The Next Generation
Ya’akov’s koach was also passed on to the next generation, in the form of his son Yosef. Yosef also had a troubled life, in striking resemblance to his father. When he was just seventeen he was thrown into a pit by his brothers, sold as a slave, and found himself working for Potiphar in the worst place of all - Mitzrayim. If this was not enough, Eishes Potifar worked tirelessly, day and night to cause him to sin. She offered him every imaginable bribe, and threatened him with every possible threat, including putting a knife to his throat. As a young teenager alone in a foreign country, Yosef withstood the temptation, though, on one fateful day he almost succumbed to the unbearable temptation. But at the last moment he saw the demus deyukno shel aviv - the image of his father. How did the image of his father who was so far away help him to be moser nefesh and run away?
va’yimo’en
After Ya’akov was given Yosef’s kesones passim drenched in blood he believed that Yosef had been devoured by a wild animal. The Torah relates: “vaYakumu kol banav v’kol benosav l’nachamo - all his sons and daughters got up to console him.” However, “va’yimo’en lehisnachem - he refused to be consoled”. The Or haChaim asks: Who are Ya’akov’s daughters other than Dina? Why do we only hear about them here? He answers that this was the nechamah: they all got together - eleven sons and twelve daughters, showing Ya’akov the large, wonderful, special, and prestigious family he had.
The Black Sheep!
Rabbi Jacobson illustrates this further. Objectively speaking, an outsider would have thought Yosef to be the “black sheep” of the family. He was constantly dreaming of himself, thinking he was better than everyone else and that everyone should be bowing down to him. He told tales of his brothers and was mesalsel b’sa’aro.
All of Ya’akov’s other children came to be menachem him. In effect they were saying, “Indeed Yosef is gone but look at the wonderful family you have left. Look at the great Roshey Yeshivos and Rebbitzen’s that you have.
However, as the passuk continues: “vaYe’ma’en l’hisnachem - he refused to be consoled.” Rashi explains that it was because one can never be consoled over someone who is still alive.
On a Deeper Level!
“Ein ha’mikra yotzei mi’yedey peshuto” but on a deeper level we may suggest the following. All of the brothers did not believe in Yosef - they saw him as an outsider, a black sheep - so called “dead”.
Nothing would come from him - they gave up on him, threw him in a pit and sold him. They tried comforting Ya’akov by showing him the sons and daughters he did have - those that were “doing well”.
But Ya’akov did not accept it - he refused to be consoled with this nechama. He would not believe that Yosef was “dead”. He said: “You may see him as the black sheep, as different, and as a failure. But I refuse to give up on him. I refuse to believe he is dead. I believe that although he may be on a difficult journey, he can reach tremendous heights and eventually be the leader and saviour of you all.”
What Helped Him Prevail!
When Yosef was in the abyss, encountering terrible nisyonos alone in the ervas ha’aretz, when he almost fell to the terrible temptation, what helped him to say no? What helped him to refuse - “va’Yima’en”? It was the image of his father. How did that help? He saw his father who, despite his difficulties, despite being in the abyss overcame all. And he saw that his father continued to believe in him, to see past his limitations, and appreciated his potential. It was his father’s va’yemae’n which helped him va’yima’en - to persevere, refuse the temptation, and ultimately save Klal Yisrael.
