5775

ויברך יעקב את פרעה

And Yaakov blessed Pharaoh. (47:7)

The blessing that Yaakov Avinu gave to Pharaoh had an enormous effect on Egypt’s agricultural bounty. Indeed, Rashi explains that, following Yaakov’s blessing, the Nile River rose up to “greet” Pharaoh and then irrigated the land. The Satmar Rav, zl, related that, in the twilight of the life of his grandfather, the Yismach Moshe, the heads of the community approached him with a complaint. Apparently, the sage davened privately in a room off of the main bais medrash. This bothered them. They added a few more foolish critiques, which they felt granted them permission to refuse him his meager salary…

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ויסע ישראל וכל אשר לו ויבא בארה שבע

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Vayigash

So Yaakov set out with all that he had and he came to Beer-Sheva. (46:1)

The Midrash asks where Yaakov Avinu went. Chazal respond, Lakutz arazim, “To cut down the cedar trees which his grandfather, Avraham Avinu, planted in Beer Sheva.” I have referred to this 0Midrash a number of times, but upon perusing it again, I am struck with two questions. Yaakov is on his way to greet his long-lost son, Yosef, for whom he had mourned for twenty-two years. Can one ever begin to imagine the excitement that coursed through the Patriarch at this time? His son that he had given up for dead was not only alive, but had achieved the epitome…

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ויפל על צוארי בנימין אחיו ויבך ובנימין בכה על צואריו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Vayigash

Then he fell upon his brother Binyamin’s neck and wept; and Binyamin wept upon his neck. (45:14)

The casual reader of Biblical text, who refuses to look beyond the simple translation and delve into the profundities of the Torah’s interpretation, sees an emotional meeting between two brothers who had been separated for twenty-two years. This might be the case if this were a secular novel and the two heroes were simple people. When an encounter is recorded in the Torah for posterity and the players are Yosef and Binyamin, two members of Shivtei Kah, one must be obtuse to view this meeting superficially. Chazal illuminate the scenario when they tell us that this was no simple emotional…

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ויפל על צוארי בנימין אחיו ויבך ובנימין בכה על צואריו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Vayigash

Then he fell upon his brother Binyamin’s neck and wept; and Binyamin wept upon his neck. (45:14)

Rashi quotes Chazal (Megillah 16b) who indicate that Yosef and Binyamin wept over the destruction of the Sanctuaries which would be built in their respective portions of Eretz Yisrael. Yosef cried over the two Batei Mikdash which were to be situated in Binyamin’s territory, while Binyamin mourned the Mishkan Shiloh which was to be in Yosef’s portion of Eretz Yisrael. Clearly, the weeping generated by these destructions could have occurred at a different time. Yosef and Binyamin had been separated for twenty-two years. The joy in meeting one another must have been overwhelming. Just talking about the missing years and…

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YEARS

ויברך יעקב את פרעה

And Yaakov blessed Pharaoh. (47:7)

ויסע ישראל וכל אשר לו ויבא בארה שבע

So Yaakov set out with all that he had and he came to Beer-Sheva. (46:1)

ויפל על צוארי בנימין אחיו ויבך ובנימין בכה על צואריו

Then he fell upon his brother Binyamin’s neck and wept; and Binyamin wept upon his neck. (45:14)

ויפל על צוארי בנימין אחיו ויבך ובנימין בכה על צואריו

Then he fell upon his brother Binyamin’s neck and wept; and Binyamin wept upon his neck. (45:14)

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