Parshat Vayeishev
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week's parsha that Yosef's brothers threw him into a pit with the intention of killing him. Though the Torah tells us that Reuven intended to save him and return him to his father, the one who saved him was Yehuda. Yehuda reasons with his brothers and tells them (Chapter 37, Pasuk 26), Mah Betza Ki Na'harog es Achinu, what financial gain is there to kill our brother? Let us sell him off to the passing merchants.
Rabbi Meir in the Gemara in Sanhedrin 6B teaches, Kol Ha'Mevarech es Yehuda, Harei Zeh Mena'etz, anyone who blesses Yehuda is a blasphemer. Why is Rabbi Meir so harsh with Yehuda and why does he use this terminology?
The Gemara there quotes the pasuk in Tehillim (Chapter 10, Pasuk 3), U'Botzai'a Beireich, Ni'etz Hashem, the Botzai'a who blesses or is blessed, blasphemes Hashem. The Gemara brings an opinion who applies this to a Dayan who makes a compromise after a verdict has been reached, since the term Botzei'a refers to making a compromise. Though a compromise between two conflicted parties is praiseworthy, doing so after a decision is not, and one who blesses such a Botzei'a, a compromiser, is blaspheming Hashem. Another opinion applies this pasuk to one who steals wheat and prepares bread, but piously separates Chalah and makes a blessing, as a blasphemer. U'Botzei'a, the one who breaks bread in such a case, and then is Beireich, he makes a bracha, this is a blasphemer of Gd.
And why would one praise Yehuda for such a statement?
Some of the commentaries point out that in the end, Yehuda's act saved Clal Yisrael. As Yosef himself indicates later to the brothers (Chapter 45, Pasuk 5), Ki L'Michyah Shelachani Elokim Lifneichem. As a result of Yosef being sold to Mitzrayim and becoming a viceroy in Egypt, Yaakov and his family were saved from starvation. In addition, the process of Bnei Yisrael becoming a nation was begun at this point. Only as a result of being slaves in Egypt and then experiencing Yetzias Mitzrayim could the nation of Israel come about, as was promised to Avraham Avinu. And this all began with this statement of Yehuda, so one might think he should be praised.
Nonetheless, Yehuda's intention wasn't to save Clal Yisrael. As the pasuk later states (Chapter 50, Pasuk 20), Atem Chashavtem Alai Ra'ah, your intention was for evil. Yehuda's act is described as a Mitzvah Shelo Lishmah, a Mitzvah but with the wrong intent. As the Gemara in Kiddushin 81B teaches, the one who intended to eat Chazir, but ended up eating kosher meat, needs atonement for his action. Though he did the mitzvah of eating meat which is permissible, his intention was to sin.
Yehuda's act was more serious given his position among the brothers. They would have listened to him had he suggested to return Yosef to their father immediately. Rashi indicates this on the words of Rabbi Meir in the Gemara and in the beginning of the parsha of Tamar. And Yehuda seems to be punished for his action in a manner of Midah K'Neged Midah, measure for measure, with the incident of Tamar. The Gemara in Sotah 10B teaches, B'Haker Biser L'Aviv, B'Haker Na Bisruhu. Yehuda and his brothers informed their father about Yosef with the words (Chapter 37, Pasuk 32), Haker Na Ha'Kesones Bincha He, and he was informed by Tamar with the words (Chapter 38, Pasuk 25), Haker Na L'Mi Ha'Chosemes Ve'Ha'Pesilim. As the Ba'al Ha'Turim teaches, with the same words that he deceived his father, he himself was deceived.
The Meshech Chachmah teaches a different p'shat. He explains that this didn't happen to Yehuda measure for measure; rather it was a fulfillment of the words of Chazal in Avos (Chapter 4, Mishnah 2), Aveirah Goreres Aveirah, one sin naturally leads to the next. And the nature of the sin was identical. Just as the selling of Yosef was a Mitzvah Shelo Lishmah, so too the incident with Tamar was a Mitzvah Shelo Lishmah. As Chazal teach it was meant for Tamar to have these children with Yehuda and to establish kingship in Israel. But Yehuda wasn't aware who Tamar was and that wasn't his intention. In both cases his intention was very different from the end result.
The lesson of the Meshech Chachmah is very profound. Aveirah Goreres Aveirah means that one transgression naturally brings along with it another one; once one is in a situation of sinning, he instinctively continues that trend. It isn't a punishment, but a natural outgrowth of his own action. And we learn from Yehuda that the specific nature of the sin tends to repeat itself. This strengthens the notion of choice and how we determine our destiny. And even when things turn out right, we are ultimately responsible for what our original intentions were.
Good Shabbos
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