"I seek my brothers..."

Synopsis

Rabbi Yehuda interprets "I seek my brothers ..." to indicate Joseph's intimate association with righteousness and the Shechinah. We are also shown how Joseph's enduring love and loyalty toward his brothers provide a human demonstration of God's compassionate love for the children of Israel.

Relevance

The drama of human existence is more than a one-act play. It is a production that encompasses many lifetimes, where credits and debits accrue according to our actions. Therefore, forgiving those who have inflicted harm upon us really has nothing to do with the other person. Kabbalistically, the people who hurt us in life are messengers. Everything that befalls us is a result of our prior deeds. The consequences of our actions eventually return through the agency of others, in order to help us achieve spiritual growth and correction. The strength to display compassion and forgiveness, even when we feel it is not deserved, is stimulated by the words of this passage.

Congregation Famine Fear Joseph Kisses Nukva Peace Zeir Anpin

106. "And he said, 'I seek my brothers...' And the man said, 'They are departed from here.'" Rabbi Yehuda quoted the verse, "O that you were as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! When I should find you outside, I would kiss you; and none would scorn me" (Shir Hashirim 8:1). This verse has already been explained by the friends. The Congregation of Yisrael, THE NUKVA, said to the King to whom peace belongs, TO ZEIR ANPIN, "O that you were as my brother," as Joseph was to his brothers. Joseph said to them, "'Now therefore fear not: I will nourish you, and your little ones'" (Beresheet 50:21) and he provided for them in time of famine. Therefore, THE CONGREGATION OF YISRAEL SAID TO ZEIR ANPIN, "O that you were as my brother," AS JOSEPH WAS TO HIS BROTHERS.

106. וַיֹּאמֶר אֶת אַחַי אָנֹכִי מְבַקֵּשׁ וגו.' וַיֹּאמֶר הָאִישׁ נָסְעוּ מִזֶּה וגו' ר' יְהוּדָה פְּתַח, מִי יִתֶּנְךָ כְּאָח לִי יוֹנֵק שְׁדֵי אִמִּי אֶמְצָאֲךָ בַחוּץ אֶשָׁקְךָ גַּם לֹא יָבוֹזוּ לִי. הַאי קְרָא אוֹקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָא, אֲבָל הַאי קְרָא, כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲמָרוֹ לְמַלְכָּא דִּשְׁלָמָא דִילֵיהּ, מִי יִתֶּנְךָ כְּאָח לִי, כְּיוֹסֵף עַל אֲחוֹי, דַּאֲמַר וְעַתָּה אַל תִּירָאוּ אָנֹכִי אֲכַלְכֵּל אֶתְכֶם וְאֶת טַפְּכֶם, יְהַב לוֹן מְזוֹנָא, וְזָן לְהוֹ בְּכַפְנָא. בְּגִין כָּךְ מִי יִתֶּנְךָ כְּאָח לִי.

Aba and Ima Exile Joseph Kisses Mochin Shechinah Unity

107. דָּבָר אֲחֵר מִי יִתֶּנְךָ כְּאָח לִי, דָּא יוֹסֵף לְגַבָּהּ דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, דְּאִתְאַחַד עִמָּהּ וְאִתְדַּבַּק בַּהֲדָהּ. יוֹנֵק שְׁדֵי אִמִּי, דְּהָא כְּדֵין אַחְוָה וּשְׁלִימוּ בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ. אֶמְצָאֲךָ בַּחוּץ, גּוֹ גָּלוּתָא, דְּאִיהוּ בְּאַרְעָא אָחֳרָא. אַשְׁקֶךָ, בְּגִין לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא רוּחָא בְּרוּחָא. גַּם לֹא יָבוֹזוּ לִי, אַף עַל גַּב דַּאֲנָא בְּאַרְעָא אָחֳרָא.

Hands Joseph