The Need for Love of Friends (1)

“And a stranger found him blundering about in the fields. ‘What are you looking for?’
asked the stranger. ‘ I’m looking for my brothers, replied (Joseph). Perhaps you can
tell me where they are tending the sheep?’” (Vayeshev Ex. 37:16-17)
When we say “field” we are referring to a place from which the produce of the earth
comes to sustain the world. Agricultural work includes plowing planting, and
harvesting. This is the reference of the verses “The harvesters will harvest with tears
of joy.” and “The field which G-d has blessed.” When we say a person is “blundering
about’ in the fields, we mean (according to the Baal Haturim) that he has erred in his
understanding of the directions (as opposed to an error due to external causes). He
does not know the true way to his destination. At such a point the person fears he will
never arrive at his destination.
“‘What are you looking for?’ asked the stranger.” In other words, “how can I help
you?” “’I’m looking for my brothers,’ replied (Joseph)”. In other words, by means of
joining close up with my brothers, by means being part of a group which
demonstrates brotherly love, I can get back on the track to the “House of G-d”. This
track is called the path of benevolence (givingness), which is the opposite of our
(egocentric, demanding) nature. The only advice for coming to the path of
benevolence is love among friends, through which each will come to help his fellow.
“’They have already left this area,’ said the man.” Rash’i says here, “They have
already left the area of brotherhood,” meaning, they don’t want to associate with you.
This caused, in the end, that the People of Israel descended to exile in Egypt. In order
to ascend from Egypt, we must take the responsibility of entering only into
associations and groups that possess brotherly love. Thereby we will merit coming out
of Egypt and receiving the Torah.