Vayigash – Page 12 – Peninim on the Torah

“And Yehudah approached him and said, ‘If you please, my master, may your servant speak a word?'” (44:18)

Rashi views Yehudah’s opening statement as blunt and provocative. Yehudah was telling Yosef that if he did not release Binyamin, dire consequences would ensue. If necessary, Yehudah was prepared to wage war against Yosef and his country in order to effect Binyamin’s release from captivity. What happened? Yehudah seems to have undergone a remarkable personality change. In his previous encounter with Yosef, Yehudah appeared to be a meek, simple person, imploring Yosef to exercise his good graces towards them. Suddenly, Yehudah had become the mighty statesman, who threatened to wage war and heap disaster upon Egypt if he did not…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Vayigash

“And Yosef said to his brothers, ‘I am Yosef.’ … and his brothers could not answer him.” (45:3)

In the Midrash, Chazal quote Abba Bardela who said, “Woe is to us from the day of judgment. Woe is to us from the day of reproach. Bilaam, the wisest of the gentiles, could not stand before the rebuke of his donkey. Yosef was the youngest of the tribes. Yet, his brothers could not stand before him. How much more so, when Hashem will come and reproach everyone according to what he is, will we not be able to tolerate this rebuke.” This Chazal has been the subject of considerable discussion. It has served as the basis for defining the…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Vayigash

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

Chazal teach us that Yosef and Binyamin wept over the destruction of the Sanctuaries that would be built in their respective territories. Two Batei Mikdash were to be constructed in Binyamin’s territory, and the Mishkan Shiloh was to be erected in Yosef’s portion. This Midrash has been the source of considerable discussion. One would think that at a time of such heightened joy, the last thing that would enter their minds would be tragedy. Second, why are they crying about the churban of the other? What about their own? Obviously, we are not talking about common people, whose prime concern…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Vayigash

“And he saw the wagons that Yosef had sent to transport him.” (45:27)

Chazal teach us that Yosef had a specific motivation in sending “agalos,” wagons. The Hebrew word “agalah,” wagon, is similar to the word “eglah,” calf. Yosef intended to provide a hint to Yaakov, referring to the laws of the eglah arufah (the calf which was killed as a symbol of the innocence of the elders of a city where a murder had been committed), which was the last section of halachah that Yosef had studied with Yaakov. He thereby demonstrated to his father that he had not forgotten his studies. Also, Yosef had taken leave of his father without escort…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayigash

“And Yosef said to his brothers, ‘I am Yosef. Is my father still alive?’ But his brothers could not answer him because they were left disconcerted before him.” (45:3)

The Midrash states, “Woe to us on the Day of Judgment, and woe to 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 will reveal Himself to each one of us, announcing, “I am Hashem,” we will certainly be unable to respond because of humiliation.” The commentators, each in his own inimitable manner, have interpreted the powerful words of this Midrash. Let us focus on the words “to each one of us,” or — in the vernacular of…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayigash

“And he (Yosef) fell upon the shoulders of his brother Binyamin and wept, and Binyamin wept upon his (Yosef’s) shoulders.” (45:14)

Rashi comments that Yosef wept upon Binyamin’s shoulder because he foresaw the destruction of the two Batei Mikdash, which would be in Binyamin’s portion of Eretz Yisrael. It is interesting to note that Yosef also cried, falling upon his other brothers during his reconciliation with them, but there is no mention that he cried for the destruction of the Batei Mikdash. What was there about falling on Binyamin that inspired Yosef to mourn for the Batei Mikdash? The Eish Kodesh cites the Talmud Rosh Hashanah 20 which asserts that mitzvos were not given to us for the purpose of deriving…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayigash

“And Yosef shall put his hand on your eyes.” (46:4)

The Ibn Ezra infers from this pasuk that it is customary for the living to close the eyes of the dead. Hashem was assuring Yaakov that Yosef would be there when he passed away. Yosef would arrange to take Yaakov out of Egypt to be buried in the Me’oras Ha’Machpeilah. The custom is that the eldest son closes the eyes of his father, as the parent takes leave from this world. The Yalkut Yehudah offers a poignant and meaningful foundation for this custom. Closing one’s eyes indicates peace of mind. When one sleeps, his eyes are closed. He is at…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayigash

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

Rashi cites the Midrash which interprets the word,ruvk as “to teach.” This implies that Yehudah, the leader of the brothers, was sent ahead to prepare a place in which the family could study Torah. This first “yeshivah” in Egypt represents the essence of Klal Yisrael, setting the historical precedent for the primacy of learning. We are viewed as the Nation of the Book because the core of our lives is interwoven with Torah. Priority number one in every Jewish community has been the establishment of a Torah educational system. The Midrash concludes that wherever Yaakov went, he would study Torah,…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayigash

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

In citing the Midrash which interprets the word, ruvk as “to teach,” Rashi uses a word which lends ambiguity to his statement. He says “to prepare for him a House of Study.” Why does Rashi add the word “for him?” He should have simply said to make a House of Study. Why is it necessary to emphasize that it was “for him”? When Horav Eliyahu Meir Bloch, z.l., came to these shores together with Horav Chaim Mordechai Katz, z.l., to rebuild Yeshivas Telz, he used this Rashi as the source for maintaining the yeshivah in the same character and form…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5755, Vayigash

“And Yosef said unto his brothers, ‘I am Yosef’…. and his brothers could not answer him for they were frightened before him.” (45:3)

Rashi says that the fear experienced by the brothers was precipitated by the intense shame that they felt. The Yalkut Shimoni cites R’ Shimon ben Elazar who says, “Woe is to us from the Yom Ha’Din, Day of Judgment. Woe is to us from the Yom Ha’Tochachah, Day of Rebuke. Yosef was the youngest of the tribes. Yet, the brothers could not face up to his rebuke. How much more so when Hashem will come and rebuke each and every one according to his deeds.” This Chazal has long been applied in many instances as the standard for Tochachah, rebuke,…

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“And Yehudah approached him and said, ‘If you please, my master, may your servant speak a word?'” (44:18)

“And Yosef said to his brothers, ‘I am Yosef.’ … and his brothers could not answer him.” (45:3)

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

“And he saw the wagons that Yosef had sent to transport him.” (45:27)

“And Yosef said to his brothers, ‘I am Yosef. Is my father still alive?’ But his brothers could not answer him because they were left disconcerted before him.” (45:3)

“And he (Yosef) fell upon the shoulders of his brother Binyamin and wept, and Binyamin wept upon his (Yosef’s) shoulders.” (45:14)

“And Yosef shall put his hand on your eyes.” (46:4)

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

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

“And Yosef said unto his brothers, ‘I am Yosef’…. and his brothers could not answer him for they were frightened before him.” (45:3)

YEARS

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