Weekly D'rash Vayeshev

This week’s Torah portion brings us to the story of Joseph and his brothers. This is the longest story in the book of Genesis. It is the climax of the narrative of the formation of the family of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. If you are familiar with the story of Joseph, you know that he will be hated by his brothers and as a result will be in Egypt. Through the providential workings of God, Joseph will provide the way for his family to escape famine in Egypt and become a great nation.

In chapter 37, Joseph who is hated by his brothers leaves home at the direction of his father Jacob to find his brothers who are working in the pastures. It is interesting that we read about an unnamed “man” who guides Joseph to his brothers: Then he said to him, “Go now, and check on the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flocks and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron and he went to Shechem. A man found him there, wandering in the field, and the man asked him, “What are you looking for?” “I’m looking for my brothers”, he said. “Please tell me where they’re grazing.” The man said, “They moved on from here. For I heard them saying, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them in Dothan. (Gen. 37:15–17)

There is nothing insignificant in the Bible. Who is this man? How does he happen to overhear the brothers talking about where they are going? Back in Genesis 32, we read about a man who wrestled with Jacob. In addition, in the New Covenant Scriptures, the words that the man says to Joseph are the same words Yeshua says to Andrew in John 1:38, “What are you looking for?” In John 20:15, the risen Yeshua says to Mary, “Who are you looking for?”

While we cannot say for sure who the man is that spoke to Joseph (i.e., Was it an angel, a man, Adonai?), this man represents the unseen hand of God which is woven throughout the entire narrative. He is directing Joseph to discover his brothers which will lead to further unfolding of the plan of God. However, in the immediate moment, the man is leading Joseph into a terrible situation! This is the beginning of Joseph’s difficult journey that will unfold in our Torah portions over the next few weeks.

If we were reading this for the first time without already knowing the story, we might ask why the man leads Joseph into what looks like a trap! We learn that sometimes it seems like God is silent or unfair. However, we know that Joseph must walk the difficult journey of persecution and misunderstanding to reach his destiny of being a deliverer of his people. In this way, Joseph is a picture of Yeshua. “He was despised and rejected by people, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, one from whom people hide their faces. He was despised, and we did not esteem Him . . . . Yet it pleased ADONAI to bruise Him. He caused Him to suffer. If He makes His soul a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the will of ADONAI will succeed by His hand.” (Isa. 53:3, 10)

The mysterious man in the Joseph story was an emissary of God. Sometimes, God sends us into difficult situations via emissaries for reasons we may not understand. Our trust is that we have a destiny that may not be reflected in our current circumstances. But what we experience today is part of the journey. This is the meaning of Romans 8:28, “Now we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.”

As Messiah followers, our destiny is the purpose of God for which He has called us (like Joseph)! Whatever our circumstances may be, God will use it to move us forward in our walk with him. Be encouraged! He never leaves us and always leads us!

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Howard