Vayeshev: Leaders and Followers

Parshat Vayeshev
 
This week's Parsha is one of the most agonizing in all of the Torah. The disagreements and dissension between the holy sons of Jacob are so difficult to understand. It is clear from many sources that the brothers were incredibly righteous individuals but this fact isn't apparent in a story that seems like simple brotherly jealousy and hatred.
 
One of the reasons the story is so hard to comprehend is that apparently everyone did something highly questionable. Why did Jacob show such favoritism to Joseph? Why did he single him out by making him a special coat? The verse tells us that Joseph used to bring evil reports about the brothers to Jacob. Why would he do that? Also, why did Joseph find it necessary to relate his dreams to the brothers even though jealousy and friction were the likely outcomes? Finally is it possible to gain some insight into the brothers' selling of Joseph?
 
Based on the words of the great Nesivos Shalom, Rabbi Noach Shalom Berezovsky ZT"L (1911-2000), let us try to gain some insights into this difficult story.
 
Every person in this world was given unique talents and potential by Hashem. Each one of us is obligated to develop these qualities to their utmost, first on a personal level and then to use them for bringing G-dliness into the world. If a person falls short in developing his particular abilities, even if he hasn't performed any transgressions, he may not have fulfilled his special mission in this world. On the other hand there is a whole planet of people who have the same challenge of developing their personal greatness. Our responsibility, besides developing our own unique abilities, is to help others develop theirs as well. After that, we then all need to work to unify our individual strengths to create a world of blessing and holiness.
 
The question arises, in this synthesis of talents, are there qualities and individuals that deserve preferential treatment? Are there "conductors" and "first violinists" as opposed to "second fiddles" in the intricate tapestry we call this world? Besides the theoretical question there are also some practical issues. Assuming there are "first" and "second" fiddles, how these differences are carried out is a very delicate issue. The subtleties are both for the would-be "leaders", those specially endowed with gifts that are essential for the collective betterment of the community, as well as the "followers", the many who need to perfect themselves by contributing their talents while subjugating themselves to the "leaders". Part of the delicate balance is that the "leaders" must humbly offer their talents to the greater community without expectations of acceptance, not to mention honor or glory, while the "followers" must be willing to become "second fiddle" to those who possess these more universal strengths. This concept of "leadership" isn't an issue of charisma or control. This is an issue of properly blending individuals and abilities in order to best achieve communal unity. In the case of the Jewish people, having the different elements work in proper harmony can make all the difference in whether or not we merit to be a conduit for the Divine light.
 
This was the issue of Jacob and the brothers. Jacob, by showing special consideration to Joseph, was trying to teach the other brothers that Joseph had a unique quality that was primary to the perfection of the Jewish people. Joseph represented a quality called "Yesod" which literally means "foundation". Although this concept is complicated, in short it is the ability of controlling and directing one's physical passions and desires in the service of Hashem. Preeminence of the spiritual over the physical is only possible through this quality. This was the significance of Joseph's cloak, it represented the mantle of spiritual leadership. The brothers were meant to understand that their service to Hashem would be successful only if they could subjugate their talents to Joseph.
 
This, too, was Joseph's intention in telling the brothers his dreams (as well as bringing negative reports to Jacob). He also understood that the quality he was apportioned by Hashem was a primary quality and essential for the composition of the Jewish people. The transcendent nature of his special qualities was reflected in the dreams of both his spiritual dominion (the sun, moon, and stars bowing down to him) as well as his physical dominion (the eleven sheaves bowing to his). His intentions were pure and, even so, his seemingly condescending approach created jealousy and hatred.
 
What was the response of the brothers in light of the explanation above? The verse tells us that they went to shepherd Jacob's sheep away from Jacob's camp. On the phrase "the brothers went to shepherd the sheep" there are small dots found above one of the words in the Torah scroll. The Midrash, as quoted by Rashi, tells us the meaning behind these dots is that their intentions were not so much to "shepherd the sheep" as much as to "shepherd themselves". What is meant by this unusual phrase? The Nesivos Shalom explains that they felt because of the favoritism being shown to Joseph that their own individual service to Hashem was being hampered. They felt that separating themselves was essential to fully develop their unique qualities in their own service of Hashem.
 
Even with this important explanation of the Nesivos Shalom the question still begs to be asked: Why was their reaction to Joseph so intense that they actually first considered killing him? Even though they "lessened the sentence", how did they justify selling him? The Malbim (Rabbi Meir Leibush ben Yechiel Michal 1809-79) provides some essential insights into this confusing story. Starting with Abraham until Jacob's sons, the structure of the future Jewish people was taking form. Of Abraham's two sons, Isaac would become the continuation of the people promised to Abraham while Ishmael would fall away from this noble task. This process repeated itself when Isaac passed on the torch of responsibility to Jacob, while Esau also fell away from being part of this special people. When the brothers saw Joseph acting towards Jacob in a way which indicated his strong desire to be the main carrier of the Jewish tradition, their concern was this pattern was happening again. Ishmael was out. Esau was out. Joseph's actions spoke very loudly that they soon would also be out. So the issue became not just jealousy but one of spiritual life and death. The brothers were shocked and convinced about the real possibility of their losing their connection to the Jewish people for eternity. Because of this they felt that Joseph was like a potential (spiritual) murderer and he therefore deserved the death penalty. In the end they decided to leave Joseph's fate in the Hands of Providence and decided only to sell him. In short, this was why their concern and reaction were so intense.
 
One final point. Jacob's desire to unify and harmonize Joseph's quality of Yesod (personal control) together with the qualities of the rest of the brothers would take many years to become a reality. Although Jacob worked towards this goal but the Divine Hand knew that the time was not yet ripe and that Joseph's quality was first needed to be used in Egypt to pave the way for our exile there. Hashem understood that without Joseph's strengths first laying the spiritual foundations for Jacob and the rest of his family, the Jewish people would not have survived the challenges of the immorality of the Egyptian people.
 
In short, Jacob's showing preference to Joseph was his way of imparting to his sons an essential lesson how they, and subsequently the Jewish people, should be structured. Joseph had only the best of intentions showing his brothers his conviction in the primacy of his unique qualities and the necessity of his leadership in keeping with Jacob's wishes. The brothers were rightfully concerned about their own personal contributions to the Jewish people.and responded strongly in order to maintain their  place within the Jewish people. In the end Hashem had His own plans and "decided" to take Joseph to Egypt before the rest of their family in order to lay the physical and spiritual foundations for the exile of the Jewish people in Egypt.
 
The lesson for us is that we each need to develop our unique talents and to unite them with the abilities of others. As important as these combined efforts may be, ultimately the outcome of our thoughts and actions is determined by Hashem. He is the One who took Jacob and his sons down to Egypt and brought them out with miracles. He is the One who decreed our present exile and who will bring us out with miracles with the coming of Moshiach very soon.