For the week ending 14 December 2002 / 9 Tevet 5763
Parshat Vayigash
Questions
- What threatening words did Yehuda say to Yosef?
- Why did Yehuda say his missing brother died?
- Why was Yehuda the one to plead for Binyamin?
- What do we learn from Yosef telling his brothers "Go up to my father"?
- What two things did the brothers see that helped prove that he was really Yosef?
- Why did Binyamin weep on Yosef's neck?
- Why did Yosef send old wine to Yaakov?
- What did Yosef mean when he said "Don't dispute on the way"?
- What happened to Yaakov when he realized Yosef was alive?
- Why did G-d tell Yaakov, "Don't fear going down to Egypt"?
- "I will bring you up" from Egypt. To what did this allude?
- What happened to the property that Yaakov acquired in Padan Aram?
- Who was the mother of Shaul ben HaCanaanit?
- When listing Yaakov's children, the verse refers to Rachel as "Rachel, wife of Yaakov." Leah, Bilhah and Zilpah are not referred to as Yaakov's wives. Why?
- Yosef harnessed his own chariot instead of letting a servant do it. Why?
- Why were shepherds abhorrent to the Egyptians?
- Why did Yosef pick the weakest brothers to stand before Pharaoh?
- What blessing did Yaakov give Pharaoh when he left his presence?
- Yosef resettled the land of Egypt, moving the people from city to city. What were his two motives for this?
- Whose fields were not bought by Yosef?
Answers
- 44:18 - He threatened that Yosef would be stricken with leprosy, like Pharaoh when he took Sarah from Avraham; alternatively, Yehuda threatened to kill Yosef and Pharaoh.
- 44:20 - Yehuda feared that if he said his missing brother was alive, Yosef would demand to see him.
- 44:32 - He was the one who took "soul" responsibility for him.
- 45:9 - We learn that Eretz Yisrael is higher than all other lands.
- 45:12 - He was circumcised like they were, and he spoke Lashon Hakodesh.
- 45:14 - Binyamin wept for the destruction of Mishkan Shilo built in Yosef's territory.
- 45:23 - Elderly people appreciate old wine.
- 45:24 - He warned that if they engage in halachic disputes, they might not be alert to possible travel dangers.
- 45:27 - His ruach hakodesh (prophetic spirit) returned.
- 46:3 - Because Yaakov was grieved to leave Eretz Canaan.
- 46:4 - That Yaakov would be buried in Eretz Canaan.
- 46:6 - He traded it for Esav's portion in the Cave of Machpelah.
- 46:10 - Dina bat Yaakov.
- 46:19 - Rachel was regarded as the mainstay of the family.
- 46:29 - Yosef wanted to hasten to honor his father.
- 46:34 - Because the Egyptians worshipped sheep.
- 47:2 - So Pharaoh wouldn't see their strength and draft them.
- 47:10 - That the waters of the Nile should rise to greet Pharaoh.
- 47:21 - In order to remind them that they no longer owned the land, and to help his family by removing the stigma of being strangers.
- 47:22 - The Egyptian priests.
All references are to the verses and Rashis commentary, unless otherwise stated.
