Parashat Vayeshev

By Tamar Rabinowitz; Dean, Jewish Studies and Hebrew

Twelve years ago, the Monday of Thanksgiving was supposed to be my due date with my firstborn. We had decided that if the baby were a boy, he would be named Judah, to honor my beloved Savta (grandmother), who was dying. But my son decided to come a full two weeks late and was born just before Hanukkah. This made the name Judah even more relevant, given that the hero of the Hanukkah story is Judah the Maccabee. For me, as a Tanach teacher, his birth felt even more significant because it coincided with this week’s parsha, Vayeshev, where the sweeping story of Yosef begins, but also where the redemptive arc of the biblical Judah truly takes shape. So, even though I was super uncomfortable for those extra two weeks, he arrived at the perfect time.

To give you a brief recap of this parsha before focusing on two pivotal words: Vayeshev begins the longest continuous narrative in the Book of Bereishit—the story of Yosef. It opens with Yosef as the favored son of his father, Yaakov. Yosef infuriates his brothers by sharing two dreams in which they bow down to him. Their father only worsens their resentment by showing favoritism and giving Yosef a special coat. The brothers’ jealousy turns to hatred, and they decide to kill him. However, Yehuda, emerging as their leader, convinces them to sell Yosef into slavery instead. The brothers then take Yosef’s coat, dip it in goat’s blood, and deceive their father into believing that Yosef has been killed by a wild animal. Yaakov descends into deep mourning and cannot be consoled.

Now, let’s dive deeper into two words that stand out in this parsha: haker-na—”please recognize this.” These words appear only twice in the entire Torah, and both instances are in Vayeshev. This is what my students know is a wonderful example of an echo phrase. The first is in Chapter 37, when Yosef’s brothers, after selling him, present his bloodied coat to their father. They ask Yaakov to recognize (haker-na) the coat:
“הַכֶּר־נָ֗א הַכְּתֹ֧נֶת בִּנְךָ֛ הִ֖וא אִם־לֹֽא”
“Please recognize this coat; is it your son’s or not?” (Genesis 37:32).

This act of recognition is steeped in irony. Yaakov’s favoritism, symbolized by the coat, had fueled the brothers’ jealousy. Now, that very coat becomes the instrument of their deceit. This moment highlights the destructive power of misrecognition and the failure to truly see others. Had Yaakov recognized the depth of his sons’ resentment, surely he would not have given Yosef a special coat? Had the brothers recognized Yosef’s humanity beyond their envy, surely they would not have sold him into slavery? Much of the suffering in this narrative stems from a lack of recognition.

The second instance of haker-na occurs in Chapter 38, in the story of Yehuda and Tamar. After selling Yosef, Yehuda distances himself from his brothers and becomes entangled in another family drama. Tamar, Yehuda’s daughter-in-law, marries Yehuda’s eldest son, Er, who dies childless. By the custom of levirate marriage, Tamar is then married to Yehuda’s second son, Onan, who also dies. When Yehuda hesitates to marry her to his youngest son, Tamar takes matters into her own hands. She disguises herself as a prostitute and Yehuda, unaware of who she is, solicits her as a prostitute. As collateral for payment, she takes his seal, cord, and staff.

Three months later, when Tamar is found to be pregnant, Yehuda—outraged by what appears to be her immorality—condemns her to death. But Tamar produces Yehuda’s seal, cord, and staff, saying:

“הַכֶּר־נָ֔א לְמִ֞י הַחֹתֶ֧מֶת וְהַפְּתִילִ֛ים וְהַמַּטֶּ֖ה הָאֵֽלֶּה”

“Please recognize whose seal, cord, and staff these are.” (Genesis 38:25).

Unlike his father, who recognizes the coat but misreads the situation, Yehuda truly sees. He not only identifies the items but also acknowledges his own moral failing, declaring, “צָדְקָה מִמֶּנִּי”—”She is more righteous than I.” This moment of recognition is profound. Yehuda sees the truth of the situation, admits his mistakes, and begins a journey of personal growth that will ultimately lead to reconciliation with his brothers.

True recognition is not just about identifying objects or people; it’s about acknowledging one’s role in the consequences of their actions and taking responsibility. Recognition—haker-na—is a central theme in Vayeshev. It challenges us to truly see others—their needs, struggles, and humanity. 

Twelve years ago, I ended my Dvar Torah for my son Judah with these words:

“None of us are perfect. Like Yehuda, we all make mistakes. But my hope is that we will have the courage and moral backbone to admit our failures, learn from them, and use them to become more compassionate human beings.”

That remains my wish for my son Judah and for all of us.