosef find themselves on a collision course.  Yaacov's mourning, an inconsolable mourning, is another wrestling with the Divine and how these events relate.  Hineni.  When his own son responded to the command to go and find his brothers, a memory was triggered as he heard his son respond as his grandfather and great-grandfather did so long ago.  Hineni.  Yaacov must have known that this was the beginning of another trial, another journey, and he would not settle.  Yaacov's mourning unsettled him and spiritually awoke him, to wrestle once again with Hashem. 

The righteous are never content to settle...to be lost in the sound of their own voice, their own surroundings, their own events.  They yearn for depth in their relationship with the Master of the Universe, desire to ascend to a higher spiritual ground, and always respond despite the cost.

As we light a candle each night, watching the flames increase, may we not be settled on the plain in our lives.  May we remember the call that Yosef answered with a courageous and obedient reply - hineni.  It unsettled him and his father, but ultimately Hashem increased the spark in Yosef to be a bright light for all of Mitzrayim and for the Children of Israel.  Hashem set him in the place to be the type and shadow of our Mashiach, Yeshua, who would also be a light unto Yisrael and the nations. In the time of the Second Temple, Mattitayu and his sons also heard the divine password whispered on the winds of time, calling them to raise the banner of Hashem and cause a great unsettling of the region.  They too responded with hineni and brought about restoration and miracles.

Look into the candles this Chanukah and illuminate your neshama.  Then listen....if you listen intently, you will hear it too.  Not only will you sense it, but it will become part of you.

The divine password - the response to Hashem that alters lives, changes hearts and causes the malchut hashamayim (the kingdom of G-d) to reign in this world.

"Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement." (Golda Meir)

Hineni....