Dear Friends:
                What happened to the plan?
                With the generation of our Father Jacob, all impurity was to have been filtered out of the Family of Israel.  We were preparing for our historical job as the Kingdom of Priests and the Holy Nation, the nation that would bring sanctity to the entire world. "G-d winnowed Israel, as it were, until it was completely worthy to be His chosen people.  He chose Avraham over Terach and Nachor; he chose Yitzchak over Yishmael; he chose Yaakov over Esav.  Having made these three choices to arrive at the designation of Yaakov, G-d's process of selection was complete, and all of Jacob's offspring were holy and worthy."[1]
                What happened?
                If Jacob's offspring were "all ... holy and worthy," why did they fight?
                And why are we, their offspring, still fighting?
                What happened?
 
                Parshas Vayigash opens with possibly the most dramatic words in the Torah.
                "Ani Yosef," I am Joseph.[2] 
                This is the paradigm for the coming of Moshiach, with mouths dropping open in amazement as G-d's plan suddenly shines forth.  Joseph reveals himself and the reconciliation of the brothers is complete! 
                Or is it?
                IF THE RECONCILIATION IS COMPLETE, THEN WHY ARE THE BROTHERS STILL FIGHTING FOUR THOUSAND YEARS LATER?
                This is the terrible question we face! 
                Sinas chinom, causeless hatred between Jew and Jew, is known to be the cause of our current, seemingly-endless Exile.[3]  How is it possible that sinas chinom could exist today if in fact the brothers were reunited when Joseph spoke those fateful words?
 
                Rabbi Schneur Kotler ZT"L is said to have discussed this very topic.[4] 
                Just before Joseph reveals himself, the Torah says, "Now Joseph could not restrain himself In the presence of all who stood before him..."[5]
                What does that mean?  Why did Joseph WANT to restrain himself? 
                It seems that he was not quite ready to reveal himself.  And why not?
                Because, my friends, the brothers' teshuva was apparently not complete! 
                And on this hangs the entire weight of our future destiny, the key to the agonies of the last four thousand years, the sinas chinom which plagues us to this moment and the torturous Exile that has almost destroyed us - G-d forbid! - time and again!
                It is one thing for Judah and the other brothers to put their lives on the line for Benjamin.  Yes, that is a great thing.  Yes, that brought the redemption much closer.  But the jealousy that caused the original rupture was not jealousy of Benjamin; it was jealousy of Joseph.  And the brothers apparently still fell short of complete teshuva!  This tiny point, the final drop of reconciliation that was left undone, this was the hair's breadth by which we fell short, and from which, it seems, millennia of suffering has arisen! 
                Can you imagine what this microscopic dot of unfulfilled repentance has caused!  Can you imagine the untold agonies of the more than four thousand ensuing years!  But how else can we fulfill our exalted mission unless we live up to our role as the unsullied Nation?  How can we bring peace unless we are at peace?  How can we bring justice unless we act justly?  How can we cleanse the world unless we are clean?
               It would seem that Joseph may have recognized this microscopic gap in the teshuva process of his brothers and tried to forestall the moment of reconciliation until indeed the process was complete.  But the moment passed.  We are still living out the consequences.
               And now, my friends, what is left for us to do?
               It is our job to complete the teshuva process left incomplete by our ancestors.  And how will we do it if our mighty ancestors could not do it?  Who are we and what is our strength?
                We have lived through history; we have seen what the brothers did not see.  We have tasted the bitter fruit of internal animosity among our people; we have experienced the merciless hatred of our enemies.  And we now face a world which is ready to devour us.
               But the nations of the world miscalculate!  How little do they understand the truth!  "The House of Jacob will be a fire and the House of Joseph a flame - and the house of Esav like straw.  They will kindle among them and consume them; and there will be no survivor of the house of Esav, for G-d has spoken."[6]
                What is the difference between "fire" and "flame," the House of Jacob and the House of Joseph?  Are they not the same substance?  But flame shoots out ahead.  As Rashi says, "fire without a flame does not have effect over a long distance."[7]   Joseph saves the House of Yaakov.  Joseph went ahead into Egypt and saved us.  He is part of us, but he goes ahead of us and is not afraid.

               Why are we jealous of Joseph?  He is "bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh."[8]
                It seems that the brothers could not come to terms with the dreams in which Joseph appeared to be a king over them.  It is very difficult for great people to accept subordination, but that in fact is the greatness of our Nation, that we forever subordinated ourselves to the King of Kings when we accepted His Torah.  Perhaps our seemingly endless slavery in Exile is showing us how to accept subordination. 
                How will we come to accept the dreams of Joseph? 
                It is written, "When G-d will return the captivity of Zion, we will be like dreamers!  Then our mouth will be filled with laughter and our tongue with glad song."[9]  Yes, when the time comes that our Redeemer brings us together in the service of G-d, we will accept the dreams, and we will unite in the service of the King of kings!  The House of Jacob and the House of Joseph, the fire and the flame will be one, just as the rain and the clouds are one! 
                On that day, the Children of Israel will unite in fiery unity, glowing like the Torah letters themselves.  Then Torah will shoot forth like a flame from Jerusalem and illuminate the entire world.  Those who have shivered in the frigid air of Exile will be warmed forever in the light of the Radiance of the Presence of G-d. The entire creation will live in peace, for then the Children of Israel will be living in peace. 
                The brothers will be one and the Name of G-d will be One! 
                May we see it soon in our days!