Dumbfounded Brothers

The climax of the story between Yosef and his brothers, occurred when he revealed himself as their long lost brother.

The Torah tells us that the brothers were dumbfounded and were unable to speak. They were in a state of shock and embarrassment. The Rabbis tell us that if this was the response of brothers of flesh and blood, how will we be able to stand before Hashem on our “Day of Judgement!”

This certainly points to the notion of accountability that we will all have to confront. The “Sha’arei Teshuva” of Rabbeinu Yona, mentions that a wise person should keep in mind that his death is inevitable, at least once a day.

This will help keep a balance and allow us to keep a proper perspective on how we view the world. This little reminder will also help to keep our priorities straight.

We will know what is important and what is fleeting. It will not allow us to stray too far from the realization that Hashem runs the world, and we owe everything to Him.

The revelation of Yosef to his brothers, carries a very powerful message that we must take to heart.