Q-1. (a) (1) Why did Yehuda fight the brothers’ slavery for the goblet’s theft after accepting that punishment in 44:16? (2) What did he mean, “you [Yosef] are like Pharaoh” (4 views)? (3) How could he claim Yosef had died without proof of this (2 views)? (b) (1) Why was it fitting for him to offer himself as Yosef’s slave? (2) How did Binyamin repay his offer to be a slave? (c) When Yosef asked, “have you a father or brother?” why did he not ask about their mothers? (d) What did Yehuda mean that losing Binyamin would bring Ya’akov “in evil to the grave”? (e) (1) How was Yosef punished for not objecting to Yehuda’s calling Ya’akov, “[Yosef’s] servant”? (2) Why was this penalty fitting? (Bereishit 44:18-33)
A-1. (a) (1) (i) Yehuda accepted Hashem’s penalty for selling Yosef, but when Yosef decreed enslaving Binyamin, who did not partake in the sale, he realized that this was no punishment for Yosef’s sale, and he fought to return Binyamin (Alshich). (ii) Yehuda admitted that punishing Binyamin was logical but now appealed to Yosef’s compassion (Ramban). (iii) Seeing that Yosef interrogated them more intensely than anyone else buying food, Yehuda now argued that the punishment was unfair (Rashi). (2) Yosef (i) was as esteemed as the king; (ii) will be stricken with tzara’at over Binyamin as Pharaoh was by detaining Sarah; (iii) like Pharaoh, does not keep his word, by asking to see Binyamin, then enslaving him; (iv) like Pharoah, will be killed (Rashi). (3) (i) If he did not claim Yosef was dead, Yosef could have asked to see him (Rashi). (ii) Not seeing him for 20 years, it was as if he was dead (Tzeida laDerech). (b) (1) It was retribution for Yehuda’s proposal to sell Yosef as a slave (Abarbanel). (2) Binyamin was loyal to Yehuda when the 10 tribes repudiated Yehuda and split away, allowing Yehuda’s survival as a nation (Yalkut Yehuda). (c) Yosef knew that Rachel had died at Binyamin’s birth, and Leah, according to Seder Olam, had died before he was sold – he did not need to ask about them (Ba’al haTurim). (d) Rachel was Ya’akov’s beloved wife – when she died, Yosef consoled him – with his loss, Binyamin consoled him – losing Binyamin was be like his losing all
3 (Rashi). (e) (1) Yosef was supposed to live to 120 but died at 110 – his life was shortened 10 years after hearing Ya’akov called his “servant”, 5 times by his brothers and 5 times by the translator, and did not object; (2) the Torah says, “honor your father and mother so that your days may be prolonged” – by failing to honor his father, Yosef’s days were shortened
(Sotah 13b).
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••Q-2. (a) Why did Yosef now identify himself to his brothers (3 views)? (b) Why did Yosef order everyone to leave when he revealed himself (6 reasons)? (c) Since Yehuda mentioned several times that Ya’akov was alive, why did Yosef again ask, “is my father still alive?” (4 explanations)? (d) Why were his brothers unable to answer him (3 views)? (e) Why did Yosef request, “come close to me” (2 views)? (Bereishit 45:1,3)
A-2. (a) Avraham was aged, but Hashem restored his youth by giving him the ability to procreate – after Sarah’s death, the strains of his old age emerged again (Medrash Tanchuma). (b) Avraham (1) was blessed with a son – bakol’s gematria is 52, same as bein (son) (Rashi). (2) had all a man wants – riches, longevity, honor and children (Ramban). (3) had a daughter named “Bakol”, fulfilling mitzvat peru u-revu by fathering a son and daughter; (4) was blessed by not having a daughter, since there would be no appropriate man for her to marry; (5) had astrological skills which kings far and wide consulted; (6) owned a precious stone that cured sick people; (7) saw Yishmael’s teshuva; (8) was free of the yeitzer hara; (9) was blessed with a lifespan shortened by 5 years, from 180 to 175 years and did not see his grandson Eisav sin (Bava Batra 16b). (10) had the Shechina dwelling within him (Zohar Chadash). (c) (1) (i) By marrying a Charanit, Yitzchak’s wife would be far from her family, who could not influence her (Kli Yakar). (ii) The Cana’anim, unlike the Charanim, were cursed – they were unsuited as mates for Avraham’s blessed offspring (Ohr haChaim). (iii) The Cana’anim, unlike the Charanim, were morally corrupt – Hashem gave Eretz Yisrael to Avraham’s offspring to live with the Torah’s morality, without letting Cana’ani immorality seep into his family (Meshech Chochma). (iv) Avraham wanted it known that his offspring acquired Eretz Yisrael through Hashem’s promise, not by intermarrying with the Cana’anim. (2) As a result of the akeida, Yitzchak was an “ola temima” (a perfect offering to Hashem), who could not leave the holy land (Chizkuni).
Questions on Parashat Vayigash
by Rabbi Binyamin Yablok, [email protected]