The All-Inclusive Sin of Vayeishev
It is not difficult to identify the all-inclusive sin in the Torah’s 9th parashah, parashat Vayeishev: the sin of the brothers selling Joseph into slavery. It is an all-inclusive sin because the entire Jewish people were involved. When we say that everyone was involved, this does not exclude the possibility of there being exceptions. Indeed, Benjamin was not present when Joseph was sold, just as the Levites did not participate in the Golden Calf. In fact, at first the brothers decided to kill Joseph, having tried him and concluding that he should be put to death. However, halachah dictates that if all the judges unanimously find someone guilty of a capital offense, that person is freed. Likewise, if all the brothers had been present and they would have unanimously decided that he was liable for death, then Joseph would have been set free.
Putting a spotlight on the essence of the sin of selling Joseph, we see that it was fueled by a doubt whether a son of Rachel was akin to the sons of Jacob’s other wives. In other words, the focus was on the status of maternal descent, since all the brothers shared a common father, Jacob.
Adding this sin to the series also fills in what seemed to be too big a spiritual leap from the Tree of Knowledge to the Golden Calf, as we will now see.
