We all know the story: jealous brothers, a colorful coat, a treacherous sale. But sometimes, the details we gloss over hold the most fascinating secrets. to one particular version of the tale, found in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a remarkable collection of stories and interpretations from the early Middle Ages.
Imagine the scene: Joseph, sent by his father Jacob to check on his brothers, finally finds them. Only, instead of a warm welcome, he’s met with murderous intent. "And he said, I seek my brethren" (Gen. 37:16), Joseph says, unknowingly walking into a trap. As Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer tells it, the angel Gabriel himself is involved in guiding Joseph to his brothers! Talk about divine intervention – or perhaps, divine orchestration of events? "And they saw him afar off" (Gen. 37:18), the Torah tells us, and their hatred boiled over.
But not all the brothers were united in their malice. Reuben, the eldest, steps in, attempting to save Joseph's life. "And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood; cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness" (Gen. 37:22). A pit? A death sentence by slow demise. But Reuben, according to our source, had a plan. He wasn't just banishing Joseph; he was buying him time.
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer adds a beautiful, albeit heartbreaking, detail: Reuben wasn’t just washing his hands of the situation. Instead, he "went and stayed on one of the mountains, so as to go down by night to bring up Joseph out of the pit." Can you picture it? The eldest brother, secretly watching, waiting for the cover of darkness to rescue his younger sibling. He's playing a dangerous game, defying his brothers while attempting a covert rescue.
But fate, as it often does, had other plans. While Reuben was playing the hero on the mountain, the other nine brothers were "sitting down in one place, all of them like one man, with one heart and one plan." The unity of evil can be a terrifying thing. Ishmaelites appear, and the brothers seize the opportunity. "Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and they will lead him to the end of the wilderness, and Jacob will not hear any further report concerning him." And so, Joseph is sold. His fate, seemingly sealed.
What would have happened if Reuben had reached the pit first? Would Joseph's destiny have been averted? It's a tantalizing "what if" that Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer leaves us pondering. The story reminds us that even in the darkest of times, acts of kindness and bravery can flicker, offering a glimmer of hope – even if that hope is ultimately dashed. It also highlights the chilling power of collective malice, and how easily good intentions can be thwarted.