MiKeitz: Of Mobs and Minyanim Continued

ByRabbi Ruhi Sophia Rubenstein

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶך הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲסוֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה

בְּרוּךֶ אַתֶה חֲוָיָה שְׁכִינּוּ רוּחַ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדַשְׁתַנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתֶיהֶ וְצִוְתָנוּ לַעֲסוֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה

בְּרוּכָה אַתְּ יָהּ אֱלֹהָתֵינוּ רוּחַ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קֵרְבָתְנוּ לַעֲבוֹדָתָהּ וְצִוְתָנוּ לַעֲסוֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה

Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha’olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu la’asok b’divrei Torah

Nonbinary Hebrew Project:

B’rucheh ateh Khavayah Shekhinu ruach ha’olam asher kidash’tanu b’mitzvotei’he v’tziv’tanu la’asok b’divrei Torah

Feminine God Language:

Brukhah at Ya Elohateinu ruach ha’olam asher keir’vat’nu la’avodatah v’tziv’tavnu la’asok b’divrei Torah

בראשית מ״ב:א׳-ה׳

וַיַּ֣רְא יַעֲקֹ֔ב כִּ֥י יֶשׁ־שֶׁ֖בֶר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַעֲקֹב֙ לְבָנָ֔יו לָ֖מָּה תִּתְרָאֽוּ׃ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּ֣ה שָׁמַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֥י יֶשׁ־שֶׁ֖בֶר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם רְדוּ־שָׁ֙מָּה֙ וְשִׁבְרוּ־לָ֣נוּ מִשָּׁ֔ם וְנִחְיֶ֖ה וְלֹ֥א נָמֽוּת׃ וַיֵּרְד֥וּ אֲחֵֽי־יוֹסֵ֖ף עֲשָׂרָ֑ה לִשְׁבֹּ֥ר בָּ֖ר מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ וְאֶת־בִּנְיָמִין֙ אֲחִ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף לֹא־שָׁלַ֥ח יַעֲקֹ֖ב אֶת־אֶחָ֑יו כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר פֶּן־יִקְרָאֶ֖נּוּ אָסֽוֹן׃ וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִשְׁבֹּ֖ר בְּת֣וֹךְ הַבָּאִ֑ים כִּֽי־הָיָ֥ה הָרָעָ֖ב בְּאֶ֥רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן׃

Genesis 42:1-5

When Jacob saw that there were food rations to be had in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you keep looking at one another? Now I hear,” he went on, “that there are rations to be had in Egypt. Go down and procure rations for us there, that we may live and not die.” So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to get grain rations in Egypt; for Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, since he feared that he might meet with disaster. Thus the sons of Israel were among those who came to procure rations, for the famine extended to the land of Canaan.

רש"י על בראשית מ״ב:ג׳:ב׳

עשרה. מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר, וַהֲלֹא כְתִיב וְאֶת בִּנְיָמִין אֲחִי יוֹסֵף לֹא שָׁלַח? אֶלָּא לְעִנְיַן הָאַחְוָה הָיוּ חֲלוּקִין לְי' שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה אַהֲבַת כֻּלָּם וְשִׂנְאַת כֻּלָּם שָׁוָה לוֹ; אֲבָל לְעִנְיַן לִשְׁבֹּר בָּר כֻּלָּם לֵב אֶחָד לָהֶם (בראשית רבה):

Rashi on Genesis 42:3:2

עשרה TEN — What is the mention of this number intended to tell us? Is it not written (Genesis 42:4) “but Benjamin, Joseph’s brother did he not send” (and we therefore know that only ten brothers went to Egypt)? But it means to suggest that so far as their feeling of brotherhood towards Joseph was concerned they were divided into ten, because the love and hatred that all of them bore him were not alike, where as in regard to buying corn they were at one and united (Genesis Rabbah 91:2).

רש"י על בראשית מ״ב:ה׳:א׳

בתוך הבאים. מַטְמִינִין עַצְמָם שֶׁלֹּא יַכִּירוּם, לְפִי שֶׁצִּוָּה לָהֶם אֲבִיהֶם שֶׁלֹּא יִתְרָאוּ כֻּלָּם בְּפֶתַח א', אֶלָּא שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס כָּל א' בְּפִתְחוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תִּשְׁלֹט בָּהֶם עַיִן הָרָע, שֶׁכֻּלָּם נָאִים וְכֻלָּם גִּבּוֹרִים:

Rashi on Genesis 42:5:1

בתוך הבאים AMONG THOSE THAT CAME — They hid themselves in the crowd that people should not recognize them, for their father had bidden them not to show themselves all at one entrance to the city but that each should enter by a different gate in order that the evil eye should not have power over them (i.e. that they should not attract the envious attention of the people) for they were all handsome and stalwart men (Midrash Tanchuma 1.:10:6).

ויקרא כ״ב:ל״א-ל״ג

(לא) וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ מִצְוֺתַ֔י וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃ (לב) וְלֹ֤א תְחַלְּלוּ֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם קׇדְשִׁ֔י וְנִ֨קְדַּשְׁתִּ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם׃ (לג) הַמּוֹצִ֤יא אֶתְכֶם֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִהְי֥וֹת לָכֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִ֑ים אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}

Leviticus 22:31-33

(31) You shall faithfully observe My commandments: I am יהוה. (32) You shall not profane My holy name, that I may be sanctified in the midst of the Israelite people—I יהוה who sanctify you, (33) I who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God, I יהוה.

במדבר י״ד:כ״ו-כ״ח

(כו) וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר׃ (כז) עַד־מָתַ֗י לָעֵדָ֤ה הָֽרָעָה֙ הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֛ר הֵ֥מָּה מַלִּינִ֖ים עָלָ֑י אֶת־תְּלֻנּ֞וֹת בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵ֧מָּה מַלִּינִ֛ים עָלַ֖י שָׁמָֽעְתִּי׃ (כח) אֱמֹ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם חַי־אָ֙נִי֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה אִם־לֹ֕א כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּרְתֶּ֖ם בְּאׇזְנָ֑י כֵּ֖ן אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה לָכֶֽם׃

Numbers 14:26-28

(26) יהוה spoke further to Moses and Aaron, (27) “How much longer shall that wicked community keep muttering against Me? Very well, I have heeded the incessant muttering of the Israelites against Me. (28) Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says יהוה, ‘I will do to you just as you have urged Me.

בראשית רבה צ״א:ג׳

וַיָּבֹאוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִשְׁבֹּר וגו' (בראשית מב, ה), וּמִנַּיִן לְעֵדָה שֶׁהִיא עֲשָׂרָה, רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן (במדבר לה, כד): עֵדָה, וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (במדבר יד, כז): עַד מָתַי לָעֵדָה הָרָעָה, מָה עֵדָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לְהַלָּן עֲשָׂרָה, אַף עֵדָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כָּאן עֲשָׂרָה. אָמַר רַבִּי סִימוֹן, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן (ויקרא כב, לב): תּוֹךְ, וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (בראשית מב, ה): תּוֹךְ, מַה תּוֹךְ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לְהַלָּן עֲשָׂרָה, אַף תּוֹךְ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הָכָא עֲשָׂרָה. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר אָבוֹן אִם בְּתוֹךְ אֲפִלּוּ עַד כַּמָּה, אֶלָּא נֶאֱמַר כָּאן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, מַה בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לְהַלָּן עֲשָׂרָה אַף בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כָּאן עֲשָׂרָה.

Bereshit Rabbah 91:3

“The sons of Israel came to acquire grain among [betokh] those who came, as the famine was in the land of Canaan” (Genesis 42:5).
“The sons of Israel came to acquire…” – from where is it derived that a congregation is ten? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana and Rabbi Yosei in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: “Congregation” (Numbers 35:24) is stated here, and elsewhere it is stated: “Until when for this evil congregation…?” (Numbers 14:27); just as “congregation” that is written elsewhere is ten, so, “congregation” that is written here is ten. Rabbi Simon said: It is stated here: “[I shall be sanctified] among [the children of Israel” (Leviticus 22:32), and “among” is stated elsewhere; just as “among” that is stated elsewhere is ten, so, too, “among” that is stated here is ten. Rabbi Yosei bar Avon said: Were it from “among” it would be even many more. Rather, it is stated here “the children of Israel [benei Yisrael]” and it is stated elsewhere “the sons of Israel [benei Yisrael]” – just as “the sons of Israel” stated elsewhere were ten, so, too, “the children of Israel” stated here are ten.

From Rabbi Avital Hochstein, "Miketz: On the Power and Danger of Groups" at https://www.hartman.org.il/miketz-on-the-power-and-danger-of-groups/
What is so surprising here is the choice of using a group that is known for doing something bad as the paradigm for the group of holiness, for a minyan. And perhaps we can see in these verses an echo of a warning: groups can do evil. There is no guarantee that any group, gathered and unified, will lead to positive outcomes or to holiness, and perhaps this warning comes out of the Rabbinic interpretation as well. When people come together, even for an ostensibly holy purpose (and possibly particularly then), there is danger.