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Home -> Vayigash -> 5761

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5761, Vayigash

“So Yisrael set out with all he had and he came to Beer-Sheva.” (46:1)

Yaakov Avinu was on his way to Egypt to finally be reunited with his long lost son, Yosef. Why did he stop in Beer- Sheva?  It  should not normally have been a part of  his itinerary. The Midrash replies that Yaakov stopped to cut down cedar trees that had originally been planted by Avraham Avinu. Yaakov knew that one day Klal Yisrael would be liberated from Egypt, and they would build a Mishkan, Sanctuary, in the desert. These cedar trees would serve as the lumber for the Mishkan. What is the significance of these cedar trees and why was it…

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Home -> Vayigash -> 5761

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5761, Vayigash

“All the souls coming with Yaakov to Egypt.” (46:26)

Rashi observes that although Yaakov had seventy family members, the Torah nonetheless refers to them as “nefesh,” soul, in the singular. He attributes this to the fact that they all worshipped one G-d. Thus, they collectively became one unit. Horav Yitzchok Zilberstein, Shlita, asks why in the brachah of “Borei Nefashos” do we begin with the plural, “Nefashos rabos, v’chesronan,” “Who creates numerous living things with their deficiencies,” and close with “l’hachayos bahem nefesh kol chai,” “with which to maintain the life of every being,” in the singular? He explains that Klal Yisrael remains one – united under Hashem Yisborach. Each…

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Home -> Vayigash -> 5760

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5760, Vayigash

And Yosef said to his brothers, “I am Yosef. Is my father still alive?” (45:3)

  Yosef was revealing his true identity to his brothers. The first question that he asked after he identified himself was, “Ha’ode avi chai?”, “Is my father still alive?” One wonders at the timing of this question. During the time that Yosef’s brothers appeared before him, they mentioned their elderly father several times. Why did Yosef suddenly ask a question whose answer was obvious? Each in his own way, the commentators suggest an interpretation of Yosef’s question. In his popular “Maggid” series, Rabbi Paysach Krohn relates a poignant story that offers a new meaning to the question, “Is my father…

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Home -> Vayigash -> 5760

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5760, Vayigash

“And Yosef said to his brothers, “I am Yosef” … But his brothers could not answer him because they felt disconcerted before him.” (45:3)

In addressing the concept of tochachah, rebuke, the Midrash states, “Woe to each one of us on the Day of Judgment, woe to each one of us on the Day of Reproof.” Yosef was the youngest of the tribes, but when he said, “I am Yosef,” the brothers were overcome with shame at their misdeeds. When Hashem reveals Himself to each one of us announcing, “I am Hashem,” we will certainly be unable to respond as a result of our humiliation. The words, “to each one of us,” which in the vernacular of the Midrash is rendered, “l’fi mah shehu”…

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Home -> Vayigash -> 5760

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5760, Vayigash

“So Yisrael set out with all he had and he came to Beer-Sheva.” (46:1)

Yaakov Avinu was on his way to Egypt to finally be reunited with his long lost son, Yosef. Why did he stop in Beer- Sheva?  It  should not normally have been a part of  his itinerary. The Midrash replies that Yaakov stopped to cut down cedar trees that had originally been planted by Avraham Avinu. Yaakov knew that one day Klal Yisrael would be liberated from Egypt, and they would build a Mishkan, Sanctuary, in the desert. These cedar trees would serve as the lumber for the Mishkan. What is the significance of these cedar trees and why was it…

Continue Reading

Home -> Vayigash -> 5760

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5760, Vayigash

“All the souls coming with Yaakov to Egypt.” (46:26)

Rashi observes that although Yaakov had seventy family members, the Torah nonetheless refers to them as “nefesh,” soul, in the singular. He attributes this to the fact that they all worshipped one G-d. Thus, they collectively became one unit. Horav Yitzchok Zilberstein, Shlita, asks why in the brachah of “Borei Nefashos” do we begin with the plural, “Nefashos rabos, v’chesronan,” “Who creates numerous living things with their deficiencies,” and close with “l’hachayos bahem nefesh kol chai,” “with which to maintain the life of every being,” in the singular? He explains that Klal Yisrael remains one – united under Hashem Yisborach. Each…

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Home -> Vayigash -> 5759

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5759, Vayigash

And Yosef said to his brothers, “I am Yosef.” But his brothers could not answer him because they were left disconcerted before him. (45:3)

When Yosef finally revealed himself to his brothers, they were so overwhelmed with shock that they did not respond.  We find two statements in the Midrash regarding the lack of “dialogue” between Yosef and his brothers.  First, Abba Kohen Bardela declares, “Woe is to us from the Day of Rebuke: Woe is to us from the Day of Judgement.  Bilaam was the wisest of the pagans, yet he could not withstand the rebuke of  his donkey; Yosef was the youngest of the tribes, yet his brothers could not withstand his rebuke.  When Hashem comes and rebukes each one (of us)…

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Home -> Vayigash -> 5759

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5759, Vayigash

And now, be not distressed, nor reproach yourselves for having sold me here, for it was to be a provider that G-d sent me ahead of you. (44:5)

In an attempt to assuage his brothers’ fears, Yosef told them that  Hashem had designed his migration from Eretz Yisrael to Egypt so that Yosef could prepare for their eventual arrival.  He emphasizes two points: “Do not be distressed,” and “Do not reproach yourselves.”  What is the difference between these two references to accepting blame for what had occurred?  Horav Eliyahu Schesinger, Shlita, explains that  two factors contributed to their distress.  First, they were bothered by the fact that they had wrongly suspected Yosef of attempting to harm them.  They assumed that his dreams were nothing more than manifestations of…

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Home -> Vayigash -> 5759

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In 5759, Vayigash

And he (Yaakov) sent Yehudah ahead of him to Yosef, to prepare ahead for him in Goshen. (46:28)

Rashi cites the Midrash which interprets the word “l’horos” to mean “to teach.”  This implies that Yehudah, the leader of the brothers, was sent ahead to establish a makom Torah, a House of Torah study, a yeshivah to prepare for the spiritual development of those coming to Egypt.  What about Yosef, who was a tzaddik, who had maintained his spiritual level throughout his ordeal in exile, who certainly knew the country?  Why was he not charged with founding the yeshivah? The various commentators rationalize Yaakov’s decision.  Horav Dov Eliezerov, zl, offers a practical solution to the problem.  He relates that…

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Home -> Vayigash -> 5758

Moshe Marcovich
In 5758, Vayigash

He sent Yehudah ahead of him to Yosef, to prepare ahead of him in Goshen. (46:28)

Rashi interprets the word “l’horos” to mean  “to teach.”  Yaakov sent Yehudah  to prepare a makom Torah, a place for Torah study, to lay the foundation for Torah dissemination in Egypt.  The Midrash  asserts that Yaakov sent  Yehudah because he was on good terms with Yosef.  Certainly,  Yosef would have done everything within his power to assist any emissary of his father.  The Midrash implies, however,  that it would have been  inappropriate to send Yehudah to establish a yeshivah had his relationship with Yosef  not been one of total harmony. This seems difficult to understand. Yehudah was selected because of…

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