157 - Vayigash

When Yosef revealed his true identity to his brothers, the Torah tells us, "And his brothers could not answer him because they were astounded" (Bereishis 45, 3). Rav Wolbe (Shiurei Chumash) explains the reason for their astonishment. At that moment, they were able to comprehend everything that had occurred in the past twenty two years.

What happened to their brother that they had sold so many years earlier? Why was the viceroy in Egypt dealing with them so harshly? Why was the money they had spent on their food returned to them? Why was the viceroy so adamant that Binyomin be brought to Egypt? What was the viceroy's goblet doing in Binyomin's sack? Yosef's revelation dispelled all the mysteries. All their questions were answered with a few revealing words - "I am Yosef" because they now saw the entire picture with total clarity:

The brother they had sold into slavery was the very viceroy standing before them. It was for that reason that he was dealing so harshly with them. He wanted to be sure that they had done complete teshuva and would not repeat their mistake once again. The goblet was placed in Binyomin's sack as the ultimate test: Would they abandon Binyomin in Egypt just as they had shown no concern for Yosef's life so many years earlier, or would they stand by him in his time of need? The brothers withstood the test and merited to see the entire picture that was shrouded behind a bizarre sequence of events. Immediately everything became crystal clear.

Rav Wolbe quotes Rav Yeruchom Levovitz, who described the coming of Moshiach in similar terms. When Moshiach arrives, and Hashem will proclaim, "I am Hashem", everything will become crystal clear. At once, all the questions that people had will be answered: Why do bad things happen to good people? What is the meaning behind the financial meltdown? Why are we continuosly being attacked by our enemies? When Moshiach comes, these and all other questions will be answered. We will be able to view the entire picture at once. We will then understand that the very things that we thought to be detrimental were in reality the source of our redemption.