Thursday, December 18, 2014
Parshas Miketz: Taking Revenge is Forbidden
10:24 PM | 
Posted by
Rabbi Chaim Coffman |
"Joseph saw his brothers and he recognized them, but he acted like a stranger toward them and spoke with them harshly. He asked the, 'From where do you come?' And they said, 'From the land of Canaan to buy food'". (Genesis 42:7)
The whole episode between the brothers and Joseph is hard to understand. Joseph was greater than them in knowledge, the prodigy that Yaakov loved and taught. At the same time, after all his trials and tribulations being sent to Egypt and then to prison and then rising to the second-in-command next to Pharaoh, do we really believe that this was his character trait to be mean to them?
The brothers hated him because they thought his dreams were showing that he would have dominion and rule over them. Joseph was obligated to tell the brothers these dreams because he received prophecy and when a person has it, they have an obligation to give it over to others, even to the extent that it could have endangered his life.The brothers did not take too kindly to what he said and thereby wanted him killed.
He was instead sold into slavery and suffered tremendously for it. When he sees the brothers, though he seemingly changes his tune and treats them poorly and disrespects them. How could he have done this, he is not allowed to take revenge as the Torah tells us later!
We could answer that since the Torah wasn't given yet, they weren't obligated to keep it so even if he did take revenge it would have been ok. On the other hand, we know that the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children kept the entire Torah before it was given. How can we reconcile this?
Joseph wasn't taking revenge against his brothers. As we will see later, he tells them not worry about what they did to him because it was all G-d's will that he should go to Egypt and save them! This is how the Divine providence worked and everything worked out in the end.
The purpose of his actions was to purge any sin whatsoever from his brothers by making them admit their transgression on their level for selling him. Once he hears their remorse and the willingness to bring Benjamin to him, he finally forgives them and tells them that he is Joseph.
Although the brothers acted in a proper way (at least they thought so) they still did not show the compassion for him as they should. Only after they realize what is happening to them in Egypt do they see that G-d has orchestrated everything and is punishing them for what they have done.
After the final admission and having sincere regret for their actions does Joseph reveal himself. This teaches us a great lesson of self-control. Even if someone has wronged us, we are not allowed to take revenge against them.
This does not mean I have to be best friends with them or even have anything to do with them. I am forbidden though to take revenge against them. This is certainly not an easy thing to do as we may enjoy seeing our enemies suffer but G-d wants us to reach an even higher level, and that is if anyone has wronged us, we are not allowed to take revenge against them!
Shabbat Shalom
The whole episode between the brothers and Joseph is hard to understand. Joseph was greater than them in knowledge, the prodigy that Yaakov loved and taught. At the same time, after all his trials and tribulations being sent to Egypt and then to prison and then rising to the second-in-command next to Pharaoh, do we really believe that this was his character trait to be mean to them?
The brothers hated him because they thought his dreams were showing that he would have dominion and rule over them. Joseph was obligated to tell the brothers these dreams because he received prophecy and when a person has it, they have an obligation to give it over to others, even to the extent that it could have endangered his life.The brothers did not take too kindly to what he said and thereby wanted him killed.
He was instead sold into slavery and suffered tremendously for it. When he sees the brothers, though he seemingly changes his tune and treats them poorly and disrespects them. How could he have done this, he is not allowed to take revenge as the Torah tells us later!
We could answer that since the Torah wasn't given yet, they weren't obligated to keep it so even if he did take revenge it would have been ok. On the other hand, we know that the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children kept the entire Torah before it was given. How can we reconcile this?
Joseph wasn't taking revenge against his brothers. As we will see later, he tells them not worry about what they did to him because it was all G-d's will that he should go to Egypt and save them! This is how the Divine providence worked and everything worked out in the end.
The purpose of his actions was to purge any sin whatsoever from his brothers by making them admit their transgression on their level for selling him. Once he hears their remorse and the willingness to bring Benjamin to him, he finally forgives them and tells them that he is Joseph.
Although the brothers acted in a proper way (at least they thought so) they still did not show the compassion for him as they should. Only after they realize what is happening to them in Egypt do they see that G-d has orchestrated everything and is punishing them for what they have done.
After the final admission and having sincere regret for their actions does Joseph reveal himself. This teaches us a great lesson of self-control. Even if someone has wronged us, we are not allowed to take revenge against them.
This does not mean I have to be best friends with them or even have anything to do with them. I am forbidden though to take revenge against them. This is certainly not an easy thing to do as we may enjoy seeing our enemies suffer but G-d wants us to reach an even higher level, and that is if anyone has wronged us, we are not allowed to take revenge against them!
Shabbat Shalom
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