Shabbat Table Topics – Parashat Vayigash/0/en

Shabbat Table Topics – Parashat Vayigash

Economic Anti-Semitism

Throughout history, Jewish economic success has sparked anti-Semitism. Jews have been blamed for the ills of capitalism, stereotyped as greedy moneylenders, and accused of attempting to take over the world. The phenomenon may have its roots in Biblical times, and first manifest itself in Parashat Vayigash.¹  Some modern scholars,² following the lead of R"Y Bekhor ShorShemot 1:11About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, assert that the Yosef's Economic Policies during the famine years bred hatred which then had dire consequences.  The harsh measures and enslavement of the Egyptians, together with Yosef's simultaneous nepotism towards his family, caused resentment which later paved the way for the Israelite bondage. 

• What textual factors support this reading of the story?
• What are the root causes of economic anti-Semitism?  How does it compare to religious anti-Semitism?  What role (if any) did each play in the enslavement?
• In what circumstances do you think that nepotism is a valid practice, and when is it problematic?  Where else in Tanakh do leaders give preferential treatment to their families?  Do these other cases also have negative results?

Why Did the Israelites Remain in Egypt?

Yaakov's family's descent to Egypt marks the beginning of Israel's first exile.  But was that Yaakov's intent?

• When Yaakov's family moved to Egypt, how long did they intend to stay?  Why did they not return to Israel as soon as the famine ended?  [For one suggestion, see the third approach in Yosef's Economic Policies].
• Already in the Covenant between the Pieces, Hashem tells Avraham of the future exile.  Does this mean that Hashem actively intervened to guide the Israelites into Egypt,³ or that the exile merely a natural result of human choices which did not involve any special heavenly input?  Was Yaakov's family even aware of the prophecy and, if so, did they view themselves as fulfilling a Divine decree?  See Divine Plans and Israelite Free Choice for elaboration.
• Why was the exile in Egypt a necessary part of Jewish history?  What did it accomplish?  Are the purposes of the exile and bondage identical, or might each have its own goals?  See Purposes of the Egyptian Bondage.

Making Sense of Midrash

The TanchumaVayigash 5About the Tanchuma recasts Yehuda's plea for Binyamin into an overtly hostile and aggressive dispute in which Yehuda and Yosef each accuses the other of wrongdoing and duplicity, and finally threaten each other with violence.  Is there any evidence for such a reading in the text?  If not, where is the Midrash coming from and what message is it trying to impart? [See Yehuda's Oration.]

• In general, how does one approach Midrashim that seem to veer sharply from the plain sense of the verses?
• In this case, Prof. Nechama Leibowitz suggests that the Tanchuma is really having Yehuda argue not with Yosef, but with his own conscience, while others suggest that it is serving to foreshadow the future enmity between two tribes which will vie for power.  Can you think of other Midrashim which might similarly be read as either an internal monologue or with the future in mind?

Shtetl or Ghetto?

What led to the decision to live in Goshen?  According to the NetzivBereshit 46:34About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin, Yaakov's family attempted to isolate themselves so as to prevent assimilation and preserve their national identity.  RalbagBereshit Beur HaMilot 46:34About R. Levi b. Gershom, on the other hand, suggests that fear of hostility from the Egyptians "who abhorred shepherds" is what prompted the segregation.  RashiBereshit 46:34About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki offers an additional possibility, implying that the decision was economically motivated, with Yosef simply wanting to provide good pasture lands for his family.  See Why Live in Goshen and Where in Egypt Did the Israelites Live for more.

• What support can you find in the text for each approach?
• What should be the balance between integration into foreign society and segregation from negative cultural influences?⁴
• Does integration provoke anti-Semitism or prevent it?

¹ An earlier example might be found in Bereshit 25 where Yitzchak's successful well-digging causes complications with his Philistine neighbors.

² See U. Simon, "יוסף משעבד את המצרים לפרעה" in בקש שלום ורדפהו, (Tel Aviv, 2002): 86-90, T. Granot, מנהיגותו של יוסף במצרים, and D. Sabato, "ותהי הארץ לפרעה - שורשו של שעבוד מצרים", Megadim 42 (2011): 41-59.

³ See also, Yosef's words to the brothers, "וְעַתָּה לֹא אַתֶּם שְׁלַחְתֶּם אֹתִי הֵנָּה כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים וַיְשִׂימֵנִי לְאָב לְפַרְעֹה וּלְאָדוֹן לְכָל בֵּיתוֹ וּמֹשֵׁל בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם."

⁴ What does Torah seem to imply?  What emerges from the story of R. Shimon b. Yochai in the cave (Bavli ShabbatShabbat 33b-34aAbout the Bavli)?   Why do you think it is the Netziv who insists that the family was looking to prevent assimilation?