When he demanded that Binyamin be brought to Egypt, Yosef also gave his word that he would care for him.
Parashat Vayigash opens with Yehuda’s impassioned plea to the Egyptian vizier – whom he does not yet know is actually Yosef – to allow Binyamin, his youngest brother, to return to Canaan. Yosef had ordered his servant to place his silver goblet in Binyamin’s luggage before the brothers left Egypt to return home, and when the goblet was found in Binyamin’s sack, Yosef demanded that he remain as his slave. Yehuda, who had personally guaranteed his father that he would bring Binyamin home safely (43:9), petitioned the vizier to allow him to remain as a slave in Binyamin’s stead. The basis for his plea was Yaakov’s special affection for Binyamin, and the emotional grief he would suffer if Binyamin did not return home.
One might wonder how Yehuda sought to persuade Yosef to set Binyamin free on this basis. Criminals are punished for their crimes despite the harm this causes to their loved ones. Did Yehuda really feel that the pain Yaakov would suffer was a valid legal argument in defense of Binyamin?
One simple answer, perhaps, is that for this reason Yehuda introduced his plea by saying, “ki khamokha ke-Pharaoh” (“for you are like Pharaoh” – 44:18). A court of law must sentence criminals based on the crime committed, without regard for the impact on the family, because it is bound to the objective application of legal statutes. A king, however, has the power and authority to override legalities and issue rulings based on personal biases. Yehuda therefore told Yosef that as someone with royal authority, he had the power to make exceptions to the legal statutes, and accept Yehuda’s service in place of Binyamin’s, even though Binyamin allegedly committed the crime.
Additionally, however, it seems that Yehuda’s plea was based upon another factor, as well. In recalling the events that led to the current situation, Yehuda reminded Yosef of his demand that the brothers bring Binyamin, and his promise, “asima eini alav” (“I shall keep my eyes on him” – 44:21). Ibn Ezra interprets this phrase as expressing Yosef’s desire to see his brother – meaning, he said, “Bring him so I can see him” – but most commentators understood this promise as referring to care and protection. When he demanded that Binyamin be brought to Egypt, Yosef also gave his word that he would care for him.
The Rashbam (see also Chizkuni) explains why Yehuda recalled this promise: “Even if he committed a crime, it is unbecoming for the land’s ruler to violate his word.” Yehuda essentially told Yosef that Binyamin deserved clemency even from a strictly legal standpoint, since Yosef had promised to take care of him, and this promise remained in force even if Binyamin committed a crime. By committing himself to care for Binyamin, Yosef accepted responsibility for the young man’s wellbeing regardless of the latter’s conduct.
On one level or another, all members of Am Yisrael bear responsibility for each other’s wellbeing. Our joint membership in this special nation requires us to look out for one another and treat each other with love, care and concern. And this commitment is not automatically suspended when a member acts improperly. We all make our share of mistakes and at times fail to live up to our obligations as part of God’s beloved nation. But people’s imperfections do not absolve the others of their responsibilities toward them. A fellow Jew does not have to boast a perfect record, or even a nearly perfect record, to deserve our love, support, assistance and concern. Yehuda noted that it would be unbecoming for a person of Yosef’s stature to scorn Binyamin even after his crime, as he would then be in violation of his commitment. For us, too, as a “kingdom of priests and a sacred nation” (Shemot 19:6), it would be unbecoming to violate our commitment to our fellow Jews, despite their faults and imperfections.
As we read in Parashat Vayigash, Yosef managed to forgive his brothers for their crimes against him, and, in loving fraternal devotion, cared for them and their families during a period of financial hardship. We must learn from Yosef’s inspiring example and show this same level of unconditional commitment and love for our fellow Jews, despite our differences and despite even legitimate grievances.