A Family Mended

Parshat Vayigash represents the story of a family that was very disjointed, but healed. After all of the grief and bad feelings that existed between the brothers, there was reconciliation and forgiveness.

The last seventeen years of Yakov’s life were peaceful and harmonious. Rav Kook mentioned that what began with a major confrontation between the two powerful brothers, Yehuda and Yosef, ended with an unbreakable bond between the two.

It probably was unimaginable that things could take such a drastic turnabout. From bitterly hating their brother and selling him into slavery, the end was filled with warm brotherly love. Yakov managed to forgive his sons as well for causing him unnecessary grief. He accepted that this was all part of a Divine plan.

This story is certainly meant to teach a lesson for all families. There are often major differences that divide family members. At times, the bad feelings created, comes with anger and pain. Sometimes these divisions are not reparable. But if there is a true desire to make things right, and it is made clear how a family member acted wrongly, there should be place for forgiveness.

If real remorse is shown in the way that it was expressed by Yosef’s brothers, there is hope for healing and harmony. We should pray that someone who goes off the path of goodness and chooses a negative, hurtful path instead, should one day repent, and ask for forgiveness.

Yakov and his family showed the way of sincerely trying to mend all of the differences and misunderstanding. The result was seventeen peaceful and happy years for Yakov, surrounded by his loving family.