by Rabbi Ronald D. Price
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are that of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the Union for Traditional Judaism, unless otherwise indicated.
B’makom she’ein anashim, hishtadel lihyot ish. In a place where there are no people, try to be a man. So advises Hillel in Pirkei Avot. Hillel seems to be saying that being an “ish” is a good thing. And I suppose that as we read the story of Yosef, we can credit him with “manning-up” to that challenge in a positive sense. There are any number of early commentaries that consider the word ish to indicate something super-human as well. Before being sold into slavery, when Yosef becomes lost on his way to find his brothers at his father’s command, he meets an ish who gives him directions. Rashi tells us that it was the angel Gavriel. When Jacob wrestles with the ish, it is also perceived as an angelic visitation. The anashim who visit Lot are also angelic messengers.
It might be surprising then that Joseph’s brothers are referred to as anashim repeatedly throughout last week’s parasha of Mikketz, until Joseph’s revelation to them in our parasha of Vayigash.
And the men took the gift; and double the money they took in their hand, and Benjamin…
And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the one in charge of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and slaughter animals and prepare (them), for the men will eat with me (this noon)…”
And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph’s house
And they sat before him, the first-born according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth; and the men marveled with one another. (Genesis 43:15, 16, 18, 33)
If we look back closely at Chapter 42, verses 3, 7, and 8, we’ll see that until Jacob’s sons return to Egypt, this time with Binyamin, they are referred to as achim or achei Yosef – Joseph’s brothers.
And ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy corn in Egypt…
And Joseph saw his brothers and he recognized them…
And Joseph recognized his brothers…
But from the time they leave their father Jacob the second time, headed for Egypt, the brothers are referred to by the Torah only as anashim.
Why this sudden change?
One answer is that this is a very sophisticated literary tool. To heighten the impact of the story, the Torah begins referring to the brothers the way they are viewed by outsiders, by the Egyptians, for instance, and the way they think they are viewed by “the man” who is actually their brother. They are unknown “others,” identified only in that they are human beings … anashim. Indeed, they are on their way to try to prove to ha’ish, the man, that they are real people with families and problems of their own, and not the spies he accuses them of being.
By speaking of the brothers as they perceive themselves through the eyes of others, the Torah increases the tension as we build to the climax of Joseph’s revelation. The juxtaposition of Joseph as ha’ish, the man, and his brothers as anashim, men, is almost unbearable as Joseph plays out his seemingly harsh game.
If we use Hillel’s standard for being a man, it is Joseph who qualifies. He is repeatedly tested, from the beginning of the story until his ascendancy over Egypt. It is he who refers to God’s role in all of his contacts with the Egyptian hierarchy from Potifar’s wife, to Pharaoh’s servants in prison, to Pharaoh himself. And it is he who assures his brothers in our parasha, after he reveals himself to them, that they need not fear for all of this was God’s plan.
But now, don’t be saddened, and don’t be angry with yourselves that you sold me to here; for in order to preserve life, God sent me before you. (Genesis 45:5)
On the other hand, the Torah implies that the brothers had not earned the right to be called brothers during the test. Until the moment that Yehudah stands up to ha’ish and offers himself to save Binyamin and shows compassion for their father’s suffering, these were simply men of no particular merit. Once they pass Joseph’s test, they are immediately and ever after again referred to as achei Yosef, Joseph’s brothers. In fact, when Joseph could no longer contain himself after hearing Judah’s plea he cries:
“Remove every man from me!” And no man stood before him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. (Genesis 45:1)
In this case it was the stranger, the other, the anonymous ish who had to be removed from before Joseph so that the only ones left were family.
In referring to Joseph’s brothers only as anashim during their test, the Torah emphasizes the “otherness” that characterized these men, until they passed the test that qualified them for “brotherness”.
I suspect that the Torah is not only telling a riveting tale of historic import; it is also teaching our modern Jewish community that God would prefer us to behave as achim, rather than anashim.
Shabbat Shalom!
Enjoying UTJ Viewpoints?
UTJ relies on your support to promote an open-minded approach to Torah rooted in classical sources and informed by modern scholarship. Please consider making a generous donation to support our efforts.
Rabbi Ronald D. Price is the executive vice president emeritus of the UTJ. He served as executive vice president for 26 years, beginning with the founding of the UTJ in 1985 and as the founding dean of the Institute of Traditional Judaism, the Metivta, from 1990 until his retirement in 2011.
A native of Washington, D.C., Rabbi Price graduated from the University of Maryland in 1971 with a BA in Political Science. He received an MA in Hebrew literature from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1975 and was ordained there in 1977. From 1977 until moving to Israel in 1980, Rabbi Price was Assistant Dean of the Rabbinical School of JTS. Following the break with the Conservative movement, Rabbi Price took his advanced ordination in 1992 under Rav David Weiss Halivni, reish metivta of the Institute of Traditional Judaism.
A highpoint in Rabbi Price’s career came early in his tenure with the UTJ. In 1988, when the “Who is a Jew?” crisis arose and threatened the relationship of Israel to the North American Jewish community, Rabbi Price, on behalf of the UTJ, authored a proposal for a halakhic as well as political solution to the “Who is a Jew?” issue which gained much support in all segments of the community and was praised publicly by the government of Israel as “a bright light at a dark time”.
Rabbi Price also authored the first halakhic living will which continues to be used by individuals and hospitals around North America and is part of the Elder Care Law Library, housed in Washington, D.C. He has lectured extensively and published many articles on subjects such as pluralism in the Jewish community; the right to die and Jewish tradition; creating traditional communities; the realignment of religious Judaism; and the risks and benefits of outreach to the intermarried.
Rabbi Price has dedicated his life to developing ways of making traditional Judaism accessible to the lay community and is the creator of the video education curriculum, “Taking the MTV Challenge: Media and Torah Values,” a Jewish response to media which has been taught in more than 300 institutions across the denominational spectrum around the world.
Rabbi Price lives in Ashqelon, Israel with his wife Tziporah.