THIS week in the Torah we begin reading about the sale of Joseph. For the next three Shabbos readings, we will be immersed in this story of the conflict between Joseph and his brothers.
Every year, the story of Joseph and his brothers fall during the Chanukah holiday. We read about the contentiousness of the brothers parallel to the kindling of 36 candles (in total) on the Chanukah menorah.
Interestingly, in the Talmud as well, these two times of year are linked together. When the Talmud discusses the laws of Chanukah, out of seemingly nowhere it goes off on a tangent, discussing the pit that Joseph was thrown into. There must be a thematic connection between Chanukah and Joseph and his brothers.
The story of the brothers particularly Judah is a story of a conflict cutting across Jewish history like a p
atched up seam threatening to come undone.
IT all began with the story of Rachel and Leah. Rachel is Jacobs true love. Jacob literally labored for 14 years out of his love for her, and so he could marry her. It is Rachel whom Jacob considers to be his primary wife.
But Leah, not his destined one as Rachel was, is the woman whom Jacob marries first. Leah becomes Jacobs first bride, and the first to bear his sons, a cluster of boys the future tribes of Israel. Before Rachel gives birth to her first son Joseph, the roots of the Jewish people have already begun to take form with the children of Leah.
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