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Wisdom, Honesty And Compassion
"There was no bread in all the land for the famine was very severe, so that the land
of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted because of the famine. Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the
land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan in exchange for the grain that they bought. Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's
house." Genesis 47:13-14
Why did the Torah recount the details of the famine after Jacob arrived in Egypt, and placed it
between relating what happened to Jacob and his family when they settled in Egypt? As the last verse states: "Israel (Jacob) lived in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions in it, and grew, and
multiplied exceedingly." Genesis 47:27
Pharaoh, in his first and only recorded dialogue with Jacob, asked, 'How many are
the years of your life'?
"Jacob said to Pharaoh, The days of the years of my sojourning are a hundred and thirty
years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the
life of my fathers in the days of their sojourning." Genesis 47:8-9
Both Pharaoh and Jacob spoke of days and years as if they represented separate concepts. Pharaoh understood
that many people who reach a very advanced age may have only lived a few of their days to the full - many people do not reach
anywhere near their full potential. Seeing before him Jacob - a man of great stature - he asked him, "Tell me, how many meaningful
days have you had in your long life". In response, Jacob responded modestly, saying that his life was not comparable with
the life of his ancestors. They lived more - in the sense that every day of their existence was living - and they could carry
out their missions under more cheerful conditions.
"Joseph gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the
land of Ramses, as Pharaoh had commanded and sustained his father and his brothers with food." Genesis 47:11-12
Joseph brought much happiness to Jacob in his final seventeen years of life, by
uniting him with the rest of the family. This teaches us an important lesson on the Fifth Commandment and how
honoring parents should be observed, including material ways in which children should care for their
elderly parents.
As the effects of the famine grew worse:
"Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for each Egyptian sold his field,
because the famine prevailed over them; so the land became Pharaoh's. As for the (Egyptian) people, he moved them to cities
- from one end of the borders of Egypt to the other end." Genesis 47:20-21
The way Joseph organized the welfare of the hungry Egyptians illustrates another important way
of respecting parents, namely, bringing a good name on them. In order to emphasize Joseph's loyalty and honesty, the Torah
makes a point of saying that he 'brought the money to Pharaoh's house.' Genesis 47:14 There was no false accounting.
Coupled with his honesty, Joseph showed great compassion to the Egyptians. When conditions became so bad that
they had to sell their lands for food, 'Joseph moved them to cities, from one end of the borders of Egypt to the other
end'. Had he split up groups of people, he would have broken down the social and community structure with harmful effects
to each person. Instead he moved entire communities so that old friends would remain together in their new territories.
Joseph did not just take care of his father's material needs, but he gave him in the last years of his life, what a parent
wants most - real pride. Jacob was able to see the positive qualities that he instilled in his son (wisdom, honesty
and compassion) being consistently used by Joseph to better the welfare of peoples and nations, to the continuing good
name of the family.
Because Joseph cared for his father both materially and spiritually, this passage concludes with the words "Jacob lived in the land of Egypt." Genesis 47:27 Jacob actually lived,
in the sense of being able to fulfill his true potential, under uplifting conditions. We learn from here how people can raise
the quality of their elderly parents' lives, not just in caring for their physical welfare, but in conducting their life style
in such a way that their parents may be truly proud of them. That would be one of the highest levels in observing the Fifth
Commandment.
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