ALONE with HASHEM

10 Tevet 5784 - Yom Tzom
Erev Shabbat Kodesh
Parashat Vayigash

(Re-posted excerpts from a 5778 article by Yekutiel Ben Ya'aqov) 

Benjamin standing alone?

In this week’s parsha, VaYigash, there is a fascinating dialogue or actually more of a monologue, with Yehuda beseeching Joseph to allow him to leave Binyamin at home with his father Jacob and not to risk bringing him down to Egypt. Yehudah pleads with Joseph, “…his (Binyamin’s) brother (Joseph) died and he was left alone to his father and mother, (only remaining child). 

It is difficult to understand the choice of words, (“Vayevateer hu Levado“) “left alone to his father and mother”. Why does the Torah not simply say he is like an only child? Moreover, what is the point – so what if he is the only child left to Jacob from Rachel? Furthermore, Benjamin was surrounded by many loving siblings and stepbrothers from his father, and the words - “left alone” hardly reflects, the true picture. Left alone? That sounds so lonely. And judging by the fight his brothers are leading on his behalf, there can be no choice of words that are further from the truth.

I think that in order to understand the hidden meaning behind the seemingly strange choice of words: “left alone to his father and mother” we need to review another place in the chumash where a similar phrase and choice of words is used. In parshat VaYishlach, the Torah describes Jacob’s status the moment before his battle with the angel of Esav, “and Jacob was left alone”. There, too, it is difficult to understand the description of Jacob being left alone. Could it be that Jacob, who divided the camps into two huge camps, was walking around alone, with no guards, escorts, disciples or children?

Isolation-standing alone and salvation

A popular song about the Jacob-Esav ultimate-fight episode could shed more light and help understanding the phrase and its hidden meaning. “G-d is lofty alone, on that day, and Jacob was left alone “. The song combines two verses, one - a prophecy from Isaiah that refers to the final Day of Redemption when G-d will judge the nations alone and save the Jewish people, and the other verse: from VaYishlach, referring to Jacob’s fight with Esav’s angel. The song and the identical words connect G-d’s behavior to the behavior of Jacob. Yaakov, the man who symbolizes whole truth, shows that he can stand alone and defeat Esav. Yaakov is referred to as “Tam” complete or whole. This is an attribute that we do not see in reference to Abraham [or] Yitzhak. Yaakov enlists in the ultimate and eternal battle against evil. Isaac and Abraham, each, in their own way attempted to reconcile with the existence of evil in this world. Yaakov - the ultimate and complete man of truth - could not tolerate any compromise on truth or with evil in this world. 

Abraham - father’s Yitzhak and Yishmael. 

Yitzhak - fathers Yaakov and Esav. 

Yakov represents the whole and unadulterated filtered truth, and from Yaakov is born the children of Israel and the chosen nation of Israel.

Thus, when the Torah states that Yaakov was left alone, it means much more than the physical loneliness that may or may not have existed, but rather a state of mind, and a willingness to stand alone, with complete faith in G-d; to represent G-d’s truth and to struggle against the rest of the world, if need be. It is this test of faith that Yaakov passed when he fought the angel of Esav, emerging victorious and graduating him to the new name of Yisrael. It is in the merit of faith and standing alone, without allies, that brings the Jew his salvation and delivery. When we rely on man, super-powers and allies and defy the Torah, then we are left to our own designs and to the mercy of the gentiles. However, when we are prepared to stand alone, with faith in G-d, we are protected by G-d and at His mercy.

Standing alone, with your truth, with no others around who share your truth, may sound lonely but in reality, this catapults man to be embraced by G-d. Faith brings redemption, Isolation brings salvation.

This was the special gene that Jacob possessed and that he and Rachel passed on to Joseph and Binyamin. The other brothers ostracized and betrayed Joseph, who was a lone-wolf.

The role of Moshiach Ben Yosef VS the role of Yehuda and Moshiach Ben David

Now, we can better understand the dialogue/monologue between Yehuda and Joseph in this week’s parsha. Yehuda was not merely stating an irrelevant fact that Binyamin was left alone to his biological mother and father, now that Joseph was perceived to be gone. Yehuda was saying that if something happens to Benjamin, this will cause sure death to Jacob as well, and then who will be left to transfer that genetic spiritual trait of obsession to truth and willingness to stand alone and take on the world? And as Isaiah prophesies, the final day-of-judgment and redemption will come when G-d stands alone without allies. G-d can only stand alone when there are Jews of faith who stand alone, without fear and with no allies to rely on or to be dependent upon. It is only through such a scenario that it can be revealed to all, that G-d is the only one! It is only then when the redemption and miracles will be attributed to G-d alone and not to allies and super-powers.

Essentially, Yehuda is explaining that risking Binyamin means risking the final redemption of the Jewish people and risking the day when G-d can be recognized as the lone savior of the Jewish people. This is equivalent to killing Moshiach ben Yosef, the Messiah who is supposed to stand tall and provoke the nations. Some say that Moshiach Ben Yosef is killed and then, Moshiach Ben Dovid from the tribe of Yehuda completes the final stages of redemption. Here, in this fascinating discourse we see Yehuda pleading with Joseph not to kill Moshiach ben Yosef. As Rav Meir Kahane HY”D brings down in Ohr HaRayon, in the name of the Gra and others who explain that someone fulfills the potential role of Moshiach Ben Yosef in every generation, but does not have to die. That is exactly what Yehuda is trying to arrange with Yosef, as he pleads not to risk Binyamin and Yaakov. 

It is said that every generation has a potential Moshiach Ben Yosef, who is betrayed and not recognized by his brothers, or who is revealed and who hastens the redemption. Moshiach Ben Yosef is said to feel the pain of the desecration to G-d’s name personified through Jewish weakness and suffering of the Jews in Exile. His battle is a “lonely battle” of truth as he stands alone against the detractors of truth who rule in this world until the final day of judgment.  Then comes the role of Yehuda and Moshiach Ben Dovid and the spiritual redemption.

The death of Moshiach Ben Yosef could be avoided

If enough Jews join the battle having faith in G-d, then the death of Moshiach Ben Yosef can be avoided. Redemption through needless pain and suffering can be averted. It is when Joseph no longer stands alone, in the sense that his brothers join him with a true love of Israel, and with complete faith that Binyamin and Moshiach Ben Yosef can be saved. In the end, it is necessary for the Jewish people to show uncompromising faith in G-d, without fear of the gentiles, for the redemption to be completed. The final show-down can be triggered by a lone Moshiach Ben Yosef who is betrayed by his brothers and killed or by a significant movement of Jews, who embrace the way of Jacob, Joseph and Binyamin with faith and with the courage of their convictions, who defeat the modern-day angels of Esav, and sanctify G-d’s name.

The nation of Israel shows it’s faith by acts of faith in defiance of international opinion, dictates and resolutions.

It is acts of faith such as expulsion of our enemies, annexing territories and preparing to build the Beit HaMikdash that show our faith in Hashem, and that show that we believe that He is stronger than the nations. Such brazen acts of faith hasten the redemption, as our sages teach us that it is faith that brought about the redemption from Egypt and that will bring the final redemption. This is the message of Moshiach Ben Yosef in every generation. Rejection of this message and this path of action by the brothers of the potential Moshiachs in every generation, results in prolonging the exile with all of its needless suffering. The ultimate question: will Jacob and Binyamin stand alone and will the nation of Israel take the lead and embrace the path of faith to risk standing alone against the entire world or will they continue to cower before the nations with delusions and illusions that they can buy the love of the gentiles through appeasing the nations? 

~ SHABBAT SHALOM ~