Musar para sa Genesis 45:5

And from all of this awesome episode we can understand how much one must guard his tongue and his deeds. And also, from [the account of] Joseph, we can understand his holy trait, viz. (Ibid. 45:5): "And now, do not be grieved, and do not vex yourselves that you sold me here." And, similarly, at the end of the parshah (Ibid. 50:21): "And he comforted them and he spoke to their hearts." And witness further the greatness of Joseph, who did not tell his father what had been done to him, until it was revealed to him prophetically before his death, as it is written [(Jacob speaking)] (Ibid. 49:23): "They [the brothers] embittered him and they antagonized him and they hated him, etc." And, more than this, we find in the words of Chazal that Joseph took care not to be alone with his father, so that his brothers not suspect him of telling his father what he had suffered at their hands.

When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers in Parshat Vayigash (commencing in 45,1), there are a number of points which merit our close attention. Joseph said in 45,5: "And now do not grieve, etc." What did Joseph mean by "and now?"

Joseph said three separate times "G–d has sent me before you." The first time he referred to the literal meaning of כי למחיה שלחני אלוקים לפניכם, "G–d has sent me ahead to provide sustenance" (45,5). When Joseph mentioned a second time that G–d had sent him ahead in 45,7, he phrased it thus: לשום לכם שארית בארץ ולהחיות לכם לפלטה גדולה, "To provide refuge for you in the land, and to keep you alive for a great rescue." At first glance these words seem totally superfluous; שארית refers to something insignificant, whereas פלטה גדולה alludes to something major. Actually, Joseph alluded to two separate missions which he had been entrusted with in order to establish the kingdom of Yehudah. The first, a minor mission, was to establish a base for a kingdom of Yehudah in this world, i.e. the Exodus from Egypt, whereas the more important mission was that he would prepare the ground for the Messianic kingdom of David, i.e. play the role of the משיח בן יוסף. He explained that the Messiah ben Joseph would be slain as a martyr on behalf of the people of Israel, and that following his death the enduring kingdom of David-Messiah would arise. When that would occur, Joseph's blood would be avenged.