A Thought for the Week
"Joseph, My Son, Still Lives"

This week's parshah relates how Joseph revealed his true identity to his brothers and was reunited with them.

It is stated in last week's parshah that when the brothers had first come to Egypt and had met Joseph, "Joseph recognized his brothers but they did not recognize him."1 Why did the brothers fail to recognize Joseph? The simple explanation is that many years had elapsed since they had last seen him. They had left him an unbearded young man, and now he was a fully-bearded adult.2

Chassidism offers a different interpretation of the verse. The sons of Jacob had all chosen to be shepherds – a quiet and peaceful occupation. Out in the fields, tending their flocks, they had little contact with the social life of the country and were undisturbed in their service of G-d, in their worship and study. The brothers of Joseph felt it necessary to select an occupation which would facilitate their leading a G-d-fearing life. They did not wish to live in an environment that would place temptations in their chosen path.

Joseph, however, was in this respect superior to them. He was able to occupy the highest administrative position in the mightiest nation of that era, and yet remain righteous.

The brothers did not recognize and could not comprehend that the viceroy of Egypt could truly remain the same G-d-fearing Joseph whom they had known, for such a way of life was above their level. In fact, not only the bothers, but even Jacob, Joseph's own father, when told that "Joseph yet lives and he rules over the entire land of Egypt,"3 was apprehensive lest his son, who had become the absolute ruler of the mighty Egyptian kingdom, was assimilated into Egyptian culture. It was cold comfort to Jacob that his long-lost son still lived – if he had, G-d forbid, adopted the Egyptian way of life. When his sons explained that Joseph had attained a new and higher level in righteousness and strength of character, Jacob experienced real joy.

Only then was he truly satisfied that "Joseph, my son, (i.e. following my way of life) yet lives"4 – that although Joseph was viceroy of Egypt, he still conducted himself as befitted the son of Jacob.5