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“Yosef was handsome of form and handsome of appearance.” (39:6)

Yosef’s physical appearance was certainly to the yetzer hara’s, evil inclination’s, advantage. Undoubtedly, one who is blessed with the gift of extremely “good looks” is left wide open to contend with the pitfalls which the yetzer hara is so skilled at placing before him. Horav Yitzchak Zilberstein, Shlita, cites a story that occurred concerning Horav Yitzchak Bender, z.l., when he was Rosh HaYeshivah in Makov. It was the summer of 1913, when a young student by the name of Yitzchak Krakowsky from the city of Lodz, Poland, registered in the yeshivah. He was known as “Reb Yitzchakel Otvozker,” because of…

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“The boy is gone! And I – where can I go?” (37:30)

  Reuven returned to the pit only to find that Yosef was no longer present. He expressed his sorrow at his father’s grief, lamenting, “Where can I flee from father’s grief?” When he would come across this pasuk, Horav Eliyahu Lopian, z.l., would sigh heavily and cry out, “Ha’yeled einenu,” the boy is gone – my youth has gone by – how will I face my Father in Heaven?” He was bemoaning the fact that he had let his youth slip by “unaccomplished,” and now in his advanced years when the time to meet his Maker was drawing near, he…

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“Yaakov settled in the land of his father’s sojourning …These are the offspring of Yaakov, Yosef”… (37:1-2)

Rashi cites a parable to explain why the Torah mentions that Yaakov settled immediately after mentioning Eisav’s chiefs. He compares this to “a certain flax merchant whose camels entered a town laden with flax. The blacksmith wondered, ‘Where can all this flax be stored?’ A clever man who was standing nearby answered him, ‘One spark can go forth from your bellows which will burn it all up.’ Similarly, when Yaakov saw all the powerful chiefs of Eisav (whose names are written above), he wondered, ‘Who would conquer all of them?’ The Torah responds, ‘These are the offspring of Yaakov, Yosef,’…

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