Parashat Hashavua: A Yeshiva and a Community Go Together | Rabbi Yossef Carmel | Beit Midrash

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Our parasha contains an important, difficult-to-translate passage: "[Yaakov] sent Yehuda before him to Yosef to show the way (l’horot) before him to Goshen" (Bereishit 46:28). Why did Yaakov send Yehuda ahead during the family’s trip to Egypt and the meeting with Yosef?
Midrash Sechel Tov (ad loc.) says that Yehuda was sent because he was the leader among the brothers. The Midrash Hagadol (ad loc.) posits that it is a good sign for the family/nation when Yehuda and Yosef interact closely (based on Zecharia 10:6 & Yechezkel 37:16, regarding the final redemption). According to Midrash Hagadol, then, Yaakov’s choice was to send a message of unity between the sons of Leah and those of Rachel. This partnership, highlighted in the blessings to Rut and Boaz (Rut 4:11), is a condition for the ultimate redemption.
Why does the Torah stress that Yehuda was sent "before him"? Midrash Sechel Tov attributes it to manners – to let Yosef know that his father would be coming soon, as it is proper etiquette whenever an important person comes to visit. As part of the effort to build unity, etiquette and sensitivity play roles.
The Rabbis over the generations understood differently the meaning of "l’horot before him to Goshen." One approach (held by Unkelos, Rashi, and others) puts stress on "to Goshen." Yaakov sent Yehuda as a scout to find the best way to get to Goshen and find the best setup there. It was a priority that it not be too centrally located within Egypt, so that the local environs would not introduce serious spiritual problems. Along these lines, an opinion in Midrash Hagadol says, "to create a place to live."
The second approach focuses on l’horot and gives it a spiritual connotation. Rav Chama (in Midrash Hagadol) says that it was to prepare a meeting place for Torah. Rashi explains similarly – to establish a center of Torah study, from which rulings (hora’a) would emerge. Also in Midrash Rabba (Bereishit 95) – they would teach Torah to all of the tribes. Midrash Sechel Tov proposes a hint – l’horot is like l’orot, which has the gematria of 613. It goes on to say that Yosef established a yeshiva in Goshen that dealt with the wisdom of Torah before it was given. Rabbi Avraham, son of the Rambam, points out that the way horot is written gives it the same gematria as Torah.
All approaches teach important spiritual principles. In order to ensure the perpetuation of Jewish life, even in exile, it is necessary to establish a Torah-based center to spiritually provide for the Jewish population. This principle has been demonstrated repeatedly throughout history. Second, the center must be an intrinsic part of the community (in Hebrew, yeshiva and yishuv (community) are closely linked). Torah that is divorced from the needs of the community loses much of its effect as a "Torah of life." Connection to the nation is a basis of spirituality. It is self-evident that it is not possible to influence a broad cross section of society without taking part in helping protect that society (Based on this, Rav Yisraeli decided that only those who have served in the army are eligible to be avrechim at Eretz Hemdah.)
May our hopeful success in fostering unity help us finally emerge victorious in our just war against horrible perpetrators.

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Parashat Hashavua