Parshat Vayigash

The Leyners Approach

Yehuda approached, and said, "Oh my lord, let your servant, I beg you, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant; for you are as Pharaoh." (Bereisheet/Genesis 44:18)

Yehuda, a foreigner in need, accused of a crime, approaches the powerful angry Egyptian Minister of Food Security, to explain why he cannot surrender his youngest brother to the Minister.

The feelings tied up in Yehuda's appeal are profound. Yehuda had saved his brother Yosef from death only to sell him into slavery. He had lied to their father, saying Yosef was actually dead. Years later, two of his own sons died of illness. Now he steps forward to share the feelings of a grieving parent with a man whose inner life he knows nothing about. After Yehuda speaks, the Minister reveals that he his Yehuda's brother Yosef.

Classical medieval commentator Ramban sees a brave but frightened Yehuda, whose words imply, "I am as nervous speaking to you as I would be speaking to Paroh. So, I'm not going to bother you, but I'm going to say only one thing: spare my youngest brother." Rashi sees a passionate, confident Yehuda who speaks sharply to the Minister, and implicitly threatens him. "You are as corrupt as Paroh, and will get your comeuppance."

This week, members of Harriet Frost's leyning class will approach the bimah. Some will read from the Torah publicly for the very first time. We don't know what hidden stories motivated them to come forward. Some may be confident, others nervous. We applaud their courage, and hope they will find out that we are their spiritual siblings, in full support of their efforts.

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