MOSHIACH BEN YOSEF – A Six-Part Series by Rabbi Pinchas Winston

The following article has been posted by Shuvoo with the written permission of Rabbi Pinchas Winston

PART TWO. Historical Background

He [Ya’akov] sent Yehudah ahead to Yosef (to Goshen) to prepare for their arrival. (Bereishis 46:28)

EGYPT (2216-2309/1544-1451 BCE):

We know why Yosef was in Egypt before the rest of his family. It was because his brothers had sold him into slavery, and Egypt had been the last place of his odyssey. However, in the end we learn that it had all been a function of Divine Providence, to start Yosef on his historical ascent to leader and savior of the Jewish people, a role which he filled flawlessly.

DEPARTURE FROM EGYPT (2448/1313 BCE):

In the year 2448 from creation, Moshe Rabbeinu led the Jewish people out of Egypt after they had been there for a total of 210 years, and suffering 116 years of oppression. However, interesting enough, it is taught that thirty years in advance of the actual redemption, a large number from the Tribe of Ephraim attempted to leave Egypt. According to tradition, they had made a tragic calculation regarding the prophesied date of redemption, counting 400 years from the date of the covenant with Avraham, the Bris Ben HaBesarim, instead of from the birth of Yitzchak, thirty years later (Rashi, Bereishis 15:13).

Probably amidst much Jewish criticism and naysayers, an army of Ephraim left Egypt, only to be attacked and completely annihilated by the Philistines of Gat (Sanhedrin 92b). A total mistake and waste? The story becomes even more interesting for, according to the Talmud, it was their bones that Yechezkel brought back to life in the famous ‘Valley of Dry Bones’ (Yechezkel 37:1-10) about 900 years later, which we read about in the Haftarah on Shabbos Chol HaMoed Pesach.

However, the story does not end there:

Rebi Eliezer the son of Rebi Yosi HaGallili said: The dead who were resurrected by Yechezkel went to the Land of Israel, married, and had sons and daughters. Rebi Yehudah ben Besira stood up and said, “I myself am a descendant of them, and these are the Tefillin which I inherited from my grandfather, who told me that they were used by those who had been resurrected.” (Sanhedrin 92b)

In other words, even though their brethren who had waited the thirty years to leave Egypt with Moshe himself did NOT ever enter Eretz Yisroel, having died in the desert for one sin or another during the forty years of wandering, the people of Ephraim who left early DID make it to Eretz Yisroel, long after the land was settled.

In fact, long after the rest of their tribe had already been exiled into Assyria. For, Yechezkel prophesied during the period 3327 to 3338 (434-423 BCE), which means that this remnant of Ephraim came back to life at least 121 years after the Ten Tribes—including the rest of the tribes of Ephraim and Menashe—went missing! Thus, Rebi Yehudah Ben Besira could make his bold and incredible statement, because according to this there was a viable, albeit resurrected element of the Tribe of Yosef that survived the exile with the remaining tribes of Yehudah, Binyomin, and Levi. Perhaps, even today?

Does this not raise another question though? If these people from Ephraim really had been the precedent for the redemption from Egypt, according to the ‘rule,’ should not the actual leader out of Egypt have been from the Tribe of Yehudah, and not Levi as Moshe Rabbeinu was?

Perhaps this solves that problem:

Thus, the Generation of the Desert, along with the Erev Rav reincarnate in the final generation, “like in the days of leaving Egypt” (Michah 7:15). As well, Moshe will arise among them, since they are all from the sod of Da’as: Moshe, the Generation of the Desert, and the Erev Rav, as we have explained in Parashas Shemos. This is why it is written after, “to which they go there (shin-mem-heh)”—which has the letters: mem-shin-heh (Moshe), since Moshe will reincarnate with them. (Sha’ar HaGilgulim, Chapter 20, p. 54)

Whether from Levi or Yehudah, Moshiach Ben Dovid will have the soul of Moshe Rabbeinu, something we will better understand after the fact, may that time come soon.

ENTRY INTO ERETZ YISROEL (2488/1273 BCE):

It happened after the death of Moshe, servant of God, that God said to Yehoshua Bin Nun, Moshe’s attendant, saying, “Moshe My servant has died. Now, arise, cross the Jordan, you and this entire people, to the land that I give to them, to the Children of Israel.” (Yehoshua 1:1-2)

As much as Moshe Rabbeinu might have wanted to hand over the reins of leadership and the merit of bringing the Jewish people into the holy Land of Israel to his own son, instead they had been passed, at God’s behest, to Yehoshua Bin Nun, from the Tribe of Ephraim. Like his ancestor before him, Yosef HaTzaddik, he too died at the age of 110, which the Arizal says was to make the point that miracles had happened for both (the gematria of ‘neis’—nun-samech—is 110; Pri Aitz Chaim, Chanukah)

SHILOH (2502-2871/1258-889 BCE; 369 years):

The concept of Yosef before Yehudah (Dovid) applies not only to leaders, but to Temples as well. The Mishkan, the portable sanctuary, was constructed in the first year after the Jewish people left Egypt at the base of Har Sinai, and traveled with them throughout the forty years in the desert.

After the Jewish people entered Eretz Yisroel, the Mishkan was established in Gilgal where it remained for 14 years. Then it was removed to Shiloh in Yosef's territory, where it remained for 369 years before being destroyed by the Philistines.

He fell upon his brother Binyomin's neck and cried, and Binyomin wept upon his neck. (Bereishis 45:14)

HE FELL UPON HIS BROTHER BINYOMIN'S NECK AND CRIED: for the Temples which were to be in Binyomin's territory and which would ultimately be destroyed. AND BINYOMIN WEPT UPON HIS NECK: for the Mishkan of Shiloh that would be in Yosef's territory and which ultimately be destroyed. (Rashi)

After that, it was moved to Nov for 13 years, and then to Givon for 44 years. At that time (2928/833 BCE), Shlomo HaMelech completed the construction of the First Temple in the territory of Yehudah, which stood 410 years until it was destroyed by the Babylonians in 3338 (423 BCE). As the Talmud points out:

What was in Yehudah's portion? The Temple Mount, the Temple chambers, and the Courtyard. What was in Binyomin's portion? The Hall, the Sanctuary, and the Holy Of Holies. A strip of land from Yehudah entered the portion of Binyomin, and on it the altar was built. The righteous Binyomin daily was pained (with longing) to absorb it, as it says, "He will harbor him all day long, and he will dwell between his shoulders" (Devarim 33:12). Therefore, the righteous Binyomin merited to be the host for the Divine Presence (Rashi: the Ark rested in his portion). (Yoma 12a)

Therefore, for all intents and purposes, the Temple itself was in the territory of Yehudah.

SHAUL HAMELECH (2881-2884/879-876 BCE):

Though the Jewish people were heavily criticized for the way they asked for a king (I Shmuel 8:7), when it was granted to them he did not come from the tribe of Yehudah, from which kings were supposed to come:

 "The scepter will not depart from Yehudah, neither will the law-engraving chisel from between his feet, until the coming of Shiloh." (Bereishis 49:10)

Rather, he was chosen from the Tribe of Binyomin, which as we have said, is often viewed as a 'branch' of Yosef.

However, even his name suggested the transience of his rulership, because the name 'Shaul' means 'borrowed.' As a result of two critical mistakes he made, his kingdom was taken from him and given to Dovid ben Yishai (I Shmuel 15:28). However, it seemed inevitable, because the Kingdom of Ephraim must eventually give way to that of Yehudah.

YERAVAM BEN NEVAT (2964-2985/796-774 BCE):

At the death of Shlomo HaMelech, the Kingdom of Dovid divided into two kingdoms, that of Yehudah comprised of Yehudah, Binyomin, and Levi, and the Kingdom of Israel, made up of the remaining ten tribes (Ephraim and Menashe
counted as individual tribes). In Jerusalem, the king of Yehudah was Rechavam ben Shlomo, while the first king of Israel was Yeravam ben Nevat, from the tribe of Ephraim no less.

History records that Yeravam, for all his Torah genius (Sanhedrin 102a), was one of the most corrupting influences in the history of the Jewish people. It was he who abolished the Torah-commanded pilgrimage to Jerusalem on the holidays, and set up golden calves to replace them. Yet, the Talmud records:

Rav Abba said, "After The Holy One, Blessed is He, grabbed the garment of Yeravam, he said to him,

'Repent, and you, I, and the Son of Yishai (Dovid HaMelech) will stroll together in Gan Aiden.'

He asked Him, 'Who will lead?'

'Ben Yishai.'

'If so, then I don't need it.' (Sanhedrin 102a)

True, Moshiach Ben Yosef leads historically, but only temporarily. In time, his leadership role must be handed over to Yehudah, to Moshiach Ben Dovid. Yeravam ben Nevat was one 'Ben Yosef,' unlike Yonason the son of Shaul, who could not accept that, and he even sacrificed his Gan Aiden as a result.

However, the reason for the transition has little to do with the greatness or importance of the Tribe of Yehudah over the Tribe of Yosef. On the contrary, there are many aspects of Yosef that outshine those of Yehudah, during the lives of the Shevatim, and throughout history. Understanding those aspects will help to make it clear that it is not Yosef's role to be the king, but to function in another very important role throughout Jewish history.

In fact, as the sefirah that corresponds to Yosef-Yesod-suggests, it is always on the foundation Yosef's builds that the Kingdom of Yehudah stands, eventually, forever.