We are now post-Chanukah, a time filled with inspiration and powerful messages from the many drashos we heard. As we return to the routine of daily life and navigate the cold, dark winter, while the chizzuk and hashpaah from Chanukah still resonate within us, I want to leave us with one final thought that echoes the uplifting themes of this special yom tov.
Chanukah reminded us of the power of cleansing, renewal, and deepening our connection to Hashem. Just a day after its conclusion, let us carry forward the message that the opportunity to cleanse, renew, and refocus on the truth is not confined to specific times. It is always the right time to work on being truthful to ourselves and to Hashem.
In the incredible story of Yosef and the shevatim, when Yosef finally revealed himself to his brothers, he said:
ויאמר יוסף אל אחיו אני יוסף העוד אבי חי ולא יכלו אחיו לענות אתו כי נבהלו מפניו.
Yosef said to his brothers, “I am Yosef. Is my father still alive?” And his brothers could not answer him, because they were alarmed before him.
WHAT WAS YOSEF’S QUESTION?
Both the Netziv and the Beis Halevi raise a fundamental question: The straightforward understanding is that Yosef was genuinely asking out of curiosity about his father’s well-being, wondering if he was still alive.
Yet, from the entire narrative leading up to this moment, particularly Yosef’s interaction with Yehuda, it is abundantly clear that Yaakov was alive. This is especially evident from Bereishis 44:24, where the pasuk explicitly states that Yaakov was alive:
ונעל אל עבדך אבי ונגד לו את דברי אדני.
We went back to your servant, my father, and told him the words of my lord.
If so, what was Yosef truly asking?
YOSEF’S REBUKE
The Netziv addresses this question based on the Gemara Chagiga 4b:
רבי אלעזר כי מטי להאי קרא, בכי: ״ולא יכלו אחיו לענות אתו כי נבהלו מפניו״, ומה תוכחה של בשר ודם כך, תוכחה של הקדוש ברוך הוא — על אחת כמה וכמה.
When Rabbi Elazar reached this verse, he cried: “And his brothers could not answer him, because they were alarmed before him.” He explained his reaction: If the rebuke of a man of flesh and blood was such that the brothers were unable to respond, when it comes to the rebuke of the Holy One, Blessed be He, all the more so.
The Netziv explains that Yosef’s rebuke was hidden within his question, “העוד אבי חי – Is my father still alive?” Yosef was not seeking information, as he already knew that Yaakov was alive. Instead, this question expressed Yosef’s shock and disbelief: “How could my father still be alive after all the anguish and worry you caused him by making me disappear? You knew how much he loved me, yet you disregarded his pain.”
This was Yosef’s way of gently rebuking his brothers. Even if they thought they were justified in selling him, they should have considered the immense suffering their actions would bring upon their father. The brothers, confronted with this unspoken truth, were overwhelmed by fear and shame.
Based on this rebuke of Yosef to the brothers, the Netziv explains the deep emotion, the tears that flowed down Rabbi Elazar’s face when reading this pasuk. Rabbi Elazar cried because he recognized the immense power of Yosef’s rebuke, which left the brothers speechless. If mere words from Yosef – a great tzaddik, but a human being nonetheless – could render them completely speechless from embarrassment and shame, Rabbi Elazar reflected on how much greater and deeper the rebuke will be on the yom hadin hagadol v’hanora, when Hashem confronts each person with the absolute truth of their actions.
The Beis Halevi builds on the Netziv’s explanation, referencing the Medrash Rabbah (93:10), which states:
אבא כהן ברדלא אמר, יוסף קטנן של שבטים היה ולא היו יכולים לעמד בתוכחתו, הדא הוא דכתיב: ולא יכלו אחיו לענות אתו כי נבהלו מפניו, לכשיבוא הקדוש ברוך הוא ויוכיח כל אחד ואחד לפי מה שהוא.
Aba Kohen Bardela said: Yosef was the youngest of the tribes, and they were unable to withstand his rebuke. That is what is written: ‘And his brothers could not answer him because they were alarmed before him.’ When the Holy One, Blessed be He, will come and rebuke each person according to his status, how much greater will that rebuke be.
ANOTHER DIMENSION IN THE REBUKE
The Beis Halevi highlights an additional dimension of Yosef’s rebuke: the contradiction it exposed in the brothers’ actions. Yosef’s words, “העוד אבי חי – Is my father still alive,” not only pointed to the pain they caused their father but also underscored their failure to reconcile their decision with its devastating consequences for Yaakov. While they might have justified selling him based on their own reasoning, they neglected their responsibility to their father and ignored the immense suffering their actions would bring upon him.
Thus, the Beis Halevi amplifies the Netziv’s teaching. The unspoken rebuke embedded in Yosef’s question cut to the core of the brothers’ justification, leaving them with no response. If Yosef, the youngest of the tribes, could deliver a rebuke so piercing that his brothers were left speechless, how much more overwhelming will it be when Hashem, the ultimate Judge, confronts each individual with the undeniable truth of their choices and the full ramifications of their actions.
The Beis Halevi concludes with profound and relevant mussar that we must all deeply reflect upon. While a translation often suffices to convey the message – and we will provide one here – reading the actual words of the Beis Halevi elevates the experience to an entirely different level.
ולמשל מי שאינו נותן צדקה סובר בדעתו שיש לו תירוץ כובד ודוחק הפרנסה וריבוי ההצטרכות של הכרחיות מבני ביתו עד שאין בכחו לפזר על אחרים והגם דאין זה תירוץ מספיק כלל מ״מ קצת תירוץ ודיחוי הוא דהרי אינו לדמות עונש העשיר הקופץ ידו מצדקה לעונש המגיע לעני שאינו נותן צדקה, ואם כן בתירוץ זה הרי יוקל עונשו הרבה. אמנם מראים לו ממעשיו אשר במקום אחר פיזר הרבה ממון עבור דבר שאינו הגון כמו להשיג איזה תאוה האסורה או כבוד או עבור מחלוקת וכמה ממון מפזר ללמד לבנו דברים אינם הגונים ומדוע בעסק העבירה לא עצרוהו כובד הפרנסה ונסתר בזה התירוץ ויוגדל עונשם כפלים, וזהו שאמר במדרש ויוכיח לכל אחד לפי מה שהוא דהתוכחה יהיה לכל אחד ממעשיו.
For example, a person who refrains from giving tzedakah might justify their behavior by claiming financial constraints and the numerous essential needs of their household. They feel they cannot afford to give to others. While this is not a fully valid excuse, it might be seen as a partial justification. After all, one would not equate the judgment of a wealthy individual who refuses to give charity with that of a financially struggling person who does not give. In such a case, this reasoning might seem to reduce their culpability and lead to a lighter judgment.
However, when the time comes for judgment, this person will be confronted with their own actions – instances where they freely spent large sums of money on improper or non-essential matters, such as indulging in forbidden desires, pursuing personal honor, engaging in disputes, or teaching their children inappropriate values. Why, in these situations, were financial constraints not a barrier? This contradiction undermines their excuse, revealing its insincerity, and results in their punishment being doubled.
This is the meaning of the Midrash’s statement: “ויוכיח כל אחד ואחד לפי מה שהוא – Hashem will rebuke each individual according to their actions.” The rebuke emerges from their own deeds, exposing the truth and magnifying their responsibility.
The Netziv and Beis Halevi derive a profound mussar lesson from Yosef’s question, “העוד אבי חי.” Yosef wasn’t just inquiring about his father’s health; he was rebuking his brothers for the pain they caused Yaakov by selling him, despite Yaakov’s unchanging love for Yosef. The Beis Halevi teaches that we often justify our actions with excuses, but upon closer reflection, we see how inconsistent and unjustified they can be. Yosef’s words remind us to examine our behavior and its impact, especially on those we love. In all areas of life, including time management, dedication to Torah, family life, charity, or chesed, we must act with responsibility and care. Though we may have excuses that seem valid, we must remember that there is a Day of Judgment when Hashem will see the full picture and hold us accountable. As we move forward, especially after Chanukah, when we purified and ignited ourselves for the King, let us remember we are here to serve the King. In all our actions and choices, יש דין ויש דיין. Let us strive to align our actions consistently, contradiction-free, with the one gold standard: Ratzon Hashem.
