Parshas Vayigash

For the week ending 5 Teves 5758; 2 & 3 January 1998

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Contents:

Parsha Questions

Bonus Question

I Did Not Know That!

Recommended Reading List

Answers to Parsha Questions

Answer to Bonus Question

Back issues of Parsha Q&A

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Parsha Questions

Answers | Contents

1. What threatening words did Yehudah say to Yosef?
2. Why did Yehuda say his missing brother died?
3. Why was Yehudah the one to plead for Binyamin?
4. What do we learn from Yosef telling his brothers "Go up to my father"?
5. What two things did the brothers see that helped prove that he was really Yosef?
6. Why did Binyamin weep on Yosef's neck?
7. Why did Yosef send old wine to Yaakov?
8. What did Yosef mean when he told his brothers "Don't dispute along the way?"
9. What happened to Yaakov when he realized that Yosef was alive?
10. Why did Hashem tell Yaakov, "Do not fear going down to Egypt?"
11. Hashem told Yaakov: "I will bring you up" from Egypt. To what did this allude?
12. What happened to the property that Yaakov acquired in Padan Aram?
13. Shaul ben HaCanaanis is listed as one of Shimon's sons. Who was his mother?
14. 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?
15. Yosef harnessed his own chariot instead of letting a servant do it. Why?
16. Why were shepherds an abomination in the eyes of the Egyptians?
17. Why did Yosef pick the weakest brothers to stand before Pharaoh?
18. What blessing did Yaakov give Pharaoh when he left his presence?
19. Yosef resettled the land of Egypt, forcing the inhabitants to move from city to city. What were his two motives for doing so?
20. Whose fields were not bought by Yosef?

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Answer Contents	"And it was pleasing in the eyes of Pharaoh...." (45:16) Why was Pharaoh pleased that Yosef's brothers had arrived?

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I Did Not Know That!

Yosef said: "You will dwell in the land of Goshen...." (45:10)

The land of Goshen was already legal property of the Jewish People because Pharaoh had given it to Sarah as a present. Yosef feared that if they would settle on Egyptian property, the Egyptians might one day claim that the Jews lived on land that did not belong to them and expel them. He therefore preferred that the brothers stay in Goshen, which belonged to them by right.

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Recommended Reading List

Ramban 44:19 Yehuda's Diplomacy 45:16 Egyptian Reaction to Yosef's Brothers 45:26 Yaakov's Disbelief 45:27 The Lifetime Secret 46:15 Hidden Miracles 46:29 Who Cried? 47:9 Yaakov's Age 47:18 The Seven Lean Years

Sforno 45:16 Pharaoh's Invitation 46:3 The Advantage of Exile Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh 45:26 Why Yosef Didn't Tell Yaakov 46:4 The Shechina in Mitzrayim

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Answers to this Week's Questions

Questions | Contents

All references are to the verses and Rashi's commentary, unless otherwise stated

1. 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.
2. 44:20 - Yehuda feared that if he said his missing brother was alive, Yosef would demand that he be brought to Egypt.
3. 44:32 - He was the one who took "soul" responsibility for him.
4. 45:9 - We learn that Eretz Yisrael is higher than all other lands.
5. 45:12 - He was circumcised like they were, and he spoke Lashon Hakodesh (Hebrew).
6. 45:14 - Binyamin wept for the destruction of Mishkan Shilo built in Yosef's territory.
7. 45:23 - Elderly people appreciate old wine.
8. 45:24 - He warned that if they engage in halachic disputes, they might not be alert to possible travel dangers.
9. 45:27 - His ruach hakodesh (prophetic spirit) returned.
10. 46:3 - Because Yaakov was grieved to leave Eretz Canaan.
11. 46:4 - That Yaakov would be buried in Eretz Canaan.
12. 46:6 - He gave it to Esav in exchange for Esav's portion in the Cave of Machpelah.
13. 46:10 - Dina bas Yaakov.
14. 46:19 - Rachel was regarded as the mainstay of the house.
15. 46:29 - Yosef wanted to hasten to honor his father.
16. 46:34 - Because the Egyptians worshipped sheep.
17. 47:2 - He did not want Pharaoh to see their strength and draft them into the army as warriors.
18. 47:10 - That the waters of the Nile should rise to greet Pharaoh when he approached the river.
19. 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.
20. 47:22 - The Egyptian priests.

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Question Contents	Pharaoh was happy that Egypt would no longer bear the stigma of being ruled by an ex-slave and an ex-convict of unknown origins. Now it was known that Yosef was a member of a prominent and respected family. (Ramban)

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