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UN PENSAMIENTO SOBRE PARSHAT VAYIGASH 5786

Introduction: When Garments Tell a Story

The story of Joseph is woven together with powerful symbols, and few are as striking as clothing. Garments in Joseph’s narrative are never mere fabric; they represent love and favoritism, humiliation and shame, repentance and forgiveness. From the ketonet passim (striped coat) to the torn garments of the brothers and finally to the new clothes Joseph bestows upon them, clothing traces a moral and spiritual journey that culminates in reconciliation.

The striped Coat: Love That Divides

“Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children… and he made him a coat of many stripes.”
(Genesis 37:3)

Jacob’s gift of the coat was a public declaration of love and favoritism. While rooted in affection—Joseph was the son of Jacob’s old age—it had devastating consequences. The coat became a visible symbol of inequality, setting Joseph apart from his brothers.

The Torah immediately records the result:

“And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him.”
(Genesis 37:4)

Or HaChaim explains that the brothers’ jealousy was intensified not only by Joseph’s actions, but by Jacob’s open favoritism, embodied in this special garment. Clothing here becomes a catalyst for division.

Rabbeinu Bachya offers a surprising insight: the brothers’ inability to speak peacefully with Joseph may reflect honesty rather than hypocrisy. Drawing on Bereshit Rabbah, he contrasts their open hostility with the danger of false flattery, citing Proverbs 29:5 and the conduct of Avshalom toward Amnon. Even at this early stage, the Torah invites us to think deeply about integrity and truth.

Joseph’s Shame: Stripped of Dignity

The symbolism of clothing darkens when the brothers act on their hatred:

“They stripped Joseph of his coat, the coat of many stripes that was on him.”
(Genesis 37:23)

Chazal teach that Joseph was left naked in the pit. The removal of the coat was more than an act of violence, it was an assault on his dignity. Once elevated by the garment, Joseph now stands humiliated, exposed, and powerless.

In this moment, clothing marks Joseph’s descent from favored son to vulnerable captive. The coat that once distinguished him is now gone, and with it, his protection and status.

The Brothers’ Shame: Torn Garments

Years later, the symbolism reverses. When the silver cup is found in Benjamin’s sack, the brothers experience crushing despair:

“And they rent their clothes.”
(Genesis 44:13)

Torn garments in the Torah express grief, shock, and repentance. Now it is the brothers who stand in shame, before Joseph, though they do not yet recognize him. The men who once stripped another of his dignity now rend their own clothes in anguish.

Measure for measure (middah keneged middah), the symbolism comes full circle.

This teaches us why we all need to be very cautious about our behavior with others and not to hurt anyone.

Forgiveness and Restoration: New Garments

The emotional climax arrives when Joseph reveals himself:

“I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt… Be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves.”
(Genesis 45:4–5)

Joseph reframes the entire story through the lens of Divine providence. What appeared to be betrayal and cruelty was, in truth, part of G‑d’s plan to preserve life. Or HaChaim emphasizes that Joseph saw beyond human actions to the guiding hand of Heaven.

This forgiveness is given tangible expression:

“To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment.”
(Genesis 45:22)

The Alshekh explains that these new clothes symbolize atonement and reconciliation. Where clothing once caused jealousy and shame, it now becomes a vehicle for healing. Joseph does not merely forgive in words, he restores his brothers’ dignity.

Trust in G‑d: The Source of Joseph’s Strength

Joseph’s ability to forgive is rooted in unwavering faith. Betrayed by his brothers, enslaved, falsely accused, and imprisoned, he never abandons trust in G‑d’s plan:

“And G‑d sent me before you… to save you alive for a great deliverance.”
(Genesis 45:7)

Joseph teaches that true faith allows a person to transcend personal pain. Rather than viewing suffering as a goal in itself, he understands it as a meaningful stage within a larger spiritual journey. By interpreting his suffering as purposeful, whether as spiritual refinement or preparation for a higher calling, he transforms potential bitterness into compassion. In this way, suffering becomes not an end, but a catalyst for inner growth and moral maturity.

A Lesson for Us

Joseph’s story challenges us to reconsider how we respond to injustice and hardship. Instead of anger or resentment, we are called to cultivate bitachon—trust that everything G‑d does is ultimately for the good.

Forgiveness does not deny the pain of the past; it redeems it. Joseph’s greatness lies not only in his rise to power, but in his moral clarity and spiritual resilience.

A Circle of Symbolism

The narrative forms a powerful symbolic cycle:

  1. The striped coat – a gift that provokes jealousy.
  2. Joseph stripped – humiliation and loss of dignity.
  3. The brothers’ torn garments – shame and repentance.
  4. New clothing – forgiveness and restoration.

Clothing, which once divided the family, ultimately becomes the means through which unity is restored.

Conclusion: From Fabric to Faith

The story of Joseph teaches that even experiences of shame and loss can be transformed into sources of growth and reconciliation. Through faith in G‑d and the courage to forgive, Joseph repairs what was broken and restores harmony within his family.

In the end, the garments are no longer symbols of favoritism or despair—but of healing, dignity, and hope.

Por Angelique Sijbolts
Gracias al rabino Moshe Bernstein por sus comentarios.





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