Vayigash opens with the dramatic denouncement of 22 years of alienation, changes and hopes. Judah is moved to confront Joseph, and in doing so is brought to confront himself and his own mistakes. The brothers broken relationships of a lfetime are restored, and the entire family of Israel is reunited at last. The portion concludes with the successful settlements of Goshen, in Egypt, and the productive cultivation of a nation destined to be born in exile.
The brothers, led by Judah have dramatically transformed from bullies to caring individuals. However, viewing events from their perspective, rather than Joseph's, a completely different picture emerges. Aware of their family history, the brothers knew that in each generation one of the progeny was the chosen of G-d and the other was their adversary: Isaac was chosen over the rebellious Ishmael, Jacob over Esau. The brothers recognised in Joseph's arrogant dreams of everyone bowing down to him a dangerous personality who was not in tune with Abraham's worship of G-d. They genuinly believed that just as Isaac was misguided by Esau, Jacob was foolish to love Joseph, and that the family was better off without him.
But now in Vayigash the story has come full circle. Now it is Joseph who cares for the welfare of his family and it is his self righteous brothers who are splitting up the family and causing their father to fall into a morbid depression. It is only at this point that Joseph reveals his true identity to his brothers because only now can both sides see the value of a united Israel.
Although Joseph established his brothers in a separate area, with their livelihoods apart from the Egyptians, it is ironic to realise that he set in play the feudal structure with which the future Pharoah could control his people. Joseph's real estate agreements mean that all the land of Egypt belonged to the ruler and allowed him to build huge cities and demand obedience from his indebted subjects. We see in the coming weeks how this obedience allowed the Bnei Yisrael to easily fall into slavery.