Who was the mysterious person who changed joseph's life?
In the fields of Shechem, just moments before he was about to return empty-handed after not finding his brothers there, Joseph encounters a 'man- and this encounter changes everything. If not for this encounter we can reasonably assume that Joseph would have simply returned to Hebron and resume his studies. The encounter however triggered a series of unimaginable events: He is thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, separated from his family for 22 years, reuniting with them only after becoming a powerful ruler, the one who saved them during the years of famine.
Obviously, the encounter with 'the man' is the turning point of the story, the moment when an ordinary day turns into a historical event. And yet, the figure of 'the man' remains enigmatic, a shadow devoid of identifying details. The Torah does not give his name or indicate his origin. There is no description of him or what brought him to the fields of Shechem on that fateful morning. He was anonymous and so he remains, fulfilling his role and disappearing from the stage just as suddenly as he appeared.
That in itself is not unusual. It is not the nature of the Torah to dwell on details that are not necessary for the essence of the narrative. The Torah carefully selects its words and does not indulge in descriptions of atmosphere and scenery. For this reason, we find no mention of the events that occurred during Joseph 120 kilometer journey from Hebron to Shechem nor of the thoughts that probably accompanied him on his way.
However, the fact that the Torah chose to linger on this seemingly trivial incident and devote three verses to it teaches us that it is a matter of significance and that we must learn from it.
Well then, who is 'the man'?
Rashi quotes the midrash: "And a man found him - this is [the angel] Gabriel ."
Ibn Ezra explains simply: "it was a [ordinary] way traveler."
Ramban combines both approaches and in doing so sheds important light on our reality: "To inform us that the decree is true and that industry is naught. for the Holy One, blessed be He, appointed a guide to him, not of his own accord, to bring him [to his brothers. This is what our sages meant when they said that these men were angels. This whole story was to inform us that the counsel of God will stand”.
According to Ramban, the man was an angel sent to divert Joseph from his natural course and bring him to a path that would advance the intended history of the people of Israel. Nonetheless, the man was also a regular person who followed his instincts and randomly encountered Joseph.
If we were to ask him at the end of the day - what did you achieve? What did you do? He would reconstruct the events of the day and not recall any specific event. Yes, I left the house. I took a short walk in the field. By chance, I overheard a group of shepherds talking about going to Dothan. Later, I directed a young man who was looking for that group of people. That’s where my interaction with those people ended and I continued with my business. End of story.
The man did not think he had done anything special that day, but unbeknownst to him, he served as a tool in the hands of divine providence to advance its goals.
An angel is a messenger, and there are many messengers of the Almighty. The forces of nature are His messengers. Humans are His messengers. Celestial spiritual beings can be His messengers. Anything that serves consciously or unconsciously as a means to promote the goals of divine providence is an angel. Therefore, the 'man' who encounters Joseph is anonymous. His name, where he came from, or the reasons he thought he ended up in that field that day are not significant because the man is currently operating not as an individual but in the capacity of an angel serving the plans of divine providence.
Throughout history, in our personal and general lives, we encounter many such angels. Various encounters, people who say things, influences that affect us and cause us to change what we thought we would do and replace it with something else. Angels surround us everywhere - even if they are not always aware that they are such.
If an 'angel 'can be an ordinary person who influences the course of our lives, then it means that we ourselves might also be angels for others. So, if it is ordained by God that someone’s life should be positively redirected by a good angel, let us aspire to be that angel. After all, if a chance encounter in the fields of Shechem led Joseph to the pit, imagine how a kind word or a righteous act can rescue a person from their own pit!
