There were two leaders of the Jewish people prior to the official establishment of the Jewish nation. The first was Yosef and the second Moshe.
Rabbi Benzion Firer (Hegyona Shel Torah) points out that we can learn a great deal from each of these individuals by comparing and contrasting their situations and approaches.
Yosef and Moshe – Compared
Both Yosef and Moshe were selected to lead and save the people in a tragic time. Yosef to provide food for his brothers during a famine and Moshe to save his brothers from slavery. Both were outsiders that ended up living in the palace. Both initially had their leadership questioned and rejected. Yosef’s dreams were dismissed by his brothers, and the people blamed Moshe for Pharaoh’s evil decrees (Shemot 5:21).
Yosef and Moshe Contrasted
Despite the similarities, Yosef and Moshe reacted differently to parallel circumstances. Yosef was born in Israel and was exiled to Egypt. Yet, once in Egypt he sought to forget his earlier days in Israel. He names his son Menashe": God has caused me to forget all my toil and all my father’s house." (Bereisheet 43:5). In contrast, although Moshe was born in Egypt and raised in Pharaoh’s palace he goes out of his way to seek his brothers - Moshe matured and went out to his brothers to witness their suffering (Shemot 2: 11).
During his leadership, Yosef did not fathom the dire future that was to befall his brethren. He did prepare for the seven years of famine but did not see any darkness beyond those tough years. Yosef believed that his brothers could build a strong Jewish community in Goshen and thrive during their years in exile. As a people we can lead and contribute to society. Moshe encountered a different atmosphere, one of slavery and hatred towards the Jewish people. Moshe understood that the Jewish people had to exit Egypt and create their own homeland in Israel in order to survive.
Yaakov’s Fear of Exile
Yaakov hesitated while descending down to Egypt. Yaakov who himself had previously gone into exile to find a wife and to encounter Lavan understood that once in exile things don’t always end well. There may be temporary reprieve, but in the long term it will lead to assimilation, and we will be turned into scapegoats blamed for all of our hosting nation’s problems. Hashem had to appear to Yaakov and ensure him that it was the correct move for Yaakov to go to Mitzrayim at this juncture.
"Do not be afraid of going down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up..." (Bereisheet 46:3-4).
Bnei Yosef
Throughout history there are “bnei Yosef”, descendants of Yosef, who view being in exile as a place where Judaism can thrive. Where one can accumulate wealth while maintaining their religion. Yet, they fail to recognize how history repeats itself and that being in exile is not meant as the ideal destination. Yosef himself sought to keep his brothers isolated in Goshen, but the distance did not suffice. It did not take long until Jews lived among their Egyptian neighbors, so much so that God had to pass over those homes during the plague of the firstborn. We need to learn from Moshe’s experience. To recognize that residing in a foreign land should never be viewed as our final destination. For thousands of years our nation has been tossed around several continents, and during our lifetime we have been blessed with the ability to once again return to our true homeland. May we merit being able to take part in the rebuilding of Eretz Yisrael and witness a geula shlema bemherah b’yamenu.
