Parasha Thoughts
By Rabbi Shlomo Zargari
Shalom,
In parashat Vayeshev we see a bizarre occurrence. After Yosef is sold, the Torah states
וירד יהודה מ×ת ×חיו†38:1â€
Yehuda went down from his brothers. Rashi sites a Midrash that says the brothers of Yosef deposed him from his leadership position over them when they saw their father’s intense grief. They blamed Yehuda for it. They claimed he was the one who suggested that they sell Yosef and had he advised them to bring him back to his father they would have obliged ….
Ironically, these are the brothers who wanted to kill Yosef and Yehuda is the one who saved him. But the claim was why didn’t he prevent them from the beginning? Why didn’t he stop the sale?
The Hafetz Hayim relays a true story about a person who had an underground liquor business. He evaded taxes and broke the law, and became very wealthy…until he was caught. All his wealth was confiscated and he was convicted and sent to prison for many years. As he was being taken with cuffs to the prison, he begged and pleaded to be taken to the Rabbi of the town. They had pity on the poor soul and took him to the Rabbi before he would be spending so many years in prison, so he could get a blessing and prayer. As they entered they were surprised to see he started screaming and yelling: “ You, Rabbi, you are at fault for all that’s happening to me! You knew, and yet you didn’t stop me and didn’t yell at me, why didn’t you warn me that this path will lead to nothing good?? And that I would lose everything!â€
This is similar to the reaction of the brothers of Yosef. They came to Yehuda saying: true it was our idea, true you stopped us from spilling blood, why didn’t you do more?…
The Hafetz Hayim would add: there is no father who won’t guide his kids and no mother who won’t discipline her children. They listen, some more some less, and the parents think they have done all they can, honed and perfected, ok maybe not that perfect, maybe they could have done more….
Parents should know that at the end of the day, when the children will see what they GD forbid lost by not listening, they will have claims against the parents! They will say: if you would have watched me better, talked to me differently, were more serious about raising me, things would be much different!….
Shabbat Shalom and we should have NAHAT from the children.
Amen.