[Par-reg] Parshat Miketz - shiur
Menachem Leibtag
tsc at bezeqint.net
Wed Dec 5 09:21:36 EST 2007
Dedicated in Commemoration of the Yarhzheit of
Chana Bas Menachem Mendel Yitzchak A"H
4 Tevet 5756
Dedicated also in honor of the birth (& brit Milah) of:
Erez Zahgi - and his proud parents Miriam & Edwin Zahgi,
Silver Spring, MD.
********************************************************
*****
THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org]
In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag
********************************************************
*****
PARSHAT MIKETZ - shiur
Does Yosef have a plan?
He was certainly planning [a way out of jail] when
he
interpreted the dream of the "sar ha'Mashkim" (see
40:13-15).
He was definitely planning [his own 'political
appointment'] when he interpreted Pharaoh's dreams (see
41:33-
36!).
Clearly, Yosef was not only a dreamer; he was also
a
'master planner'. But what was his plan when he:
accused his
brothers of being spies, returned their money, and hid
his cup
in Binyamin's bag, etc.? Was he simply 'teasing' his
brothers
- in revenge; or did he have a more altruistic motive?
As the Torah never reveals that motive, answering
this
question requires a lot of detective work.
In the following shiur, we attempt to piece this
puzzle
together by weaving together some of the theories
presented by
earlier commentators (& then by adding a little touch of
our
own).
INTRODUCTION
Before we begin our study, a point of methodology
in
regard to what allows us to search for an underlying
motive
behind Yosef's behavior.
As Chumash is a book of "nevuah" [prophecy], and
not
simply an historical chronicle, we assume that its
stories
carry a prophetic message. Certainly, commentators can
argue
in regard to the precise message that should be derived
from
each story, and how to arrive [and who can arrive] at
any
conclusion. Nonetheless, all concur that Chumash should
be
studied in search for its prophetic lesson(s).
This does not imply that we must assume that every
action
taken by our forefathers was altruistic. However, it
does
imply that if the Torah records a certain set of events,
that
they were written for the purpose that we study its
detail in
search of a significant message for future generations.
With this in mind, we begin our study of the famous
story
of Yosef and his brothers.
WHY YOSEF DOESN'T WRITE HOME
Considering Yosef's very close relationship with
his
father [recall how the Torah described him as Yaakov's
"ben
zkunim" - see 37:3], one would have expected that he
make
every possible attempt to contact his father. Yet, even
after
his appointment as head servant of the House of
Potiphar, and
later as the Commissioner of Egypt, (second only to
Pharaoh
/see 41:44), Yosef makes no effort to inform his father
that
he is alive and well.
Does Yosef no longer care for his father who loved him
so
dearly and now grieves for his lost son? Has he wiped
his
past from his memory?
To answer this question, Ramban (see his commentary
to
42:9) suggests that Yosef's actions were motivated by
his
aspiration to ensure the fulfillment of his dreams.
According
to Ramban, Yosef understood that his slavery, and his
entire
predicament in Egypt, was part of a Divine plan to
ensure that
his childhood dreams would come true. He also
understood (for
some reason) that for this to happen, he could not
contact his
family. And when necessary, he would even 'plan ahead'
to help
his dreams along.
Ramban's interpretation beautifully explains
Yosef's
first plan [i.e. accusing his brothers as spies] - as
its goal
was to force the brothers to bring Binyamin, so that ALL
the
brothers would bow down to him. This would enable the
fulfillment of his first dream - of the sheaves bowing
down to
him in the field. His second plan [i.e. hiding his cup
in
Binyamin's bag] was to force them to bring his father as
well
- to fulfill his second dream - i.e. the sun and moon
and
stars bowing down - while protecting Binyamin in the
interim
(from potential injury by his brothers). In this
manner,
Ramban explains why Yosef did not write home:
"For had it not been for this (need to fulfill his
dreams),
Yosef would have committed a terrible sin to cause his
father such grief and make him spend so many years in
sorrow..."
[See Ramban on 42:9, read carefully.]
According to Ramban, Yosef's need to fulfill his
dreams
'allowed' him to treat his father and brothers in such a
cruel
manner.
FULFILLING 'DREAMS' OR KEEPING 'HALACHA'?
In case you found something 'bothersome' about
Ramban's
approach, don't feel bad. Later commentators take issue
with
his conclusion that it would be permissible to cause
other
people terrible grief, just to make sure a 'dream comes
true'.
[See Nechama Leibowitz on Sefer Breishit who quotes
various
sources in this regard and deals with this issue in
depth.]
This question leads Abravanel to suggest a very
different
approach. He agrees (like Ramban) that Yosef had a
'master
plan', however, he disagrees as to its goal.
Abravanel contends that Yosef's goal was to bring his
brothers towards repentance for their terrible deeds.
Although he planned to ultimately 'reveal' himself;
before
doing so, he wanted to make sure that they had first
performed
proper "teshuva".
Abravanel's approach neatly explains just about all
of
Yosef's actions - which certainly caused his brothers to
repent (see 42:21 & 44:16). However, it is not so clear
why
the goal of 'helping' his brothers to perform "teshuva"
would
allow Yosef to cause his father continued grief. [We'll
return to this question later in our shiur.]
Furthermore, Abravanel's interpretation only
explains
Yosef's behavior after his brothers arrived to buy food;
but
it does not explain why Yosef did not contact his father
for
some twenty years beforehand!
DREAMS REMEMBERED, OR FORGOTTEN?
One could suggest an approach exactly the opposite
of
Ramban's - i.e. that Yosef had 'forgotten' his dreams
(i.e.
since the time that he was sold). It is only after he
sees
his brothers some twenty years later - as they bow down
to
him (when they came to buy food) - that he suddenly
'remembers' his childhood dreams.
To verify this, simply review 42:9 in its context,
noting
how it seems to imply that it was at this point when
Yosef
remembered his dreams, and not earlier! [Note Rashi on
42:9
as well!]
In other words, we posit that Yosef's behavior
before his
brothers arrived stems from the fact that he had 'given
up' on
his childhood dreams, while his behavior (and 'master
plan')
after they arrive stems from his renewed understanding
of
their significance. Let's begin by explaining why
Yosef
didn't contact home during those twenty years, by
considering
his predicament in Egypt:
In regard to his brothers, why would Yosef want to
contact
(or ever see) them again? After all, they had thrown
him into
a pit and then sold him into slavery (or at least he
thought
they were behind the sale/ see last week's shiur)!
Furthermore, considering how Egyptian society 'looked
down'
at the "Ivrim" (see 43:32), contacting his brothers
could have
endangered his reputable position in Egyptian society.
Nonetheless, even though Yosef had ample reason for
not
contacting his brothers, it remains difficult to
understand
why he didn't contact his father (and let's not forget
his
full brother Binyamin). Could it be that his despise
for the
rest of his family was greater than his love for his
father
and brother?
One could suggest that by the time that Yosef had
reached a
position of power, he was quite sure that his father had
already died Recall that Yaakov was about 110 years
old when
Yosef was sold, so it would only be logical for him to
assume
that his father had died (or soon would / note 43:7 &
45:3!).
Hence, the slight chance that his father was still
alive was
simply not worth the price of returning to deal with his
brothers. [
YOSEF 'HAD' A DREAM
A more sophisticated approach to explain why Yosef
didn't
write home, is presented by Rav Yoel Bin Nun [in an
article in
Megadim Vol. I /a publication of the Herzog Teachers
Institute].
In that article, Rav Yoel posits that Yosef had no
idea that
his father believed he was dead. Quite the opposite -
Yosef
assumed that his father would find out that he was sold
(i.e.
one of the brothers would 'snitch'), and hence he had
expected
that his father would demand that the brothers trace his
whereabouts and come to his rescue! After all, the
Yishmaelim
[distant "mishpacha"] were international traders who
traveled
quite often between Eretz Canaan and Egypt. Surely,
Yosef
hoped, his family would come to his rescue.
Recall as well that Yosef was unaware of how the
brothers
tricked their father to believe he was dead (with the
blood-
stained coat). Therefore, Yosef assumes that everyone
knows
that he is alive, and that he was sold as a slave in
Egypt.
During his first year or so of slavery, he is 'sure'
that in a
short time, someone in his family will come to his
rescue.
However, many months pass and no one shows. Yosef's
hopes
are replaced with feelings of rejection. After several
months
(or years), he may have reached the conclusion that his
family
doesn't want him to return; but there had to have been a
reason.
REJECTED FROM THE BECHIRA PROCESS
Rav Yoel posits that Yosef had reached the conclusion
that
there must have been some divine decree that he was
'rejected'
from the family, i.e. from the entire "bechira" process
- in
manner similar to the rejection of his Uncle Esav or
great
Uncle Yishmael. It may have appeared to him that only
the
children of Leah were chosen, while the children of
Rachel
were rejected, as reflected in Rachel's premature death,
and
the fact that she was buried on the 'roadside' (while
Leah was
later to be buried in the Tomb of the Patriarchs).
His childhood dreams are now forgotten, and
reluctantly, he
accepted his new fate.
Yosef, convinced that his family has abandoned him,
accepts this fate and decides to lead his own life.
Just as
Eisav established himself in Edom, Yosef will make a
name for
himself in Egypt. He can even bring the name of God
into
society in his own way, despite not being part of the
Chosen
Nation.
The following chart reflects what may have been
Yosef's
perception of the outcome of the "bechira" process
(based on
this original 'misunderstanding'):
CHOSEN REJECTED
======= ========
\ AVRAHAM /
\ | /
\ YITZCHAK / Yishmael & bnei Ktura
\ | /
\ YAAKOV/ Eisav
\ | /
BNEI LEAH bnei Rachel
/ | \
/ 6 \
/ TRIBES \
/ \
/ \
In summary, we posit that Yosef never contacted his
family during those twenty years, as he mistakenly
assumed
that they did not want to contact him, as there had been
a
divine decision that he was 'rejected' from the 'chosen
family', This tragic misunderstanding can explain why
Yosef,
even after rising to power, never contacted his father
as
well.
Now we must consider the second stage, i.e. an
explanation for Yosef's behavior after his brothers
arrive to
buy food.
YOSEF HAS A PLAN
After spending years under this assumption that he
has
been 'rejected' - everything changes when Yosef sees his
brothers among the many who came down to Egypt to buy
grain.
As they bow down before him, Yosef suddenly 'remembers'
his
long forgotten dreams (see 42:9), for they now appear to
have
come true! Should Yosef dismiss this as pure
coincidence, or
should this partial fulfillment of his childhood dreams
lead
him to reconsider his earlier conclusions?
It is understandable why Yosef doesn't immediately
reveal
himself. He needs some time. But, if he simply wanted
to hide
his identity from them, he could have just ignored them.
[Surely, Yosef did not need to entertain every foreigner
who
came to purchase food.]
But why does Yosef accuse his brothers of being spies?
Why
does he return their money? Later, when they come back,
why
does he plant his special cup in Binyamin's bag?
Certainly, we would not expect that Yosef was just
'teasing' his brothers - to 'get back' at them. Rather,
it
would make more sense to assume that Yosef has a plan -
and
his actions suggest that he has strategy; but it is not
so
clear what that master plan is.
In his article, Rav Bin Nun explains Yosef's 'plan'
as an
attempt to determine what had happened to Binyamin. The
fact
that Binyamin was not with the brothers the first time
they
came to Egypt supports his suspicion that Bnei Rachel
had been
rejected. Therefore, his primary goal is to find out if
Binyamin is still alive.
If Binyamin is indeed alive, then Yosef could question
him
concerning what 'really' happened in the family, and
afterward
possibly re-unite with his family. On the other hand,
if
Binyamin never shows (and hence probably not alive),
Yosef
would remain incognito - preferring never to reunite
with his
brothers.
[This can explain why Yosef accuses his brothers of
being
spies. The 'spy accusation' allows Yosef to question
them
concerning their family roots etc., without raising
their
suspicion that he may be their brother.]
Although Rav Yoel's explanation flows nicely from
the
above presentation, it does not explain every detail of
Yosef's behavior once Binyamin does arrive. After all,
once
Binyamin comes, why doesn't Yosef simply take him aside
and
question him. If Yosef only needs to determine what
really
happened in the "bechira" process, what point is there
in
planting his cup in Binyamin's bag?
Surely, one cannot remain oblivious to Yosef's
obvious
attempt to create a situation that prompts the brothers
to
repent (as Abravanel explains so beautifully).
On the other hand, one must also explain why Yosef
returns
their money, and why he seats them in order of their
birth,
etc. These acts seem to be more of a 'tease' than an
impetus
for them to do "teshuva" (repentance). What is Yosef's
intention in all of this?
Furthermore, if his goal, as Abravanel explains, is
only
to cause his brothers to repent, then his 'second' plan
seems
unnecessary - after all, they had already shown remorse
for
their sin at the first encounter. Recall their initial
remorse, that Yosef himself overheard, when they stated:
"Alas we are GUILTY, for we heard his crying out [when
he
was thrown in the pit], but we did not listen ...
therefore
this fate has befallen us..." (See 42:21-23)
And if that was not enough, then Yehuda's plea and
admission of guilt (see 44:16) certainly would have
sufficed
Finally, even if Abravanel's contention is correct,
who
gives Yosef the right to 'test' his brothers to see if
they
have repented? Is Yosef allowed to play God? Is he
permitted
to tease, trick, and confuse others - in order to awaken
their
soul? And even if so, does this justify causing his
father
further aggravation?
PLAYING 'GOD' OR PLAYING 'LEADER'
One could suggest the following explanation for
Yosef's
behavior (once the brothers arrived) - which is quite
similar
to Abravanel's approach, but from a very different
angle.
Let's explain:
Even though Yosef may have forgotten his dreams for
some
twenty years, when his brothers arrive in Egypt and bow
down
to him - everything changes! Totally shocked by what
happened, it suddenly dawns upon him that his childhood
dreams
may actually be coming true after all. Maybe he wasn't
rejected? Maybe, his conclusions regarding his family
were
all wrong?
On the other hand, Binyamin is not with them. But, if
Binyamin is still alive and part of the family (as his
brothers now claim), then maybe the children of Rachel
are
indeed included in the "bechira" process!
But now that Yosef had become an 'expert' at dream
interpretation, he not only 'remember his dreams', but
he now
begins to understand their purpose! These dreams were
not
merely 'predictions' of future events - but rather could
serve
as guide - to inspire appropriate behavior!
Because of his dreams, Yosef now understands that his
'brothers bowing down' indicates not only that he is
included
in the "bechira" process - but more important - that he
is
destined to assume family leadership.
[See the TSC shiur on Parshat Toldot, where we
explained
that once the 'bechira' process reached its critical
stage,
i.e. that all the children of one of the Avot would be
chosen - at this point, one of the brothers needs to
chosen
to assume the responsibility of family leadership.]
It is here where our approach will differ from the
other
approaches that we have discussed thus far.
We posit that when Yosef sees his brothers bowing
down, he
not only remembers his dreams, he immediately
understands
their deeper meaning - that they foresee his destiny to
become
the family leader, and that all twelve brothers will be
included in the chosen family.
It is Yosef's realization of this destiny that guides
his
ensuing behavior - and triggers his 'master plan'.
Before we explain how, let's begin by first explaining
what
Yosef cannot do!
Imagine what would have happened had Yosef revealed
his
identity immediately, as soon as he recognized his
brothers!
They would have 'melted' on the spot. How could they
have
faced him, talk to him? The shame of their relationship
would
have created an eternal barrier. They would never be
able to
speak to him, let alone work together as a family.
As family 'leader' - Yosef now recognizes his
responsibility to keep the 'chosen' family united and
cohesive
e. Yosef's plan is simple -he must plan a strategy that
would
reunite the family - to bond them in a manner that could
continue to achieve together.
Yosef does not need to play GOD, to ensure that his
brothers repent - that would be their own
responsibility.
Yosef, however, does have a new responsibility to play
LEADER.
Hence, Yosef conceives a plan that will rehabilitate
the
family unity - he needs to enable his brothers with a
way by
which they can 'redeem themselves'! But, to accomplish
this,
he must put them through a difficult test:
After procuring the minimal information that he needs
by his
'spies' accusation (see 42:7-10 AND 43:7!), he decides
to
create a situation where the brothers must choose if
they are
willing to forfeit their own freedom - in order to save
Binyamin. Should they 'pass this test', it will be much
easier for them to work with Yosef in the future.
Indeed, this plan may cause his father a few extra
weeks of
suffering. But Yosef must restrain his emotions, for he
hopes
that it will unfold quickly.
[Yosef probably expected that the brothers would bring
Binyamin down immediately. He did not expect that
Yaakov
would be so reluctant to send Binyamin away.]
Therefore, Yosef's keeps Shimon in jail, to ensure
that his
brothers will bring Binyamin. Once Binyamin will come,
Yosef
plans the big 'set up' - where he will plant his cup in
Binyamin's bag, thus giving a chance for his brothers to
'prove themselves' (as they so well do).
While doing so, Yosef does many other things to make
the
brothers wonder and think - to shake them up a bit [what
we
call "cheshbon ha'nefesh".] He also returns their
money, and
shows kindness to them, for he truly does care about
their own
welfare! But by planting his cup in Binyamin's bag,
Yosef
provides his brothers with a special opportunity so they
can
prove to themselves that they have done "teshuva"! Only
after
they demonstrate their willingness to give up their own
lives
for Binyamin, will they be able to face themselves, and
Yosef
- and unite as a cohesive family - to take on the
challenges
that lay in the future.
Once Yehuda, on behalf of his brothers, admits their
guilt
and makes his noble offer to become his servant (instead
of
Binyamin/ see 44:16 & 44:33-34), that might have been
enough -
but Yosef may have wanted to 'push' his brothers even a
bit
farther. But when he hears Yehuda's petition concerning
the
fate of his father (at the beginning of Parshat
Vayigash),
Yosef can not hold back any more' - he 'breaks down' and
reveals himself.
To support our thesis, note how Yosef (after
revealing
his identify and his instinctive opening question
regarding
the health of his father) immediately emphasizes his
assurance
that he is not angry with his brothers, and implores
them to
recognize the Hand of God behind these events.
By doing so, Yosef also alludes to his brothers that
they
too should look to the future, instead of dwelling on
the past
(see 45:1-8).
MAASE AVOT SIMAN LA'BANIM
By the end of this entire episode, God had created
a
situation that would guarantee the physical survival of
Am
Yisrael during the famine, while setting the stage for
their
future redemption. Yosef, in the meantime, had created
a
situation that would keep Am Yisrael united during this
formative stage in land of Egypt
Throughout the generations, God oversees our
history,
while creating opportunities for our redemption.
However, as
we enjoy His providence, it remains OUR OWN
responsibility to
make sure that we remain united as our destiny unfolds.
Although quite difficult, it remains an eternal
challenge for
Jewish leadership.
shabbat shalom,
menachem
================
FOR FURTHER IYUN
"SINAT ACHIM" & IDEALISM - a 'mini- shiur'
Can there be any excuse for the brothers conspiring
to
kill Yosef? How are we to understand the behavior of
our
ancestors? Is their goal simply to teach us of our
'shameful'
heritage, or do they carry a message for future
generations?
In the following mini-shiur, we attempts to tackle
this
difficult question by projecting the "bechira process" -
the
theme that we have been following in Sefer Breishit -
onto the
story of Yosef and his brothers.
INTRODUCTION
At first glance, the brothers' hatred of Yosef
appears to
stem from a petty sibling rivalry. However, when we
consider
the Torah's story of Yosef's dreams (see 37:2-12), it is
possible to arrive at a deeper understanding of their
actions.
Therefore, we begin our shiur with a quick review of
these two
dreams:
(1) "And behold we were gathering sheaves in the
field, and
my sheaf stood up and remained upright. Your sheaves
then
gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf" (37:7);
(2) "... and behold - the sun, the moon, and eleven
stars
were bowing down to me." (37:9)
One doesn't have to be a prophet to interpret these
two
dreams. Clearly, they point to Yosef's developing sense
of
superiority over the entire family. However, these
dreams
also echo an earlier sibling rivalry in Chumash - that
between
Yaakov and Eisav! Note the similarity between these
dreams
and Yitzchak's blessing to Yaakov (i.e. the blessing
that he
intended to give it to Eisav):
"May God bless you with... an abundance of grain...
Be MASTER OVER your brothers, and let your mother's
sons BOW
DOWN to you." (27:28)
Recall our explanation that this blessing reflected
Yitzchak's original understanding that both of his sons
were
chosen, and hence it became the father's responsibility
to
appoint a family 'leader'. However, as that story
progressed,
it became clear to Yitzchak that only Yaakov was chosen.
Then, as we advance to the next generation, it appears
that
ALL of Yaakov's children will be chosen (and not only
one).
Therefore, it will become necessary for Yaakov to
appoint a
'family leader' from among his twelve sons - but it is
not yet
clear who this 'leader' will be.
With this in mind, it would appear that Yosef's
dreams
reflect his aspiration to attain this leadership
position.
[One could also suggest that they may reflect Yosef's
understanding that he would be the ONLY 'chosen son,'
just as
Yaakov himself emerged as Yitzchak's only chosen son!
This perception is supported not only by Yosef's
dreams,
but also by several other factors, such as:
* Yaakov's love and special treatment of Yosef (see
37:3);
* his "ktonet pasim" (special cloak), a sign of
royalty;
* Yosef is the first son of Rachel, Yaakov's
'primary'
wife;
* Yaakov's silence regarding Yosef's dreams (see
37:11);
ALL IN THE NAME OF GOD
In the brothers' eyes, it becomes rather clear that
Yaakov
plans to name Yosef (or possibly Yosef and Binyamin, the
son's
of Rachel) as his exclusive heir(s). Yosef's dreams
simply
added 'fuel to the flame!'
This background allows us to suggest an ideological
basis
for the brothers' decision to kill Yosef, as follows:
Had Yosef acted in a more righteous manner, his
brothers
may have conceded to his destiny as either the 'leader'
or the
'chosen' son. However, their perception of Yosef's
character
troubled them. In their eyes (as the Parshat Vayeshev
testifies), Yosef was a slanderer: "And Yosef brought
bad
reports ('diba ra'ah') of his brothers to his father."
(see
37:2)
The brothers, aware of the challenges facing God's
special Nation, recognized the need for exemplary
leadership.
Could Yosef possibly assume this role? To the brothers,
the
mere thought of 'Yosef the Slanderer' becoming the
leader was
horrific. From their perspective, it was simply
unthinkable
that Yosef could assume the leadership of a nation
destined by
God to be characterized by "tzedek u'mishpat" (see
18:19). For
the sake of "klal Yisrael," they conclude: Yosef must be
weeded out!
Hence, the brothers faced a predicament similar to
that
of Rivka in the previous generation. Just as Rivka had
realized that Yitzchak was mistaken in his favoring of
Eisav,
so too the brothers conclude that Yaakov is mistaken by
favoring Yosef.
However, just as Rivka resorted to 'trickery' to
ensure that
the proper son would be blessed, so too the brothers
decide to
use 'trickery' to ensure that Yosef would not be
appointed
their leader. Considering that the entire fate of "Am
Yisrael"
was at stake, the brothers allow themselves to 'bend the
rules' a bit, so as to secure the nation's future.
An ideal opportunity (for the brothers) arises when
Yosef
arrives at Dotan to visit them. In order to dispose of
this
menace, they plot first to kill him. Later they opt to
sell
him - off to a distant land. In either case, their
stated goal
is to make sure that Yosef is removed from the Divine
family
(see 37:20 - "v'nireh mah yihiyu chalomotav"). Out of
respect
and concern for their father, lest he fret and worry
about his
'missing' son for the rest of his life, they will dip
Yosef's
coat in blood so that Yaakov will think that he was
truly
dead. Hopefully, their father will finally realize that
Yosef
was "nidcheh" (rejected), and now Am Yisrael can
continue to
develop in the proper fashion.
Thus, based on the theme of Sefer Breishit, the
brothers'
plot to dispose of Yosef, though inexcusable, is
understandable. It is not simply out of petty jealousy
that
they want to kill Yosef, but rather out of a 'sincere'
concern
for the future of Am Yisrael.
MAASE AVOT SIMAN LA'BANIM
If our above assumptions are correct, then the
story of
Yosef and his brothers leaves us with a poignant
message.
When making important decisions that may affect the
future of
our communities we must make sure that lofty spiritual
goals
do not blind us from the most basic principles of moral
behavior..
[Based on this discussion, one could suggest that the
"piyut" that we recite on Yom Kippur about the Ten
Martyrs
(who were killed by the Romans during the time of the
destruction of the Second Temple and the Bar Kochba
revolt)
reflects a similar message. In that piyut, Chazal
connect
those tragedies to the brothers' selling of Yosef.
Even
though that event had taken place over a thousand
years
earlier, Chazal consider the behavior of Am Yisrael
during
that time period similar to that of Yosef and his
brothers.
To understand why, recall that Chazal cite "sinat
chinam"
[petty hatred of one another] as the primary sin of
that
generation (even though Torah study was at an all time
high
- see Mesechet Gittin 55b with regard to the story of
Kamtza
and Bar Kamtza. See also Yoma 9b). Hence, that piyut
is
making a similar statement, but in a more 'poetic'
manner.
The generation of "churban bayit sheni" had repeated
the sin
of "sinat achim" in a manner similar to Yosef's
brothers.
Hence they deserved to be punished, as the later
generation
continues in the same pattern of sin.]
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