Mikeitz – Peninim on the Torah

חי פרעה כי מרגלים אתם

By Pharaoh’s life – surely you are spies. (42:16)

Why of all accusations that Yosef could have leveled against his brothers, did he choose calling them spies? Furthermore, the responses they gave to confirm the veracity of their mission to Egypt misses the mark. How does it explain why they are not spies? “All of us are sons of one man.” “Your servants have never been spies.” “The youngest son is now with our father, and one is gone.” Last, what did they mean when they said, “We have never been spies”? Who ever mentioned the past? Horav Elyakim Schlesinger, Shlita, explains this based upon a Midrash that relates…

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אתה תהיה על ביתי ועל פיך ישק כל עמי

Sruly Schnair In 5785, Mikeitz

You shall be in charge of my palace and, by your command, shall all my people be sustained. (41:40)

How often do we attempt all avenues to resolve an issue that is plaguing us — economic, health, shidduchim — and everything that we do leads to a solid, impenetrable wall? All of a sudden, out of the blue, the issue is resolved in a manner that we least expected, or even thought possible. When we take the time to relax and introspect throughout the journey from travail to deliverance, we must ask ourselves: Was this Hashem’s plan from the very onset, that nothing we attempt works, so that we ultimately recognize, realize and acknowledge that: Hashem has a plan;…

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וישלח פרעה ויקרא את יוסף ויריצהו מן הבור

Sruly Schnair In 5785, Mikeitz

So Pharaoh sent and summoned Yosef, and they rushed him from the dungeon. (41:14)

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding one’s eis tzarah, period of trouble, when the designated time for geulah, redemption/deliverance, arrives, he will not spend one extra moment in travail. Yosef was incarcerated with no immediate hope for release, but, when the Heavenly-appointed time for his liberation was reached, he was rushed out of prison. Likewise, explains the Chafetz Chaim, when the time for Klal Yisrael’s redemption from exile arrives, we will immediately be freed. Nothing will impede our release. Two types of redemption exist: collective redemption; and personal redemption. We must remember that, however bleak things may appear, this darkness will…

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ויהי מקץ שנתים ימים ופרעה חלם והנה עמד על היאור

Sruly Schnair In 5785, Mikeitz

It happened at the end of two years to the day: Pharaoh was dreaming that behold! He was standing over the river. (41:1)

Chazal (Bereishis Rabbah 69:3) distinguish between: the wicked who stand over their gods, such as Pharaoh, who dreamt that he was standing over the Nile River, which is the Egyptian godhead; and tzaddikim, the righteous, such as Yaakov Avinu, over whom we see that Hashem stood protectively. Horav Simchah Wasserman, zl, explains that idol worshippers seek a god that will fit into their comfort zone, who will serve them without making any undue demands on them. The Egyptians viewed the Nile River as their god, because it provided for their needs. Pharaoh stood over the river, because this is their…

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קחו מזמרת הארץ בכליכם והורידו לאיש מנחה

Sruly Schnair In 5784, Mikeitz

Take from the land’s glory in your baggage and bring down a gift to the man. (43:11)

Coping with anger can be challenging, for some more than for others. People do not always act nicely to one another. This is especially true when two highly competitive people are both vying for the same position. Conflicts ensue, relationships are damaged and, at times, negative and even unethical behavior occurs. Anger is a normal emotion, unless one is highly refined and in control of himself. If we would stop for a moment to consider the ramifications, both short and long term, we would think twice before expressing ourselves. This is especially true when one is unjustly harmed, provoking feelings…

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קחו מזמרת הארץ בכליכם

Sruly Schnair In 5784, Mikeitz

Take of the land’s glory in your baggage. (43:11)

Horav Nachman Breslover, zl, explains zimras ha’aretz innovatively. Zimras is derived from zemer, song. Thus, Yaakov Avinu sent his sons to Egypt with a melody of Eretz Yisrael to be sung before the ruler who was causing them so much angst. A melody has a strong influence; a song has immense power and can elevate a person. When Yaakov wanted to send something along with his sons that would have powerful influence on the ruler, he sent a song. What is a Jewish song? (I refer here to traditional melodies handed down through the generations and nuschaos, versions of liturgical…

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הנה שבע שנים באות שבע גדול בכל ארץ מצרים וקמו שבע שני רעב אחריהן ונשכח כל השבע בארץ מצרים

Sruly Schnair In 5784, Mikeitz

Behold! Seven years are coming, a great abundance throughout the land of Egypt. And seven years of famine will arise after them; all of the plenty in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. (41:29, 30)

Yosef HaTzaddik was describing to Pharaoh the seven years of famine which were to follow on the heels of the seven years of plenty. He said that the famine would be so fierce and grim that no one would even remember that they had enjoyed seven years of plenty. This idea begs elucidation. Hunger is hunger. Is it necessary to underscore that people would forget the years of plenty? While it is true that the people would no longer have any remaining food, why should that prevent them from remembering that they had once had food? Horav Levi Dicker, zl,…

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ושם אתנו נער עברי עבד לשר הטבחים

Sruly Schnair In 5784, Mikeitz

And there, with us, was a Hebrew youth, a slave of the chamberlain of the bakers. (41:12)

Rashi quotes Chazal (Bereishis Rabbah 89:7), “Cursed are the wicked because even their favors are incomplete!” The chamberlain described Yosef in the most disparaging terms: a naar, youth; ignorant and unfit for distinction; Ivri, Hebrew; a foreigner not conversant in the prevalent culture and language; eved, a slave; about whom it is written in Egyptian law that he can neither be a ruler nor wear the robes of a noble man. In other words, even when they are supposedly nice, it is with great reluctance and insincerity. After all, they cannot allow the Jew to be superior to them. We…

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ויהי מקץ שנתים ימים ופרעה חלם

Sruly Schnair In 5784, Mikeitz

And it was at the end of two years, and Pharaoh was dreaming. (41:1)

“No wine before its time” is a general maxim often used in the context of patience and waiting for things to reach their full potential before one can enjoy them. [This phrase became the slogan of choice for the largest wine company in California.) We look at a given situation and ask, “Why not now?” Because now is not yet the time. The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh addresses the unusual manner in which the Torah conveys that Pharaoh had a dream. Since the introduction of Pharaoh’s dreams is the beginning of a new narrative, it should have written, Cholam Pharaoh, or,…

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ויוסף אמר לאשר על ביתו קום רדף אחרי האנשים והשגתם ואמרת אליהם למה שלמתם רעה תחת טובה

Sruly Schnair In 5783, Mikeitz

Yosef said to the one in charge of his house, “Arise, chase after the men; when you overtake them, you shall say to them, “Why do you repay evil for good?” (44:4)

One would have expected Yosef to instruct his agent to simply ask the brothers, “Why did you take the cup? Why did you repay evil for good?” This is not the first question one asks of someone who has just stolen his silver cup. The Zera Shimshon explains that Yosef asked this question by design, in order to send home a message to the brothers. He intimated, “When our father made me a multi-colored coat, you became jealous. You became so jealous that it was sufficient reason for you to sell me as a slave. “If, however, you were to…

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חי פרעה כי מרגלים אתם

By Pharaoh’s life – surely you are spies. (42:16)

אתה תהיה על ביתי ועל פיך ישק כל עמי

You shall be in charge of my palace and, by your command, shall all my people be sustained. (41:40)

וישלח פרעה ויקרא את יוסף ויריצהו מן הבור

So Pharaoh sent and summoned Yosef, and they rushed him from the dungeon. (41:14)

ויהי מקץ שנתים ימים ופרעה חלם והנה עמד על היאור

It happened at the end of two years to the day: Pharaoh was dreaming that behold! He was standing over the river. (41:1)

קחו מזמרת הארץ בכליכם והורידו לאיש מנחה

Take from the land’s glory in your baggage and bring down a gift to the man. (43:11)

קחו מזמרת הארץ בכליכם

Take of the land’s glory in your baggage. (43:11)

הנה שבע שנים באות שבע גדול בכל ארץ מצרים וקמו שבע שני רעב אחריהן ונשכח כל השבע בארץ מצרים

Behold! Seven years are coming, a great abundance throughout the land of Egypt. And seven years of famine will arise after them; all of the plenty in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. (41:29, 30)

ושם אתנו נער עברי עבד לשר הטבחים

And there, with us, was a Hebrew youth, a slave of the chamberlain of the bakers. (41:12)

ויהי מקץ שנתים ימים ופרעה חלם

And it was at the end of two years, and Pharaoh was dreaming. (41:1)

ויוסף אמר לאשר על ביתו קום רדף אחרי האנשים והשגתם ואמרת אליהם למה שלמתם רעה תחת טובה

Yosef said to the one in charge of his house, “Arise, chase after the men; when you overtake them, you shall say to them, “Why do you repay evil for good?” (44:4)

YEARS

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