INSIGHT 5769 - #11 MATURITY AND TESHUVA The classic story of Yosef and his
brothers is a powerful presentation of the process of teshuva.
The entire last section of Chumash Bereishit is a
story of development in which many dimensions unfold,
touching upon each of the brothers in different ways --
especially if we also include the story of Tamar,1
which seems, at first, to be solely an interruptive side
story placed within the body of the greater story. We
have been and continue to be introduced to weaknesses in
these great individuals, yet with the goal of
instruction. Through the important lessons embedded in
this extensive presentation -- within the text and in the
midrashim and meforshim, commentaries
– we are taught a significant message on the
necessary process of continuous evaluation and
transformation that we describe as teshuva. Yosef,
Yehuda, Reuven, Shimon, even to some extent, Yaakov Avinu
are presented as positive examples of the dynamic nature
of life. Life is about change. Life is about teshuva.
While this realization, that the story’s, and
life’s, specific focus on teshuva, is of
major significance in our reading of this text, there is
another aspect of the story that also demands our
attention, especially in its effect on our understanding
of teshuva. Bereishit 37:2 specifically
uses the word na’ar, youth, in describing the
behaviour of Yosef at seventeen.2 Rashi
explains that the verse is referring to Yosef’s
behaviour similar to other adolescents, specifically that
he was concerned with his appearance. Maharal, Gur
Aryeh, though, applies this critique of Yosef’s
youthfulness more broadly. He maintains that the verse
explains that Yosef acted like a na’ar in one
way to indicate that he also acted like a na’ar
in another, more serious way – namely in judging his
brothers in an unfavourable manner which contributed to
the rift amongst the brothers. Yet, are Yosef’s
actions, thus, simply to be seen as the inherent result
of being young? How can Yosef then be faulted for just
acting his age? Of course, acting foolishly at any age
still has its consequences, but can Yosef’s
subsequent transformation still be described as teshuva?
Maybe Yosef’s transformation, and the concurrent one
in the brothers, was just the result of maturity?
When most people consider teshuva, they do so in a
vacuum; they do so in the context of a narrow
transformation focusing solely on the desired change in a
specific action, value or midda, character trait.
Yesterday, this person was driven to eat something
non-kosher; today, the process of teshuva resulted
in this person experiencing a similar drive and deciding
not to eat this non-kosher item. In approaching this
question, we usually assume that all else was and is the
same.3 The problem is, though, that everything
else is already not the same. Just in the process of
aging, of maturing, we change. The dynamic nature of life
is not only demonstrated in the manifestations of our
actions but is actually inherent in our being. Even
without the conscious directed process of teshuva,
we change. Our actions, values and middot
inherently go through transformations. We can, thus, ask:
were the changes in Yosef and the brothers truly a result
of teshuva – or did they simply mature? If
the story is simply one of maturation then, while still,
perhaps, most interesting, the lessons that we can learn
from it are more limited. More significantly, though, it
may be a story that integrates the process of teshuva
with the process of maturation, thus presenting an even
deeper lesson than we may have first understood.
Interestingly, some commentators understand the word na’ar
as only properly applicable to someone of a younger age
than seventeen.4 Yosef’s actions, thus,
can be defined as not age appropriate and therefore, it
would seem, Yosef would be subject to culpability for
inappropriately acting childishly when, in fact, he was
more mature. This critique would be one that would
clearly demand teshuva. In applying this
understanding of the use of the word na’ar,
there would seem to be a recognition that a moral
expectation of a person must be sensitive to that
person’s age and acting childishly, when one is a
child, would not be culpable and thus would not demand teshuva.
Change does still occur, though, through the process of
maturation but that is separate from teshuva. The
demand for teshuva arises when one, who is no
longer a child, continues to act in a childish manner. In
maintaining that Yosef’s behaviour was not
age-appropriate even at seventeen, the story does again
become one solely regarding teshuva. Yet many
commentators do understand the Torah’s description
of Yosef acting like a na’ar as meaning that
he was acting like an adolescent, a boy of seventeen. One
could also see the brothers in a similar light.5
We thus return to our question: how does maturity connect
to teshuva?
Yosef’s concern for his appearance actually arises
again at a later age. Bereishit 39:6,7 informs us
of Yosef’s good looks, eventually leading to his
downfall in the House of Potiphar. Rashi explains
that this positive appearance was actually the result of
a conscious effort on the part of Yosef and for that he
was culpable. What, though, was the connection between
Yosef’s concern for appearance at seventeen and the
one he demonstrated later in life? A simple response
would be that Yosef just continued to act as a na’ar
even when it was completely not age-appropriate.
Immaturity is culpable. Rashi, though, does not say this.
The reason he gives for Yosef’s culpability is very
specific; this was not appropriate behaviour in this
specific situation. Is there, though, still a connection
between this action and Yosef’s behaviour at
seventeen? The answer to that question may actually
explain the relationship between maturity and teshuva. Life is not only dynamic because of the process of teshuva that we are to impose upon it. Our very being itself is dynamic. We go through stages from childhood to old age. The question is not just how we are to behave but also what we are to carry from stage to stage. There is also the demand to recognize future stages and consider what will be. Maturity is the process of the stages. Teshuva, though, includes the conscious recognition of these stages and their interconnection in one life. The question is not whether Yosef was concerned about his appearance at seventeen but rather how Yosef connected this concern with his mature self. Rabbi Benjamin Hecht e-mail Notes (1)
Bereishit 38:12-27. Return to top |
© 2006 NISHMA