Timeless Torah

Most fathers would be more than proud to receive a call from their son that went something like this, “Dad! Guess what? I’m the new Prime Minister for the world’s largest empire!” At that point, who would deny any parent the right to kvell from such nachas. We could even imagine, in true Jackie Mason style, the father’s response. “Did you hear the latest? My son made Prime Minister! Not shabby at all. Of course, everyone expected him to become a doctor…”

While these sentiments may be true for most parents, these types of comments would be extremely surprising coming from our Patriarchs, the holy founders of the Jewish People. Nonetheless, that is exactly what seems to be the case in this week’s Biblical reading with Joseph’s declaration to his brothers, “Hurry, and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘So says your son, Joseph: G-d has placed me as master over all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay.’”

Similarly disturbing is the reaction of Jacob. After an initial disbelief that his long lost son was still alive, the Torah records that, “When they related to him (Jacob) all the words that Joseph had spoken…the spirit of their father was revived.” And lest we attribute Jacob’s reinvigoration to simply paternal feelings, Rashi makes it crystal clear that it was so much more: “The Divine Presence which had forsaken Jacob all these years was now restored.” In other words, the news that Joseph was Second-in-Command of the People of the Nile revived the Patriarch spiritually.

At first glance, this is most surprising. Earlier on, Jacob’s relationship with Joseph is described as unique. Joseph is listed as his father’s “Ben Z’kunim.” Literally, this means, “the child of his old age”, but once again, Rashi quoting the Targum Unkelus translates this phrase as, “a wise son.” This is a reference to the fact that of all the sons, it was specifically to Joseph that Jacob the scholar transmitted all that he had acquired at the Academy of Shem and Ever.
Throughout our turbulent history when Jews were uncertain of what the next day might bring, there was always one profession revered by the People of the Book. More respected than being appointed Prime Minister, President, or even a doctor, was the achievement of Torah scholarship. The ultimate nachas throughout the generations was to have a son who would be counted among our Sages. Indeed, the only route to fame, true respect and immortality was the Rabbinate. Without question, Jacob, the Patriarch most associated with Torah study, certainly expected this of his dearest and brightest child.

Twenty two years after being taken from his father’s side where he had been constantly soaking up lessons about a Jew’s obligations to G-d, Joseph sends a message to his father in a great hurry. In his missive he can’t wait to reveal that he is the Egyptian Viceroy. Clearly Joseph believed that Jacob would be excited about his rise in politics, rather than the Torah scholar his father must have imagined and desired he would become, but why?

A possible explanation is that the important thing was not the news itself that Joseph was now Prime Minister, but how it was phrased. When a person is appointed to a position of honor, they usually preface the good news with how they got the job, as in, “I was deputized by the Chief of Police” or “I was elected by the Senate to serve on the cabinet.” The more important the position, the more likely a person will identify the prominent people who did the appointing.
Here on the other hand, Joseph says nothing about his clever interpretations of Pharaoh’s dreams and how they caught the fancy of the troubled ruler. Instead, our former Hebrew prisoner of the Egyptian penal system simply says, “G-d made me master. Hashem gave me this job.”
Acknowledging that everything comes from G-d and giving Him the credit, indicated to Jacob that his son saw beyond the smoke and mirrors of our world. After so many years outside the home and after so many different trials and tribulations, that Joseph had retained this righteous attitude, was the best possible news that Jacob could have received regarding his son.

We might not have maligned Joseph had he in some measure attributed his accomplishments to his own abilities. But he did not do so. Rather, he maintained the same pattern set when he proclaimed to the anxious dreamer on the throne, “That is beyond me; it is G-d who will respond…”
But if everything is from G-d, is there anything in our hands? “All is in the hands of Heaven, save fear of Heaven.” We are the ones who choose to become such people. Thanks to Joseph, we know it can be done.