5759

They had left the city…and Yosef said to the one in charge of his house, “Get up, chase after the men…and you are to say to them, ‘Why do you repay evil for good?'” (44:4)

Yosef’s choice of words, “Why do you repay evil for good?” is questionable. One who does evil in place of good is not “repaying.” He either did not do good, or he performed evil. The term simply does not apply when one is acting wrongly. One does not pay evil for good. Horav Yitzchak Goldwasser, Shlita, explains that when we delve into the psyche of a kafui tov, one who denies the gratitude he owes and instead acts inappropriately, we note a remarkable phenomenon of human nature. One who has benefitted from another fellow is literally in debt to him. …

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5759, Mikeitz

They said to one another, “Indeed we are guilty concerning our brother inasmuch as we saw his heartfelt anguish when he pleaded with us… Reuven spoke up…Did I not speak to you saying, “Do not sin against the boy.” (42:21,22)

Realizing that things were not going well for them, the brothers became introspective. They recognized that Yosef’s ill treatment of them was Divine retribution for their part in the mechiras Yosef, sale of Yosef. They did not, however, acknowledge any wrongdoing with regard to the actual sale, only in their lack of compassion towards him as he begged them to let him go. Reuven seems to be saying, “I told you so.” He had attempted to thwart their plan and save Yosef. He claims to have said, “Do not sin against the boy.” The Ramban questions this statement, maintaining that…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5759, Mikeitz

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

There is a story told about Horav Chaim Soloveitchik,zl, and the infamous Jewish apostate, Professor Daniel Chivalson, who was a Bible scholar and critic in Czarist Russia at the end of the nineteenth century. Chivalson had the position of chief censor for Hebrew books. Despite his apparent betrayal of the religion to which he was born, he continued to act favorably to his “ex” co-religionists. He was in touch with many famous rabbanim of his time. He signed his letters with the name Yosef, the name by which he was called prior to his spiritual demise. When Chivalson reached his…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5759, Mikeitz

Yosef named his firstborn Menashe, for G-d has made me forget all my hardship,…and the name of the second son he called Efraim, for G-d has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering. (41:51,52)

Horav Zeev Weinberger, Shlita, asserts that Yosef purposely gave his sons specific names. In naming Menashe, he was determined first to focus on removing the “past.” With Efraim’s name, he intended to offer gratitude for the present. We note that Yosef is the only tribe for whom two reasons are given for his name. Rachel says, “G-d has taken away my disgrace” and “May Hashem add for me another son.” Once again, the twin concepts of erasing the past and maintaning a positive attitude about the present are manifest in these two names. This implies that Yosef’s personality consists of …

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5759, Mikeitz

It happened at the end of two years to the day; and Pharaoh was dreaming. (41:1)

Pharaoh’s dream was the beginning of Yosef’s liberation from the Egyptian jail and the precursor of his ascension to leadership. At the end of Parashas Vayeishav, the Midrash Tanchuma distinguishes between Hashem and man in regard to reward and punishment. Man strikes with a blade and heals with a bandaid. Hashem, on the other hand, transforms the source of punishment into the actual healing agent. Yosef was sold into slavery as a result of his own dreams;he was liberated as a consequence of Pharaoh’s dreams. His dreams caused his downfall; by interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams he ascended to freedom and power. …

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YEARS

They had left the city…and Yosef said to the one in charge of his house, “Get up, chase after the men…and you are to say to them, ‘Why do you repay evil for good?'” (44:4)

They said to one another, “Indeed we are guilty concerning our brother inasmuch as we saw his heartfelt anguish when he pleaded with us… Reuven spoke up…Did I not speak to you saying, “Do not sin against the boy.” (42:21,22)

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

Yosef named his firstborn Menashe, for G-d has made me forget all my hardship,…and the name of the second son he called Efraim, for G-d has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering. (41:51,52)

It happened at the end of two years to the day; and Pharaoh was dreaming. (41:1)

BOOK OF BEREISHIS

BOOK OF SHEMOS

BOOK OF VAYIKRAH

BOOK OF BAMIDBAR

BOOK OF DEVARIM

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