The parashah of Vayigash is a parashah of encounters, whose power is so great that even when faced with letters, black on white, the heart trembles again and again. It contains love, soul, and no small amount of tears; there are hugs, necks, ears, hearts, lives described as "meager and evil," and also abundance, fertility, and growth of the Jewish people.

In the opening scene of the story, Joseph (in Pharaoh's house) stands before his brothers, who have been brought to the palace as slaves. He insists that Benjamin remain as a slave while the other brothers are released to return to Canaan. Judah begs Joseph to allow him to remain as his slave in Egypt so that Benjamin can return to their father Jacob. Beneath the surface, the drama is intense – Joseph alone knows about the family connection, and yes, there is a connection between Joseph and Benjamin – Rachel's only two sons.

Judah's speech is captivating. He appeals to Joseph's mercy and describes Jacob's special bond with Benjamin. Judah's magnanimity—both toward his father Jacob and toward his younger brother—is a model of solidarity and mutual responsibility among family members, between children and their parents, and between siblings. Judah says: "My lord, we have an aged father and a young child, and his brother is dead, and he alone is left to his mother and his father, and they love him" (Genesis 44:20). These few words convey so much pain and loss – a family that once had four members and now has only two; a bereaved father who has only one son left, his youngest, "alone with his mother,' who is no longer alive. This son is 'beloved by his father' – especially loved.

Judah describes to Joseph his fear for Jacob's life if Benjamin does not return to him. He quotes Jacob's words: "You know that my wife bore me two sons. one of them went out from me, and I said, "Surely he is torn to pieces," and I have not seen him to this day. And if you take this one also from me, and harm befalls him,you have brought my gray hairs down to Sheol in sorrow" (Genesis 44:27-29). Judah describes the connection between Jacob and Benjamin with the expression: "and his soul is bound up in his soul" (ibid., 30). It is difficult to think of a stronger expression to convey the connection between two people, especially when it comes to the relationship between a parent and a child. Perhaps we can find an echo of this expression in the words Nathan Alterman wrote to his daughter Tirza Atar: "Guard your soul, guard your strength, guard your soul' ("Shir Mishmar," 1965). Is there not also a soul bound to a soul here?

Upon hearing Judah's speech, "And Joseph could not restrain himself" (Genesis 45:1), he sends away those in the palace who are not members of his family and confesses that he is their brother whom they sold. The encounter between Joseph and his brothers is full of kindness. Joseph "wept aloud," while his brothers "could not answer him, for they were terrified because of him" (Genesis 45:3). With great nobility, Joseph asks his brothers: "Do not be sad and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me," and describes the events of the past: "For God sent me before you to preserve life"(Genesis 45:5). The divine plan, therefore, sent Joseph before his brothers to become a significant figure who, thanks to his skills and position, saves them from mass starvation and in fact enables the family to continue to exist, and hence the existence of the people.

Joseph and Benjamin fall upon their brother's neck weeping, Joseph kisses all his brothers, "and he wept upon them; and afterward his brothers talked with him" (ibid., 15). Upon hearing of the family drama unfolding in the palace, Pharaoh invites Joseph to bring his entire extended family to Egypt and even provides everything necessary for their journey.

When Jacob's brothers tell him in Canaan that Joseph is alive and ruling over all of Egypt, his heart stops – "And his heart died, for he did not believe them" (Genesis 45:26). His spirit returns after his brothers reassure him with explanations – "And the spirit of Jacob their father revived" (Genesis 45:27).

From the change that takes place in Jacob's life, he is once again called Israel – "And Israel said, "My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die"" (Genesis 45:28); It is enough for me that Joseph is alive; it is enough for me to see him, and then I can die.

The meeting between Joseph and Jacob is full of emotion and physical closeness. Jacob says to Joseph: "Now that I have seen your face and know that you are still alive, I am ready to die in peace" (Genesis 46:30).– Now that I have seen you alive, I want nothing more, and I can die in peace.

The Torah, which is usually sparing with emotions and descriptions, repeatedly notes the range of feelings experienced by Jacob, his brothers, and Joseph. Excitement, doubt, joy, and fear rise like a rainbow of emotions that reaches its peak in the powerful moments of encounter. Reading the portion of Vayigash this year, after more than two years of longing for a reunion with those who were kidnapped and held captive by the enemy, echoes the feelings that we too experienced, as individuals and as a nation: Two years in which we witnessed the suffering of parents whose children were between life and death and far from them, of family members and friends who lived in anguish and fear. How great was the pain for those who returned without life, how good it was to see again the faces of those who returned alive and to witness the reunions.

In prayer for the return of Ran Guili and the end of the wars. 

Shabbat Shalom!