Yaakov, upon receiving the bloodstained 'kutonet pasim' of Yosef, and presuming the tragic death of his son, is inconsolable. Yaakov says, "I will go down to my son Yosef in grievance and mourning to she'ol." To what does the word 'she'ol' refer?

Rashi cites a midrash which states that the term 'she'ol' refers to gehinom. Yaakov feared that he was destined for gehinom, because, as the midrash explains, Yaakov possessed a Divine tradition that if one of his children were to die before him, his end may be in gehinom. However, if he would die before all of his children, then he could rest assured that he would not see gehinom. What is the meaning behind this Divine sign?

At numerous points throughout Sefer Bereishit, Rashi suggests that it was necessary for Yaakov to have twelve sons. For example, in 29:21 Yaakov tells Lavan that he has fulfilled his part of their agreement and that it is time for Rachel to be given to him as a wife. Rashi explains: "'Mil'u yamai' - I am now eighty-four years old. When will I have the opportunity to have twelve children?" According to Rashi, Yaakov was aware that he was destined to father twelve children. (see also 29:34)

Throughout the story of the sons of Yaakov, the future shevatim of Israel, twelve remains a critical number. Therefore, when Yaakov assumes that Yosef has been killed, he suddenly realizes that he has not completed his mission. Therefore, he feels that he is destined for gehinom.

Similarly, when Yitzchak realized that only Yaakov would continue the mesora, and that Eisav would be rejected (see parashat Toldot), Yitzchak was terrified. "Va-yecherad Yitzchak charada gedola ad me'od."

Rashi quotes the midrash: "ra'ah gehinom petucha mi-tachtav" - Yitzchak saw 'gehinom' open up under him. He suddenly realized that not all of his children would continue in his path - only Yaakov would continue, and Eisav would not.

After the birth of Binyamin, and the tragic death of Rachel, the Torah relates that "Reuven went and lay with Bilha, his father's pilegesh, and Yisrael heard. And now the sons of Yaakov are twelve." A very odd pasuk indeed.

The commentators note that benei Yisrael numbered twelve immediately after the birth of Binyamin. Why, then, does the Torah only mention this after this puzzling story of Reuven and Bilha?

The Targum Yerushalmi writes: Yisrael heard and felt terrible and he said "Maybe one of my children will be 'pasul' (unfit) just as Yishmael was (a descendant of Avraham) and Eisav was (a descendant of Yitzchak)." So ruach ha-kodesh answered him and said "Do not worry, all of your children are tzadikim and there is no 'pasul' among them, and as of the birth of Binyamin there are twelve sons of Yaakov."

In other words, it was not yet clear that that all the children of Yaakov would continue the mesora community.

If so, we may now understand Yaakov's reaction upon assuming that Yosef had been killed. He assumed that there were no longer twelve shevatim. The divine sign means that if one of his children would die, if those twelve do not all survive, then the nation of Israel must wait another generation in order to be born. Therefore, Yaakov says, "I will go down to my son Yosef in grievance and mourning to she'ol."

However, we are still left to ponder, why is it so important that the nation be comprised of twelve different parts? What is the significance of klal Yisrael's being comprised of 12 independent children?

The Ramban, on the verse "And Avraham was old, and well stricken in age, and God had blessed Avraham ba-kol [in all things]" (24:1), cites the midrash which says that he was blessed with the midda of 'kol.' While the Ramban says that this midrash is rooted in a deep mystical understanding, he provides a few hints as to the meaning of this berakha. His basic conclusion is that it is something which is complete and contains within it everything. In fact, the Ramban asserts, this midda is related to 'knesset Yisrael,' which is 'KNESSET Yisrael' because it contains all ('she-hi knisat ha-kol').

Knesset Yisrael must be comprised of every aspect of existence. After all, Am Yisrael is a nation, not a sect. While a sect is not multi-dimensional, rather it is usually composed of followers of a charismatic leader who imposes his will forcibly on the entire sect, a nation, in order to be full of depth and richness, has to be multi-dimensional. It has the richness of various perspectives which allows for diversity of opinions. The idea of knesset Yisrael is a greater whole, 'klula min ha-kol' (containing all) as the Ramban says, because it is comprised of many factors. The Torah retained the independent identity of various shevatim even after the exodus from Egypt in order to create a nation of rich and deep harmony, comprised by different elements and various factors.

This harmonious co-existence of the different elements of Israel is expressed in a number of contexts. For example, Chazal often understand the relationship between Yissakhar and Zevulun, as described in the pasuk in parashat Ve-zot Ha-berakha, as a type of partnership. As Rashi quotes from the midrash: Zevulun and Yissakhar made an agreement. Zevulun would go and do business, and would support Yissakhar who would learn Torah. It was a harmonious coexistence, in which there was mutual respect. Each had different strengths, and the two complemented each other, to form a greater whole.

A similar relationship pertains between the 'machaneh shekhina' and 'machaneh Yisrael.' Am Yisrael, a nation like others, cannot remove itself from the mundane context of human existence. However, it is the tribe of Levi, the kohanim and levi'im, which give meaning and value to that context. By separating themselves from the necessities of day to day life, through terumot, ma'asrot, and living in the mishkan, they are able to be a force of kedusha and tahara - sanctity and purity - that thereby go ahead and affect all of knesset Yisrael, giving both legitimacy and meaning to a mundane existence.

The ideal is actually to have various different opinions, which complement each other, which create a certain harmony, richness, a greater whole - a knesset Yisrael 'kelula min ha-kol.' That is the ideal state of Am Yisrael. However, this ideal state is not always attained. Retaining the differences and the diversity of the various segments of klal Yisrael contains inherent danger as well.

One danger is the reversal of roles, or the usurping of one role by a different segment of society. For instance, we mentioned above the relationship 'machaneh shekhina' and 'knesset Yisrael.' There were at least two instances in which the differences between the two were blurred, and in both cases, the consequences were tragic.

One was a the story of Korach, in which 'knesset Yisrael,' represented by Korach and his followers, tried to usurp the role of the kohanim and the levi'im. They questioned the validity of such a system; rather, they asserted, why may not all of knesset Yisrael become priests as well?

Later in history, there was also a period in which the kohanim tried to usurp the role of Yisrael, and attempted to maintain the political authority. This was the case of the Chashmonaim. The Ramban (parashat Vayechi) notes that Chashmonaim should have stopped after defeating the Greeks and returned the political authority to knesset Yisrael. However, by assuming the role of melekh, usually reserved for the descendants of Yehuda, they invited the tragic events that followed.

This danger of reversal of roles, or of one segment usurping the role of another, disturbs the harmonious existence of kelal Yisrael. However, there is another danger which can also destroy the fabric of knesset Yisrael.

In parashat Vayeshev, which presents Am Yisrael at its very infancy, we find an expression of the threat of the unity of the disunity of kYisrael. Already at the beginning of the parasha, we are told that Yosef would go to his father and speak lashon hara about his brothers. The brothers, on their part, were unable even to speak to Yosef in peace. They weren't even able to talk to each other. There was a total breakdown of unity which led to tragic consequences.

Because of that rift, Yosef was almost killed. Then he was sold to Mitzrayim, and the unity among the brothers was destroyed. Yehuda, at that moment, left his brothers, and the story of Yehuda and Tamar occurs. "Ve-yered Yehuda" - "Ve-Yosef hurad Mitzrayma." The house of Jacob is no longer a unit, and the twelve parts are no longer part of a greater whole.

Taking a deeper look at our parasha, we can understand how it is actually two different world outlooks which can lead to disunity. Yehuda and Yosef represent two independent philosophies of life. Both Rav Soloveitchik, in his Chamesh Derashot (in the section on Yosef ve-echav), and Rav Kook, in Ha-misped Be-Yerushalayim, a hesped given shortly after the death of Theodore Herzl, discuss the unique role each brother and his descendants play in the formation of kelal Yisrael.

What does Yosef represent? Yosef was the one concerned with the material welfare. He was sent for the physical welfare of the people. He supported Yaakov and his sons financially, supplying them with bread. He served the political role, and represents the materialistic side and therefore the universalistic side of Am Yisrael. He could speak many languages, and was familiar with many cultures.

Yehuda, on the other hand, represents the more parochial, religious side. "Hayeta Yehuda le-kodsho." Yehuda is sent ahead to Eretz Goshen, which Chazal interpret as preparing the way for the family by establishing a center of Torah learning.

When these two brothers, these two forces, work together, there is endless potential. When they are at odds with each other, it is critically dangerous.

In order to prosper as a nations, kelal Yisrael must accept diversity of opinions. But this diversity must be creative and productive, and not disjunctive and diseased.

On the other hand, we also find a model of resolution, an example of communication and understanding.

Rachel and Leah represent the beginnings, the seed, of the argument between Yosef and Yehuda. (Rachel - the mother of Yosef, Leah - the mother of Yehuda.) We find Rachel and Leah in conflict. In the strange parasha of the duda'im (the plants which Reuven finds and brings to his mother Leah), Rachel says, "Let me have them" - an innocent request. Leah snaps back, "You already stole my husband, now you want the flowers of my child!" How are we to understand this discussion, the argument between the two?

The midrash portrays this incident as a sharp disagreement - "Is it not enough that you stole my husband, that you seduced him to run after you!" And Rachel answers, "Your husband?! My husband! 'Al yadi, ne'esah isheikh!'"

There is no discussion, just one sister attacking another, each one feels that only her position is justified! Leah, on the one hand, because of the evilness of Lavan, with the consent of Rachel, married Yaakov. Seven days later, Rachel married Yaakov, and Yaakov ignored Leah. Each felt wronged by the other, to the point that Rachel simply asks for some plants and the response is shockingly negative.

However, the pasuk continues. "Lakhen yishkav itakh ha-layla." The Ibn Ezra explains that the duda'im were a plant they believed had a segula for fertility. In other words, Rachel was asking from Leah not simply a flower, but to give up her singular connection to Yaakov. Yaakov loved Rachel, but Leah was the mother of Yaakov's children. By asking for duda'im, she was asking for the opportunity to give birth herself. Leah agreed, and Rachel agreed. There began a certain harmonious existence. Each was willing to sacrifice a little bit.

And they began to be able to talk to each other, and work together. The story continues. Leah has a fifth son, and declares: God gave me my sakhar, my reward, for giving my shifcha to my husband. She doesn't realize that she became pregnant on that night, but the wordplay obviously refers to the sakhar for the night of the duda'im as well. As a matter of fact, there are those who say that the name Yissakhar - which is written with a double "sin" - hints to this double meaning of sakhar. Leah called him Yissakhar for giving her maidservant to her husband. But Hashem knew that this was the sakhar - the reward for Leah and Rachel coming to terms.

The midrash goes even further. "R. Levi said: What was the greatness of these duda'im, that because of them two shevatim arose - Yissakhar and Zevulun? Yissakhar is engrossed in Torah and Zevulun goes to sea and provides for him." That beautiful harmonious coexistence between them would one day be the source of Torah in Yisrael - which does not only mean that Yissakhar learned in the kollel! It meant that there were two different shevatim, with diverse characteristics, who listened to and respected each other. That diversity of opinion created a harmony in and of itself. Torah rabba be-Yisrael as opposed to machloket be-Yisrael.

As Sefer Bereishit concludes, Yosef and his brothers finally manage to come to terms with one another. Yehuda is willing to sacrifice himself for a son of Rachel - for Binyamin. Regarding Yosef - the brotherly love overcomes the hate. Finally the two sides come together simultaneously. When Yehuda makes a move toward Yosef, Yosef is unable to withhold himself. Brotherly love overcomes all the differences. Once again, unity is created.

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