That’s the kind of secret we’re diving into today, a painful moment ripped from the story of Joseph and his brothers.

We find ourselves in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Chapter 38, a fascinating text that fills in the gaps in the Torah's narrative. It’s a kind of midrash, if you will, expanding on the original story to give us a richer, more nuanced understanding.

Remember the scene? Joseph, the favored son, is thrown into a pit by his jealous brothers. A terrible act, born of envy and resentment. But what happened next? The Torah tells us the brothers sold Joseph into slavery and then showed their father, Jacob, Joseph's bloodied coat, leading him to believe his beloved son was dead, torn apart by wild beasts.

But Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer gives us a glimpse behind the curtain. It tells us that Reuben, the eldest brother, had a change of heart. He went down to the pit at night, intending to rescue Joseph. Imagine the scene: the darkness, the fear, the weight of his brothers' actions. But when he arrived, Joseph was gone.

"Ye have slain Joseph," Reuben cries out in despair, adding "and I, whither shall I go?" He knows what this means for his father. And the brothers confessed.

Then comes the truly heartbreaking part. The brothers had proclaimed a cherem (חֵרֶם), a ban, forbidding anyone to reveal what they had done. And Reuben, hearing this ban, remained silent. This is where the story takes a truly devastating turn. Because of this ban, even the Holy One, blessed be He, didn't reveal the truth to Jacob. "He sheweth his word unto Jacob" (Psalm 147:19). God reveals his word, his truth, to Jacob. But not this time. The ban was so powerful, so binding, that it blocked even divine intervention.

And so, Jacob is left to believe the lie. "Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces" (Genesis 37:33), he laments, a father's heart shattered by a deception fueled by silence.

What does this tell us? Perhaps it speaks to the immense power of secrets, the way they can fester and poison relationships, even severing connections to something greater. It reminds us that sometimes, the most damaging thing we can do is remain silent, even when speaking the truth feels impossible. It also shows how human actions can, in a way, impact the divine flow of information, so to speak.

The story of Joseph is filled with incredible twists and turns, moments of betrayal and redemption. But in this small detail from Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, we see the devastating impact of silence, and the enduring pain of a father who never knew the truth. It leaves you wondering: What secrets are we keeping, and what are they costing us?