44 – Intricates
Genesis 44 – Intricates
Joseph’s brothers were up against it. They were iniquitous! What they did to their father and Joseph was morally wrong. As they bowed before the Viceroy of Egypt, they felt the great heaviness of their guilt. They would be punished for something they did not do because of something they did do. In other words, we may think we got away with sin, but in reality, we are brought to justice for something we did not do. Every sin requires justice, punishment, and restitution. After being forgiven, we must pay restitution for our sins. We are held accountable for our sinful actions. Job shared an observance. ‘I have seen, those who plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same,’ Job 4.8 Christians teach you will reap what you sow, Galatians 6:7.
Case in point
God forgives us of any sin we acknowledge and perhaps some we don’t because God is Gracious, Longsuffering, Loving, and Kind. Our Sages teach that men and women who stand under the marriage chuppah receive forgiveness for every sin they ever committed up to that point in time. They are not released from punishment resulting from their sins. Soloman wrote I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and…that which is crooked cannot be made straight.’ Ecclesiastes 1.15. Some may say that Soloman’s observation is debatable. Why?? Repentance requires us to change our course. We reverse our course. We turn around. Joseph was looking for a change in his half-brother’s behavior.
It is one thing to have a pure mind-heart-soul and another to have a pure body. Each of us has a Yetzer Rah – the Evil inclination attacking us. Do we succumb to lustful desires, pressures, and enticements, or do we withstand? Mussar and Middot teach us the Way of the Lord. We strive for Tikkun Middot – mastery of our character traits by studying and observing The Torah. Jewish families investigate the potential mate for their son or daughter. Why? Even though the Chatan – Groom and the Kallah – Bride are forgiven for every sin, they committed when they stand together under the chuppah. Have they mastered their character traits? Each of us develops patterns throughout our lives. People may inherit querks. So It is necessary to review our character traits. Investigate and look for potential problems then address any serious issues. We examine the Middot. Does the bride, groom, or relatives have any issues with infidelity, sexual impurity, alcoholism, gambling, drugs, violence, serious sicknesses, debilitating diseases, compulsions, obsessions, honesty, truthfulness, et cetera?
Why? It is difficult to straighten what is crooked.
Our case in point is about a Jewish couple getting married. However, the principle is the same for many applications. Should one enter into a business association with someone who has poor character traits? Should one move their family to a community known for their evil acts? Remember Sodom and Gomorrah? Mystically we observe the Gematria of 304 in Genesis 44.16 with the Words, מַה־נִּצְטַדָּק Mah Neetz Tah Dawk – How shall we clear ourselves?
It’s about time for some action. When one is innocent, it is infuriating to be accused. Joseph’s half brothers were innocent of the steward’s accusations. Yet, they were not entirely honest. There was this matter of deceiving their father and continuing their deception for 20 years. They saw their father mourning, weeping, and praying over the loss of Joseph day in and day out for 20 years as Jacob mourned his son Joseph’s death.
If they had mirrors, they were covered. If they had chairs, Jacob sat on the ground. Jacob was extremely distressed over the loss of his son. What would it take for Joseph’s half-brothers to come to grips with what they had done to their father and their half-brother Joseph? How could they be so cold and hardhearted? They needed a come to God moment!! They murdered a precious little lamb as part of their deception of Jacob. They stole Joseph’s coat of many colors and dipped it in that little lamb’s blood. They placed Joseph in a pit with poison serpents. They sold him as a slave. They turned a deaf ear to Joseph’s pleas for mercy. How could his flesh and blood turn against him? How could they not feel some guilt, some sorrow for what they were doing to Jacob and Joseph? They needed to do some earnest soul searching! Can we imagine what it was like to be so cold-hearted so insensitive to another human being?
Sometimes our actions and thoughts deny The God who Sees all, knows all, and whose Presence is everywhere. Usually, that is not our intention. We don’t want to pace to the music by admitting our embarrassing, humiliating mistakes. Perhaps that is why The Torah Notes Joseph’s half-brother’s comments, How shall we clear ourselves? How do we justify our righteousness? Judah, the instigator of killing Joseph – of selling him into slavery at last steps forward. Now we better understand why Genesis 38 begins with ‘And it came to pass at that time, Judah went down away from his brothers.’ Nine Individual personalities are involved. No one will do anything without Judah’s approval. The dam breaks. Judah steps forward. Judah acknowledges God’s Intervention for Joseph.
Genesis 44.14
And Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house; for he was yet there; and they fell before him on the ground.
Genesis 44.16
And Judah said, ‘What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? How shall we clear ourselves? ‘God has [searched each of us entirley and] found iniquity in your servants.’
Genesis 44.18
Then Judah came near to [Joseph], and said, ‘Ooh my lord, let your servant, I beg you, speak a word in my lord’s ears.’
Genesis 44.16
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוּדָה מַה־נֹּאמַר לַאדֹנִי מַה־נְּדַבֵּר וּמַה־נִּצְטַדָּק הָאֱלֹהִים מָצָא אֶת־עֲוֹן עֲבָדֶיךָ הִנֶּנּוּ עֲבָדִים לַאדֹנִי גַּם־אֲנַחְנוּ גַּם אֲשֶׁר־נִמְצָא הַגָּבִיעַ בְּיָדוֹ: ס
Genesis 44.16
How shall we clear ourselves?
How do we justify our righteousness?
וּמַה־נִּצְטַדָּק = 304
Exodus 29.46
And they shall know that I am the Lord their God.
וְיָדְעוּ כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֵיהֶם = 304
The Midrash Teaches in Bereisheit Rabbah 93 what is meant by the words then Judah came near to [Joseph], and said, ‘Ooh my lord, let your servant, I beg you, speak a word in my lord’s ears.’ When Judah came near, Joseph seized Benjamin and said to his brethren, The man in whose hand the goblet is found, he shall be my bondman, but as for you, get up. Return to your father in peace.
Judah retorted, ‘You would take Benjamin, and yet you think there will be peace in my father’s house!’ Judah was filled with wrath and cried out aloud. His voice traveled like a lion. It was so great that all Egypt was shaken. It was like the land of Egypt was about to be overturned.
When Judah’s brethren saw him enraged, they too were filled with wrath, stamped on the earth, and caused waves like furrows. Judah had given himself as surety for Benjamin. He thought, ‘Perhaps The Holy One, Blessed be He, will forgive me for my sin in deceiving my father. Then Judah assured Joseph that he would bring Benjamin back to his father. At that moment, his brothers were filled with fury against Joseph. When Joseph saw the signs, he knew that Judah was angry. He trembled and was terrified, thinking to himself, Woe is me! Judah may kill me. Joseph responded by kicking the stone column on which he was sitting, reducing it to a heap of fragments. Joseph made a sign to Manasseh, who gave one stamp on the floor, causing the palace to tremble. Woe! Judah cried out; such a stamp can only be from my father’s house. Judah was astonished and exclaimed, ‘Joseph is as powerful as we are!’ Judah seized his sword to draw it from its sheath, but it would not come out, at which point he said, ‘This man must certainly be God-Fearing.’ When he saw these matters, he began speaking with gentle words to Joseph. One could say that at that moment, Judah and his brothers had a Spiritual revelation. The revelation comes in Genesis 45 when they discover Joseph is the Viceroy of Egypt. ‘And they shall know that I am the Lord their God.’ Joseph says,
Genesis 45.4 – 5
And Joseph said to his brothers, Come near me, I beg you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. Now, therefore, be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here; for God did Send me before you to preserve life.
May we live within Torah’s Guidelines. May our sins be buried in The Sea of Forget-fullness, never to be resurrected and held against us. May we forgive each other of our errors and sins. May we bring peace and healing to our world. May we do our best to defuse situations where tension exists. May HaShem Bless us with compassion in the eyes of those who have issues with us. May we be careful to do what is right. May we help others. May this coming Sabbath and every Sabbath be a blessed Day. May our names be written in The Book of Life for this coming year. May we repent of all our sins.
Blessings and Peace,
Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk
