Parsha Q&A - Parshat Vayigash
Parshat Vayigash
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Parsha 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?
Kasha
(kasha means "question")
These weekly Torah portions recount the tragic story of Yosef and his brothers. Here is my question. If Yaakov was indeed a tzaddik (righteous person) and navi (prophet), why then did he not understand his sons' evil designs on Yosef, nor did he know that his sons lied about Yosef's death. Wouldn't a tzaddik and navi discern the truth in these critical matters?
(Yechiel)
Answer:
The Midrash says that the prophecy, or ruach hakodeh, that Yaakov had, was temporarily (22 years) suspended from him, when Yosef was sold.
(Midrash Tanchuma, Miketz 6.)
I Did Not Know That!
Yosef said to his brothers: "I am Yosef ..." (Bereishet 45:3) Yosef said to his brothers: "Draw near to me ...I am Yosef your brother whom you sold to Egypt." (Bereishet 45:3)
At first, Yosef said merely "I am Yosef." He didn't mention his sale into slavery because Binyamin was listening. Binyamin didn't know about the sale, and Yosef didn't want to embarrass the brothers in front of Binyamin. Then, Yosef told his brothers to "draw near," and he separated them from Binyamin. Only then, out of Binyamin's earshot, did Yosef say "I am Yosef your brother, whom you sold to Egypt."
(Da'at Zekenim m'Ba'alei Hatosefot)
Recommended Reading List
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Answers to this Week's Questions
All references are to the verses and Rashi's commentary, unless otherwise stated
- What threatening words did Yehuda say to Yosef?
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. - Why did Yehuda say his missing brother died?
44:20 - Yehuda feared that if he said his missing brother was alive, Yosef would demand to see him. - Why was Yehuda the one to plead for Binyamin?
44:32 - He was the one who took "soul" responsibility for him. - What do we learn from Yosef telling his brothers "Go up to my father"?
45:9 - We learn that Eretz Yisrael is higher than all other lands. - What two things did the brothers see that helped prove that he was really Yosef?
45:12 - He was circumcised like they were, and he spoke Lashon Hakodesh. - Why did Binyamin weep on Yosef's neck?
45:14 - Binyamin wept for the destruction of Mishkan Shilo built in Yosef's territory. - Why did Yosef send old wine to Yaakov?
45:23 - Elderly people appreciate old wine. - What did Yosef mean when he said "Don't dispute on the way?"
45:24 - He warned that if they engage in halachic disputes, they might not be alert to possible travel dangers. - What happened to Yaakov when he realized Yosef was alive?
45:27 - His ruach hakodesh (prophetic spirit) returned. - Why did G-d tell Yaakov, "Don't fear going down to Egypt?"
46:3 - Because Yaakov was grieved to leave Eretz Canaan. - "I will bring you up" from Egypt. To what did this allude?
46:4 - That Yaakov would be buried in Eretz Canaan. - What happened to the property that Yaakov acquired in Padan Aram?
46:6 - He traded it for Esav's portion in the Cave of Machpelah. - Who was the mother of Shaul ben HaCanaanit?
46:10 - Dina bat Yaakov. - 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?
46:19 - Rachel was regarded as the mainstay of the family. - Yosef harnessed his own chariot instead of letting a servant do it. Why?
46:29 - Yosef wanted to hasten to honor his father. - Why were shepherds abhorrent to the Egyptians?
46:34 - Because the Egyptians worshipped sheep. - Why did Yosef pick the weakest brothers to stand before Pharaoh?
47:2 - So Pharaoh wouldn't see their strength and draft them. - What blessing did Yaakov give Pharaoh when he left his presence?
47:10 - That the waters of the Nile should rise to greet Pharaoh. - Yosef resettled the land of Egypt, moving the people from city to city. What were his two motives for this?
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. - Whose fields were not bought by Yosef?
47:22 - The Egyptian priests'.