Author: Shlomo Bar-Ayal

When Judah approaches Joseph he does so as a proud Jew. This teaches us that we should be proud of who we are.

Judah Approaches Joseph: Self-Respect in Exile

In today’s Torah portion, Judah approaches Joseph—without knowing that he is Joseph. All Judah knows is that this man is the viceroy of Egypt, the most powerful figure in the land. He also knows that his brother Benjamin is about to be sent to prison on false charges.

Judah steps forward and says that he himself should take Benjamin’s place. He is willing to go to prison instead of his brother. But Judah does more than offer self-sacrifice. He makes it clear that he will not allow his family—his people—to be abused. He approaches power with dignity and self-respect.

This is the moment when Joseph breaks down.

And this becomes an eternal lesson for us.

Throughout history, Jews have lived as a small minority within dominant cultures. We are always faced with the same question: How do we approach power when we are in exile? How do we relate to a dominant culture when we are few and vulnerable?

The Torah’s answer is clear: without self-respect, no one else will respect us.

A powerful historical example comes from 1787, during the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. A religious Jew named Jonas Phillips, who had fought in the American Revolution as a member of the Continental Army, wrote a letter of protest. Despite his service, he was barred from holding public office in Pennsylvania because he was not a Christian.

Phillips did not demand that America become Jewish—he knew how small the Jewish population was. But he did demand equality. He insisted that Jews deserve the same civil rights as other Americans.

His argument was heard.

As a result, the United States Constitution included a revolutionary principle: no religious test shall ever be required for federal office. Anyone of any faith could serve. While the states took longer to follow, this protection was enshrined at the national level because a proud Jew had the courage to speak with dignity.

George Washington later expressed this idea clearly when he affirmed that Jews had the same right to be in America as anyone else—that citizenship and equality did not depend on religion.

All of this traces back to one essential truth: self-respect creates respect.

That is the message Judah teaches us. He does not beg. He does not apologize for who he is. He stands firm, with humility and dignity, and because of that, he is heard.

Something to think about.

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Judah & Joseph represent two different types of leaders. Each has positive abilities. The Torah shows how they need to work together.

Two Models of Leadership: Yosef and Yehuda

In this week’s parashah, we are presented with two very different models of leadership: Yosef and Yehuda.

Yosef represents a leader who plans carefully and executes those plans with precision. When he foresees the seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine, he prepares Egypt methodically and sticks to his strategy. Similarly, when he anticipates his brothers’ arrival in Egypt, he devises a plan to test them—and follows it through. Yosef’s leadership is structured, strategic, and consistent.

This type of leadership is characteristic of what we might call national leadership among the nations. Yosef is not the leader of a particular people; rather, he is the viceroy of Egypt. His authority comes directly from Pharaoh. His power is institutional, and his leadership is accepted because it works.

Yehuda, on the other hand, represents a very different kind of leader. He is a natural-born leader, one who inspires others to follow him. Even before the episode with Tamar, Yehuda clearly emerges as the leader among the brothers. When he suggests selling Yosef rather than killing him, the brothers listen.

Yehuda’s greatness is not that he is flawless—but that he is morally courageous. Unlike Yosef, who withstands the advances of Potiphar’s wife, Yehuda fails in the episode with Tamar. Yet his true greatness is revealed when he publicly admits, “She is more righteous than I.” He takes responsibility for his actions and does not hide from the truth.

Later, when Binyamin is threatened in Egypt, it is Yehuda who steps forward. He offers himself in Binyamin’s place, willing to bear the consequences himself. He does not rely on power or position; he leads through accountability and self-sacrifice. This moment is when Yosef realizes how much Yehuda has grown—and how great he has become.

Both Yosef and Yehuda are great leaders. Yosef embodies effective national leadership. Yehuda embodies Jewish leadership, leadership rooted in responsibility for others. That is why the Messiah comes from Yehuda and not from Yosef—because Yehuda stands up for his brothers and takes responsibility for his people.

Something to think about.

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Judah shows trued leadership when he takes upon himself to save Benjamin by being willing to be taken prisoner in Benjamin’s place. True leadership is based on taking action and taking responsibility for that action.

Leadership Through Responsibility: Yehuda vs. Reuven

In this week’s parashah, we see one of the Torah’s clearest lessons about leadership. Yehuda steps forward to protect Binyamin, placing himself in personal danger and offering to become a slave so that his brother can go free. This moment defines the Torah’s understanding of true leadership.

At first glance, Reuven should have been the leader of the brothers. He was the firstborn, a fundamentally good person with good intentions. But Reuven consistently falls short. He sees problems and makes plans, but his plans don’t succeed. As the saying goes, he is often “a dollar short.” He means well, but he hesitates, overthinks, and ultimately fails to act decisively.

Yehuda is different. When Yehuda sees a problem, he acts. He doesn’t wait for the perfect plan. He takes responsibility and steps forward.

We see this not only with Binyamin, but earlier with Tamar. When Yehuda realizes that he was wrong, he publicly admits it and says, “She is more righteous than I am.” He owns his failure, accepts responsibility, and moves forward. That willingness to admit mistakes is a defining trait of leadership in the Torah.

Yosef, too, is a leader. He makes mistakes early in life, recognizes them, and grows from them. When he reveals himself to his brothers, he tells them not to be distressed, explaining that what seemed like human wrongdoing was ultimately part of God’s plan. Yosef understands that leadership means taking responsibility while also recognizing God’s guiding hand in history.

Together, Yehuda and Yosef teach us two essential principles of leadership:

1. Take decisive action when action is needed.
2. Take personal responsibility, especially when things go wrong.

As John F. Kennedy once said, “Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan.” The Torah rejects that idea. In the Torah’s view, failure should never be an orphan. A true leader claims responsibility even when it is painful or costly.

This is why leadership in Judaism is not about titles or privilege, but about accountability. With leadership comes responsibility—and that is the most important lesson the parashah teaches us.

We learn from this is that we have to stand up for each other. Be willing to go to great lengths to defend our people.

Yehudah Steps Forward

This week we begin Parashat Vayigash, and we left last week’s parashah on a dramatic cliffhanger.

Binyamin has been framed.
Yosef—still unrecognized by his brothers—has deliberately arranged events so that Binyamin, the youngest brother and the other son of Rachel, appears guilty and is about to be taken as a slave.

This is not cruelty; it is a test.

Yosef remembers exactly what his brothers did to him. He knows that Binyamin now occupies the position he once held:

• youngest son
• child of Rachel
• beloved by their father, Yaakov

The question Yosef must answer is simple but painful:

Have they changed?
Will they defend Binyamin, or will they abandon him the way they abandoned me?

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Yehudah’s Moment of Truth

At this crucial moment, Yehudah steps forward.

This is deeply significant because it was Yehudah who originally suggested selling Yosef:

“Why should we kill him and gain nothing? Let us sell him.”

Now Yehudah confronts the ruler of Egypt and declares, in essence:

• Binyamin will not be taken as a slave
• He will not be imprisoned
• If necessary, they will fight Egypt itself
• Yehudah offers himself in Binyamin’s place

This is full teshuvah—repentance through action.
He faces the same moral test and chooses the opposite path.

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Yosef Reveals Himself

At that point, Yosef can no longer restrain himself.

He sends all the Egyptians out of the room so that he is alone with his brothers, and he says:

“I am Yosef. Does my father still live?”

With those words, everything becomes clear.

The brothers understand:

• Yosef is alive
• Their guilt is real
• Their repentance has been accepted

Yosef reassures them and explains the deeper truth:

What you intended for harm, God intended for good.
This was all part of God’s plan—to place me here as ruler of Egypt during the famine so that our family could survive.

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Yosef and Yehudah: Two Forms of Leadership

At this point, we see a pattern that will repeat throughout Jewish history:

• Yosef represents external leadership
  • The diplomat
  • The one who deals with nations and governments
  • The face of the Jewish people to the world
• Yehudah represents internal leadership
  • Spiritual direction
  • Moral authority
  • The future source of Jewish kingship

When Yaakov is told that Yosef is alive, Yehudah is sent ahead to Egypt—not to rule, but to prepare.

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Settling in Goshen

Yehudah goes ahead to Goshen to:

• Establish places of learning
• Lay the spiritual and communal groundwork
• Ensure Jewish life can survive intact in exile

Yosef provides material security.
Yehudah provides spiritual continuity.

Together, they ensure the future of the Jewish people.

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The Deeper Message

In the end, everyone comes to see:

• Nothing happened by accident
• Every painful moment had purpose
• Even human wrongdoing can be transformed into divine plan

Parashat Vayigash teaches us that true repentance is proven by changed behavior—and that God can weave redemption even out of betrayal.

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Hanukah means bringing light to the world. This is what the Jewish people have done throughout our history.

The reason that on Hanukah we say Hallel while not on Purim is simple. Purim is a celebration that we were not killed. Hanukah is a celebration that we survived as Jews.

Why do we say full Hallel on Hanukkah but not on Purim, even though:

• Both involve miraculous salvation
• God’s Name appears in neither Megillat Esther nor the Hanukkah story explicitly
• Both are joyous festivals with feasting and celebration

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The Talmud’s Starting Point

The question is asked explicitly in the Talmud (Megillah 14a):

“Why is Hallel not said on Purim?”

Several answers are given. Each one adds a layer—but together they lead exactly to the idea you articulated.

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Answer 1: The Megillah is the Hallel

One answer given is:

“Reading the Megillah is its Hallel.”

Meaning: the public retelling of God’s hidden orchestration of events functions as praise.

But as you sensed, this alone doesn’t fully explain the difference, because we also recount miracles on Hanukkah—and still say Hallel.

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Answer 2: We Were Still Subjects of Ahasuerus

Another Talmudic answer:

“After the miracle of Purim, we were still servants of Ahasuerus.”

In other words:

• The decree was annulled
• The Jews survived
• But Jewish sovereignty was not restored

Compare that with:

• Exodus → freedom
• Hanukkah → Jewish religious self-determination

Purim ends with survival inside exile.

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The Deeper Distinction (Your Main Point)

Purim: We Survived

• Physical annihilation was averted
• Jewish lives were saved
• But exile continued
• No Temple restored
• No national-religious transformation

This is why Purim emphasizes:

• Feasting 🍷
• Joy
• Community
• Hiddenness

We celebrate life—but not redemption.

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Hanukkah: Judaism Survived

Hanukkah is not just about survival—it’s about identity.

• The war was against spiritual assimilation, not genocide
• The threat was Hellenization—turning Torah into culture
• Victory meant:
  • Torah remained Torah
  • The Temple was rededicated
  • Jewish worship was restored

As you put it perfectly:

“Not only did we survive—we survived as Jews.”

That is why:

• The menorah is lit publicly
• Hallel is recited
• God is praised openly

Because the mission of Torah continued.

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Why This Matters for Modern Times

This distinction is exactly why there is debate about saying Hallel on:

• Yom HaAtzmaut (Israel Independence Day)
• Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day)

The argument for Hallel is:

• Not just survival
• But restoration of Jewish sovereignty
• Jewish history moving forward as Jewish history

Just as on Hanukkah.

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Your Holocaust–Brit Milah Connection (Very Powerful)

The image you shared from the Abuhav Synagogue in Tzfat captures this idea beautifully:

• Memorial to Holocaust victims
• Placed above Elijah’s Chair
• Above the symbol of the covenant

The message:

You tried to destroy us.
We are still here.
And still Jews.

That is Hanukkah.
That is Jewish history.
That is why we say Hallel.

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The story of Joseph testing his brothers is important. Did his brothers repent for what hey had done to him? He does this by testing them under similar circumstances. This is how you will know if someone really made repentance.

Joseph and the Test of the Brothers

This week’s parashah presents one of the most fundamental narratives in the Torah. Joseph rises to the heights of power in Egypt, overseeing the nation during the seven years of plenty followed by the seven years of famine. Joseph is placed fully in charge of Egypt’s survival.

It is crucial to recognize what is really happening beneath the surface: the entire Book of Genesis is setting the stage for the Book of Exodus. Everything that unfolds here leads directly to the descent into Egypt and, ultimately, to redemption.

A worldwide famine strikes, and Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt seeking food. Joseph recognizes them immediately, but they do not recognize him. When Joseph was sold into slavery, he was only seventeen years old. Now, many years later, he stands as a powerful, mature man—the second-in-command to Pharaoh himself.

Joseph now faces a profound moral and spiritual question: Have his brothers changed? Would they do to Benjamin what they once did to him? Have they done teshuvah—true repentance?

To answer this, Joseph puts them to the test. He accuses them of being spies and demands proof of their story. If they truly have another brother back in Canaan, he tells them, they must bring him to Egypt. As was common in the ancient world, Joseph detains one brother—Shimon—as a hostage until they return with Benjamin.

The brothers return home and attempt to convince Jacob to allow Benjamin to go with them. Jacob is devastated. In his mind, Joseph was killed by a wild animal, and he cannot bear the thought of losing Benjamin as well. Perhaps, deep down, he even suspects that Joseph’s disappearance was not entirely accidental.

Reuven tries first to persuade Jacob, offering that if Benjamin is harmed, Jacob may kill Reuven’s sons. Jacob rejects this outright: “My grandsons? Am I to kill my own grandchildren?” Beyond that, Reuven consistently fails to rise to true leadership. Though he is the firstborn, he repeatedly demonstrates poor judgment.

It is Yehudah—Judah—who finally convinces Jacob. Judah offers himself as a guarantor. Jacob recognizes in Judah a natural leader, a man who takes responsibility and stands by his word. The episode of Tamar has already revealed Judah’s moral growth and integrity. Because of this, Jacob trusts him.

Now the stage is set for the final confrontation. The brothers return to Egypt with Benjamin, standing before the viceroy of Egypt—whom they believe to be a foreign ruler, not knowing he is their brother Joseph.

The central question remains: Will they repeat the sin of the past, or have they truly changed?
The answer to that question will determine not only the fate of Joseph’s family, but the future of the Jewish people.

The story of Chanukah is that the Jews refused to be “modern”. They obeyed God’s commandments. They view all people as being in the image of God. The Greeks loved beauty and hated disabled people. This is the reason that Jews were against Greek culture.

The Torah informs us that Joseph’s goal was to see if his brothers would behave toward Benjamin the way they behaved toward him. When he saw that they would not he revealed himself to them.

It is interesting to note that throughout Jewish history, our leaders were not the first born. They were individuals who earned their roles as leaders. That is the secret of success.

Leadership Is Earned, Not Inherited

In this week’s parashah, we’re dealing with complex and painful family dynamics. Reuven assumes he is the leader of the brothers—but it becomes clear that he is not.

Reuven proposes putting Yosef into the pit, planning to return later and save him. His intentions may have been good, but leadership is judged by results, not intentions. While he is absent, the real leader emerges: Yehudah. Yehudah sees a caravan approaching and says, “Why should we kill our brother and gain nothing? Let us sell him into slavery.” The brothers listen to him. That tells us everything.

Reuven believes he is the leader, yet the brothers neither respect him nor follow him. Yehudah, on the other hand, is respected—and leadership naturally follows respect. This is a critical Torah lesson: leadership is not determined by birth order or entitlement.

The Torah repeatedly rejects the idea that status is automatic. David HaMelech was the youngest of his brothers, yet he became king. Shlomo was not the firstborn. Moshe was not the firstborn. Again and again, the Torah teaches that merit—not pedigree—determines leadership.

The Torah is fundamentally merit-based. You earn your position; you are not entitled to it. Being a “nepo baby” gets you nowhere in the Torah worldview. Great parents do not guarantee great children. Wealth, power, or lineage mean nothing without responsibility and character.

We see this throughout history as well. America is full of “rags to riches to rags” stories—one generation builds, the next squanders, because they were never taught how to earn or sustain what they inherited.

There’s a famous story about President Calvin Coolidge. His son once worked on a tobacco farm in Ohio. Another worker said to him, “If my father were president, I wouldn’t be working here.” Coolidge’s son replied, “If your father were Calvin Coolidge, you would.” That’s Torah values in action.

And history gives us darker examples too. Suleiman the Magnificent was one of the greatest Ottoman sultans. His son? Selim II—known to history as Selim the Drunk. Greatness is not hereditary.

The message is clear: who your father is does not determine who you will be. Leadership, respect, and greatness must be earned. The Torah does not reward entitlement—it rewards responsibility.

That’s something worth thinking about.