It is not often easy to speak truth to power, to approach one who is on a higher station in life, who is in public office or is otherwise perceived to be unapproachable. This is especially true when that person holds something over one. Often, I have heard throughout the course of my 40-year career that a person found approaching me, as a rabbi, to be “intimidating.”

That must have been how Judah felt as he approached Josef in the beginning of this week’s Torah portion, Vayigash (and [Judah] approached). After all, he did not know that he was standing up to his younger brother; he thought he was defying the order of the Viceroy of Egypt! How nervous he must have been! 

However, Judah had grown much since he first suggested that the brothers sell Josef to the nomadic merchant caravan headed for Egypt so many years earlier. He had learned a lot about himself, courtesy of his daughter-in-law Tamar. He also had to live with the fact that it was his suggestion, which caused his father so much grief all these years. Judah had truly grown to be the leader of the family by this point, and it had been a painful growth in many ways for him.

As the parashah ended last week, Josef had managed to slip his divining cup into the sack of his younger brother Benjamin. He then sent his guards after the brothers in search of the cup. When they found it in Benjamin’s sack, they arrested him, and all the brothers were brought back to the palace. 

As the Viceroy of Egypt, Josef indicated that he was going to imprison Benjamin for this “crime.” It was then the Judah approached and spoke to this powerful “Egyptian” leader. As Judah had seen the grief of his father, when they had informed him of Josef’s “death,” Judah could not inflict such grief upon the elderly Jacob again. Benjamin was all that remained of Jacob’s beloved Rachel, now that Josef had been taken from him. Judah could not face his father with that loss on his conscience, too. 

As a result of Judah’s approaching Josef and standing up for his youngest brother, Josef could no longer remain behind the mask. He revealed his true identity to his brothers and invited them to reside in Egypt with him, to bring his father down to Egypt with the entire household to ride out the remainder of the famine in prosperity and security. Josef had learned that it was not his brothers, but God, who orchestrated the entire series of events in order that this moment should arrive. Little did Josef know what God had in store for the Children of Israel after his death.

Judah demonstrated true leadership when he stood up to the person he thought was the second-in-command over Egypt. Though he placed himself at considerable risk by doing so, Judah knew that playing along was not an option. Judah is not only the name of one of the sons of Jacob and not only the name of one of the tribes of Israel, but the name of the nation from which all Jews are descended. 

There are those who have described the role of Jews in history as the world’s conscience. Israel’s mission, as defined early on in the biblical text, is to be a light to the nations. Jews are to be a light that illuminates the darkness of idolatry and of immorality, of self-centeredness and of self-satisfaction. Jews are to be the light of God, enlightening the other peoples of the world with the knowledge of God and of how God partners with humankind to make this world a better place for all.

Judah enlightens Josef in this week’s Torah portion and defines the role of the Jewish people. He stands up for his brother and demands fair treatment from this powerful individual. If, indeed, the truth is that Benjamin is guilty, then Judah offers to substitute himself for punishment, but Judah is all but convinced that the truth is that the cup was planted in Benjamin’s sack. 

It is the Jew’s role to continue to stand up and to approach any authority with the same courage as did our namesake. It is the Jew’s role to stand for all that may be wrongly accused, for all who may be oppressed, for all who require redress in obtaining justice. 

In that way, we work toward bringing on the world to come, the world that all know can be possible when humankind all act as if they believe in the One God.

Rabbi Josef A. Davidson serves Congregation B’nai Amoona and is a member of the St. Louis Rabbinical Association.