Just a few minutes ago, I was reading Torah Tidbits, the weekly summary, put out by the OU's Israel Center and written by Phil Chernofsky. Something he wrote bothered me:
"Shlishi - Third Aliya - 20 p'sukim - 45:8-27
Yosef again tells the brothers that it wasn't they who sent him to Egypt, but rather it was G-d. He then sends them to bring their father down to Egypt (to Goshen) where the family will be well-cared for during the remaining years of the famine. The brothers embrace and cry. Only then are the brothers able to talk to Yosef."
My mind began to fly in a different direction. I believe in free will and that G-d responds to our actions. That's why I would never blame G-d for the Holocaust or any other man-made tragedy.
Maybe G-d made the famine to reconcile Joseph with his brothers and father. Maybe G-d didn't want Joseph to be sold to an Egyptian nobleman.
Or maybe, without Joseph being sold, there would still have been a famine, and Ya'akov's family would go down to Egypt united/together, just for the food and when down there, Pharaoh would offer a great "temporary" deal with them, which would eventually enslave them.
Joseph spoke to his brothers like a spin-master politician. It reminds me of how Gush Katif Rabbi Yigal Kaminetzky talks of his "congregants" present circumstances.
There are so many ifs...
I really don't like the spin, the rationalizations, excuses to justify evil, not when discussing our forefathers in the Bible and not when we're discussing present and recent events.
Shabbat Shalom U'Mevorach
May you have a peaceful and blessed Shabbat.
4 comments:
Phil's opinion is no hidush.
It's the opinion of several meforshim.
HaShem may have intended to have Yosef go to Egypt in a different manner, but the brothers acted first. We don't know.
HaShem is able to pull together so many things at the same time, we cannot fathom it. So, I don't see the stirah here.
The Navi states that the "residents along the borders will wander, and find no rest." {paraphrase}
Sound familiar?
Who's responsible? HaShem? Am Yisrael? The residents themselves? Personally, I think it's all three.
And, yes, it's been three and half years. It's time for the residents to take a look at their part, too, and most definitely the Nevel Azza leadership.
Re: the Holocaust, remind me to lend you Rav Binyamin Kahane's HY"D confronting the Holocaust. It was his yartzeit yesterday, BTW.
Thanks for the input. Phil's commentary is old and pretty stale. There are lines I remember from year to year.
...just to clarify, it's the pshat which most agree is what was taking place.
Phil's email, as you undoubtedly know, is tt@ou.org.
I emailed the link to him yesterday. Haven't heard anything in reply.
Yes, I know it's the pshat, and that's why I say that Yosef is a "spin" master, very politician-like.
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