Parsha Perspectives
By Ozer Alport
ויאמר חלילה לי מעשות זאת האיש אשר נמצא הגביה בידו הוא יהיה לי עבד ואתם עלו (שלום אל אביכם (44:17
But he replied “It would be unseemly for me to do this; the man in whose possession the goblet was found, he shal be my slave, and as for you – go up in peace to your father”.
Yaakov (Jacob) had been terrified to send Binyomin to Egypt as Yosef had demanded, as Binyomin represented the last vestige of his beloved wife Rochel. As the food supply began to be depleted, Yaakov had no alternative but to rely on Yehuda’s personal guarantee to insure Binyomin’s safe return. Although the brothers had been confused and scared by Yosef’s accusations that they were spies and then by his invitation for them to be his personal guests at a banquet, they thought that the coast was finally clear. They set out on their return journey, armed with Binyomin, Shimon, and a new supply of food.
Shortly after setting out on their trip, they were accosted and Binyomin was “found” to have stolen Yosef’s divining goblet, which would presumably require the brothers to leave him in Egypt and return empty-handed to their heart-broken father. Could there be a worse place in the plot-line to interrupt with “to be continued” than at this climactic moment?
Rav Zev Leff answers that this was done intentionally in order to teach us that no matter how bad things may seem, we must always remember that there is another chapter waiting to be turned. However long it may take us to ultimately realize this, there will eventually come a time when we will be able to retroactively understand the Divine Providence and the good which were germinating in what seemed to be life’s darkest moments.
In this vein, a story published in Darkei Mussar about a famous Chassidic leader comes to mind. The Yaroslover Rebbe, who lived well past the age of 100, was once asked in what merit he had enjoyed such a long and healthy life. He responded by saying, “You shouldn’t think I had an easy life. I’ve had my share of difficulties and pain just like everybody else. If anything, because I’ve lived longer, I’ve had more occasions and opportunities to suffer. It would have been very easy and natural to complain to Hashem, ‘Why did this have to happen? And why couldn’t that have turned out differently?’
“But I was afraid that if I began demanding a justification and explanation of Hashem’s ways, the Heavenly Court would say, ‘If this Rabbi wants answers so badly, let’s call him up here and explain it to him!’ So I never asked any such questions. I didn’t have the answers, but because I never asked, they let me stay down here for quite some time!”
Rav Meir Shapiro makes the following profound observation: Dovid Hamelech (King David) writes (Tehillim/Psalms 116:13) כוס ישועות אשא ובשם ד' אקרא – The cup of salvation I will raise and I will call out in the name of Hashem. The comment about rasing up the cup of salvation and that he will call out in the name of Hashem are written in one verse. When good things occur, it’s easy to see the good and immediately praise Hashem. When it comes to the bad, however, King David in the same chapter writes (116:3-4) צרה ויגון אמצא ובשם ד' אקרא – I will find troubles and suffering. I will call out in the name of Hashem – with the two expressions spread out over two verses.
Regardless of whether I will raise the cup of salvations or whether I will find troubles and suffering, I will ultimately call out in Hashem’s name just the same. The only difference is that when things seem difficult, we sometimes have to patiently wait until the next verse, or as in the story of Yosef, until the next parsha, where we are able to recognize the good that will ultimately make us “call to Hashem” to express our praise and gratitude. Even if we aren’t able to see the good, the knowledge that it is there and that we will eventually understand it should give us the strength to persevere and trust that it will eventually turn out for the best. return to top
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talking points - parshas Mikeitz
Rabbi Elazar Meisels
1.The Will of Hashem Shall Prevail
"And there with us in the prison was a youngster, a Hebrew lad, a slave to the chief executioner, and we told him our dreams and he interpreted them each man according to his dream" 41-12
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A youngster – a youth who is unfit for distinction
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A Hebrew – who doesn’t even speak our language
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A Slave – and in the laws of Egypt it is written that a slave may neither be a ruler nor wear royal garments - Rashi
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“The butler feared that [if freed] Yosef would be upset at him for failing to mention him earlier to Paraoh and would take revenge so he spoke negatively about him. ” – Chizkuni
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“Many are the thoughts in man’s heart but the will of Hashem shall prevail” – Mishlei 19:21
By selling Yosef as a slave to Egypt the brothers assumed that they had negated any threat he posed to them. By speaking negatively of Yosef, the butler assumed that he had effectively cut off all possibility of his attaining royal appointment. None of their actions however, could thwart the will of Hashem that Yosef assume a high-ranking status in Egypt and pave the way for the Jews to eventually descend to Egypt.
2. Galus Is Always a Tragedy for a Jew
“And to Yosef was born two sons prior to the onset of the famine…Yosef named the first-born, Menasheh, ‘For G-d has made me forget all my trouble, and all that was in my father's house.’ He named the second one Ephraim, ‘Because G-d has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.’” - 41:50-53
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Despite all of the glory, splendor, and financial security that were Yosef’s as viceroy of the most powerful country on earth, he still regarded Egypt as the land of his suffering for he was still a loyal son of Yaakov and belonged in Eretz Yisroel. – Abarbanal
Yosef rose to remarkable political heights in a short time and was embraced by a grateful Egypt. Nevertheless he recognized that the true home of the Jew is in Eretz Yisroel where the Divine Presence is manifest, and refused to accept Egypt as an alternative. He was a loyal Egyptian citizen who contributed greatly to its success, yet in his heart he longed to return to the land that G-d chose to rest His presence.
3. Maintaining a Low Profile in Exile
“Yaakov saw that food was being sold in Egypt. Yaakov said to his sons, ‘Why would you have everyone gazing at you?’ He said, "Behold, I have heard that there is food for sale in Egypt. Go down there and buy for us from there, so that we will live and not die.”42:1-2
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“Why would you have everyone gazing at you? – ‘Why do you show yourselves before the Yishmaelites and Children of Eisov as though you are satiated?’ For at that time they still had grain…” - Rashi
Yaakov recognized that if his children gave off the appearance of being financially well off while the rest of the population hungered for food, they would be the envy of their neighbors. Therefore, he implored his children to maintain a low profile and not behave in a manner that could lead to accusations of flaunting their wealth. This attitude has been echoed by Torah sages throughout the long years in exile in their struggle to avoid stirring up latent feelings of anti-Semitism.
4. Who Is To Blame For Our Troubles
“They said to one another, ‘in truth, we are guilty concerning our brother. We saw his heartfelt anguish when he pleaded with us and we did not listen. That is why this hardship has come upon us.’ ” 42:21
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This is the way of the righteous who sin and are quick to accept the blame for their sins. Sinners, however, transgress and then profess innocence. – Rabbenu Bachya
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They did not regret selling him as a slave for they believed him guilty and deserving of that sentence. Their regret was over their lack of compassion in carrying out the sentence. – Haamek Davar
In spite of their exceptional righteousness and absolute confidence in their decision to sell Yosef as a slave, the brothers knew that when trouble strikes, it is in response to their shortcomings, not a failing of G-d’s justice system. Thus, they concluded that the fault lay in their hard-hearted approach to meting out the sentence. Their willingness to recognize G-d’s perfection and their own flawed character, flies in the face of conventional wisdom that assumes man as inevitably righteous, and G-d as the unjust party.
The brothers considered Yosef’s behavior a threat to the very existence of Klal Yisroel and thus they sought to eradicate the threat. As often happens, they encountered the will of Hashem and didn’t recognize that all their machinations to remove the threat would actually set into motion the events that would lead to their salvation during a time of severe famine and ultimately launch Klal Yisroel.return to top
Parshas Miketz
Two years after the wine steward is released from jail, Pharoah dreams two similar and disturbing dreams. Seven sleek cows coming up from the Nile are devoured by seven emaciated cows, who look no better for their meal. In the second dream, seven fat ears of grain are gobbled up by seven poor, wispy ears of grain, and the latter appear not a bit improved. Pharoah seeks explanation from his astrologers. The steward now recalls Yosef’s amazing ability to interpret dreams. Yosef is rushed from the prison to stand before the king. He interprets Pharoah’s dreams, ascribing all credit to Hashem. He explains that the dreams predict seven remarkably productive years for Pharoah’s agricultural economy, to be followed by seven disastrous years during which nothing will grow. Yosef advised Pharaoh to appoint someone for the essential job of storing food reserves for the years of famine. Pharaoh can find no one more qualified than Yosef. He appoints Yosef ruler of all Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. Yosef immediately begins mobilizing the country for the huge task ahead. Yosef marries Osnas bas Potifera, who bears him two sons, Menashe and Ephraim.
When the famine begins to affect Canaan, Yosef’a brothers, except for Binyamin, come to Egypt to buy food. Yosef recognizes them, and without revealing himself to them, accuses them of spying. In the interrogation of these “spies, “Yosef hears that they have another brother in Canaan. He jails the brothers for three days, then “relents” and allows them all to return home. To prove their honesty they are to leave one of their brothers in jail until they return with their youngest brother.
On the way home, the brothers find that their purchase money has been returned to their sacks together with the grain they bought. All this they explain to Yaakov when they come home. He refuses to let Binyamin (the sole known son of Rachel) to go until they are close to exhausting their food supplies. Finally, with prayers for their successful return, and with gifts of delicacies for the ruler of Egypt, Yaakov sends Binyamin with his brothers to Egypt. There they attempt to return the money found in their sacks. The ruler treats them well and even invites them to dine with him.
Yosef lets them all leave, secretly instructing his servant to hide his special silver goblet in Binyamin’s sack. Later, he sends officers after them on the road to accuse them of its theft. The stunned brothers see no way out of this frame-up, and return broken hearted to Egypt. They all volunteer to remain in Egypt as slaves of Yosef, but he will not allow the punishment to exceed the crime. He insists that only Binyamin will remain.return to top
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Hey, I never knew that!
Amazing Insights About the Weekly Parsha
By Ozer Alport
1) Q: If Yosef’s desire was to be reunited with his beloved younger brother Binyomin, why was it necessary to incarcerate one of the other brothers to bring about that end (42:19-20)? Wouldn’t it have simply sufficed to inform them that they won’t be able to make any further purchases until they return with him, which would force them to do so as Yosef knew that the famine would still continue for many years?
A: The Panim Yafos (Rav Pinchas Horowitz), Rav Yosef Chaim Zonnenfeld, and Rav Chaim Soloveitchik all answer that had he done so, the brothers would have been able to choose any random person off the street and “hire” him to escort them to Egypt and claim to be Binyomin. Since they didn’t realize that the person they were speaking to was Yosef, there would be no reason for them to think that he would be able to tell the difference, and for him to call them on their deception would require him to reveal his identity. Therefore, he implemented an ingenious plan. He imprisoned Shimon and forced him to remain behind in Egypt. Were the brothers to return with anybody but the real Binyomin, Yosef would be able to make a “police lineup” which would include the man they claimed was Binyomin. Were they to return with an impostor, Shimon wouldn’t be able to pick out the stranger from the lineup and their ruse would be discovered. Fearing for their lives should that transpire, the brothers had no choice but to return with the true Binyomin, who Shimon would be able to recognize, and who Yosef would finally be able to able to lay his eyes on.
2) Q: We have a principle that חייך קודמין , saving one’s own life comes before all others. However, in the unthinkable situation in which one may additionally save only one’s father or one’s own son, as occurred all too often during the Holocaust, who has precedence?
A: In 43:8, Yehuda requests that Yaakov send Binyomin down to Egypt with him and entrust him with ensuring Binyomin’s safe return, so that there will be food to eat so that we (the brothers), you (our father), and our children shouldn’t die of starvation. Rav Yaakov Kamenetzky derives a fascinating inference from the wording of this verse. He maintains that the Torah is prioritizing for us who has precedence when it comes to saving lives. Our Holy Torah, which contains the answer to every question, answers this one by mentioning the saving of their father Yaakov before that of their own children to teach us that one’s father has priority. return to top
Ozer Alport can be reached at parshapotpourri@optonline.net
Parsha Talk: For discussion around the Shabbos Table
If you or your guests come up with an original answer, please forward it to parsha@partnersintorah.org
1) After Yosef had been in prison for 10 years, his long-awaited opportunity for freedom suddenly arrived when he was whisked out of jail to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. Upon being asked if he knew how to interpret dreams, he answered that he had no supernatural talents but knew only what Hashem shared with him. Why wasn’t he willing to take credit for his talents in order the risk of being returned to prison indefinitely?
2) Why did Yosef subject his brothers to so much torture and anguish – taking one of them hostage, confusing them by returning their money into their sacks of food, requiring them to bring down Binyomin and scare their father, and planting his goblet in Binyomin’s sack to frame him for theft? Did the righteous Yosef really need to get revenge against his brothers for selling him into slavery due to their jealousy?
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