In this week’s parasha, Vayigash, we reach the dramatic peak of the Joseph story arc. After putting his errant and unknowing brothers through the ringer of stress, strain and anxiety—a small recompense for their having sold him into slavery—Joseph finally reveals himself. In doing so, he strangely justifies their dastardly deed by invoking God’s will over our destiny: “God sent me ahead of you to insure your survival on earth…it was not you who sent me here, but God…” While this seems to fly in the face of Judaism’s foundational value of human free will, it also inspires us to more closely align our actions with what we imagine to be God’s will and vision. And more personally, it asserts the power of forgiveness and understanding in our own lives and families. If Joseph and his brothers can read a redemptive destiny into their struggles and strife, surely we can seek to reconcile our actions with a larger purpose.
