You can seek the world over, but there is no greater treasure than that within your soul. In parasha Vayishlach, the sons of Leah gather together to conspire against Joseph. Hints are given that they envy Joseph's relationship with his father and the mult-colored coat. Joseph, the son of Rachel is belovede by Jacob in his old age. He is the late baby of his second wife, Rachel, the beloved, for whom he labored double portion of years. From Leah, Jacob received six sons, but from Rachel, he had only two as their marriage was delayed and Rachel suffered problems of infertility. After fourteen years of labor for Laban and deceived in the first marriage, is there really any wonder that Jacob would take a shine to the son? Perhaps as a dreamer, Joseph reminded his father of his own wishful childhood and his own longing for dreams to be fulfilled.
Rabbi Raymond Beyda remarks in his Reflections, Phone Sense (25 November 2004 Torah.org Reflections) that when a person focuses on another person's possessions or honors, it is like drinking saltwater. The more you imbibe, the more thirsty you are. The thirst is never sated, but drains the person of vital liquids to sustain him. Very much salt causes severe problems in metabolism which becomes destructive to a person's health. Anyone who has ever had to go through the ordeal of upper and lower GI exam can attest to the weakness thereafter. Envy drains a person of energy, although initially it seems to stimulate a person into action for greater achievement. Envy causes restlessness within, as it focuses on what the other person has or does, blinding the victim to his own gifts and skills. Don't look for the diamond in the neighbor's hand, but look within for your own gold.
In envying Joseph, the brothers were blind to the evil intents within their own hearts. They could not see the destructiveness of their actions. They found ways to justify the cruelty of their deed, but in doing them they defined themselves, they created their own public image for others to see. They carved out their lives as cunning men. Beautiful? Hardly so. The story of Joseph being sold into slavery is indeed a tragedy, but a universal tragedy. By conniving Joseph's destruction and his elimination, the brothers alienated themselves further from their father. Who can trust someone who comes home and says, "We found his jacket bloodied by a wild beast," but doesn't have the animal? What is the rate of wild beasts attacking humans in a desert? "Tell me more, " Jacob probably said, but their words weren't truly convincing. What he knew as a finality was that he would see his beloved son nevermore. The dialogue between them is cut off. After all, they were experienced herdsmen and they could not protect the youngest brother?
