Mourning Malfunction

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Joseph presents Jacob, his Father, to Pharaoh-artist: Tissot

There are many opinions regarding the exact nature of the Ketonet Pasim, the special coat that Yaakov made for Yosef.

According to the Gemara (Shabbat 10b) it was made from 2 sela’im’s worth (a gold coin weighing approximately 0.5 oz) of premium quality wool, shorn from a one-day-old sheep (Rashi, Sanhedrin 44a). The Tiferet Yisrael (Mishna Middot 3:7, 66) says that it was made from silk, dyed red. Rashi (Shabbat 10b) says that the wool was only around the edge of the sleeve, which, according to the Metzudot Tzion (Shmuel II 13:18), was weaved in a special pattern. The Ibn Ezra (Bereishit 37:3) says that it was made up of separate pieces of cloth, which, according to the Radak (Bereishit 37:3) and the Ralbag (Shmuel II 13:18), were each a different color. The Midrash (Bereishit Rabba 84:8) says that the sleeves were long and reached the palms of the hand. The Maharzo (ibid.) says the coat reached the bottom of the legs. The Ibn Ezra (Bereishit 37:3) says that it covered the torso like a vest but that the arms were exposed. The Midrash (Bereishit Rabba 84:8) says that it was very thin and light and could be folded and hidden in the palm of the hand.

A question that we will try to answer in this shiur is “Did Yaakov know that Yosef was alive and in Egypt?”

According to one opinion Yaakov knew Yosef was still alive, because, try as he might, Yaakov could not forget Yosef and G-d gives us the gift of slowly forgetting a deceased relative, to ease our pain (Bereishit Rabba 84:8).

The Gemara (Masechet Sofrim 21) says that after the brothers returned with the blood-soaked coat and told Yaakov that Yosef had been devoured by a wild animal, Yaakov went into the mountains, took twelve stones and placed them in a row. On each stone he wrote the name of each son, his astrological sign and corresponding birth month (for example – Reuven, Aries, Nisan). Yaakov then began with Reuven’s stone and said to the other stones “I decree that you all stand up for Reuven’s stone.” None of the stones stood up. Yaakov then proceeded to the next stone and said to the other stones, “I decree that you all stand up for Shimon’s stone.” None of the stones stood up. And so on, until Yosef’s stone. Yaakov said “I decree that you all stand up for Yosef’s stone.” All the stones stood up and bowed down to Yosef’s stone.

Yaakov was not satisfied with this proof, so he took twelve sheaves of wheat, each of which he labeled with the names of the twelve sons, as above. Yaakov again went son by son and said, “I decree that you all bow down to Levi who will wear the “Urim ve’Tumim.” None of the sheaves bowed. Yaakov continued, “I decree that you all bow down to Yehuda, who is king.” None of the sheaves bowed. Only when Yaakov mentioned Yosef, did the other sheaves bow down.

According to these sources it appears that Yaakov knew Yosef was still alive. However, did Yaakov know he was in Egypt?

Let’s backtrack to parshat Vayishlach. After Yaakov’s reunion with Eisav, they part ways. Eisav returns to Se’ir and Yaakov continues on to Sukkot and from there to Schem. The pasuk (Bereishit 33:19) says that Yaakov purchased land in Schem.

Why did Yaakov purchase this land? We know that this plot of land, together with Me’arat HaMachpeila and Har HaBayit are the three iconic plots of land the nations of the world can never dispute Am Yisrael’s ownership of, their deeds of purchase are documented in the Tanach (Bereishit Rabba 79:7).

In parshat Vayechi, towards the end of his life, Yaakov asks Yosef to be buried, not in Egypt, but in Eretz Yisrael, in Me’arat HaMachpeila. However, Yaakov is worried that Yosef may still bear a grudge against him for burying his mother Rachel on the “roadside.” Yaakov reveals to Yosef that he did this under direct instruction from G-d and not of his own volition. However, as added insurance that Yosef will indeed bury him in Eretz Yisrael, the first thing Yaakov does before he settles down in Canaan, is to buy a future burial plot of land for Yosef in Schem. This was before the sale of Yosef to Egypt took place.

When Yosef relates his dreams to his brothers and his father, the pasuk (Bereishit 37:11) says that Yaakov believed the prophecies and was waiting and looking forward to them becoming reality.

Yaakov knew even before Yosef was sold that he and his family would go down to Egypt. If not, why would he buy a future burial plot for Yosef – the first thing he did before settling in Eretz Yisrael? Yaakov knew he would be going to Egypt and that he would need a security to ensure that Yosef would return his body back to Eretz Yisrael for burial.

Not only did Yaakov know that he and his family would descend to Egypt, he also knew that before this occurred, Yosef would have to go down to Egypt – alone. On the pasuk (Bereishit 37:3), Rashi quotes Onkelos saying that Yaakov taught Yosef all the Torah he learned from Shem and Ever, the Torah that he learned in those 14 years before leaving for Charan, the Torah necessary to survive in a hostile environment – in Charan and … in Egypt.

Yes, Yaakov knew that Yosef was alive and in Egypt. His refusal to be comforted (Bereishit 37:35) was because of the brothers’ selling Yosef, a tragic, iconic sin that would haunt Am Yisrael for millennia.

Parshat HaShavua Trivia Question: Even though Binyamin was not complicit in the sale of Yosef, did he know what happened to his brother?

Answer to Last Week’s Trivia Question: Why did Yaakov backtrack to retrieve “small pots” (Bereishit 32:25)? The Gemara (Chullin 91a) says that tzaddikim value their possessions, even those with little monetary value, as they are given to them by G-d.