Parashat Vayigash
December 8, 2021
Seth Pertain, High School Talmud Teacher
This dvar Torah is dedicated לעילוי נשמת חיים גבריאל בן אברהם שמעון ומישה קיילא ז”ל. May Gavri Benson’s neshamah have an aliyah.
כל ישראל עריבים זה בזה – Shavuot 39a: All Jews are guarantors for one another. All Jews are mixed together. All Jews are responsible for one another. While we explored multiple ways of understanding this Talmudic quote with our juniors earlier in the year, its foundation can be found in the opening of Parashat Vayigash.
כל ישראל עריבים זה בזה – Shavuot 39a: All Jews are guarantors for one another. All Jews are mixed together. All Jews are responsible for one another. While we explored multiple ways of understanding this Talmudic quote with our juniors earlier in the year, its foundation can be found in the opening of Parashat Vayigash.
After having failed to save Joseph’s life many years earlier, Yehudah finds himself in the same position — this time with Benjamin. Our sedrah begins with Yehudah’s heartfelt plea that ends in reconciliation and the restoration of peace to a family that has been enveloped by tumult. Rav Zilbiger pointed out to me that within Yehudah’s argument, there are two utterances in particular that seem to be the foundation of this sort of עריבות (guarantorship? responsibility? mixed togetherness?)
The first comes as Yehudah tries to explain the impact that losing Benjamin would have on his father. He uses the words “וְנַפְשׁוֹ קְשׁוּרָה בְנַפְשׁוֹ – since his own soul (life) is bound to his soul (life)” to describe their connection. I was surprised to see that a verse like this was given very little attention by our traditional commentators. This feels like one of the verses that screams “דרשני” – “interpret me!” While I do not have an immediate answer, it feels like a relevant question today: What does it mean for one person’s soul to be bound to that of another?
The second source for this sort of עריבות comes from Yehudah’s own declaration of his עריבות. As he is about to propose being imprisoned in exchange for Benjamin’s freedom, he states, “כִּי עַבְדְּךָ עָרַב אֶת-הַנַּעַר – For your servant has pledged himself for the boy.” This is the only place in the Torah in which this idea of being pledged, being responsible, being connected, comes up. Yehudah sets himself up as the collateral for Benjamin, and when the situation appears, he is willing to sacrifice himself to save Benjamin.
At times of tragedy and crisis, we seem to intuitively understand how to connect to the other, how to be responsible for the other, how to take care of the other. However, we seem to struggle with these same tasks on a daily basis. To whom should I feel a connection? To whom should I feel a responsibility? What should I be doing for them? After grappling with these questions, the most important one comes last: Do they know that I feel this way? If you’re not sure, do something about it!
Shabbat Shalom