It is not uncommon for parents or teachers to have a favourite child, however this does not normally develop to the extremes seen in this week's parshah when Joseph's brothers wanted to kill him and sold him into slavery as they "hated him and couldn't speak peacefully with him [Genesis 37:4]."

It is astounding that Jacob, a wise and astute leader of the fledgling Jewish nation would have favoured Joseph to the extent that brought such discord among the brothers. What was his plan? 

The answer can be found in the language used by the Torah. When describing the lack of harmony among the brothers the Torah uses the Hebrew word "shalom," however the word is spelt without the letter "vav".

Joseph and his brothers differed in more than just their relationship with G-d. We know that Jacob's sons were shepherds. They chose this profession because they would be able to meditate and study Torah while their sheep grazed. The introversion of the brothers' career choice suggests that they were avoiding interaction with the mundane world and that they were afraid of the effect it would have on their religious observance and service of G-d.

On the other hand, Joseph was not intimidated by outside influences. He went out into the world, seeking non-believers, influencing them and inspiring them to the knowledge of G-d. Whether in slavery in Potiphar's house, in an Egyptian prison or the court of Pharaoh, he spread the word of G-d to everyone he came into contact with.

Jacob made his love for Joseph evident because he wanted his other sons to follow his example. Having managed to come through the house of Laban without any compromise of his Jewish beliefs, he wanted to convey to them that they too could bring the knowledge of G-d into the world, raise a family and engage in commerce. 

Like the missing letter "vav" whose vertical design connects the space above to the space below, Joseph's path connects G-dliness to the lowest levels of the mundane. Joseph's brothers were jealous and couldn't speak peacefully with him because they struggled to achieve this themselves, therefore the word "shalom" is missing the letter "vav".

The parshah of Vayeishev is normally read during the week between the New Year of Chassidus and Chanukah. The objectives of chassidus and the theme of Chanukah are the same. Rather than reserving the light of Torah for the scholarly and the elite, chassidus challenges the status quo and shares the light of Torah with every Jew. Similarly, the mitzvah of Chanukah involves lighting the menorah in a place where all can see it, where it can illuminate the darkest of streets.

King Solomon taught that the flame of the candle represents Torah study and the candle itself indicates the performance of good deeds. By studying Torah, especially Chassidus, and sharing what we learn with others, we are lighting up the "dark streets" of exile, until we have the fulfilment of the prophecy that "the light of the moon will shine as brightly as the sun" with the revelation of Moshiach now!