Let’s talk about Joseph, and that infamous pit.

The story begins with Jacob's sons, out tending their father's flocks near Shechem. They were gone a long time, and Jacob, naturally, started to worry. He was concerned about his sons' safety and the welfare of his livestock – because, as the story reminds us, it’s a duty to care for anything that provides for you. So, he sends Joseph to check on them. Even though Jacob knew full well how much his other sons resented Joseph.

As Ginzberg retells it in Legends of the Jews, this willingness of Joseph to go, despite knowing the danger, later haunted Jacob. "Thou didst know the hatred of thy brethren, and yet thou didst say, Here am I." Ouch.

Jacob, perhaps sensing something amiss, tells Joseph to travel only during the day. He says, "Go now, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flock; and send me word." It’s almost a prophecy, isn’t it? As the story goes, he didn't say he expected to see Joseph again, only to hear from him.

Now, why all this indirectness? According to the narrative, it's all part of God's plan. The story is setting up the events that will lead Jacob and his family down into Egypt. You see, since the "covenant of the pieces" – that dramatic moment where God revealed the future to Abraham – God had decided that Jacob's descendants would end up in Egypt. And Joseph's being sold into slavery? Well, that was just God's way of making it happen, instead of, say, directly dragging Jacob down there as a captive.

Joseph arrives in Shechem, a place already associated with bad omens for Jacob's family – remember the story of Dinah? Finding no one there, he wanders into the wilderness. It's here that he meets Gabriel, appearing as a man. Gabriel asks, "What seekest thou?" Joseph answers, "I seek my brethren."

Gabriel's reply is… chilling. "Thy brethren have given up the Divine qualities of love and mercy." He reveals that they’ve moved on to Dothan, having learned that the Hivites were planning to attack them. But there's more. Gabriel says he overheard "behind the curtain that veils the Divine throne" that the Egyptian bondage was about to begin, and Joseph would be the first to be subjected to it!

Talk about a loaded encounter.

So, Joseph finds his brothers in Dothan, and they see him coming from afar. That's when the conspiracy begins. They plot to kill him. Legends of the Jews, drawing from various Midrashic sources, paints a vivid picture of their hatred. They even considered setting dogs on him!

Simon, fueled by jealousy and perhaps a bit of fear, says to Levi, "Behold, the master of dreams cometh… Let us slay him, that we may see what will become of his dreams." But God, as always, has the last word. "Ye say, We shall see what will become of his dreams, and I say likewise, We shall see, and the future shall show whose word will stand, yours or Mine."

As Simon and Gad move to attack, Joseph pleads for his life, reminding them of their father, Jacob. According to Ginzberg, his words touched Zebulon, who began to weep with him. Reuben steps in, proposing an alternative: "Let us not slay him, but let us cast him into one of the dry pits."

Now, here's where the divine orchestration gets really interesting. The pits were dry because God had prevented water from filling them, specifically so Joseph could be rescued later! Reuben, as the eldest, felt responsible and also grateful to Joseph for including him in his dream of the sun, moon, and stars. He planned to rescue Joseph later, hoping it would atone for a past transgression against Jacob.

Reuben's plan is foiled, but the story tells us he’s still rewarded for his good intentions. As he was the first to attempt to save Joseph, the city of Bezer in the tribe of Reuben was the first city of refuge. Furthermore, God tells Reuben that Hosea, one of his descendants, would be the first to lead Israel back to God.

The brothers agree to Reuben's plan. Simon seizes Joseph and throws him into a pit, which, to make matters worse, was filled with snakes and scorpions, with another pit full of waste nearby. Some accounts even say Simon threw stones at him!

Despite all this, Joseph later shows remarkable forgiveness towards Simon. When Simon is held hostage in Egypt, Joseph makes sure he receives special treatment.

Before throwing him in, they strip Joseph of his iconic coat of many colors. But miraculously, the snakes and scorpions can't harm him. God hears his cries, keeping the reptiles hidden. From the depths of the pit, Joseph cries out, "O my brethren, what have I done unto you?… Am I not flesh of your flesh, and bone of your bone?"

To avoid hearing his pleas, the brothers move away. Only Zebulon shows pity, fasting for two days in grief.

The brothers then decide to kill Joseph after they finish eating. But Judah intervenes, saying, "What profit is it if we slay our brother? Rather will the punishment of God descend upon us." He suggests selling Joseph to a passing group of Ishmaelites on their way to Egypt.

So, there you have it. Joseph in the pit. A story of betrayal, jealousy, and divine intervention. It's easy to focus on the cruelty of Joseph’s brothers, but maybe the real takeaway is about the bigger picture: that even in the darkest of pits, a larger plan might be unfolding. And that even the most terrible acts can be part of something… inevitable.

What do you think? Is it comforting to believe that everything happens for a reason, even when that reason is beyond our understanding? Or is it a dangerous idea that excuses terrible behavior? Maybe the truth lies somewhere in between.