From chabad.org: Vayigash in a Nutshell
Genesis 44:18–47:27
The name of the Parshah, “Vayigash,” means “And he approached” and it is found in Genesis 44:18.
Judah approaches Joseph to plead for the release of Benjamin, offering himself as a slave to the Egyptian ruler in Benjamin’s stead. Upon witnessing his brothers’ loyalty to one another, Joseph reveals his identity to them.“I am Joseph,” he declares. “Is my father still alive?”
The brothers are overcome by shame and remorse, but Joseph comforts them. “It was not you who sent me here,” he says to them, “but G‑d. It has all been ordained from Above to save us, and the entire region, from famine.”
The brothers rush back to Canaan with the news. Jacob comes to Egypt with his sons and their families—seventy souls in all—and is reunited with his beloved son after 22 years. On his way to Egypt he receives the divine promise: “Fear not to go down to Egypt; for I will there make of you a great nation. I will go down with you into Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again.”
Joseph gathers the wealth of Egypt by selling food and seed during the famine. Pharaoh gives Jacob’s family the fertile county of Goshen to settle, and the children of Israel prosper in their Egyptian exile.
***
Hillel, The official Torah scribe, is once again visiting the tent of his friend Phaedrus the apothecary. The discussion is the point of this storytelling.
Editor’s note: I’m not sure if these AI pictures help or not. I’m not even sure if it helps to use AI content here at all. But the idea of having a look at what kind of art could be created with a few basic hints led me to these drawings.
1
Okay, Hill. I get it. This story is answering the question of how we ended up in Egypt in the first place, right?
Well, it’s a fanciful retelling for sure. I would say it’s mostly metaphorical more than actual historical fact. It wasn’t just this story. It was a lot of stories exactly like this. It’s the story of the consolidation of power of the trade center.
Yeah. We are trade center people.
It is very true, my friend. We are very much frighteningly city people. Truthfully, though I believe it is our future, I don’t think I could do straight agriculture eight hours a day.
You don’t do straight 8 hours a day anywhere but in slavery. When you grow your own food, you work on the cycles of the Sun and the seasons. Things take a lot of time. A lot of it’s boring. Boring is lovely. Boring and quiet and peaceful is absolutely best way to have a day.
Certainly a lot better than people screaming at you. Tell the truth, how bad did you have it in Egypt?
Me? I think I was always okay. But I had a reason to get out of town. And nobody cared about me unless I needed a job and I never needed a job because I could always hunt my own herbs. It’s good that I know what I know. I’ve never gone hungry because of it. I don’t really think it matters my situation. People are people and they are always going to look for a cure.
I can see people going to this book in the future for exactly the same reason.
Where do you think we’re going with this?
How do you mean?
You said it yourself. He’s giving us a backstory. He’s giving us a common history. A series of stories that says this is how we ended up in one place and then this happened and this happened. He’s telling kind of his story right now but not really. It’s all very fanciful. What do you think he wants to do with us as a whole?
Well, here’s the big problem. We have two ways we can go. Firstly, he can do what all leaders do and just see us as cattle. To the guys with a lot of money and power, there’s no difference. We are all animals and can be used for meat for whatever purpose they want. They can do anything they want because they have enough power to do it. If they want you in jail, you’re in jail. If they want you dead, you’re dead. And if they want you rich, kind of you get rich.
So you’re saying they’re going to try and make an army out of us. We suck. Really, this is a ragtag group. And the disease in this place is ridiculous. I don’t see any go-getters. I don’t see any war winners amongst us. I don’t know why we would even bother going that direction. It would just be slaughter.
Well that brings us to the second possibility. There is a philosophy that says we do not have to fight against our weakness.
Okay, you’re a smart guy and I’m just a herbalist. Sometimes you have to explain what you’re talking about clearly so I don’t feel so completely stupid around you.
Okay. How do I explain this to you? I like to call these algorithms. It means that there’s going to be some movement from one place to another and if this movement is logical, everyone can see that this makes perfect sense. But if the movement is illogical, people can see that it’s false and it won’t work. In agriculture, if you plant a particular seed in a particular place and it does well, you can learn from this. And if it fails or returns poor gains, you take note of that and learn as well. You see what I mean? A person must want to see something and learn from it. This implies individual respect. You can’t get any performance similar to this from slavery. If people do the work grudgingly, of course they see us as garbage. If that’s the only ranking system.
And you’re saying if you were to write this down, anyone could see the logic of it, yes?
Exactly! It means there is or at least there could be a general movement towards individual truth. I suppose to group reality which I for one do not believe in this would be gibberish or worse actually. We would be the enemy.
I’m still a little foggy. This is what I think you’re saying. You are saying that allowing people to be individuals is more efficient than trying to group them into armies. Except for the power people getting angry at you.
Yes. And it’s a simple mathematics really. It works as a model in almost anything. You just have to cut out all of those fat angry meat eating death merchants and, how could one describe such a world, Utopia! For example. Let’s say we have 10 people looking for a place to live. Everybody has basically the same needs. Protection from the weather. A place to do some cooking and maybe keep some food. A soft spot to sleep on. But not everybody is the same. Not everybody eats exactly the same food or has exactly the same needs. Some are older, some are younger, some are full of energy and others are not quite so strong. Some are easily led and others have leathery necks. We are a bunch of individuals so if you just let people work it out amongst themselves, there might be a few issues between arrogant men or women being women, it is very possible that everyone will agree to the situation or at least the vast majority of it. But if you have one person come in who does not particularly care anything about these people I’m just orders them inside, perhaps we have solved the problem but we do not have any personal happiness or any vested interest in the world we’re living in.
My head is starting to hurt. Vested interest.
I’m sorry. To me this is very old stuff. When someone has an interest in something, it means exactly that. They wish to be a part of it or to help it or to know what happens to it. A vested interest means that they are physically tied to it. Either in money or in the potential to lose or extend one’s life. For example, if you raise your own food and live off of the plants that you grow, you have a vested interest in the land. The land is good, your life will be good and if the land goes bad, you go with it. What I say is it because each individual would have their own eyes and their own judgment systems and, hopefully, we are all going in the same direction, here you have many many experts coming up with what would be the best ideas to work with and then of course you can vote and keep watch. This is much different than someone a million miles away giving an order and having a bunch of people jump. That’s just blindness chasing blindness without any sense of interest whatsoever.
I think this is becoming clear. If we stand as a group, we will fail.
If we stand as a group and have our main occupation war, we will die bloody and miserable and there will be not a day of happiness for a single person anywhere because of it.
I think I can see what you’re talking about.
We have to be careful. We can’t be giving up our individuality. And by the way, the grain centers control the prices and therefore everybody’s money. The only way for you to be a farmer is not to farm for money and just raise your own food and tell the world to go to hell. You’re probably going to get killed by soldiers pretty quickly for doing this but unfortunately, that would be the only way out. Because if you just starved out the soldiers, we would really have a place without fear.
Did anyone ever tell you it can be kind of hopeless talking to you?
Yeah.
2
Well, we got the big reveal. It’s me! It’s Joseph! Didn’t you recognize me?
I don’t think they were ever allowed to actually recognize him. I mean, maybe they never actually saw him as an individual person but more as an object.
Just more meat.
Yes, practically speaking. All living things are meat or plants and it includes all people. But they never really thought to be interested in Joseph as an individual. They just knew him as Joseph the pain in the ass. He had no conversation skills. He did not participate in matters as business. He wasn’t sitting around the table talking about what to do with the family money. As far as I can see, the family was pretty much organized around the personal pleasures of the Father. I don’t know how many wives he actually had but as a rich man, he certainly had people doing for him all the time. And because he was as rich as he was, of course he has these 12 brothers all fighting amongst themselves for his favor.
So they never really thought what Joseph looked like? I’m sure that’s not true. We’ve already established that he’s a pretty boy. I think pretty boys generally grow up to be pretty men and just because there’s maybe a little gray along the side, you’d still be the same person.
Maybe they never saw him as an autonomous person.
Well whatever, he is an absolute power magnet right now and he’s in love with it. He can make people jump. He can make people fear him. He can make people go against their promises and hate themselves. Look at what he can do to people with all the power of the trade center behind him. And look at what it does to him. He doesn’t just say hey, look at me. You guys screwed me but I’m still your brother and by the way we’re kicking ass and taking names here in Egypt. It wasn’t like that. This game goes on and on and on.
Do you think there’s a lesson in this for us?
Well if there is, it’s the most intriguing thing in the entire world because the guy who is writing the story is on the way to being a success simply because he doesn’t have any competition out here in the desert. He’s pretty much the only leader and the only guy with power and nobody’s fighting him here because nobody wants to get rubbed out. I still say he has a heart. I still say that he might be at least mildly grounded like a decent Jew should be. I still say that maybe there’s some pity in there. But the corruption becoming powerful is the thing I fear the most.
I see what you mean. He’ll get us all killed.
Exactly. You got to help me. You have to figure out how to soften him up a little bit. We need him as a rock tapper bringing us needed irrigation. What we don’t need is a warlord.
Yeah, you’re right. The last thing we need is a Warlord.
3
The following afternoon, the tent of the apothecary had a rather unexpected visitor.
Oh my God.
No, he’s not with me.
Oh. I see. Welcome.
Thanks. Hillel told me he went to a great place after work and he invited me along if I was interested. I said why not.
Sure. You’re welcome. Here, come sit on the cushions. I’ll get a some refreshing beverages. Is there something specific you were looking for?
I’m here with Hillel. I trust him to tell me the truth. And he was very serious with me today. We had a serious conversation about many things and I decided I should come and meet his friend and find out what’s going on here in the bazaar.
Um, I’m not going to lose my life for being your host here tonight, am I?
Um….
I think what my friend here was saying was that we were just going to be good people here together. Maybe if emotions get strong later on, we can just exercise a little bit of caution, all things considered.
Yeah, I like good behavior.
That’s what I heard. I want to hear more about this good behavior business.
I like how you said that. I suppose I think of it the same way.
It is very strange. Everything in the world I know of is about cruelty being practiced again and again. If one can exercise power over another, they are obligated to. If one can steal from another because the other is too weak and not looking, this we believe is the natural way. We believe that death is a part of life. But you seem to think otherwise. You seem to think we can live without killing. I cannot understand how you can do this. I don’t understand how you could not eat meat.
Technically speaking, and I’m speaking as an apothecary here, the human body is actually a lot happier eating plants. We’re not really carnivores, you know?
What’s a carnivore?
An animal that only eats meat.
Like me.
Well, no. Not exactly.
I love meat.
Yes, I know but there’s a part of the process that’s missing.
What? The killing? You don’t think I know how to kill an animal?
Yes. Yes sir. I understand sir. What I’m saying is that it does funny things to us. It makes us cruel.
I thought we’ve already discussed that. Life is cruelty. You are the novelty. I’m waiting for your explanation but I can’t hear it.
Maybe not. Would you allow me to make a small demonstration?
Am I going to regret this? Or better yet, are you going to regret this?
Thank you, Hill. No, may I recommend two things. Firstly, I think we could all use some food and maybe some tea. But also, I have prepared Hillel’s favorite post-writing remedy and if you would like to sample this along with perhaps some soup and bread, perhaps we can find the mood to discuss great things like great men should.
Honestly, that was a very impressive speech and all three men were quite impressed by it. Being a rather aesthetic person, Phaedrus knew it was time to quietly slip into the other room to start mashing garlic and herbs into the chickpeas.
4
This is absolutely delicious.
Thank you.
But where do you get all this food?
We have a community here. We know how to live and to make money. We are all city people. We all know how to live. This one grows this and this one grows that. This bread was made by Amindab, The widow. She has vowed never to marry again and to make bread for everybody who needs food every morning. We trade with people sometimes far away to get what we need for our people. But we feel we have special people. And our people deserve the best. So this is the bread. The hummus is almost completely ours. The herbs and such.
It is delicious and I do not miss the taste of the meat.
No, many of us have realized we are much happier without it.
Explain to me this happiness.
I don’t know how. If you don’t know what it means, how can I teach you?
I can try. To me it is a sense that all is good and all will be good. And here it is exactly this philosophy that we have all been speaking of. All of us here in the bizarre anyway. There are two ways to go. If you have a group of people with only one leader, then we all hope the leader makes good decisions. But if something happens to the leader, even a little bit like a problem with his health. Everything will change for everybody. But if everybody was an individual, of course there would be some crazy ones but the vast majority would probably be pretty practical. And of course you have many people really trying to make something nice. Like this bread for example. Sure, the dough was kneaded with love. But look at how many people in the supply chain just so she can put her hands in the dough every morning.
And you never have to threaten anybody to make them work for you? You don’t have to have economic advantage over them before they will listen to you?
I hope not. That’s the worst thing that could happen. I’d rather everybody participated in the same basic business of being a community together. Then the strong can help the weak and we can generally make things so we’re comfortable if we really work at it.
It’s true. Anything you practice you get better at.
Gentlemen, this is all new to me. I never even knew such talk existed. I think we need more of this.
You do?
Yeah, I do. I feel really, really good. And that meal was very very tasty. In fact, I don’t remember feeling quite so healthy. How is it? It’s mystical. And we did not kill anything to get it. And in fact it all came with perhaps an element of love because you worked as a community of individuals to get it here. I feel almost blessed to be able to eat such food. I imagine it might even be sacred in a way.
You bet. And that’s not just the good stuff talking. That’s cold logic. I don’t mean to be a jerk but this is the first time I’ve truly believed you’re a Jew.
I suppose I should take that as a compliment.
5
We don’t get the big guy today?
Sorry, not today.
What happened?
Take a guess.
I don’t understand.
Take a guess. What do you think happened?
Listen, Hillel, I understand you’re in a more than a little mixed mood. I understand that you are angry. I’m just not that much on it all the time. Can you at least give me a hint?
What would be the worst possible scenario to take place after our meeting here yesterday with the big guy?
Somebody got angry.
You see? When you are vegan, you are not so slow. Who do you think got angry?
Let me guess. The meat alliance.
That’s right. And where do you think the Egyptian is passing the time this afternoon?
Listening to the alternate political argument offered by our death loving parasitic class.
I understand that they let the 16-year-old girls dance naked for entertainment over there. I understand that one of the bosses has ridiculous orange hair and he speaks absolute gibberish except that we should all accept the popularity of eating a beautiful meal of fresh cooked meat, drinking some fantastic alcohol and enjoying wonderful entertainment as being the only way to really enjoy one’s life.
So I guess we’re not having any more hummus and fresh bread tonight.
Oh, we can. Sure. We can talk all about it.
Okay listen. This is a really important point to me. I want to tell you that I am more than a little scared. I thought yesterday was all on a whim and that basically the world is made up of good people. But we get to watch this little daily corruption going on and we know what the mood of the Egyptian is going to be come the morning. And it’s the same corrupt changeability that makes the entire exchange not worth it. But if he is so fat and satisfied that he gets everything from his social position, that he is the darling of the upper classes and gets all the swag anyone could possibly need, it means he stays up there because that’s exactly where the meat business wants him. That’s exactly the situation that fosters the most hate. And that is all the meat business has ever been about.
I know it and you know it. But what are we supposed to do about it?
I don’t know.
At that moment a messenger entered the tent with two scrolls and handed one to each of the two men and then left. Phaedrus was the first to open his.
It says my apothecary has become a point of national necessity. I am granted unlimited credit to remain open forever. It is deemed a tragedy should there not be a place like this in the community. Wow. I’m rich. What do you think of that, Hill?
Mine says I am to make a gazette of the news so that people can know what’s going on. He said I should look after public health and I should make sure that an alternative voice always exists to make sure that the leadership never gets so corrupt to forget themselves or that they are only people. I am to make this paper indefinitely and I have unlimited resources to make it so.
So we have a newspaper now?
Yeah. I am a publisher. Well. I guess I’m rich too.
And you were worried?
6
I am so disgusted.
I know. I read it too. He made a point of saying that we are directly descended from the meat business.
Okay, look. Hunting and gathering proceeded livestock. And only after this did we start to establish agriculture. As a species, I don’t know how long we’ve actually been doing this, how many generations, but obviously we all come from somewhere else. This city center nonsense has nothing to do with life. It’s all completely artificial which means clearly that he is giving the Jewish people the identification as city dwellers.
But we’re not. You just said we are descended of shepherds. We come from meat eaters. At least according to the ethos that was paid for yesterday by the benefactors club. Apparently they took up a collection and gave quite a bit of money to the Egyptian just so it ended up in the book that we absolutely come from shepherds but had to change in order to fit in in Egypt.
Wow. Like an evolution.
Yes, from useful to useless. From decision making to empty-headedness. From individuality to nothingness.
Well what are we going to do? We’ve been paid off. We’ve gotten a little compensation but you and I both know it’s not going to be enough.
I know it. I know it. We’re not going to win this war. We’re not going to win this war because there’s going to be war. They just believe too much in blood. They’re too crazy. They are too wild and crazy believing that they are some kind of creature that they are not. They have no claws to catch the animal. I have no fangs to rip its flesh. We can’t eat an animal unless we so completely process it as to turn it into something else. And the desecration to the land by putting giant unnatural herds of meat on the fields makes sure that it will only be a desert forever and ever. Basically they are guaranteeing starvation just because there’s more money in it for them.
I never thought of that. Since I stopped eating meat, I stopped being hungry. I never get hungry for meat anymore.
No. I never really lose control about anything anymore.
Wow. I really never thought about it like that. It’s just that simple. Eating meat makes you too nervous to think for yourself.
Sure. All of the adrenaline and all of the emotions of the life of an animal without any actual living in nature to go with it. It’s insanity. It’s the worst drug you or I could create. I don’t mean to run myself to the edge of the cliff. But meat is evil.
7
Listen guys, thank you so much for letting me come back. I couldn’t go another day without this bread. I was thinking of it all morning.
It’s true. While we were working, we literally traded meat for bread.
I saw that. I was wondering where that came from.
The hummus was more profound than we thought.
Yeah, it was quite strange. Normally I would quite enjoy eating cooked meat and watching a naked girl dance. But for some reason, I didn’t like the taste of the meat. It tasted different somehow. And the girl. I was looking right into her face. She was not happy. She was not happy at all but she had to do what her father told her to do. She has to follow his will no matter what. And I kept thinking of you guys and everything you told me about the difference between freedom and slavery. I want to know more.
Did you hear what he said, Hillel? He said he wants to know more about our community.
Yes. I know.
You don’t have anything sweet and spicy, do you?
Would you like a spiced honey cake?
Yes please.
All right. It’s really not so difficult. We kind of got it figured out that it’s about respect. And in fact we we really thought about it and we thought we don’t want too many rules that people can’t remember.
I’m the one who came up with the 10. The number 10. One for each finger so everyone could remember the rules.
That’s true. He did come up with that idea.
Okay, I don’t understand. What do you mean you were making rules about rules? You can’t make rules. Only I can make rules.
No, we were not making rules. You make rules. You make laws. I don’t make laws. I make suggestions for laws. And either everybody gets to vote or at least you get to hear the opposition voice so that you don’t go too crazy.
Okay fair enough. Let’s hear it. What’s the big deal?
Well, first things first, we believe it’s about God.
Of course. You can’t start anywhere else.
Yeah, but wait. The concept is a little different than what has been coming from your camp.
I’m allowed to speak with God. I’m the leader. It’s important that the leader speaks to God.
Certainly an essential part of the argument either way. One God or many gods. One leader or many leaders.
All right.
First of all there is only one God. We don’t pray to anyone else’s God or anyone else. There is only one high entity and we feel it’s the thing that allows us to live here. But here is where it gets a little tricky. We do not picture God in the image of a man and saying God made us in his image. I say that we are from nature and we are made in the image of all living things. And we are not higher or lower than anything else that walks or crawls or flies or swims or simply grows from the earth here. We believe God is the thing that allows life to be and it would be impossible because anything else would be too small.
You do know that you’re making me a liar by saying this. Or at least a hypocrite or a phony.
Not really. But after this, I think people should respect their parents and their neighbors and all of their neighbors’ goods. I think we should all mind our own business and be fair with each other and not lie or cheat or steal from each other. But then there is the most important rule. It’s the easiest rule to follow because once you start, it just goes on and on. And once you start, it’s impossible not to feel like you’re on the right path. It’s impossible to feel like you’re not with God when you go down this path.
What’s the rule?
No killing.
No killing? I don’t understand.
Abstain from it. Choose not to do it. Choose to live your life without it and see what happens. Choose to live respectfully instead of hatefully. Choose to live with intelligence and dignity instead of basic hysteria and violence. Choose to allow your ego to leave you and to become a part of a community or at least the best person you can be in how you relate to others.
Well, sir. Now I’ve heard everything. You imagine a world without killing. And what do you think would happen if everyone quit meat at the same time?
There would be no more war. There would be no more fear. We would probably have a lot more trees which means more shade which means the world would be less harsh and more pleasant. We would be healthier so our moods would be better. And probably we would start to evolve and become smarter. We would become better and better at taking care of ourselves and the world around us. I suppose you could say eventually we would be like God’s but at least we would be presiding over a planet of peace and love.
Very nice. You’re a good Jew. I’m glad you are my scribe. And you are a very good apothecary. I’m glad to have been here and I want to thank you for sharing bread with me and this remarkable food. I’d like to thank you for letting me know that a world like this can exist. Truly, my world is very dirty. Very greasy and very dirty. I like this life much much better.
Actually, we’ve been meaning to talk to you about this. You don’t suppose you could tap a few rocks for us as we get into the fall? The winter is our growing season in the desert. We could certainly use the water.
Let me see what I can do. I know that you don’t respect me or what I have to do. But I appreciate who you are and how you live. I’m proud to have you amongst my people and I’m proud that you both have voices now. Don’t stop. No matter what, even if I can’t give you everything you want, don’t stop trying and I promise I’ll do everything I can.
And with that, The Egyptian left the tent of the apothecary and rejoined his entourage which had been patiently waiting for him outside. Inside the tent, it suddenly felt like a hundred people had left the room.
Did that just happen?
Yes, Phaedrus, that really happened.
We just explained our philosophy to the leader of our people and he listened to us.
Don’t get too crazy. He’s a bureaucrat. He’s an Egyptian. He’s a liar. You can’t trust anything he says. But yeah, it does feel good to feel like you touched him and that what we really believe to be true has a chance of being a part of things.
You can see the influence. Maybe he’s playing with us but you can see the influence.
Yes, that’s right. The Daily Papyrus has a point of view and there are more and more people everyday who just want to breathe some fresh air, eat some healthy food and not be so crazy all the time. There are quite a few people who think that not being a slave should mean having a bit more freedom than we have.
But you don’t believe in it.
No. Of course not.
But why? He tasted the hummus. He understood. He heard our philosophy. He understands. He feels it himself.
Don’t you get it? He’s still going to do the wrong thing. We all do. We all hate ourselves eventually enough to start being destructive. It really takes something to dedicate your life to non-destruction. Killing is so easy. Helping things live is so much more difficult. I guess it’s a hard concept to pass along to rich people.
I guess you’re right. Well, at least we are rich too, right?
Sure. The children of God. We are the chosen ones.
