"They sat to eat bread…" Rabbi Aḥva bar Ze’eira points out something profound here. He says, "The transgression of the tribes is remembered forever; it gave hope to the world." Isn't that incredible? According to this, the very act of the brothers selling Joseph into slavery – a terrible deed – ultimately paved the way for Joseph to become viceroy in Egypt. As viceroy he was in charge of dispensing food during the famine, saving countless lives. As Bereshit Rabbah 84 tells us, "he gave everyone in the world bread to eat." So, a transgression birthed hope. And it gets even more interesting. "And they lifted their eyes and saw…" Rabbi Abba bar Kahana asks a pointed question. Usually, Ishmaelite caravans carried hides and tar – not exactly pleasant cargo. So why spices and balm? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana suggests that God orchestrated this. He provided sacks filled with spices so that the wind would blow through them, providing a pleasant smell to counteract the odor of the Arabs.
The Zohar tells us about the importance of scent and its connection to the spiritual realm. So, this detail isn't just a quirky aside. It speaks to God's active involvement, almost like a divine aromatherapy intervention! According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, it was because the Ishmaelites generally transported foul-smelling substances that God arranged for the caravan to carry pleasant-smelling spices in order to mask the foul, unpleasant odor.
Then comes Judah. Oh, Judah! Genesis 37:26 says, "Judah said to his brothers: What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?" Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai sees this as a moment of praise for Judah. Apparently, in three different instances, Judah steps up, and his brothers essentially crown him as their leader. Bereshit Rabbah highlights these moments: "Judah said to his brothers"; "Judah and his brothers came [.…And Judah said]" (Genesis 44:14) – after Benjamin's little "goblet incident"; and "Judah approached him [and said]" (Genesis 44:18) – when Joseph reveals Benjamin will be his slave. Each time, Judah is the voice of reason, the one taking charge.
Finally, we arrive at the decision to sell Joseph. "Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let our hand not be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh. His brothers heeded him" (Genesis 37:27). It's a cold calculation. The brothers are trying to justify their actions. "Let us adopt the way of the world," they rationalize. They recall the story of Canaan, who, after sinning, was cursed to be a slave. According to Bereshit Rabbah 36:7, Canaan reported Noah’s nakedness to Noah’s sons. They figure, "This one, too, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites." Joseph, they believe, deserves a similar fate because, as Rashi points out, Joseph had slandered his brothers (Genesis 37:2). As we find in Midrash Rabbah, they considered him worthy of a similar fate to that of Canaan.
"His brothers heeded him." And with that, the wheels of fate are set in motion.
So, what do we take away from all this? It’s a story of human fallibility, divine intervention, and the strange, winding path that leads from transgression to redemption. It reminds us that even in the darkest of times, there's a possibility – however slim – that good can emerge. And perhaps, just perhaps, that’s a message worth holding onto.