BDE Avram Ben Faigel passed away Erev Rosh Chodesh.
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Parsha Vayeshev Part 2
We are coming to the part about making Moshiach Ben David and the Moshiach Ben Yosef.
38:1 And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
Rashi explains that Yehuda turned away from his brothers or perhaps they sort of boycotted him for his ‘brilliant’ idea to sell Yosef and how it had an effect on Yacov. Whatever the reason, he went into a business partnership with Hirah and with that got his relative as a wife to boot.
2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; and he took her, and went in unto her. 3 And she conceived, and bore a son; and he called his name Er. 4 And she conceived again, and bore a son; and she called his name Onan. 5 And she yet again bore a son, and called his name Shelah; and he was at Chezib, when she bore him.
And he (Judah) was in Chezib: The name of the place. I say, however, that it was called Chezib because she stopped giving birth; [this is] an expression similar to “You are to me as a failing spring (אַכְזָב)” (Jer. 15:18);“whose water does not fail (יְכַזְבוּ)” (Isa. 58:11). Otherwise, what does Scripture intend to tell us? Moreover, in Genesis Rabbah (85:4) I saw: And she named him Shelah… She stopped [bearing].
6 And Judah took a wife for Er his first-born, and her name was Tamar. 7 And Er, Judah's first-born, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.
Tamar was beautiful and Er did not want to ruin her beauty by making her pregnant and her changing shape. This world was created for “be fruitful and multiply”. By not following the first command that was wicked.
8 And Judah said unto Onan: 'Go in unto thy brother's wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother unto her, and raise up seed to thy brother.' 9 And Onan knew that the seed would not be his; and it came to pass when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother. 10 And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of the LORD; and He slew him also.
Wasting seed, homosexual relationships, etc. like the actions of Er are considered wicked and he too died. Both of them were not capable of bearing the Moshiach who was to come from Tamar.
11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law: 'Remain a widow in thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown up'; for he said: 'Lest he also die, like his brethren.' And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.
Yehuda did not know of the wickedness of his sons and thought that because of her beauty his sons died of heart failure or similar. She was a killer woman.
12 And in process of time Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheep-shearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
There are many towns and places in Israel with the same name. Hatzor HaGalil, Hatzor in Yehuda, Bethlechem in the Galil and Bethlechem in Yehuda that got confused as the birth place for a certain person. So too Timna her is not the Timna near Eilat.
13 And it was told Tamar, saying: 'Behold, thy father-in-law goes up to Timnah to shear his sheep.' 14 And she put off from her the garments of her widowhood, and covered herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the entrance of Enaim, which is by the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she was not given unto him to wife. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot; for she had covered her face.
The Hebrew is Kedaysha. She had her face covered and he thought she was a professional worker for the fertility cult that satisfied the desire of men. What was a Tzaddik like Yehuda doing with such a woman? To explain this to you, it once happened that Rebbe Meir (Baal HaNes) said that he was capable of withstanding temptation like David with Bas Sheva. Came the Satan and shape-shifted into the figure of Bas Sheva and she was on the other side of a river. Rebbe Meir started working on making a raft and then the truth was revealed. Here Yehuda was a widower and he was over-come with desire. This was to fulfill the will of HASHEM and make Moshiach.
16 And he turned unto her by the way, and said: 'Come, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee'; for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said: 'What wilt thou give me, that thou may come in unto me?' 17 And he said: 'I will send thee a kid of the goats from the flock.' And she said: 'Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?' 18 And he said: 'What pledge shall I give thee?' And she said: 'Thy signet and thy cord, and thy staff that is in thy hand.' And he gave them to her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.
She took the crown of Yehuda by that.
19 And she arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. 20 And Judah sent the kid of the goats by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman's hand; but he found her not.
Please take the goat it does not look good for somebody that looks like the Bnei Brak – Meah Shaarim type to be paying the Kedaysha.
21 Then he asked the men of her place, saying: 'Where is the harlot, that was at Enaim by the wayside?' And they said: 'There hath been no harlot here.'
There is no Kedaysha in the area at all!
22 And he returned to Judah, and said: 'I have not found her; and also the men of the place said: There hath been no harlot here.' 23 And Judah said: 'Let her take it, lest we be put to shame; behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.'
This is bad for me. Not only will I get a reputation as a man who visits a Kedaysha but also a man who does not pay his debts.
24 And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying: 'Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath played the harlot; and moreover, behold, she is with child by harlotry.' And Judah said: 'Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.'
She was the daughter of Shem and therefore a Bas Cohain and a Bas Cohain who commits adultery the punishment is death by burning.
And let her be burned: Ephraim Miksha’ah said in the name of Rabbi Meir: She was the daughter of Shem, who was a priest. Therefore, they sentenced her to be burned. [From Gen. Rabbah 85:10]
25 When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying: 'By the man, whose these are, am I with child'; and she said: 'Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and the cords, and the staff.'
She was taken out: to be burned [from targumim] And she sent to her father-in-law: She did not want to embarrass him and say, “From you I am pregnant,” but, “From the man to whom these belong.” She said, “If he confesses by himself, let him confess, and if not, let them burn me, but I will not embarrass him.” From this they (our Rabbis) said, “It is better for a person to be cast into a fiery furnace than to embarrass his fellow in public.” [from Sotah 10b] Please recognize: Heb. הַכֶּר-נָא. נָא is only an expression of supplication. “Please recognize your Creator and do not destroy three souls.” [from Sotah 10b, Gen. Rabbah 85:11]
26 And Judah acknowledged them, and said: 'She is more righteous than I; forasmuch as I gave her not to Shelah my son.' And he knew her again no more.
She is right: in what she said. From me: she is pregnant (Targum Onkelos). Our Sages, however, explained this midrashically to mean that a “bath-kol” came forth and declared, “From Me and from within Me these matters have emerged. Since she was modest in her father-in-law’s house, I decreed that kings should be descended from her, and from the tribe of Judah I [already] decreed to raise up kings in Israel.” [from Sotah 10b] Because I did not give her to my son Shelah: For she did this justifiably, because I did not give her to my son Shelah. [From Bereishith Rabbathi But he no longer continued: Heb. וְלֹא-יָסַף. Some say: he did not continue [to know her] (Targum Onkelos), and others say: he did not cease (Sotah 10b). (A similar instance is found in connection with Eldad and Medad (Num. 11:25), [where the verse reads:] וְלֹא יָסָפוּ, they did not continue, which the Targum renders: וְלֹא פָסְקוּ, they did not cease).
Rashi implies that they lived happily ever after and the Pshat is that this was a one time event.
27 And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb. 28 And it came to pass, when she travailed, that one put out a hand; and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying: 'This came out first.' 29 And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold his brother came out; and she said: 'Wherefore hast thou made a breach for thyself?' Therefore his name was called Perez.
Perez from the term bursting on to the scene.
30 And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand; and his name was called Zerah.
Meaning seed as he was further in the womb and therefore the first seed.
39:1 1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hand of the Ishmaelite’s, that had brought him down thither.
He became Chamberlain of Pharaoh and the Hebrew indicates that he was castrated.
2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
Because of Yosef miracles occurred and it was this that saved Yosef from death with such accusations.
4 And Joseph found favor in his sight, and he ministered unto him. And he appointed him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. 5 And it came to pass from the time that he appointed him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had, in the house and in the field. 6 And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and, having him, he knew not aught save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was of beautiful form, and fair to look upon.
Yosef probably mentioned things that led to efficiency and showed management skills.
And he knew nothing about what was with him: He did not pay attention to anything.
7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said: 'Lie with me.'
Now Potiphar was castrated but not his wife and Yosef was very handsome the type of fellow the girls would call ‘a hunk’.
8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife: 'Behold, my master, having me, knows not what is in the house, and he hath put all that he hath into my hand; 9 he is not greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?'
It is wickedness against the master but more so against THE MASTER OF THE WORLD.
10 And it came to pass, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. 11 And it came to pass on a certain day, when he went into the house to do his work, and there was none of the men of the house there within, 12 that she caught him by his garment, saying: 'Lie with me.' And he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.
She must have ripped off his garment.
13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, 14 that she called unto the men of her house, and spoke unto them, saying: 'See, he hath brought in a Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice. 15 And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment by me, and fled, and got him out.' 16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his master came home. 17 And she spoke unto him according to these words, saying: 'The Hebrew servant, whom thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me. 18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment by me, and fled out.' 19 And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke unto him, saying: 'After this manner did thy servant to me'; that his wrath was kindled.
His wrath was kindled but the other servants must have told him the truth that she was the one starting up with Yosef. Rashi says that she told him as follows: During intercourse she told him this, and that is the meaning of “Your slave did such things to me,” [meaning] such acts of intimacy. [From Gen. Rabbah 87:9] Now since Potiphar was a Eunuch, I can’t accept this Midrash. It might be that she moved his hands to certain places on her anatomy to emphasize things. It could also be that he saw through her ruse.
20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were bound; and he was there in the prison.
Slaves could be beaten to death so he must have believed Yosef or what the other servants told him.
21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and showed kindness unto him, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. 23 The keeper of the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand, because the LORD was with him; and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.
Here too, his reputation proceeded him or he saw that Yosef was diligent and did what was told and took care of the other prisoners. Both previously and here he showed various management skills and organization.
(This reminds me of a story I heard from my co-worker Menachem Steinbruch. It deals with management. When the new immigrants came to Israel they were told to change their names to more Hebrew Names. So he said when I was in England after fleeing Germany I did not change my name to Shakespeare so I am not changing my name here. He ended up with the nickname ‘Shakespeare’. With him in the new formed Israeli Army there were other recruits. Fisher became ‘Dayagi’, Korellenstein became ‘Almogi’, and a man named Yossi Wasserman became ‘Mayan’. The first became a colonel in the IDF, the second Mayor of Haifa. As for Yosef Mayan, he said to the other similar to our Yosef, you guys worked hard today, I’ll sweep up the barracks for you. This Yosef worked for his army buddies. He made friends and showed other characteristics. He became the man in charge of Ministry of Defense. I brought down this story to show you how our Yosef in the Parsha could both please his masters and be nice to his fellow slaves at the same time.)
40:1 And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was wroth against his two officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. 3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. 4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph to be with them, and he ministered unto them; and they continued a season in ward. 5 And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream, in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison.
Each had a dream with the solution of his friend’s dream but not his. The wine steward was troubled by the fate of the baker and the baker was troubled by his dream.
6 And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and saw them, and, behold, they were sad. 7 And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his master's house, saying: 'Wherefore look ye so sad to-day?' 8 And they said unto him: 'We have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it.' And Joseph said unto them: 'Do not interpretations belong to God? tell it me, I pray you.' 9 And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him: 'In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; 10 and in the vine were three branches; and as it was budding, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes, 11 and Pharaoh's cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.' … 14 But have me in thy remembrance when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house. 15 For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews; and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.' 16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph: 'I also saw in my dream, and, behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head; 17 and in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of baked food for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.'
Birds generally fear a human unless they think you are endangering their nest or mate.
18 And Joseph answered and said: 'This is the interpretation thereof: the three baskets are three days; 19 within yet three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.' 20 And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21 And he restored the chief butler back unto his butlership; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand. 22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgot him.
Parsha Miketz
41:1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. 2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, well-favored and fat-fleshed; and they fed in the reed-grass. 3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favored and lean-fleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river. 4 And the ill-favored and lean-fleshed kine did eat up the seven well-favored and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. 5 And he slept and dreamed a second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. 6 And, behold, seven ears, thin and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them. 7 And the thin ears swallowed up the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. 8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof; and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh. 9 Then spoke the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying: 'I make mention of my faults this day: 10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in the ward of the house of the captain of the guard, me and the chief baker. 11 And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. 12 And there was with us there a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret. 13 And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was: I was restored unto mine office, and he was hanged.' 14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon. And he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
Like most political appointees he forgets the people that helped him and only remembers them when he needs them for his own advancement.
15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: 'I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it; and I have heard say of thee, that when thou hear a dream thou canst interpret it.' 16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying: 'It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.' … 25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh: 'The dream of Pharaoh is one; what God is about to do He hath declared unto Pharaoh. 26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one. 27 And the seven lean and ill-favored kine that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind; they shall be seven years of famine. 28 That is the thing which I spoke unto Pharaoh: what God is about to do He hath shown unto Pharaoh. 29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt. 30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; 31 and the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine which follows; for it shall be very grievous. 32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice, it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
All this is the dream and the interpretation of the dream. However, Yosef adds how to deal with the years of plenty and the famine crises.
33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint overseers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven years of plenty. 35 And let them gather all the food of these good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. 36 And the food shall be for a store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.' 37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
Not only Yosef knew the dream and interpretation thereof but he knew the solution to crises management.
38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants: 'Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom the spirit of God is?' 39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: 'Forasmuch as God hath shown thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou. 40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled; only in the throne will I be greater than thou.' 41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: 'See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.' 42 And Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck. 43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him: 'Abrech'; and he set him over all the land of Egypt.
Berech is knee in Hebrew and this word indicates the bending of the knee when Yosef passed by.
44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: 'I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.' 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-phera priest of On. And Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.
The Medrash states that she was the daughter of Dina who was adopted and a good Shidduch for Yosef.
46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
Yosef is now a mature 30year old man humbler and wiser that he was when sold at the age of 17. 13 out of the 22 years have passed until he will be reunited with his father.
47 And in the seven years of plenty the earth brought forth in heaps. 48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same. 49 And Joseph laid up corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until they left off numbering; for it was without number.
The ancient numbering system was capable of handling tens, hundreds of thousands and perhaps thousands of thousands but concepts like millions, billions, trillions, sextillions, etc. were not in conscience of the nations.
50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came, whom Asenath the daughter of Poti-phera priest of On bore unto him. 51 And Joseph called the name of the first-born Manasseh: 'for God hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.' 52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: 'for God hath made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.' 53 And the seven years of plenty, that was in the land of Egypt, came to an end. 54 And the seven years of famine began to come, according as Joseph had said; and there was famine in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
Even though Yosef had only two children, he thought it appropriate not to have more during a famine for he had to set an example for others. He also did not want more than one wife having seen the problems that his father had running from wife to wife with disputes among brothers from different wives.
55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians: 'Go unto Joseph; what he says to you, do.'
Yosef was wise and Pharaoh knew it. He was also dependable and did not want to let Pharaoh down. Failure was not an option. I would guess based on the size of the country that he visited once some local facilities and gave out orders.
56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth; and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine was sore in the land of Egypt. 57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy corn; because the famine was sore in all the earth.
Yosef worked very hard during these years first building storage places and then collecting the grain. Now he was distributing the grain. He put a lot of time and energy into the work. He succeeded.
42:1 Now Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, and Jacob said unto his sons: 'Why do ye look one upon another?'
When corn is used in our Parsha the meaning is grain such as wheat, barley, etc. but the maize or US corn was not in existence in the ancient world.
… 4 But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said: 'Lest peradventure harm befall him.' 5 And the sons of Israel came to buy among those that came; for the famine was in the land of Canaan. 6 And Joseph was the governor over the land; he it was that sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down to him with their faces to the earth.
Yosef chose of all distribution spots to be at the one dealing with foreigners.
7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spoke roughly with them; and he said unto them: 'Whence come ye?' And they said: 'From the land of Canaan to buy food.' 8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew him not. 9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them: 'Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.'
They did not recognize him as Yosef perhaps because they did not expect their brother to be of such a high and noble rank in Egypt.
10 And they said unto him: 'Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. 11 We are all one man's sons; we are upright men, thy servants are no spies.' 12 And he said unto them: 'Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.' 13 And they said: 'We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.'
This talk is not helping them with Zaphenath-paneah the second to Pharaoh.
14 And Joseph said unto them: 'That is it that I spoke unto you, saying: Ye are spies. 15 Hereby ye shall be proved, as Pharaoh lives, ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither. 16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be bound, that your words may be proved, whether there be truth in you; or else, as Pharaoh lives, surely ye are spies.' 17 And he put them all together into ward three days.
I assume this is part of their Tikkun for Yosef must have been in the pit 3 days before he was
18 And Joseph said unto them the third day. 'This do, and live; for I fear God: 19 if ye be upright men, let one of your brethren be bound in your prison-house; but go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses; 20 and bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die.' And they did so.
He told them that he fears G-D so this instills some frumkeit (religiousness) in them.
21 And they said one to another: 'We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore, is this distress come upon us.'
Once G-D is brought into the conversation the Pintele (small) Yid (nowadays used two words together to mean Jewishness) awoke within them.
22 And Reuben answered them, saying: 'Spoke I not unto you, saying: Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore also, behold, his blood is required.'
We are now getting measure for measure in this world for our sin against our brother.
23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for the interpreter was between them. 24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.
He now took the instigator Shimon and put him in prison as security. It was even more obvious to them that this came from HASHEM because of their sin against Yosef.
25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their vessels with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way; and thus was it done unto them.
He understood them but they understood him not.
26 And they laded their asses with their corn, and departed thence. 27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the lodging-place, he espied his money; and, behold, it was in the mouth of his sack. 28 And he said unto his brethren: 'My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack.' And their heart failed them, and they turned trembling one to another, saying: 'What is this that God hath done unto us?'
Now we are in a heck of a lot of trouble because of the monetary mistake.
29 And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that had befallen them, saying: 30 'The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country. 31 And we said unto him: We are upright men; we are no spies. 32 We are twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan. 33 And the man, the lord of the land, said unto us: Hereby shall I know that ye are upright men: leave one of your brethren with me, and take corn for the famine of your houses, and go your way. 34 And bring your youngest brother unto me; then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are upright men; so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffic in the land.' 35 And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid. 36 And Jacob their father said unto them: 'Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away; upon me are all these things come.'
And Yacov is even more afraid with this wicked man to let Benyamin travel to Egypt.
37 And Reuben spoke unto his father, saying: 'Thou shalt slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee; deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him back to thee.'
Did you, Reuven, learn this nonsense from Lavan? Are not your sons my grandsons and future of my house and Torah?
38 And he said: 'My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left; if harm befall him by the way in which ye go, then will ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
With such a reckless answer from Reuven, Yacov could not let Benyamin go down to Mitzrayim.
43:1 And the famine was sore in the land. 2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said unto them: 'Go again, buy us a little food.' 3 And Judah spoke unto him, saying: 'The man did earnestly forewarn us, saying: Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. 4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food; 5 but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down, for the man said unto us: Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.' 6 And Israel said: 'Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?' 7 And they said: 'The man asked straitly concerning ourselves, and concerning our kindred, saying: Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words; could we in any wise know that he would say: Bring your brother down?'
This is a family conversation held by a leader to his father. How could I know that a simple question and answer like that would bring out from the ruler such a demand of proof?
8 And Judah said unto Israel his father: 'Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.
Dad if you do not relinquish Benyamin for a short time, we will all die including him.
9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him; if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame forever.
I put up for surety my place in the next world and I guarantee his return.
10 For except we had lingered, surely we had now returned a second time.' 11 And their father Israel said unto them: 'If it be so now, do this: take of the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spicery and ladanum, nuts, and almonds; 12 and take double money in your hand; and the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks carry back in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight; 13 take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man; 14 and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release unto you your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.' 15 And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
They brought these goods as a present to the ruler. They also had the money handy for purchase.
16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house: 'Bring the men into the house, and kill the beasts, and prepare the meat; for the men shall dine with me at noon.' 17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house. 18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said: 'Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.' 19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they spoke unto him at the door of the house, 20 and said: 'Oh my lord, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food. 21 And it came to pass, when we came to the lodging-place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; and we have brought it back in our hand. 22 And other money have we brought down in our hand to buy food. We know not who put our money in our sacks.' 23 And he said: 'Peace be to you, fear not; your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money.' And he brought Simeon out unto them. 24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender. 25 And they made ready the present against Joseph's coming at noon; for they heard that they should eat bread there. 26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down to him to the earth. 27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said: 'Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spoke? Is he yet alive?' 28 And they said: 'Thy servant our father is well, he is yet alive.' And they bowed the head, and made obeisance. 29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother's son, and said: 'Is this your youngest brother of whom ye spoke unto me?' And he said: 'God be gracious unto thee, my son.'
He gave a blessing to the youngest brother and the others were not jealous.
30 And Joseph made haste; for his heart yearned toward his brother; and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there. 31 And he washed his face, and came out; and he refrained himself, and said: 'Set on bread.' 32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, that did eat with him, by themselves; because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
The Egyptians looked at the Hebrews as inferior.
33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth; and the men marvelled one with another. 34 And portions were taken unto them from before him; but Benjamin's portion was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.
They were not jealous of Benyamin and were amazed how he knew the order of their birth. He had this ‘diving’ cup that tells him these things.
44:1 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying: 'Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth. 2 And put my goblet, the silver goblet, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money.' And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
He has a plan and test for them.
3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses. 4 And when they were gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward: 'Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them: Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? 5 Is not this it in which my lord drinks, and whereby he indeed divines? ye have done evil in so doing.' 6 And he overtook them, and he spoke unto them these words. 7 And they said unto him: 'Wherefore speaks my lord such words as these? Far be it from thy servants that they should do such a thing. 8 Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought back unto thee out of the land of Canaan; how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold? 9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.'
These country bumpkins are not on the level of court intrigue and tricks. They already got their money back the first time could it be possible that the second time they will get their money back and or this cup? Like Yacov they speak hastily and Rachel died but here the man shall become a slave and they shall go free.
10 And he said: 'Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my bondman; and ye shall be blameless.' 11 Then they hastened, and took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. 12 And he searched, beginning at the eldest, and leaving off at the youngest; and the goblet was found in Benjamin's sack. 13 And they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city. 14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house, and he was yet there; and they fell before him on the ground.
What can Yehuda do or offer to prevent Benyamin from becoming a slave?
15 And Joseph said unto them: 'What deed is this that ye have done? know ye not that such a man as I will indeed divine?' 16 And Judah said: 'What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants; behold, we are my lord's bondmen, both we, and he also in whose hand the cup is found.'
We are guilty for selling Yosef but not Benyamin so there is something wrong here.
17 And he said: 'Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the goblet is found, he shall be my bondman; but as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.'
What is Yehuda to do? He is surety for Benyamin with his Olam HaBa.
From Sara L. of a Facebook Conversion Group I run.
Hey everyone! Thought I share my story with you, maybe it will give someone the support and of course I will be happy to answer any questions.
So I was born in Hungary to the best gentile family, who gave me this beautiful name Sara, and to my brother Simon. These names at that time (almost 29 years ago) in that country sounded kind of strange and we had no connections to Jewish communities. My father is a non-observant Christian and my mother does not have a religion. They raised us without a religion which means I was “nothing” on the papers, never went to Bible class but we did get presents on Christmas and this kind of stuff.
When I was 10, we moved to a village where we were the only family at that time that didn’t go to Church on Sundays and with the “strange” names, other children started to call us names, like “filthy Jews” I had no idea what is a Jew, so I asked my parents and they told me stories, for my father it was important that we knew the Torah (and the New Testament), so we talked about this a lot. I’ve got a book Count the Stars which is about the Holocaust in Denmark for children and I became obsessed.
When I was 13 I found a David star necklace in my mother’s jewelry box, and when asked, she said that very long ago she wanted to convert but gave up on the idea.
When I was 15, I heard that you can go listen to the Shofar on Rosh Hashana in the synagogue, so (since I studied in the city next to my village) I planned when can I get out from my school to go there. I sat in the last row and was completely beautifully hooked. This is it. This is me.
My parents had one thing they kept telling us when growing up, that “When you’re 18 you can go chose whatever religion you want to choose it’s up to you.
So when I finished high school I moved across the country to go to Med School. I said to myself- this is it.
I searched the synagogue, I sat outside there so many days for almost a year. I was too afraid to go in.
Then after one year, I am sitting there outside in early September, and the gabbai (the keeper of the synagogue) is coming out asking me if I want you go in. Tourists went in all the time, but I was just scared. I sat down, been given some information about the history and then.
I asked the man if I can come to services. Poor man was shocked a bit. He said I can talk to the rabbi, but they only use the synagogue on holidays and there’s a prayers room in the old school (the community is that small).
On Friday night I went there and talked to the rabbi, and he said I can come of course. And then he looked at me (he knew me only a few minutes), and said that they only do reform conversion and he is not advising me that, since it’s not possible to move to Israel that way. I was completely shocked. I didn’t tell anything to this man, at this time I didn’t plan to Israel and didn’t plan to be observant Jew, just felt a connection.
I went for 3 weeks Friday night prayers. And then came Rosh HaShana. Special thing for me.
I felt so touched and connected and IN PLACE the whole time. All the singing was familiar and I had tears in my eyes. After the prayer I went outside and someone said “hey” in English. Turned, and seen the boy I’ve seen there before the prayer.
He said in English “Hey what’s your name?” (ha-ha talk about pick-up lines) and then we started talking.
He was Israeli and 7 years older than me and studying the same university; but we never met there.
We met in this holy place in this holy time. I am so shaking still thinking about this, how everything is planned by HaShem.
So this boy, who was a non-observant (“hiloni”), said to me that he only marries a Jewish girl after like a week that I met him and then I said to him, that I don’t know what’s your problem, I certainly do not convert for you. I will convert for me. Otherwise what do I do there in the synagogue.
During my studies I discovered that my mother kept some kashrut laws in our kitchen. When asked she said she studied this from her grandmother..., we checked everything, my maternal grandmother;s family name was Mayer, and had other very “suspicious” names in that side of family. Searched and searched and our biggest guess that at some point before the war that side of my family converted to Christianity out of fear. Nobody knew anything about it, but my grandparents didn’t like Christmas, they only had a smaller tree when the kids came to visit and otherwise were not observant nothing.
Meanwhile, I am still together with my boyfriend who went back to Israel to study and I stayed in Hungary. 4 years long distance...
My last year in Hungary, I started to dress modest, kept kosher, started to keep Shabbat (my boyfriend as well) and the hardest of them all, saving touch (negiya).
That’s how I came to Israel, the 17th time with all my papers and was told by the Religious Ministry I have to be in Israel to send my papers in.
So was very excited but long story short, the Internal Affairs Ministry had other ideas about this. I found myself “thrown out” from the airport, they wanted to send me back ASAP to Hungary not to let me come for 5 years, because I came “too many times”.
A lawyer brought me out for 2 weeks that I could spend in Israel and then back to the beginning.
3 weeks agony at my parents place waiting to the Internal Affairs Ministry to let me in to go to the Conversion Interview. absurd. But finally - 18th time - Gematria “alive” חי.
I’ve got in. And went to the Interviews, where everyone just stunned by my story and everybody wanted to help us do this process fast. (I can tell you, it’s very-very hard saving touch with a man where you did not do this before for this long of time... it was altogether 1,5 years that I did not touch my boyfriend at all. And I can say that was my Tikkun for all the before...) By law in Israel, the minimum time for conversion for someone who is not Israeli is 10 months.
They booked the exam at the Rabbanut in Jerusalem for after Rosh Hashana and I passed. My mikveh was two days after Yom Kippur and I’ve got married the same day
That was more than 3 years ago.
Today, I am living in Israel with my husband and my two little boys
My husband and I found our way. Life is not easy as a convert, yet alone an observing convert but you should take it one day at a time.
I hope I will go on stronger and stronger in my Emunah. Everything is from up above!
You can do it! And after conversion, every little thing that you went through before will fall in place - as part of this big-big plan. what was made just for you!
Hanukah Miracles TV interview with Shoshana Eitam translated by R. Pauli
Yoav Eitam age 8 was with his family looking at rivers in the south of Israel on Rosh Chodesh Teves 5781. Suddenly, he slipped into the torrent of water and was pulled down under the bridge without sides that he was standing on. His father went into the water to rescue him. Yoav was pulled under the bridge and he bobbed up on the other side. He was pulled out by a photographer on the other side for fortunately the water was deeper and stiller there.
In the meantime, father Eitam was being dragged down under the bridge. He managed to grab the stone siding on time and with the help of his wife and other children was B”H pulled to safety.
Latest Poll. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/292917
Saar gains popularity. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293188
Mobileye to build self-driving car fleet. https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/HJ9OHmw3D
Milestone Jack Steinberger, 99, Nobel Prize in Physics. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293308
Friday’s Public Opinion Poll. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293310
Inyanay Diyoma
Gog aka Joe Jr. becomes president elect. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/292942
FDA approves Pfizer Vaccine. https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/H19MVlz2w
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Was this soldier abandoned to the rioters? https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/292944
Israel and Bhutan open ties. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/292946
SCOTUS rejects TX lawsuit. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/292942
Trump loses lawsuit in WI. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/292936
Ending the Circle of Grief an Ed-Op. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/S1e00Tu5ow
Biden officially elected calls for unity. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293109
Israeli military mulls mandatory injections. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/HJiYSn4hw
US removes Sudan from terror list. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r1CwKoE2P
Netanyahu enters quarantine. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/Sy7FyfrhP
Freedom suppressed by social media. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/01/facebook-youtube-google-accused-complicity-vietnam-repression
Earthquake felt in Eilat: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293118
Israel-S. Korea free trade agreement. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293066
Likud blocking Mar. 16 elections but cannot stop Mar. 23rd as the date. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293062
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China has 2,000,000 moles worldwide. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293091
Special green passport 4 vaccinated. https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/SyGqY1B3P
Ultra violet light kills Corona. https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/BJ6FCjVnv
Iran in Syria towards the Golan. https://www.debka.com/the-israel-iran-shadow-war-locks-in-on-southeastern-syria/
Israeli Vaccine in second phase trial. https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/HknleQS3P
When the Iranians attacked the Saudis a big hole in Israel’s Defense System was revealed to the IDF. Israel has rectified that. https://www.debka.com/iron-dome-hits-cruise-missile-in-first-test-of-israels-triple-tier-missile-shield/
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293138
Hendel reduces telephone rates. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293142
As Corona cases rise 3rd lockdown in sight. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r1G1GmP2D
Two nights ago my daughter went with my grandson in my car to visit the other grandmother. He didn’t know the way and it was a good thing as it poured so hard and she guided him. Year and a half on the road but the first time in the rain at night. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/Syi6JVv2w#autoplay
Saar gains in polls. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293188
Hungary goes straight. Mother = Woman, Father = Man. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293193
Russian Hackers target US Gov. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293175
Hamas rules out vaccines for bodies. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293183
Massive Cyberattack on the USA. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293243
Kenyan caught planning a 9/11 attack. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293244
Pfizer CEO enjoys 7th Candle w/Israeli. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293236
Toronto Radio cuts ties with antisemite. https://www.algemeiner.com/2020/12/16/canadian-jews-welcome-toronto-am-radio-stations-decision-to-cut-ties-with-antisemitic-polish-broadcaster/
Accomplices to terror attack convicted. https://www.algemeiner.com/2020/12/16/french-court-convicts-14-accomplices-of-islamist-terrorists-behind-2015-massacres-at-magazine-kosher-market-in-paris/
Netanyahu taps deputy spy for Mossad. https://www.algemeiner.com/2020/12/16/netanyahu-taps-deputy-mossad-director-as-spy-agencys-next-chief/
Ed-Op Diane Bederman – what happens when we take freedom for granted. https://dianebederman.com/what-happens-when-we-take-freedom-for-granted/
Borough Park Schul goes up in flames. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293225
Libraries reopen. https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/SJZ1XADnv
Extradition for Female Principal who abused girls. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/H18Y02P2D
BDS Congresswoman guest speaker. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/Hk1y11ovhP
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Israel Malls will not close down for third lockdown. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/VXK8WPKDE
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Ganz and Joint Chiefs of Staff meet. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293320
Lockdown looks for Bethlechem Dec. 24. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/HyGULXt3D
Thousands of Jews waiting to leave Ethiopia. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rJzkEEKhw
Israel prepares for vaccinations. https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/ByOKJmK2v
Israel to get another 14M doses from Moderna. https://www.debka.com/israel-promised-14m-covid-vaccine-doses-after-moderna-wins-fda-approval/
Eurostan upholds Belgistan ban on Kosher Slaughter. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/293306
Have a healthy, peaceful and blessed Shabbos Rest,
Rachamim Pauli
