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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…

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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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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)

Yaakov sent Yehudah ahead of the family to prepare for their arrival.  The Midrash understands  the word “l’horos” according to its Hebrew definition,  “to teach.”  Yaakov sent Yehudah to found a yeshivah, a place where their family could study Torah.  We infer from Yaakov’s action that Torah study takes priority over any other endeavor.  When a community is being developed, one must first establish a Torah institution,  nurturing its inhabitants spiritually.  The commentators address the fact that Yehudah, not Yosef,  was chosen to establish the yeshivah, even though    Yosef  was a distinguished talmid chacham,  who had already been in…

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Home -> Vayigash -> 5758

Moshe Marcovich
In 5758, Vayigash

And Yosef gathered all the money that was to be found in the land of Egypt. (47:14)

In the Talmud Pesachim 119a, Chazal relate that Yosef buried three treasures in Egypt.  One of the treasures was revealed to Korach. The other was revealed to Antoninus of Rome, who was a friend of Rabbi Yehudah Ha’Nasi. The third remains hidden, to be revealed in the future.  While many commentators understand the words of Chazal to refer to material wealth, as we know that Korach was an unusually wealthy person, the Yalkut Hadrush identifies Yosef’s ideas as the primary aspect of his  wealth.  Yosef left a legacy–three lessons to be gleaned and studied. The first lesson is one that…

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Home -> Vayigash -> 5758

Moshe Marcovich
In 5758, Vayigash

As for the nation, he settled it by cities, from one end of Egypt’s borders to another. (47:21)

Rashi explains that Yosef moved the Egyptians from city to city for a specific purpose.  He was concerned that when his family emigrated to Egypt, they would be made to feel as strangers, embarrassed and rejected by Egyptian society.  By moving around the Egyptians, he circumvented this problem, since the Egyptians themselves were no longer considered the “natives.”  The author of Va’yevch Yosef notes Yosef’s remarkable mesiras nefesh, devotion and self-sacrifice, just to prevent  his brothers from being  humiliated.  His concern for their emotional needs was incredible.  He was prepared to move around an entire country, completely disrupt their lives,…

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