"Torah Lights"
 
Video Insights on the Parsha
 
 by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin

Efrat, Israel: "She is more righteous than I" (Gen. 38:26)

What are the traits that make one worthy of the birthright?

The Biblical portions we have just read have been fraught with parental and sibling rivalries surrounding the birthright, riveting tensions – literally life-and-death struggles – over which of Abraham's sons and grandsons will be the most worthy bearer of his mission and covenant. At stake is the destiny of the Jewish people, a nation chosen by G-d to bring the Divine blessing to all the families of the earth, and what has occurred until now between Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau seems like child's play in comparison with what we shall soon encounter amongst the twelve sons of Jacob.

What precisely are the siblings of each generation striving to attain? Leon Kass, in his monumental "The Beginning of Wisdom," suggests that it is no less than the preservation and perpetuation of the Abrahamic mission and vision. If I may define these concepts in my own terms, I would suggest that preservation requires material success, the kind of economic and physical security which can ensure the continuity of a specific familial ethnic entity from generation to generation, protecting it from being assimilated into a larger and more powerful nation. The standard bearer of this gift of preservation may be said to have received the "blessing" (berakhah).

Perpetuation requires a steadfast commitment to the unique lifestyle, values and goals taught by Abraham: a commitment to one G-d of the heavens and the earth, familial dedication, compassionate righteousness and justice. The standard bearer of this gift may be said to have received the birthright (bechorah).

In a family of twelve sons and one daughter, the competition for winning Jacob's patrimony is fierce. The family is beginning to develop into a nation, with twelve tribes poised to parallel the twelve chieftains of powerful clans who emerged from Esau (Gen 36) and the twelve princes who developed into the Arab nations of Ishmael (Gen. 25: 12-18). At this juncture, the chief necessary characteristic of the family standard bearer would be his ability to direct and unite all of his siblings, creating a cohesive clan dedicated to the realization of the Abrahamic vision.

For Jacob. it was clear that this right should be granted to the firstborn son of Rachel, the beloved wife for whom he had labored 14 years. Joseph was "beautiful of form and appearance" (Gen 39:6); he was also smart and charismatic. No wonder Jacob gave him the striped and colored tunic, a paternal gift which expressed the bestowal of the birthright. 

But was Joseph in fact the most qualified candidate? The Bible describes him as someone who “shepherded his brothers [sic] among the sheep... and brought evil reports about them to this father,” (which may explain why he was later Divinely punished measure-for-measure when Potiphar’s wife lied about his relationship with her). Furthermore, he entertains dreams of mastery over his brothers: “all of their sheaves of grain are bowing down to his sheaf of grain.” All of this contributed to his poor relationship with his siblings.

A unifying leader does not dream that he is ruling over his followers, but rather inspires the people to seek his leadership. Joseph's pride, exacerbated by his father's devotion, seems overwhelming; he dreams that the sun, moon and eleven stars are also bowing before him – before him, and not before G-d! Even his dream of the grain sheaves, a portent of material success and his future capacity to supply food to his family and countless others, contradicts family unity: agriculture is the professional advance developed in Egypt, geographically and culturally far removed from the shepherding occupation of the Abrahamic family in Israel. Joseph is indeed a visionary, but he hardly succeeds in uniting his brothers; instead, he seeks to dominate and control them and even to relocate the family from Israel to Egypt.

The other leading candidate for the prize of the birthright blessing is Judah, whom we meet close-up when Joseph is sold into slavery. Reuben certainly means well, and intends to save the hapless son of Rachel when he tells the brothers to throw him in a pit rather than kill him, but his efforts are totally ineffective and he never once refers to Joseph as a brother. Judah, on the other hand, knows exactly how to speak to his siblings; he suggests a way in which they can rid themselves of Joseph and simultaneously make a profit. In the course of his proposal, he twice refers to Joseph as their brother, emphasizing that they dare not lift their hands against their own flesh and blood,  “and his brothers hearkened” – not to Reuben, but to Judah.

Immediately following Joseph's sale into slavery, precisely when the reader is anxious to discover what transpired in the life of this charismatic figure in the strange land of Egypt, our Biblical portion turns to the tale of Judah and Tamar, thereby emphasizing the silent rivalry over the birthright between Joseph and Judah.  Judah, resentful of Joseph’s arrogant behavior and incensed by the favoritism displayed by their father, shows his disaffection by marrying a Canaanite woman. When his two sons die without children, Judah refuses to grant his daughter-in-law, Tamar, "yibbum" (levirate marriage; the responsibility of a brother to marry his widowed, childless sister-in-law). He appears to not understand the deep level of brotherly responsibility inherent in this rite.

Judah is taught that lesson – as well as strong lessons in justice and compassionate righteousness – by Tamar, who disguises herself as a harlot (much as Jacob once disguised himself as Esau) and has relations with him. Judah promises the “harlot” a young goat as payment (reminiscent of the goat skins worn by Jacob when procuring the birthright from Isaac, as well as the goat's blood in which the brothers dipped Joseph's coat before bringing it home to Jacob), but since he doesn’t have a goat with him, he leaves her his signet ring, his wrap and his staff as collateral.

Tamar becomes pregnant and Judah sentences her to death. But Tamar sends him his ring, cape and staff, declaring that these objects belong to the father of her unborn child. Judah publicly admits, "She is more righteous than I," risking public embarrassment in order to save her life. Eventually, Tamar gives birth to twins; the younger one (Peretz) overtakes the elder (Zerah), much the way Jacob overtook Esau by grasping at his heel. We shall learn from the end of the Scroll of Ruth that Judah’s son Peretz will be the forefather of David, progenitor of the Messiah.

G-d chose Abraham, loved him and singled him out, "to instruct his household after him… to observe the way of the Lord and to do compassion and righteousness...”  (18:19). By publicly acknowledging Tamar’s integrity and admitting that he erred, Judah is expressing these qualities. He demonstrates an ability to lead and unite his brothers and the ethical sensitivity necessary to perpetuate the Abrahamic ideal. Joseph may be a charismatic and successful provider of food, but thus far in our story, he is far too transfixed upon himself and the Egyptian produce to leave room for either G-d or for his brothers!

Shabbat Shalom

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