Parashat Miketz: A Life for a Life

In 1841, the American ship William Brown set sail from Liverpool, England, to Philadelphia. During a storm, the ship struck an iceberg and sank within minutes, with only a handful of passengers managing to reach the lifeboats. One boat was overloaded. Water was rising at an alarming rate, and it was clear that without reducing the weight, the boat would sink. In that terrible moment, the senior officer ordered that some passengers be thrown into the water. Those who remained reached safe shores.

The sailor who threw passengers to their deaths was put on trial. The jury had to decide whether in extreme distress there is moral legitimacy to saving many by sacrificing few. What would you have decided?

Another horrible dilemma

A similar dilemma is found in the Tosefta: “A group of [Jews] to whom gentiles say, ‘Give us one of you and we shall kill him, and if not, behold, we will kill all of them’; they should let themselves be killed and not deliver them one soul from Israel. But if they designated [the person] to them – for example, Sheva ben Bichri – they should give him to them and not let themselves be killed” (Tosefta Terumot 7).

When enemies besiege a community and demand one person be sacrificed, it is forbidden – even if everyone will die. The exception: when they demand a specific individual. The Tosefta’s example is Sheva son of Bichri, who rebelled against King David and took refuge in a city. When David’s men besieged the city, threatening many lives, the residents killed Sheva and threw his head over the wall. The siege was lifted.

What does this have to do with our parashah?

They meet again

Joseph’s brothers, except for Benjamin, arrive in Egypt seeking food during the great famine. They meet with the second-in-command to the king, the grain distributor, the most powerful man in the kingdom. They cannot imagine this man is their brother Joseph. They don’t recognize him, but he recognizes them. He decides to teach them a lesson, accusing them of espionage. They defend themselves, explaining they are ten brothers, that their father is with their youngest brother in Canaan, and that another brother is no more. Joseph imprisons them for three days, then declares:

“‘If you are being honest, let one of your brothers be held in your place of detention, while the rest of you go and take home rations for your starving households; but you must bring me your youngest brother, that your words may be verified and that you may not die.’ And they did accordingly. They said to one another, ‘Alas, we are being punished on account of our brother, because we looked on at his anguish, yet paid no heed as he pleaded with us. That is why this distress has come upon us.’ Then Reuben spoke up and said to them, ‘Did I not tell you, “Do no wrong to the boy”? But you paid no heed. Now comes the reckoning for his blood.’” (Genesis 42:19-22)

We already sacrificed one of us

The Egyptian official demands they choose one brother to remain imprisoned, facing daily mortal danger. The book of “Meshekh Chokhmah”, written by Meir Simcha of Dvinsk (1843–1926), argues that the brothers’ dilemma parallels the Tosefta’s teaching. Joseph did not specify which brother – therefore they are forbidden to volunteer one, even at the cost of their own lives.

According to “Meshekh Chokhmah”, their statement “Alas, we are being punished on account of our brother, because we looked on at his anguish, yet paid no heed as he pleaded with us; that is why this distress has come upon us” means: once before we already sacrificed one of us contrary to the law, and now we face this impossible choice again. What will they do?

Joseph saves them from this dilemma: “They did not know that Joseph understood, for there was an interpreter between him and them. He turned away from them and wept. But he came back to them and spoke to them; and he took Simeon from among them and had him bound before their eyes” (ibid, 23-24).

Joseph listens to their conversation, realizes they recognize their guilt for selling him and regret it, and understands he has placed them in an impossible situation. He has compassion. Joseph weeps in secret, then returns and surprises them – he himself chooses Simeon.

Human life has absolute value

What did the court decide in the William Brown case? It convicted the sailor of manslaughter. The ship, the Tosefta, and the parashah teach us that human life has absolute value, and we have no authority to sacrifice one life for another.

Lior Tal Sadeh is an educator, writer, and author of “What Is Above, What Is Below” (Carmel, 2022). He hosts the daily “Source of Inspiration” podcast, produced by Beit Avi Chai.

For more insights into Parashat Miketz, listen to “Source of Inspiration”.

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Translation of most Hebrew texts sourced from Sefaria.org

 Main Photo: The silver cup is discovered by Joseph's brother, in Benjamin's possession.\Wikipedia