For the week ending 7 December 2002 / 2 Tevet 5763
Parshat Mikeitz
Questions
- What did the fat cows being eaten symbolize?
- How did Pharaoh's recollection of his dream differ from Nevuchadnetzar's recollection of his dream?
- What was significant about the fact that Pharaoh dreamed repeatedly?
- What does "Tsafnat Panayach" mean?
- What happened to the Egyptians' grain that was stored in anticipation of the famine?
- What did Yosef require the Egyptians to do before he would sell them grain?
- Did Yaakov and his family still have food when he sent his sons to Egypt? If yes, why did he send them?
- What prophetic significance lay in Yaakov's choice of the word "redu" "descend" (and not "lechu" "go")?
- Why does the verse say "Yosef's brothers" went down to Egypt (and not "Yaakov's sons")?
- When did Yosef know that his dreams were being fulfilled?
- Under what pretext did Yosef accuse his brothers of being spies?
- Why did the brothers enter the city through different gates?
- Who was the interpreter between Yosef and his brothers?
- Why did Yosef specifically choose Shimon to put in prison?
- How does the verse indicate that Shimon was released from prison after his brothers left?
- What was Yaakov implying when he said to his sons: "I am the one whom you bereaved?"
- How did Reuven try to persuade Yaakov to send Binyamin to Egypt?
- How long did it take for Yaakov and family to eat all the food that the brothers brought back from Egypt? Give the answer in terms of travel time.
- How much more money did the brothers bring on their second journey than they brought on the first journey? Why?
- How did the brothers defend themselves against the accusation of theft?
Answers
- 41:4 - That all the joy of the plentiful years would be forgotten. (Not that the good years would provide food for the bad years.)
- 41:8 - Pharaoh remembered the contents of his dream but didn't know its meaning. Nevuchadnetzar forgot even the contents of his dream.
- 41:32 - It showed that the seven good years would start immediately.
- 41:45 - He who explains things that are hidden and obscure.
- 41:55 - It rotted.
- 41:55 - Become circumcised.
- 42:1 - Yes, but he sent them because he did not want to cause envy in the eyes of those who did not have food.
- 42:2 - It hinted to the 210 years that the Jewish people would be in Egypt: The word "redu" has the numerical value of 210.
- 42:3 - Because they regretted selling Yosef and planned to act as brothers by trying to find him and ransom him at any cost.
- 42:9 - When his brothers bowed to him.
- 42:12 - They entered the city through 10 gates rather than through one gate.
- 42:13 - To search for Yosef throughout the city.
- 42:23 - His son Menashe.
- 42:24 - Because he was the one who cast Yosef into the pit and the one who said, "Here comes the dreamer." Alternatively, to separate him from Levi, as together they posed a danger to him.
- 42:24 - The verse says Shimon was bound "in front of their eyes," implying that he was bound only while in their sight.
- 42:36 - That he suspected them of having slain or sold Shimon, and that they may have done the same to Yosef.
- 42:37 - He said: "Kill my two sons if I fail to bring back Binyamin."
- 43:2,10 - Twice the travel time to and from Egypt.
- 43:12 - Three times as much, in order to repay the money they found in their sacks and to buy more even if the price had doubled.
- 44:8 - They said "We returned the money we found in our sacks; can it be that we would steal ?"
All references are to the verses and Rashis commentary, unless otherwise stated.
