Swallow Our Pride

The story of Yosef and his brothers, is one of great emotion. The gravity of the mistreatment of the brothers towards Yosef, is difficult to comprehend. But it is clear that there was a Divine plan going on behind the scenes.

Each year when we read again about this saga, we learn a new detail that we may not have known in the past. For example, there is a little known Midrash that said that Yosef was elated when he initially saw his brothers in Egypt. He was cut off from his family for twenty-two years, and despite everything, they were his brothers.

The Midrash continues and explains that the Angel Gabriel appeared to Yosef and instructed him to speak harshly to his brothers. The family reunion could not take place, unless there was real remorse on their part for their actions. And, according to the Ramban, it was necessary for some reason that Yosef’s dreams be fulfilled.

The sin of the Golden Calf was a very grievous transgression between man and G-d. The sin of the brothers was one of the most grievous sins in our history between man and man.

There are numerous lessons that need to be learned from this story. If the one that sticks with us this year, is that we must swallow our pride and show genuine remorse when we wrong someone, then we have gleaned something very valuable.