After Joseph’s revelation of his identity to his brothers, at the beginning of the Torah portion of Vayigash, he commands them to return to their father as soon as possible. One can only imagine the intense emotions as the brothers began explaining to Jacob the sequence of events culminating in the upcoming reunion. The Torah describes Jacob’s initial reaction (Bereishit 45:26):
“And they told him, saying, "Joseph is still alive," and [they told him] that he ruled over the entire land of Egypt, and his heart changed, for he did not believe them.”
One can understand Jacob’s doubt, as this news was something he was not remotely prepared for. The brothers persist (ibid 27):
“And they told him all of Joseph's words that he had said to them, and he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, and the spirit of their father Jacob was revived.”
Now that Jacob realized the authenticity of the claims, he responds in a forceful manner (ibid 28):
“And Israel said, "Enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
Many of the commentators, such as Rashi, offer an explanation matching the drama of the moment:
“I have enough happiness and joy, since my son Joseph is still alive”
And why not? One cannot fathom the intense gladness he must have felt at this very moment.
There are two Midrashic interpretations which introduce another dimension to Jacob’s reaction. Targum Yonatan explains how Jacob, in his reaction to the news, was reflecting first on all the good God had done for him up to that point. He had been saved from Esau and Laban. When the Canaanites threatened his family after the incident in Shechem, he was saved once again. Jacob had experienced the great comforts offered by God, longing to receive them. The disappearance of Joseph was different. Jacob had stopped hoping to see Joseph ever again. Now that Jacob knew Joseph was alive, he had to go see him immediately.
The other Midrashic view (found in the Midrash Aggada) offers a different observation on the part of Jacob. He marveled at the incredible strength exhibited by Joseph. Joseph had suffered mightily, and through it all, he maintained his righteousness.
Clearly, both approaches lead us away from the more emotional picture the simple reading of the story conveys. Why add this other layer to the story?
When analyzing the interaction and behavior of our forefathers, it behooves us to understand that these were unique human beings. As such, there is always a tension that requires awareness and caution. On the one hand, it is tempting to project onto them what we, as the “norm”, would think. Bringing them down to our level then removes the “uniqueness” of these people, and they no longer serve as examples to learn from. In fact, bringing them to a level of equality, if not lower, helps buttress an outsized view of the self.
Conversely, there are those who deify our forefathers. These individuals transcend humanity, free from any defect. If indeed they are on such a level, how can we learn anything of practical value from them? It is as if to say there is a different species of human called “forefather” and we are unable to identify with them on any level. Each of these extremes may provide some degree of religious security or reinforcement of self-importance to those who analyze them in such a manner. No doubt, the image of who these individuals were becomes completely distorted.
That is not to say that the middle road is an easy one to find. The forefathers were unique, but unique human beings. They were highly perfected but were not perfect. As well, as each had a critical role to play in the forging of the nation. Therefore, presenting an emotionally charged family reunion is not the end game of the Torah.
The above Midrashic explanations can assist us in the appropriate manner of viewing the forefathers. The Torah presents a scene replete with drama. Jacob discovering that Joseph, his beloved son, was alive. And not just alive, but the viceroy in Egypt. He was not immune to the rush of emotions any father would have in such a situation.
In fact, a search of comparable moments in other works of literature or cinema could certainly bring out even more of the emotions the Torah describes. But the Torah is not a storybook. The Torah is a repository of God’s wisdom, and as such, every episode recorded is an opportunity for us to tap into that wisdom.
Yes, Jacob was experiencing the same emotional rush any father would. Jacob, though, was also the leader of the burgeoning Jewish nation. Whereas one might expect Jacob to cast off his role and “merely” act like a father would, Jacob understood that Joseph being alive meant much more than his own progeny still alive.
Targum Yonatan offers one insight into Jacob’s mindset as he came to grips with the realization Joseph was alive. Jacob understood how critical his role was in securing the future nation. While of course his rescue from various enemies was not necessitated, the fact God intervened on his behalf presaged a certain reality of how the Divine plan was unfolding. Finally, after years on the run, he was able to focus on the next stages in developing his progeny and securing the ideology.
Tragedy struck with Joseph’s apparent death. As such, with Joseph gone, the idea of a complete nation was gone as well. Losing Joseph produced such a massive void that Jacob saw no future for the Jewish people. He had lost hope, and with Joseph returning, was now able to refocus himself on the necessary task of leading the Jewish people forward.
The Midrash adds to this overall way of thinking. Hearing Joseph was alive was of course the critical news. However, there was an entire background story, culminating with Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt. Immersed in Egyptian culture could very well mean the assimilation of foreign ideologies and cultural values. Jacob had hope that now his mission could continue. Joseph, though, had to be a person with the right personality traits and attachment to the correct path for the plan to continue.
To have Joseph alive was of course something every father would be overcome with knowing. In the case of Jacob, this was “only” a part of the story.
Was this the same Joseph who he saw as being a future leader of the Jewish people? Or had he been corrupted by his surroundings? To understand Joseph as maintaining his righteousness meant the that the void that had been created no longer existed.
The above two interpretations are an ideal example of the view we should take when analyzing our forefathers. They were not gods, nor regular folk. Each story presents one layer of a much deeper set of ideas. In this case, the objective of the Torah is to not just present the drama of a reunion between father and son. We see in Jacob someone who realized more than the return of his son. He saw his role being re-established and the future of the Jewish people coming into clear focus.