That’s where we find ourselves in the story of Joseph and his brothers.
They'd sold him into slavery, a secret festering between them. Now, facing hardship, their first thought, their driving impulse, was to find JOSEPH. Think about that for a moment. Three long days they scoured the land, even venturing into the seedier parts of the city, a place no respectable person would willingly go. As Legends of the Jews, that incredible compilation of rabbinic stories, tells us, their guilt and regret was a powerful motivator.
Meanwhile, Joseph, now a powerful figure in Egypt, was keeping a close watch. He was in contact with the overseer of the grain distribution center – the very place his brothers should have been. When he learned they hadn't shown up, his suspicions must have grown. After all, he knew their patterns.
So, Joseph dispatched his own servants to find them. But they had no luck. Not in Mizraim, the city of Egypt itself; not in Goshen, the fertile land where they hoped to find sustenance; not even in Raamses, another key location. The brothers seemed to have vanished.
The search intensified. Joseph sent sixteen servants – sixteen! – to conduct a house-to-house search throughout the entire city. And where did they finally find them? In a place of ill-repute. Ginzberg's retelling paints a vivid picture: these once proud shepherds, reduced to hiding in the shadows. They were dragged before their master, their faces etched with fear and shame.
What was Joseph thinking at that moment? What emotions were swirling within him as he saw his brothers, his betrayers, brought before him in such a state? We'll delve deeper into that question as we continue to unravel this incredible story of family, betrayal, and ultimately, redemption. But for now, let's just sit with the weight of that scene, the tension hanging thick in the air, and wonder: what happens next?