These are the generations of Jacob: Joseph was seventeen years old . . . (37:2) Should not have the verse said, “These are the generations of Jacob: Reuben, etc.”? Why Joseph? The Midrash Rabbah and the Zohar lay out the amazing mirrored lives of these two individuals:” Everything that happened to Jacob happened to Joseph. As Jacob was born circumcised, so was Joseph born circumcised. As Jacob’s mother was infertile, so was Joseph’s mother infertile. As Jacob’s mother had difficulty in childbirth, so did Joseph’s mother have difficulty in childbirth. As Jacob’s mother bore two sons, so did Joseph’s mother bear two sons. As Jacob was hated by his brother, so was Joseph hated by his brothers. As Jacob’s brother sought to kill him, so did Joseph’s brothers seek to kill him. Jacob was a shepherd, and Joseph was a shepherd. Jacob was persecuted, and Joseph was persecuted. Jacob was blessed with ten blessings, and Joseph was blessed with ten blessings. Jacob was exiled from the Holy Land, and Joseph was exiled from the Land. Jacob took a wife outside the Land, and Joseph took a wife outside the Land. Jacob fathered children outside the Land, and Joseph fathered children outside the Land. Jacob was escorted by angels, and Joseph was escorted by angels. Jacob was made great through a dream, and Joseph was made great through a dream. The house of Jacob’s father-in-law was blessed on his account, and the house of Joseph’s father-in-law was blessed on his account. Jacob went down to Egypt, and Joseph went down to Egypt. Jacob ended the famine, and Joseph ended the famine. Jacob adjured [his children], and Joseph adjured [his brothers]. Jacob charged [his children], and Joseph charged [his brothers]. Jacob died in Egypt, and Joseph died in Egypt. Jacob was embalmed, and Joseph was embalmed. The bones of Jacob were brought up [from Egypt to the Holy Land], and the bones of Joseph were brought up [from Egypt to the Holy Land] . .
Joseph dreamed a dream, and told it to his brothers. . . . “Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves stood all around, and bowed down to my sheaf.” (37:5-7). The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains: “We live in a disjointed and fragmented world. Its countless components each seem to be going their own way, each creation seeking only its own preservation and advancement. Our own lives include countless events and experiences, espousing different priorities, pulling us in different directions. But this is but the most superficial face of reality. The deeper we probe nature and its laws, the more we uncover an underlying unity. The more we assimilate the lessons of life, the more we discern a “guiding hand” and a coherent destiny. The more we utilize our talents and resources, all the more do the various aspects of our uniquely individual role fall in place. This is the deeper significance of Joseph’s dream. We are all bundlers in the field of life. Here, each stalk grows in its own distinct little furrow; our challenge is to bring focus to this diversity, to gather these stalks together and bind them as a single sheave. But this alone is not enough. As Joseph saw in his dream, his brothers’ individual bundles stood in a circle and bowed to his. This means that while every individual should view the various components of his life as a distinct “bundle,” the piecing together of his life is not an end in itself, but the means to a higher goal. In the words of our sages, “The entire world was created only for my sake, and I was created only to serve my Creator.” So while every person should view his entire world—the resources and opportunities which Divine Providence has sent his way—as being there for him, this “bundle” must in turn be dedicated to the fulfillment of his divinely ordained mission in life. The way this is achieved is by subjugating one’s own bundle to “Joseph’s bundle.” The Torah is G‑d’s communication of His will to man, and charts the course for man to serve his Creator. And each generation has its “Joseph,” an utterly righteous individual whose life is the perfect embodiment of the Torah’s ethos and ideals. This is the tzaddik whom the “bundles” of the various tribes of Israel surround and to whom they subjugate themselves, turning to him for guidance as how best to realize the purpose of their lives.”
Prepared by Devorah Abenhaim
