Standing Strong |
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Supporting followers of the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in Israel |
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Vayigash Genesis 44:18—47:27 |
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This Week’s Parasha |
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We next get insight into Judah’s character in chapter 38. If you ever wondered why this chapter was suddenly inserted into the story of Joseph, I think we now see why. Judah marries a Canaanite woman and has sons of his own, who also marry. His firstborn son, Er, dies, and in proper custom he has another of his sons marry the widow. This son also dies. Looking out for his own interest, Judah is not wanting to lose anymore sons, so he tells the widow, Tamar, to remain a widow, promising his next son when he comes of age, but when this son comes of age, Judah does not fulfill his promise. We see that Tamar takes on the role of a prostitute when Judah’s wife dies and when he seeks comfort in a prostitutes arms he sleeps with his own daughter-in-law. Later, when Tamar is discovered to be pregnant Judah tells his tribe to stone Tamar for her improper actions of being a harlot. Judah is again seeing himself as righteous, and shows unforgiveness and a judgmental character until it is revealed that he is the father of the child in Tamar’s womb. I believe that this is inserted in the story of Joseph as this is the changing point in Judah’s life. His own actions break his spirit and G-d goes to work on Judah’s character.
In Chapter 42, when a surety is needed for the brothers to leave Egypt and return with Binyamin, Judah does not offer to take the place of Simeon, but it shows that the brothers did expect to return to Egypt with Binyamin and redeem Simeon. It was Jacob who refused to let them go with Binyamin immediately to redeem Simeon.
When they go to Egypt with Binyamin because their food has once again run out, it is Judah who steps forward and tells his father that he will be the surety for Binyamin’s safe return! Judah is stepping forward and putting his safety at stake for that of another. This is a change of character from what we have seen up to this point.
And now in Chapter 45 we see Judah as the one approaching Joseph, offering himself to be exchanged with Binyamin as the prisoner of the overseer of Egypt, and the reason he gives in is not for his own sake but that he would not see the evil that would come upon his father at the loss of his most favored son. He is no longer as jealous of the favored son as he was when Joseph was a youth, but he is willing to give up himself that his father might have his favored son back.
I believe it is this change in character of Judah that causes Joseph to not be able to restrain himself and weeping openly in front of his brothers, reveals who he was. He saw Judah, (the brother whom he last knew as self-serving, the one responsible for his sale into Egypt resulting in his years of servitude, improper accusation, years in prison, separation for his father and those he loved), as a changed man. Judah was now putting his father’s love for the favored son, Binyamin, ahead of his own welfare. Perhaps if there was resentment in Joseph toward Judah after all these trials and bitterness for causing the grief he had endured, would not this seeing of a truly repentant brother who had obviously turned from his ways to the ways of serving others and not putting his own interests first touch the spirit of resentment in Joseph enough to cause Joseph to weep openly and seek reconciliation himself?
It is possible that Judah, the repentant Judah, a Judah whom G-d has worked on through the actions of his life and having to face his own weakness in character in Chapter 38; Judah who has been broken and rebuilt, is the hero of this story at this moment? Something to think on and wonder how in our brokenness and willingness to repent of our ways and seek to walk in the ways of the L-rd, G-d Almighty, we might be making a difference. G-d does use broken vessels.
Selah. |
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Isaiah 11:6 2 Thessalonians 2:15 |
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This week’s Parasha shows the working of repentance. Not just saying you are sorry but a true turning from the ways of sin to acting in the righteousness of one who fears G-d.
Judah comes near to Joseph to recount the story of how they came to be there with Binyamin, and Binyamin is now in danger of having to stay in Egypt and not return to Jacob (Israel), his father.
Let’s take a moment and recall what we know of Judah. Judah was the fourth son of Leah. Leah was the wife who was “unloved” and gave birth to four sons prior to any sons born of concubines or Rachael. As the fourth son, Judah had no special rights of the firstborn nor was he to expect anything beyond the inheritance that might be left to all the sons of Jacob, of which there were 12. There is no specific mention of Judah in the actions of Joseph’s brothers when Joseph brings a bad report of his brothers to Jacob. He is just another one of the brothers who “hated” him for his dreams and his words, (Gen 37:8), envying Joseph. Judah is one of the brothers who saw Joseph from afar and plotted to kill him. Nothing other than what is reported of the brothers in general, until Genesis 37:26. There it is recorded that Judah was the one who convinced his brothers, in Reuben’s absence, to sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites in order to make a profit. Judah showed himself to be seeking after his own welfare and in his cunning sought to make a profit from the situation and not just act in the emotion of anger but also planned out how to maximize his position. A self-serving spirit.
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