The City of Brotherly Love
Brotherly love. Doesn’t this phrase make you feel warm and fuzzy inside? What could be more inspiring and uplifting than brothers getting along with each other. There is actually a city in the U.S. that is nicknamed “The City of Brotherly Love.” Can you guess which city that is? I will give you a hint. It is the same city that had the second-highest murder rate among the 10 largest U.S. cities this year, a.k.a. Philadelphia! Yes, I too am wondering how the nickname fits such a city full of danger.
On the topic of brotherly love, it would be impossible to not mention the incredible story of Yosef HaTzaddik and his brothers. What began as brotherly hate in the end took a positive turn and became brotherly love. Just a few Parshios ago, we learned about the tremendous jealousy and hatred that the brothers of Yosef possessed. Slowly but surely, however, they came to the realization that their long-lost brother, Yosef, deserved love and connection, not hate and disconnection. It is in this week’s Parshah, Parshas Vayigash, when the two sides finally merge; the brothers unite with Yosef.
Yosef reveals his true identity to his brothers, and feeling scared and nervous, the brothers slowly back away. In Chapter 45, Verse 5, Yosef tells his brothers: "ועתה אל תעצבו" – “And now, do not be sad!” When brothers unite and there is שלום in a family, it is a NOT a time to be sad, but rather it is a time to be happy and joyful. In fact, the gematria of ועתה אל תעצבו is 1080, the same as אוהב שלום ורודף שלום (עם האותיות ועם הכולל)!
Let us take a closer look at the words of Yosef: "ועתה אל תעצבו" – “And now, do not be sad!” The word "ועתה" means “And NOW.” When read together with the other words, the translation is: “And NOW do not be sad.” But, it sounds like at some later time, it would be an appropriate time to be sad.
Perhaps Yosef was telling his brothers that specifically now – when there was unity and togetherness amongst the brothers – it is not a time to be sad. However, if there would ever be a time later on in history when the Jewish brothers are not living with unity, harmony, and שלום, then that would be a time to be עצב, or sad.
Shockingly a mere 9 verses later in the Torah, in Chapter 45, Verse 14, the Torah says: "ויפל על צוארי בנימן אחיו ויבך" – “And he (Yosef) fell on the neck of Binyamin his brother and cried.” Rashi tells us that this crying of Yosef on the neck of Binyamin was an allusion to the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash which was in the portion of land belonging to Binyamin!
We know all too well why the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed: שנאת חנם. There was baseless hatred amongst brothers. There was tremendous disunity; a lack of שלום.
Remarkably, the beginning letters of "על צוארי בנימן" spells עצב, which means, sad. Yosef says, “Right now – when there is brotherly love and unity – is not a time to be sad, but later in history – by the חורבן – when that brotherly love will be missing, that is certainly going to be in the realm of sad.”
Mashiach is almost here. The Third Beis Hamikdash is almost here. The world today has so much disunity and hatred. But let us take the message of the Torah to heart and realize the importance of brotherly love. Let us love one another, respect one another, and have brotherly love for one another.
Have an amazing Shabbos!!