Perashat Vayesheb 5777

Perashat Vayesheb 5777

This week's perasha, Vayesheb, relates the famous story of the "Sale of Joseph."  It was by way of this episode that Jacob and his entire household eventually came to sojourn in Egypt, which ultimately lead to the enslavement of the Israelite people.  

As part of his own experience as a slave in Egypt, the Torah tells us how the wife of his master, Potiphar, tried to seduce Joseph on a daily basis and tempt him to commit adultery with her.  The Torah tells us that Joseph did all that he could to resist the advances of Mrs. Potiphar.  He tried to reason with her saying, "How can I do this evil thing and sin against G-d?  [Ber. 39:9]  However, she persisted, and finally one day, when he was alone in the house, she came and grabbed him by his garment, and he, "fled and ran outside." [Ber. 39:12]  

Rabbi Y. Frand [Rabbi Frand on the Parsha v.1] points out that there is a well-known midrash, or rabbinic exposition, on the verse in Psalms 114:3, "The sea saw and fled," that draws a connection between the splitting of the sea during the time of the Exodus, with the flight of Joseph from the clutches of Potiphar's wife.  The rabbis say:  "The sea saw and fled.  What did the sea see that caused it to flee?  It was Joseph's coffin.  The sea 'fled' when it saw the one who 'fled'. "  How can we understand the connection that the rabbis make between these two events?

Rabbi Frand explains that there is a particular word used in the narrative that describes Joseph's 'flight'.  The Torah says that when he fled, Joseph fled ha-hussah; he ran outside.  (Ber. 39:13]  As Rabbi Frand observes, if one pays close attention to the text, they will notice that this word is used no less than four times when detailing  Joseph's experience.  This word is also reminiscent of the 'Covenant of the Two Halves' where G-d takes Abraham "outside" to show him the stars.  The rabbis comment on that episode, that the Almighty was telling Abraham to step "outside" of his normal environment and rise above the laws of nature.  From this point forward, Abraham would no longer be governed by the regular laws of nature.  Thus, if he could not have children in the natural course of events, he would nonetheless end up becoming the father of great nations.  

Thus, we see that the word ha-hussah - outside - refers to the ability to rise above nature.  This was exactly what Joseph did in the episode with Potiphar's wife; he overcame his natural tendency to succumb to her advances; he was able to overcome his own nature.  
We can now better understand the connection that the rabbis draw with the splitting of the sea.  When the Israelites were ready to cross the sea, the waters were not so eager to defy nature and split apart.  However, when the sea 'saw' the coffin of Joseph on the shore, it suspended its laws of nature and 'fled' in merit of the one who overcame his nature and 'fled'.  

Rabbi Frand reinforces this idea with the explanation of the Shemen HaTov, who quotes from the Sefer HaPardes, that there are 112 verses in this week's perasha, 104 of which begin with the connecting letter, vav.  This means that the other eight verses stand independently.  According to the Sefer HaPardes, these eight verses, represent the eight days leading up to milah (circumcision).  The Shemen HaTov explains that all the events in our perasha are one large continuum as represented by all the connecting vavs - thus demonstrating cause and effect.  However, the life of the Jew, as symbolized by the eight days of milah, is not affected by this continuum.    There are no connecting vavs in the verses that represent the Jewish people, as there is no ordinary 'cause and effect' in the lives of our people, who exist above the laws of nature.  As such, the life of the Jew is identified with the number eight - as in the days leading up to the milah - which symbolizes the supernatural, being one number above seven, which is the symbol of the natural.  
Similarly, says Rabbi Frand, the eight days of Hanukkah, which always come at the time of the year when we read perashat Vayesheb (in our case, immediately after Shabbat), also signify the supernatural, which is an appropriate description of the miracles of Hanukkah; both of the oil which lasted longer than usual, as well as the military victory of the, "few over the many" - which also defied the laws of nature.  

We too, need to learn from Abraham and Joseph, and step outside our environment and withstand our natural tendency to be swayed by the glamour and the glitter of our neighbors' holiday trappings, as attractive though they may be.  If we want to understand the history of the Jewish people, we will recognize that the only way that we have survived to this point is due to the fact that our existence is not governed by the laws of nature.  We have come this far; let us not succumb to the forces of nature at this time.