Mikeitz – Peninim on the Torah

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)

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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ויאמר יעקב לבניו למה תתראו

Sruly Schnair In 5783, Mikeitz

Yaakov said to his sons, “Why would you have everyone gazing at you?” (42:1)

Yaakov had sufficient food for his family. The country, however, was suffering through a hunger which was taking its toll on everyone around them. Thus, Yaakov told his sons to be like everyone else and go down to Egypt to purchase grain to sustain the family. In an address at an Agudas Yisrael convention, Horav Shimon Schwab, zl, exhorted the listeners: Lamah tisrahu, “Do not be conspicuous with your wealth – even if it was honestly earned (according to Torah standards). Why display before others that you have sufficient food when they are starving?” They had enough, but others did…

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ויאמר פרעה אל יוסף... אין נבון וחכם כמוך

Sruly Schnair In 5783, Mikeitz

Pharaoh said to Yosef… “There can be no one so discerning and wise as you.” (41:39)

Pharaoh mentions navon, discerning, before chacham, wise. In Devarim 1:13, concerning the appointment of judges, the Torah writes, Havu lachem anashim chachamim u’nevonim, “Provide for yourselves distinguished men who are wise and discerning (well-known).” What is the reason for the disparity? Horav Moshe Shternbuch, Shlita, explains chochmah as basic wisdom, knowledge that one receives from his forebears – without personal embellishment or supplementation. Tevunah, discernment, is what one understands on his own, thus enabling him to add to the knowledge that he has acquired. With this principle in mind, we can understand the difference between the Jewish and the non-Jewish…

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ועתה ירא פרעה איש נבון וחכם וישיתהו על ארץ מצרים

Sruly Schnair In 5783, Mikeitz

Now let Pharaoh seek out a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. (41:33)

Chochmah, wisdom, is clearly a prerequisite for growth and leadership. It is also vital to functioning as a ben Torah, one who is committed to achieving a close relationship with Hashem. Horav Elazar M. Shach, zl, was wont to say that Hashem will not take a person to task if he is not a tzaddik, righteous man, but He expects him to be a chacham, wise man. This means that Hashem waits for a person to use his own G-d-given brain to determine that it is in his best interest to choose to live the Torah way of life. His…

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ועתה ירא פרעה איש נבון וחכם וישיתהו על ארץ מצרים

Sruly Schnair In 5783, Mikeitz

Now let Pharaoh seek out a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. (41:33)

Pharaoh had asked Yosef to interpret his dreams. Nowhere do we find him asking for advice. Yet, after Yosef paints a picture of prosperity followed by hunger, doom and gloom, he adds that Pharaoh should immediately appoint a wise and discerning man to administrate the country. Horav Yitzchak Volozhiner, zl, explains that Pharaoh’s dream occurred on Rosh Hashanah, as Chazal (Rosh Hashanah 10) teach that Yosef was taken out of prison on Rosh Hashanah. Yosef wondered why Pharaoh had his dreams on this auspicious day. Indeed, Chazal (Rosh Hashanah 16a) teach that four times during the year Hashem judges the…

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ויגש אליו יהודה

Sruly Schnair In 5783, Mikeitz

Then Yehudah approached him. (44:18)

Yehudah made an impassioned plea to Yosef, whom he still thought was the Egyptian viceroy. He was polite, but firm. He was even willing to exchange himself for Binyamin. One thing was not negotiable: Binyamin. He must be freed. Chazal (Midrash Rabbah 93:6), comment that, in his address to Yosef, Yehudah was prepared for three courses of action: war, appeasement and prayer. Concerning war, we see that the undercurrent of Yehudah’s plea was his willingness to use force, if necessary, to effect Binyamin’s release. From his choice of words and respectful demeanor, it is clear that Yehudah was prepared to…

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ויאמר אליהם מרגלים אתם לראות את ערות הארץ באתם

Sruly Schnair In 5782, Mikeitz

You are spies! To see the land’s nakedness you have come. (42:9)

Why did Yosef choose to accuse them of spying, rather than any other trumped-up charge? Ten men appearing and dressed in a like-manner all arriving in Egypt at exactly the same time do not quite present the modus operandi of spies. A spy attempts to blend into the community. He certainly does not call attention to himself. When ten men who have similar appearances and manner of dress enter a country from different points of entry, they are declaring, “Look at me!” This is certainly not the handiwork of spies who live by stealth. The brothers were certainly not acting…

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ויכר יוסף את אחיו והם לא הכירוהו

Sruly Schnair In 5782, Mikeitz

Yosef recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. (42:8)

Horav Tzvi Hirsch Ferber, zl, explains this pasuk practically. Yosef always viewed his brothers through the lens of filial love – as brothers. Indeed, whenever the Torah mentions Yosef’s relationship toward his brothers, it always uses the word ach, brother: Es achai anochi mevakeish, “I am searching for my brothers” (Bereishis 37:16); Va’yehi kaasher ba Yosef el echav, “And it was when Yosef came to his brothers” (Ibid. 37:23); Va’yeilech Yosef achar echav, “And Yosef went after his brothers” (Ibid. 37:17). Yosef never once lost his relationship with his brothers, but – v’heim lo hikiruhu, “They (however) did not recognize…

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רק הכסא אגדל ממך

Sruly Schnair In 5782, Mikeitz

Only by the throne shall I outrank you. (41:40)

Was Pharaoh protecting his throne, or was he underscoring the elevated position that he was giving to Yosef? In his commentary to the Torah, the Shach (cited in Kerem HaTzvi) employs an anecdote to explain Pharaoh’s demand that he maintain a higher status than Yosef. Without doubt, Pharaoh was not about to relinquish his monarchy to Yosef. Pharaoh added a caveat to his contingency concerning Yosef’s appointment. A distinguished gaon, Torah giant, was as humble as he was erudite. He did everything possible to conceal his saintly character and scholarship. He was required to travel to a large Jewish community,…

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ויאמר פרעה אל יוסף... אין נבון וחכם כמוך אתה תהיה על ביתי ועל פיך ישק כל עמי

Sruly Schnair In 5782, Mikeitz

Pharaoh said to Yosef… “There can be no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and by your command shall all my people be sustained.” (41:39,40)

In Shemos 1:8, the Torah records, “A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Yosef.” The Talmud (Sotah 11a) contains a debate between Rav and Shmuel concerning the “new” Pharaoh: Was he truly a new monarch who had now ascended to the throne? Or was he the same Pharaoh of Yosef’s time who conveniently forgot who it was that had benefited Egypt in their time of national need? If, indeed, it was the same Pharaoh whose benevolence to Yosef now donned a cloak of despotism concerning the Jews, how is it that he was not impacted by the…

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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)

ויאמר יעקב לבניו למה תתראו

Yaakov said to his sons, “Why would you have everyone gazing at you?” (42:1)

ויאמר פרעה אל יוסף... אין נבון וחכם כמוך

Pharaoh said to Yosef… “There can be no one so discerning and wise as you.” (41:39)

ועתה ירא פרעה איש נבון וחכם וישיתהו על ארץ מצרים

Now let Pharaoh seek out a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. (41:33)

ועתה ירא פרעה איש נבון וחכם וישיתהו על ארץ מצרים

Now let Pharaoh seek out a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. (41:33)

ויגש אליו יהודה

Then Yehudah approached him. (44:18)

ויאמר אליהם מרגלים אתם לראות את ערות הארץ באתם

You are spies! To see the land’s nakedness you have come. (42:9)

ויכר יוסף את אחיו והם לא הכירוהו

Yosef recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. (42:8)

רק הכסא אגדל ממך

Only by the throne shall I outrank you. (41:40)

ויאמר פרעה אל יוסף... אין נבון וחכם כמוך אתה תהיה על ביתי ועל פיך ישק כל עמי

Pharaoh said to Yosef… “There can be no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and by your command shall all my people be sustained.” (41:39,40)

YEARS

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