(ii) just as the neck is the top of the body, the Beit haMikdash is Bnei Yisrael’s summit and splendor (Maharsha). (iii) Just as the neck is a person’s lifeline – one cannot live with a punctured neck – the Beit haMikdash is Bnei Yisrael’s lifeline; (iv) like most ornaments, which are hung around the neck, the kohanim and levi’im, Bnei Yisrael’s “ornaments,” are attached to the Beit haMikdash (Shir haShirim Raba). (3) They saw that just as they went to Mitzrayim for the sin’at chinam (baseless hatred) of Yosef and his brothers, the Mikdashim will be destroyed for this reason (Bereishit Raba). (b) (1) Shemot 21:32 says that a Jewish slave’s value is 30 silver pieces – Gittin 44a says that a Jew selling a Jewish slave to a gentile is fined 10 times the slave’s value, the fine being 300 silver pieces – since Yosef threatened Binyamin with slavery to a “gentile” ruler, Yosef paid Binyamin this “fine”; (2) Devarim 22:19 says that the penalty for slander is 100 silver pieces – Yosef slandered his brothers 3 times, falsely accusing them of (i) eating live animal flesh; (ii) flirting with Cana’anit women; and (iii) calling Bilha’s and Zilpa’s sons “slaves” – he gave this “penalty” to Binyamin, who did not participate in his sale (R. Bechaya).
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••Q-4. (a) Before going to Mitzrayim, why did Ya’akov go to Be’er Sheva (4 views)? (b) Why does the Torah say that Ya’akov and his family “took all the wealth they had amassed in Eretz Cana’an” – what about the wealth they amassed at Lavan’s residence in Padan Aram? (c) Who are the granddaughters that Ya’akov took to Mitzrayim? (d) Since he had 4 wives, why is Rachel the only one called “eishet Ya’akov” (Ya’akov’s wife) (2 reasons)? (f) When the Torah says, (1) that 70 souls went to Mitzrayim, why does it state “kol ha-nefesh” (all the soul – singular), not “kol ha-nefashot” – plural? (2) “Yosef’s sons who were born in Mitzrayim,” why does it say, “asher yulad“ (who was born – singular), not “asher yuledu” – plural? (g) The Torah lists 69 people who went to Mitzrayim – who was the 70th (4 views)?
A-4. (a) Be’er Sheva was (1) the southernmost city on Cana’an’s border en route to Mitzrayim – Ya’akov prayed there just before leaving the Land (Radak). (2) where Yitzchak had prayed to Hashem – now, Ya’akov prayed there for His protection (Rashbam). (3) where Ya’akov sought Hashem’s protection before leaving Eretz Cana’an to Charan – Ya’akov now asked His permission there to leave Cana’an and go to Mitzrayim (Ramban). (4) Ya’akov foresaw that Bnei Yisrael would need special wood “shittim” logs to build the Mishkan in the desert after Matan Torah – he cut down and brought to Mitzrayim the trees which Avraham had planted in Be’er Sheva (Bereishit Raba). (b) Ya’akov gave his Padan Aram wealth to Eisav to pay for the burial place in Me’orat haMachpeila (Rashi). (c) Serach, Asher’s daughter and Yocheved, Levi’s daughter (Rashi). (d) (1) Rachel was the “akeret ha-bayit” (mainstay of Ya’akov’s household) – his principal wife for whom he worked for Lavan (Rashi). (2) The quality of Rachel’s children, Yosef and Binyamin, was greater than Leah’s or the other wives’ (Sotah 36b). (f) The singular indicates that (1) all 70 worshiped Hashem echad (Rashi). (2) Menashe and Ephraim were twins, born from one birth (Radak). (g) (1) Yocheved, who was born as Bnei Yisrael were entering Mitzrayim (Rashi). (2) Ya’akov himself (Rashbam). (3) The Shechina, Who descended with Bnei Yisrael to Mitzrayim (Medrash haGadol). (4) Only 69 actually went, but the Torah rounds it off to 70 (Rosh).
Q-4. (a) Since Avraham was wealthy and Hashem’s navi, why did Eliezer ask Lavan and Betuel to do Avraham “kindness” by letting Rivka marry his son – was it not a kindness to them for Rivka to marry him? (b) What did Eliezer mean telling Lavan and Betuel that if Rivka did not go with him, “I will turn (i) to the right or (ii) to the left”? (c) How does Lavan’s and Betuel’s response, “mei-Hashem yatza ha-davar” (the matter stemmed from Hashem) show Lavan was evil? (d) How do we know that a man’s marriage to his mate is pre-ordained by Hashem? (e) Since Lavan and Betuel were idolaters, why did they tell Eliezer to take Rivka “ka’asher dibeir Hashem” (as Hashem has spoken)? (Bereishit 24:49-51)