Parashat Vayigash

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Parashat Vayigash

Contents

Confrontation

Yehuda approached Yosef to both appease him but if necessary make war with him.[1] [2] He requested to please speak and that his words should enter[3] into his ears. Despite his harsh words,[3] Yehuda asked Yosef not to get angry at him and his face should not wrath,[1] for he is important to him like king Pharaoh.[3] By comparing Yosef to Pharaoh, Yehuda was also threatening Yosef that if he would continue to detain Binyamin he would be afflicted with Leprosy, just like the original Pharaoh had been punished because of his great grandmother Sara for the one night he detained her.[3] He was also comparing Yosef to Pharaoh who issues decrees and does not carry them out, makes promises and does not fulfill them, so too Yosef said he just wanted to 'set his eye' on Binyomin and now wanted to detain him as a servant.[3] Yehuda was also threatening that if Yosef was to provoke him, he would kill him and his master Pharaoh,[3] starting with him first.[1] Yehuda also told Yosef that he was equivalent to him for he too was a king.[1]

Yehuda reminded Yosef how he had asked them if they had a father or brother. As they were not looking to marry his daughter and since he was not looking to marry their sister, all these question were unneeded an proof that from the start Yosef was looking to accuse them.[4] Despite this the Brothers had not concealed from Yosef anything[4] and responded that they had an elderly father with a young child of his old age who was loved by their father and whose older brother has died, leaving him as a single remaining child from his mother with no other brothers.[5] Although Yehuda knew that the other brother (Yosef) was still alive, out of fear that Yosef would command them to bring him as well, he made a false statement that he had died.[5] He also reffered to Binyomin a child of the 'elderly' because Yackov had passed on to him all the teaching that he had learned from the elders Shem and Ever.[2]

Yosef had then requested them to bring him so he can set his eyes upon him. To this they had replied that the boy can not leave his father out of fear of him dying on the road, just like his mother who had passed away on the road[6]. Yosef had then warned them not to return and see his face or even travel the route to Egypt again[7]without their younger brother.

They had gone back to their father and told him the words of Yosef. When he requested that they go back and buy a little food, they responded that they can not return without Binyomin and see the face of the ruler without their younger brother. Yackov had responded that his wife Rachel had born him two children. One of them disappeared and was surely torn to pieces, and he had not seen him since. Now if they take Binyamin too away from him, and misfortune befalls him, for the Satan accuses at the time of danger,[8] they will bring down his old age in misery to the grave. Now that Binyamin is with Yackov, he comforts himself over the loss of his mother and brother. Were Binyamin to die, it would seem to him as if all three of them died in one day.[8]

Yehuda then asked how he can proceed to return to Yackov without Binyomin since their souls are connected. When he sees that that Binyamin is gone, he will die out of suffering[9]. They will cause to bring down their father's old age in misery to the grave. Binyomin will also pass away because the two can not survive without each other[2] Yehuda argued that even if Binyamin did steal the goblet, it was only because his youth and it should be overlooked.[10] In fact that was even more of a reason that he should be returned to his father, so he can continue educating his manners.[10]

Yehuda then explained that he personally had assumed responsibility for Binyomin and would be a sinner forever is he did not return him. He then offered to take the place of Binyomin and be a slave in his place and he can do with him as he wishes,[1] so Binyamin could return with the Brothers since he could not return and see the misery that would befall Yackov.

Revelation

Yosef could not bear the Egyptians surrounding him witness his revelation to his brothers and called out asking them to step out of the room. He wept out loud and was heard by the Egyptian and the house of Pharaoh. Then he revealed to his brothers that he was Yosef and asked if Yackov was still alive. The brothers could not answer him because they were startled by his presence. Yosef asked his brothers to step closer and repeated that he was their brother Yosef whom they sold into Egypt. He then told them not to be sad or troubled due to the sale, since Hashem had sent him there to preserve their life since two years had already passed from the famine and there were five more to go where there would be neither plowing nor harvest. Hashem had therefore sent him before them make for them remnant in the land and to preserve it for a great deliverance. They had not sent him to Egypt but rather Hashem who made him a father to Pharaod, a lord over all his household and a ruler over the entire land.

Sending for Yaackov

Yosef instructed the Brother to go and get Yacckov and tell him that Hashem had made him a a lord over all the Egyptians and he should not delay. Let him come and dwell in the land of Goshen, where he can be near him. Yackov should relocate with all his children, grandchildren, flocks, cattle and possessions. Yosef will then sustain them since there are still five years of famine, lest they become impoverished.

Yosef then pointed out that both the Brothers and Binyomin saw how it his mouth speaking to them. They should tell Yaakov of all his honor in Egypt and all they had seen. They should hasten and bring Yackov down to Egypt.

Serach Bas Asher

When the brothers sold Yosef they made a group oath of excommunication, were any to reveal what had occurred. Later this was revealed to Serach bas Asher through prophecy, who used it to gently break the news to Yackov that Yosef was still alive. Asher was wrongly excommunicated by the Brothers for revealing this to his daughter, since the conversations of a child originate from either his father or mother. Moshe later completely absolved the excommunication with his blessing to the Tribe of Asher that countered all the restrictive laws of an excommunication.[11]

Embracing the Brothers

Yosef fell on his brother Binyomin's neck and wept, Binyamin wept on his neck. He kissed all his brothers and wept over them, afterwards his brothers spoke with him.

Instruction of Pharaoh

The voice was heard in Pharaoh's house that Yosef's brothers had arrived. It pleased Pharaoh and his servants. Pharaoh told Yosef to instruct his brother to load their donkeys and return to the land of Canaan. They should take their father and households and come back and he will give them the best of Egypt so they can eat the fat of the land. Yosef is to command them to take wagons and bring their young children and wives as well as their father. They should not be concerned about their utensils for the best of all the land of Egypt is theirs.

Return

Yosef gave them wagons by Pharaoh's orders and provisions for the way. He gave them each several pairs of clothes. To Binyamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five pairs of clothes. For Yackov he sent ten male donkeys carrying from the best of Egypt and ten she donkeys carrying grain, bread and other food, for his father's trip. Yosef instructed his brother not to quarrel on the way.

The Brothers went up from Egypt and came to the land of Canaan, to their father Yackov. They told him Yosef was still alive and he ruled over the entire land of Egypt. Yackov's heart changed, for he did not believe them. When they told him all of Yosef's words and he saw the wagons that he had sent, the spirit of their Yaackov was revived. Now that Yosef was alive he would go see him before he died. Yackov had not wanted to go to Egypt but now that he heard his son Yosef was there he traveled immediately, like a cow that does not want to be slaughtered but when her son is brought in she follows.[12]

Stop at Beer Sheva

Yackov and his family set out and came to Beer Sheva where he slaughtered sacrifices to the G-d of his father Yitzchak. Hashem to Yackov in visions of the night, calling him 'Yaakov, Yaakov' and telling them that He is G-D the G-D of his father. Yakov should not be afraid of going down to Egypt, for there He will make him into a great nation.

The Promise

Hashem promised to go down with him to Egypt and also bring him up. Yosef would place his hand on his eyes.

Descent

The Brothers carried Yaakov, their wives and young children in the that Pahraoh had given them. Yackov and all his descendants took their livestock and their possessions that they had acquired in the land of Canaan and came to Egypt.

The 70 Souls

These are the names of the children of Yisroel who came to Egypt, numbering 66 and along with the family of Yosef totaling 70. The wives of the Tribes were not counted.

Sons of Leah (totaling 33)

  • 1 - Reuvain, Yackov's firstborn
    • 2 - Chanoch
    • 3 - Pallu
    • 4 - Chezron
    • 5 - Carmi
  • 6 - Shimon
    • 7 -Yemuel
    • 8 - Yamin
    • 9 - Ohad
    • 10 - Yachin
    • 11 - Zohar
    • 12 - Shaul the son of the Canaanitess.
  • 13 - Levi
    • 14 - Gershon
    • 15 - Kehas
    • 16 - Merari
  • 17 - Yehuda (Er and Onan had already died in the land of Canaan)
    • 18 - Shelah
    • 19 - Perez
      • 20 - Chezron
      • 21 - Chamul
    • 22 - Zerah
  • 23 - Yisaschar
    • 24 - Tola
    • 25 - Puvvah
    • 26 - Yob
    • 27 - Shimron
  • 28 - Zevulun
    • 29 - Sered
    • 30 - Elon
    • 31 Yachleel
  • 32 - Dena, his daughter

Sons of Zilpah (totaling 16)

  • 33 - Gad
    • 34 - Ziphion
    • 35 - Chaggi
    • 36 - Shuni
    • 37 - Ezbon
    • 38 - Eri
    • 39 - Arodi
    • 40 - Areli
  • 41 - Asher
    • 42 - Yimnah
    • 43 - Yishvah
    • 44 - Yishvi
    • 45 - Briah
      • 46 - Chever
      • 47 - Malkiel
    • 48 - Serach, their sister

Sons of Rochel (totaling 14)

  • 49 - Yosef who married Asnat the adopted daughter of Potiphera, the governor of On
    • 50 - Manasheh
    • 51 - Ephraim
  • 52 - Binyamin
    • 53 - Bela
    • 54 - Becher
    • 55 - Ashbel
    • 56 - Gera
    • 57 - Na'aman
    • 58 - Echi
    • 59 - Rosh
    • 60 - Muppim
    • 61 - Chuppim
    • 62 - Ard

Sons of Bilhah (totaling 7)

  • 63 - Dun
    • 64 - Chushim
  • 65 - Naftali
    • 66 - Yachtziel
    • 67 - Guni
    • 68 - Yetzer
    • 69 - Shillem

Introduction to Pharoh

Yosef took with him Zevulon, Gad, Dan, Naftali and Asher because they looked weak, so that Pharaoh should not appoint them as his war officers. These were also the Tribes who has their names doubled in the Blessings of Moshe[13]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Baal HaTurim Berashis 44:18
  2. ^ a b c Baal HaTurim Berashis 44:20
  3. ^ a b c d e f Rashi Berashis 44:18
  4. ^ a b Rashi Berashis 44:19
  5. ^ a b Rashi Berashis 44:20
  6. ^ Rashi Berashis 44:22
  7. ^ Baal HaTurim Berashis 44:23
  8. ^ a b Rashi Berashis 44:29
  9. ^ Rashi Berashis 44:31
  10. ^ a b Baal HaTurim Berashis 44:30
  11. ^ Baal Haturim Devarim 33:24
  12. ^ Baal HaTurim Berashis 44:29
  13. ^ Rashi Devarim 33:18


 
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