Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban) - known as Nachmanides - is one of Judaism's most brilliant minds ever. Born in Gerona, Spain in 1194, Nachmanides was an ingenious Talmudist, Kabbalist and Biblical commentator. His commentary to the Torah stands out as one of the most creative and insightful commentaries in print.
In the saga of Abraham, Sarah and their maidservant Hagar, Nachmanides openly criticizes Sarah's behavior towards Hagar and her request of Abraham to expel her and Ishmael from their home: "Sarah our mother sinned in dealing harshly with her handmaid," says Nachmanides, "and Abraham, too, by allowing her to do so."
Nechama Leibowitz comments on Nachmanides' open critique of Sarah, remarking that "he could not find any excuses to condone Sarah's behavior, nor could he present any psychological explanations in extenuation of her deeds. No appraisal of Sarah's character could condone the sin of 'Sarah dealt harshly with her.'"
Nachmanides' refreshingly honest approach actually brought many people closer to the Torah and Judaism. Through his commentaries, he made people realize that our Patriarchs and Matriarchs were human beings like all other human beings, filled with the same complexities as any of us. They are not angels or superhuman, rather they are flesh and blood, just like we are. Confronting their imperfections makes them more relatable, not as heroes, but as people we look up to despite their flaws.
In that same spirit, Nachmanides asks a major question about Joseph. In this week's Torah portion - Parashat Vayigash - Joseph's brother Judah delivers a long and moving speech before Joseph, whom he cannot yet identify as his brother. In Judah's mind, he is speaking to the Prince of Egypt. During this emotional speech, Judah says: "We have an old father and there is a child of his old age, the youngest...if I return to my father and the boy is not with us, he will die" (Genesis 44: 18, 30).
These heart wrenching words about the potential death of his father move Joseph to finally reveal himself to his brother, for immediately following Judah's speech, the Torah says: "Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants...his crying was so loud that the Egyptians could hear...and Joseph said to his brothers, 'I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?'"
Joseph was moved and broken by Judah's emotional plea, but Nachmanides has a question:
"Joseph would indeed be regarded as having committed a great sin: bringing anguish to his father, leaving him for many days in the position of being bereft and mourning for Simeon and him. Even if it was his intention to cause his brothers minor anguish, how did he not have compassion for his elderly father? After Joseph stayed in Egypt for many years and became chief and overseer in the house of a great lord in Egypt, how was it possible that he did not send a single letter to his father to inform him of his whereabouts and comfort him, as Egypt is only about a six-day journey from Hebron? Even if it were a year’s journey, out of respect to his father, he should have notified him."
While in the case of Joseph, Nachmanides does attempt to answer this difficult question by saying that Joseph could not tamper with the pattern of dreams from his younger days, and that he was waiting until those dreams were fulfilled as prophecies, Nachmanides' question nonetheless remains with us as a powerful critique of Joseph, one that raises bigger questions for us to ponder: Did power go to his head? Did he forget his roots, his family, and his aging father? Nachmanides' question brings us closer to appreciating the complexity and truth of Joseph's human nature, bringing us to a closer understanding of the lessons we may learn from Joseph's experiences. No matter what positions of power, wealth or success we may achieve, we must always stay in touch with our loved ones, and remember our roots and from where we came. Family must always come first.
What's interesting is that while Nachmanide's immense body of Biblical, Talmudic and Kabbalistic knowledge are certainly his intellectual legacy, one of the defining human, face to face experiences in his life was his famous Disputation at Barcelona in 1263. Here he was challenged to defend Judaism in the public arena, against a former Jew now named Pablo Christiani, and in the presence of the King of Aragon. This was not his private study facing books and texts, but the public domain, facing people, and one specific opponent. In order to succeed in his task, Nachmanides had to know more than his arguments: he had to understand human nature. This was a live showdown.
Nachmanides won the disputation, fully displaying his deep knowledge of Jewish texts, but also showing his prowess as a skilled debater who knew how to psychologically wear down his opponent and defeat him. Winning a debate is more than knowing the facts and "out knowing" what he knows. You have to understand your opponent as a person.
How did Nachmanides learn to do that? Perhaps it had something to do with his Biblical commentaries, where he always sought a deeper understanding of human nature, such as raising difficult questions about Abraham, Sarah and Joseph. These tough questions gave him a more profound understanding of human beings. By probing the deeper character of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs, including their faults, Nachmanides ultimately gained a better psychological understanding of human beings. This ultimately helped him defeat his opponent at Barcelona and bring public honor to the Torah and Judaism.
Big questions, when asked with respect, sincerity and knowledge, can ultimately produce big results.
Shabbat Shalom