Mashiach in
the Torah
By Hillel ben David (Greg Killian)
III.
Mashiach ben Yosef vs. Yosef
V.
Mashiach ben David vs. Yosef
In my studies, so far, I have learned that there is an intimate
connection between the life of Yosef ben Yaakov, Yosef
Hatzadik, and the prophecies concerning Mashiach
ben Yosef and Mashiach ben David. In this study I would like to understand the
life of Yosef ben Yaakov as it related to the Olam HaBa and the transition to
the Olam HaBa. The connection between the life of
the Patriarchs and future events is summarized by
Chazal in this famous quote from the Talmud:
“ma'asei avot
simon l'banim[1]”
"The deeds of the fathers
are a sign for the children"
The following midrash indicates that all the events
that occurred in the story of Yosef and his brothers, whether they realized it
or not, were directed by Heaven, to bring Mashiach:
Bereshit
Rabbah 85:2 The tribes were
involved with the sale of Yosef; Yosef was immersed in mournful
thoughts about his separation from his father; Reuven was involved with
mourning over his sin; Ya'akov was mourning for Yosef;
Yehuda was busy taking a wife for himself (Tamar).
And the Holy One, Blessed is He, was busy creating the light of Mashiach.
The Midrash is
not merely summarizing disconnected events of the day. Rather, what the Midrash means to indicate is that all
the events that occurred in the story of Yosef and his brothers, whether they
realized it or not, were directed by Heaven. These events would make possible
the revelation of the light of Mashiach. Thus we learn that Yosef’s life reveals the Mashiach; and so this is
not a trivial study, but rather a study with prophetic and profound insights. Indeed,
the Midrash states:
All that happened to Yosef happened to Tzion.[2]
In fact, the gematria of Yosef and Tzion (zion) are exactly
the same: 156.
Lets start our study by looking at an enimatic statement in the Torah
which has provoked commentary from nearly every major source:
Bereshit (Genesis) 37:2 These are the generations of Yaakov: Yosef, ….
The above pasuk indicates a clear connection between Yosef and Yaakov.
Chazal, our Sages, draw many parallels between these two such that we can see
that Yosef represents Yaakov. Yosef, therefore,
represents Israel.
Midrash Rabbah - Genesis LXXXIV:6. R. Samuel b. Nahman commented: THESE ARE
THE GENERATIONS OF JACOB:
YOSEF. Surely Scripture should say,THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF JACOB: Reuben?
The reason is this: as Jacob was born circumcised,
so was Yosef born circumcised: as the former's mother was childless, so was the
latter's; as the former's mother had great labour, so did the latter's; as the
mother of the former bore two, so did the mother of the
latter; as the brother of the former hated him, so did the brothers of the
latter; as the brother of the former sought to kill him, so did the brothers of
the latter seek to kill him; the one was a shepherd and the other was a
shepherd; the one was pursued by Satan and the other was pursued by Satan.
'Stolen' occurs twice in connection with one, and
it occurs twice in connection with the other; the one was blessed with ten [blessings] and the other was blessed with ten; the one
emigrated from the Land [Eretz Israel], and the other
emigrated from the Land; the one took a wife outside the Land, and the other
took a wife outside the Land; the one begot children outside the Land, and the
other begot children outside the Land; the one was escorted by angels, and the
other was escorted by angels ; the one was promoted through a dream, and the
other was promoted through a dream; the house of the father-in-law of the
former was blessed on his account, and the house of the father-in-law of the latter was blessed on his account; the
one went down to Egypt and the other went down to
Egypt; the one ended the famine and the other ended
the famine; the one adjured [his children] and the other adjured [his
brothers]; the one charged [his children] and the other charged [his brothers];
the one died in Egypt and the other died in Egypt; the one was embalmed and the
other was embalmed; the bones of the one went up [from Egypt], and the bones of
the other went up.
To make this connection clear, consider that Rashi tells us that Yosef
was the spitting image of Yaakov. Thus we
understand that Yosef = Yaakov.
From a previous study (Mashiach), I learned
that:
Yaakov =
Now we can add:
Yaakov = Yosef =
In addition, we learn from Tehillim, Psalms,
that both Yaakov and Yosef are associated with redemption:
Tehillim (Psalms) 77:15 Thou hast with arm redeemed
thy people, the sons of Jacob and Yosef. Selah.
The Ramban presents the fundamental principle that the book
of Bereshit is a story not only about the creation of
the world, but also about the creation of the
Congregation of
Paro called Yosef HaTzadik, Tzafnat Pa'aneach,[3] which, as