Kedushat Levi on Parashat Miketz: A Short Torah Insight to Enhance Your Shabbat Table

"And Joseph Was the Governor Over the Land, He Was the One Who Sold to All the People of the Land. Joseph's Brothers Came and Bowed Down to Him with Their Faces to the Ground."

"Joseph Saw His Brothers and He Recognized Them, but He Acted Like a Stranger to Them and Spoke Harshly to Them. He Asked Them, 'Where Do You Come From?' They Said, 'From the Land of Canaan to Buy Food.'" (Genesis 42:6-7)

The words of the author of "Kedushat Levi" on the portion clarify the depth of the righteousness and sensitivity of Joseph the righteous towards his brothers, even in a situation where he was victorious over them and his dreams were coming true.

Joseph knew that his dreams, where his brothers bow to him, were about to be fulfilled. Naturally, when a person understands that they have been defeated by someone else, it causes them great anguish. But if the defeated person is not aware that they have been defeated by that person, the anguish is much less.

"And We Need to Understand What It Is Teaching Us by Saying He Acted Like a Stranger to Them. It Seems That the Scripture Is Teaching Us Here the Righteousness of Joseph the Righteous, for Joseph Dreamed that His Brothers Would Bow to Him as It Is Written (Genesis 37:7) and His Brothers Did Not Want Joseph to Reign Over Them. By Nature, When a Person Defeats Another and That Person Knows Who Defeated Them, It Causes Them Great Grief, But When They Are Defeated and Do Not Know Who Defeated Them, It Does Not Seem as Bad to Them."

Joseph, out of sensitivity to his brothers, took an extraordinary step: when his brothers bowed to him, he acted like a stranger to them, meaning he hid his identity. By doing this, he made them think they were bowing to the king of Egypt, not their brother. This way, he was able to spare them the pain they might feel if they realized that the dream that had angered them in the past was coming true.

Here Joseph Was Victorious Over His Brothers by the Fulfillment of the Dreams He Had Dreamed that His Brothers Would Bow to Him, and Truly They Did Not Want This, that Joseph Would Be Victorious Over Them and They Would Have to Bow to Him. This Was the Righteousness of Joseph the Righteous that When They Bowed to Him and He Was Victorious Over Them, If They Knew It Was Joseph They Were Bowing To, It Would Be Bad for Them. So Joseph the Righteous, When His Brothers Bowed to Him, Acted Like a Stranger to Them, So It Would Not Be Bad in Their Eyes That He Was Victorious Over Them by the Fulfillment of the Dreams, and They Would Think They Were Bowing to Someone Else, and Truly Joseph Is the King, and They Would Not Be Sad About the Bowing, for They Would Understand They Were Bowing to Another King. And This Is What the Scripture Says, They Bowed to Him etc. and He Recognized Them, So That They Would Have Anguish. He Acted Like a Stranger to Them, so That They Would Not Have Anguish and Sorrow That He Was Victorious Over Them.

Sensitivity and Prevention of Sorrow

Joseph also refrained from sending a message to Jacob that he was alive and ruling in Egypt. The author of "Kedushat Levi" explains that the reason for this was again that same sensitivity towards his brothers: if Jacob knew Joseph was king in Egypt, it would also become known to the brothers. In such a situation, when they came to bow to him, they would be aware they were bowing to Joseph, something that would cause them great sorrow. Therefore, Joseph chose not to inform his father, allowing the dream to be fulfilled in a way that the brothers would not know to whom they were bowing.

The "Kedushat Levi" emphasizes that Joseph's acting like a stranger to his brothers is not an expression of emotional alienation or distance, but on the contrary – a manifestation of his righteousness and sensitivity. Joseph acted out of compassion and a desire to prevent his brothers from experiencing sorrow, despite the harm they had previously caused him.

"And It Is Possible to Say that This Was Joseph the Righteous’s Intention When He Did Not Inform His Father that He Was a King and That He Was Alive. Joseph Knew the Dreams He Dreamed About His Brothers, That They Would Come and Bow to Him, Would Be Fulfilled. If He Informed His Father and His Brothers Came and Bowed to Him, They Would Have Sorrow from the Fact that He Was Victorious Over Them, For His Father’s Knowledge Would Also Be Theirs, so He Did Not Inform His Father to Avoid Causing His Brothers Pain, So They Would Come and Bow without Knowing to Whom They Were Bowing and Think They Were Bowing to Another King."

From Joseph's actions, we learn about sensitivity and an exceptional ability to consider others, even in situations where the other side has wronged you. Joseph the righteous teaches us that even though the dreams were fulfilled and he was victorious, he chose to act in peace and out of concern for his brothers’ feelings.

Why did the father refuse to attend his son's circumcision? Rabbi Zamir Cohen with a short and fascinating message about sensitivity to others. Watch