Shabbat Parashat Vayeishev 5786

Parashat Hashavua: Mutual Responsibility Brings Redemption

Yehuda, the leader among Yaakov’s sons who sold Yosef, failed in the principle of mutual responsibility (arvut) that binds all generations of Yaakov’s offspring. The gemara teaches us the danger: “‘They shall stumble over one another’ (Vayikra 26:37) – … teaching us that all Israel are guarantors for one another” (Sh’vuot 39a). Tanna D’bei Eliyahu Rabbah (12) compares this idea to a ship in which one compartment is breached, where we say that the entire ship is breached. Yehuda lost his standing in many respects (“Yehuda descended” – Bereishit 38:1).

Hashem taught Yehuda that he must correct his arvut deficiency when he reached the point of having to give an eravon (same root) to Tamar (ibid. 16-18). When Yehuda tried to retrieve the eravon, he was unsuccessful (ibid. 17-20). Another hint is the ra’av (famine; the same letters as arev), which prompted Yaakov to entrust Yehuda with Binyamin, by promising to be his arev (ibid. 43:9). Yehuda stressed this embrace of arvut when he explained to Yosef why he was the one championing Binyamin’s cause (ibid. 44:32-34).

Yehuda repented, but the kingship would not go to his descendants until a parallel event occurred hundreds of years later. Let us elaborate. Yaakov sent Yosef to check on “the peace of your brothers” and “bring me back word (davar)” (ibid. 37:14). Generations later, Yishai (from the Tribe of Yehuda) sent David to check on the “peace of your brothers” (i.e., welfare) and “take their aruva” (Shmuel I, 17:18). The parallel language clearly connects the episodes. Yaakov sent Yosef to his brothers, who hated him “because of his dreams and his words (devarav)” (Bereishit 37:8). The Torah concludes: “His father ‘guarded’ the matter (davar)” (ibid. 11). Let us explain davar. Yosef’s dreams about kingship were prophetic, and prophecy is called davar. David too had prophetic visions about being king. Yosef’s brothers rejected his aspirations and sold him as a slave, contrary to the davar. David’s brothers also received David with rebuke, and davar is prominent in that section, appearing seven times (see Shmuel I, 17:27-31).

David’s personal interest was to avoid battle and let Goliat kill Shaul and his sons, so the path would be clear for his ascension. But then David would have continued Yehuda’s initial failure in regard to arvut. Violating “do not stand idly by your neighbor’s blood” (Vayikra 19:16) disqualifies one from leadership. Therefore, his father Yishai reminded him: “Take their aruva.”

Bearing the yoke of arvut is the only way to defeat the enemy and preserve an independent state for Israel, which is a necessary step on the path to complete redemption. This idea appears explicitly in the Midrash (Tanchuma, Vayigash 8): “Yishai said to David his son: Now is the time to fulfill the arvut of your ancestor (Yehuda) who became and arev for Binyamin to his father… What did David do? He went and fulfilled the arvut and killed Goliat. Hashem said to him: By your life! Just as you gave your life for Shaul, who is from Binyamin’s tribe, like Yehuda your ancestor did for Binyamin … (Bereishit 44:33), so I will place the Temple in your territory and in Binyamin’s territory.”

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