(ל) וְעַתָּ֗ה כְּבֹאִי֙ אֶל־עַבְדְּךָ֣ אָבִ֔י וְהַנַּ֖עַר אֵינֶ֣נּוּ אִתָּ֑נוּ וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹ קְשׁוּרָ֥הבְנַפְשֽׁוֹ׃
(30) “Now, if I come to your servant my father and the boy is not with us, and his own soul is so bound up with his soul—
(יח)וַיִּגַּ֨שׁ אֵלָ֜יו יְהוּדָ֗ה וַיֹּ֘אמֶר֮ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִי֒ יְדַבֶּר־נָ֨א עַבְדְּךָ֤ דָבָר֙ בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י וְאַל־יִ֥חַר אַפְּךָ֖ בְּעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֥י כָמ֖וֹךָ כְּפַרְעֹֽה׃
(18) Then Yehudah (Judah) came close to him and said, “Excuse me, my lord, let your servant please speak to the ear to my lord, and do not be angry with your servant, you who are like Pharaoh.
(ד) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יוֹסֵ֧ף אֶל־אֶחָ֛יו גְּשׁוּ־נָ֥א אֵלַ֖י וַיִּגָּ֑שׁוּ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֲנִי֙ יוֹסֵ֣ף אֲחִיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־מְכַרְתֶּ֥ם אֹתִ֖י מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃
(4) Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” And when they came forward, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, he whom you sold into Egypt.
(יב) וְאִֽם־יִתְקְפוֹ֙ הָאֶחָ֔ד הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם יַעַמְד֣וּ נֶגְדּ֑וֹ וְהַחוּט֙ הַֽמְשֻׁלָּ֔שׁ לֹ֥א בִמְהֵרָ֖ה יִנָּתֵֽק׃
(12) Also, if one attacks, two can stand up to him. A threefold cord is not readily broken!
(יא) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוּדָה֩ לְתָמָ֨ר כַּלָּת֜וֹ שְׁבִ֧י אַלְמָנָ֣ה בֵית־אָבִ֗יךְ עַד־יִגְדַּל֙ שֵׁלָ֣ה בְנִ֔י כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר פֶּן־יָמ֥וּת גַּם־ה֖וּא כְּאֶחָ֑יו וַתֵּ֣לֶךְ תָּמָ֔ר וַתֵּ֖שֶׁב בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽיהָ׃(יב) וַיִּרְבּוּ֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים וַתָּ֖מׇת בַּת־שׁ֣וּעַ אֵֽשֶׁת־יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם יְהוּדָ֗ה ...(יג) וַיֻּגַּ֥ד לְתָמָ֖ר לֵאמֹ֑ר הִנֵּ֥ה חָמִ֛יךְ עֹלֶ֥ה תִמְנָ֖תָה לָגֹ֥ז צֹאנֽוֹ׃(יד) וַתָּ֩סַר֩ בִּגְדֵ֨י אַלְמְנוּתָ֜הּ מֵֽעָלֶ֗יהָ וַתְּכַ֤ס בַּצָּעִיף֙ וַתִּתְעַלָּ֔ף וַתֵּ֙שֶׁב֙ בְּפֶ֣תַח עֵינַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־דֶּ֣רֶךְ תִּמְנָ֑תָה כִּ֤י רָאֲתָה֙ כִּֽי־גָדַ֣ל שֵׁלָ֔ה וְהִ֕וא לֹֽא־נִתְּנָ֥ה ל֖וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃(טו) וַיִּרְאֶ֣הָ יְהוּדָ֔ה וַֽיַּחְשְׁבֶ֖הָ לְזוֹנָ֑ה כִּ֥י כִסְּתָ֖ה פָּנֶֽיהָ׃
(11) Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Stay as a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up”—for he thought, “He too might die like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s house.(12) A long time afterward, Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died. And Judah was comforted,...(13) And Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is coming up to Timnah for the sheepshearing.”(14) And she put aside her widow’s clothes from her, covered her face with a veil, and, wrapping herself up, sat down at the entrance to Einaim, on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, yet she had not been given to him as wife.(15) When Judah saw her, he took her for a harlot; for she had covered her face....
(יח) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מָ֣ה הָעֵֽרָבוֹן֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶתֶּן־לָךְ֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר חֹתָֽמְךָ֙ וּפְתִילֶ֔ךָ וּמַטְּךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וַיִּתֶּן־לָ֛הּ וַיָּבֹ֥א אֵלֶ֖יהָ וַתַּ֥הַר לֽוֹ׃
(18) And he said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your seal and rope, and the staff which you carry.” So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she conceived by him.
(כה) הִ֣וא מוּצֵ֗את וְהִ֨יא שָׁלְחָ֤ה אֶל־חָמִ֙יהָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְאִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁר־אֵ֣לֶּה לּ֔וֹ אָנֹכִ֖י הָרָ֑ה וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַכֶּר־נָ֔א לְמִ֞י הַחֹתֶ֧מֶת וְהַפְּתִילִ֛ים וְהַמַּטֶּ֖ה הָאֵֽלֶּה׃(כו) וַיַּכֵּ֣ר יְהוּדָ֗ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ צָֽדְקָ֣ה מִמֶּ֔נִּי כִּֽי־עַל־כֵּ֥ן לֹא־נְתַתִּ֖יהָ לְשֵׁלָ֣ה בְנִ֑י וְלֹֽא־יָסַ֥ף ע֖וֹד לְדַעְתָּֽהּ׃
(25) As she was being brought out, she sent this message to her father-in-law, To the man to whom these belong that I’m pregnant.” And she said, “ these: Recognize these (?) whose seal and rope and staff are these?”(26) Judah recognized them, and said, “She is more in the right than I, as I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not add to knowing her again.
When my child came into this world she didn't rock mine or turn it upside down but flipped it inside out, it felt not like a burning fire but like a new chamber opening in my heart. A fourth dimension....
The humanizing of Yehudah had everything to do with the birth and loss of his sons. His admission of a hidden act with Tamar, taking responsibility sets the stage for his stepping forward to Joseph. He is able to have EMPATHY "em- pathos" to be with someone in their suffering, and make it impossible to break his father's heart is not broken again. To really love is to risk loss. Perhaps that's why Jacob cried when he kissed Rachel. It is why Joseph cried, for all he had lost, and was his to regain. The ultimate cord of connection, the umbilical cord, never really completely d i s a p p e a r s.
(כד) וְהֵשִׁ֤יב לֵב־אָבוֹת֙ עַל־בָּנִ֔ים וְלֵ֥ב בָּנִ֖ים עַל־אֲבוֹתָ֑ם ...
(24) G8d will return the heart of parents up to children and children up to their parents, .....Lo, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before the coming of the awesome, fearful day of GOD.
ויגש אליו יהודה. במדרש בני אם ערבת כו' רש"י פי' ערבת לרעך זה הקב"ה כו' כענין שכ' משביעין אותו תהי צדיק. שהאדם ערב על הנשמה בת מלך להחזירה לאביו שבשמים. ... עכ"ז ע"י מתשובה מעומקא דלבא איך אעלה אל אבי כו'. נהפך עונות לזכיות ונאר אני יוסף כו'. ואף שאין יודעין להבין היטב איך נתהפך החטא לזכות. רק כח הפועל בנפעל. וכמו שמהפך אדם לבו לשוב בתשובה כן נהפכין כל הפעולות שפעל בחטאיו. ובאמת בני ישראל שהם חלק יהוה ונחלתו ואע"פ שחטא ישראל הוא לכן יכול להתחזק לגשת לכח אלהי אשר נסתר בקרבו. וע"ז נאמר ויגש אליו לעצמותו.ונאמר בי אדוני וכבר כתבנו מזה. אך שיהיה המבוקש רק לש"ש. וז"ש ידבר נא עבדך שכל המבוקש לקרב לבו לשמים להתנהג עפ"י דרך המלך ושיוכל להוציא דבורים לפני אדון כל. וכשמברר האדם זה המכוון באמיתיות לבו. אף שנתלכלך בחטא יכול למצוא פתח התשובה:
"And Yehuda came close to him…" (Bereishit 44:18). The Midrash (Rabba 93:2) explains the verse, "If you provided surety for your friend" (Mishlei 6:1-3), as referring to Hashem. Rashi elucidates that each person is a guarantor for his neshama, tasked with returning it to its Father in heaven. ..., true teshuva from the depths of one's heart can transform sins into merits, as seen when Yehuda’s repentance led Yosef to reveal himself. While we might not fully understand how sins convert into merits, this transformation is due to the divine influence within us. Just as one turns their heart back to Hashem, so too do their sinful actions transform (Mida keneged mida).
Bnei Yisrael, being part of Hashem, retain their identity even when they sin, granting them the strength to approach the divine essence hidden within. This is reflected in the phrase "And he approached him," meaning Yehuda approached his own internal Godliness. Yehuda’s plea, "Bi Adoni," can be interpreted as "Hashem is in me." It is essential that one's desire be solely for the sake of Heaven. Yehuda’s words, "Let your servant speak," signify that all intentions should align with royal manners, enabling one to speak to the Master of the Universe. When one clarifies this intention genuinely, even if tainted by sin, they can find a way to return to Hashem.
כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה יוֹסֵף שֶׁהָיְתָה לָהֶם בּוּשָׁה גְדוֹלָה, אָמַר לָהֶן, גְּשׁוּ נָא אֵלַי, וַיִּגָּשׁוּ. וְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד הָיָה מְנַשְּׁקוֹ וּבוֹכֶה עָלָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְנַשֵּׁק לְכָל אֶחָיו וַיֵּבְךְִ עֲלֵיהֶם. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁלֹּא פִיֵּס יוֹסֵף אֶת אֶחָיו אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ בִּכְיָה, כָּךְ כְּשֶׁיִּגְאַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִתּוֹךְ בִּכְיָה הוּא גוֹאֲלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בִּבְכִי יָבֹאוּ וּבְתַחֲנוּנִים אוֹבִילֵם אוֹלִיכֵם אֶל נַחֲלֵי מַיִם בְּדֶרֶךְ יָשָׁר לֹא יִכָּשְׁלוּ בָּהּ כִּי הָיִיתִי לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְאָב וְאֶפְרַיִם בְּכֹרִי הוּא (ירמיה לא, ח).
When Joseph saw that they were extremely embarrassed, he said to them: Come near to me, I pray you (Gen. 45:4). As each one of them approached, he kissed him and wept with him, as is said: And he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them (ibid., v. 15). Just as Joseph comforted his brothers while they were weeping, so the Holy One, blessed be He, will redeem Israel while she weeps, as it is said: They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them; I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble (Jer. 31:9).
(א) שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת בְּשׁ֣וּב יהוה אֶת־שִׁיבַ֣ת צִיּ֑וֹן הָ֝יִ֗ינוּ כְּחֹלְמִֽים׃(ב) אָ֤ז יִמָּלֵ֪א שְׂח֡וֹק פִּינוּ֮ וּלְשׁוֹנֵ֢נוּ רִ֫נָּ֥ה אָ֭ז יֹאמְר֣וּ בַגּוֹיִ֑ם הִגְדִּ֥יל יהוה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת עִם־אֵֽלֶּה׃(ג) הִגְדִּ֣יל יהוה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת עִמָּ֗נוּ הָיִ֥ינוּ שְׂמֵחִֽים׃(ד) שׁוּבָ֣ה יהוה אֶת־[שְׁבִיתֵ֑נוּ] (שבותנו) כַּאֲפִיקִ֥ים בַּנֶּֽגֶב׃(ה) הַזֹּרְעִ֥ים בְּדִמְעָ֗ה בְּרִנָּ֥ה יִקְצֹֽרוּ׃(ו) הָ֘ל֤וֹךְ יֵלֵ֨ךְ ׀ וּבָכֹה֮ נֹשֵׂ֢א מֶשֶׁךְ־הַ֫זָּ֥רַע בֹּא־יָבֹ֥א בְרִנָּ֑ה נֹ֝שֵׂ֗א אֲלֻמֹּתָֽיו׃ {פ}
(1) A song of ascents. When the HavaYah restores the fortunes of Zion we are as dreamers (2) our mouths shall be filled with laughter, our tongues, with songs of joy. Then shall they say among the nations,“G8d has done great things for them!”G8d will do great things for us and we will be joyful.(4) Return our captives (fortunes?), HavaYah, like watercourses in the Negev.(5) The ones who plant seeds (watered) in tears shall harvest with shouts of joy.(6) He goes along crying as he walks, lifting the seed-bag; he will surely come (back) with shouts of joy, lifting his sheaves.
