Parashat VaYeshev- Understanding the Sale of Yosef
The story of Mechirat Yosef, the sale of Yosef by his brothers, could easily be misinterpreted as simply a situation of common, everyday sibling strife. If we read this story superficially, we might walk away with the gravely erroneous impression that the brothers sought to eliminate Yosef out of sheer resentment, envy and enmity.
Such an understanding reflects a fundamental misperception of the twelve righteous sons of Yaakov. During the time of the Beit Ha'mikdash, the Kohen Gadol wore a breastplate upon which the names of the twelve tribes were engraved. God would communicate with the Kohen Gadol through these letters; when a question of national concern arose, the Kohen would ask God for guidance, and God conveyed His response by illuminating certain letters that spelled the answer. Thus, the names of Yaakov's sons were the vehicle of prophecy, the means through which God communicated with man. It is inconceivable that men of this stature would try killing their brother and then sell him as a slave out of hate and anger. These were great Tzadikim, and their actions in this story must be understood in this light.
The Seforno (37:18) explains that when the brothers sat down and decided to kill Yosef, they convened an official session of Beit Din. They sat as a group of Rabbis to determine Yosef's status and concluded that he is guilty of "Mored Be'malchut," attempting to rebel against the royal authority of Yehuda. This was not a reckless decision borne out of hate and resentment; it was a carefully calculated Halachic ruling which they reached after careful deliberation. This explains why, immediately after casting their brother into a pit, they sat down to eat (37:25). As several commentators noted, not even the most vicious murderer sits down to a festive meal after committing a murder. But Yosef's brothers were not criminals, Heaven forbid. They issued a formal Halachic ruling with the authority of a Beit Din, and according to Halacha, members of a Beit Din may not eat while deciding matters of capital punishment. Understandably, then, after concluding upon and executing their sentence, they sat down to eat.
This also explains why they removed Yosef's special cloak before casting him into the pit (37:23). According to Halacha, defendants or litigants who stand trial may not be dressed in a manner that may influence the judges' perception. For example, it is forbidden to hold a court session with one litigant dressed in fine clothing and the other in poor man's garments, as this may result in an unfairly positive predisposition towards the better-dressed litigant. Yosef's brothers realized that their judgment might be impaired if they saw Yosef dressed in his special cloak that represented the special status Yaakov afforded him. They therefore removed his cloak so that they could render a fair, honest and impartial ruling on Yosef's status.
What, then, was the sin of Yosef's brothers? If, indeed, they were motivated by sincere motives, and they acted responsibly and based on their objective understanding of Halacha, wherein lay their mistake?
The prophet Amos (2:6) says in reference to the sin of Yosef's brothers, "for their having sold a righteous man for money, and a poor man for shoes." Amos here emphasizes not the plan to eliminate Yosef and drive him away from the family, but rather the fact that this was done "for money" and "for shoes." The brothers were justified in their decision to eliminate Yosef, but were guilty of seeking some monetary gain in the process. They negotiated with the buyers and demanded a sum of money as well as several pairs of shoes in exchange for Yosef, and herein lay their sin. According to some commentators, the demand for money could perhaps be excused as intended to preserve Yosef's dignity; handing him over to the merchants without charge would have been terribly humiliating. But the brothers insisted as well on several pairs of shoes, and for this minor infraction they were held accountable.
To properly understand the stories in Tanach, one must use more than an English translation; he must read these stories through the lenses of Chazal and the commentaries, lest he misinterpret the conduct of the great Tzadikim. Only with the proper guidance of our Sages can we properly understand the events told in Tanach and gain inspiration from the piety and spiritual greatness of our righteous ancestors.
