Mikeitz - 5th Portion

Join me as we learn Chitas for Thursday Parshas Miketz, the fifth Torah reading, which is chapter 42, verse 19. Im keinim atem. Yesterday we learned about where the Yosef's brothers come for the first time to Egypt greeting Yosef while they don't know that it's Yosef. Yosef knows who they are. And Yosef accuses them of being spies. He puts them in prison for three days. And now he tells them the only way that they will be able to tell if they are truly not spies if they bring their brother Binyamin with them. Verse 19. Im keinim atem. If you are being truthful achichem echad yasev beveis mishmarcham. Therefore, let one of your brothers remain hostage in the present place of your detention. >> [snorts] >> Ve'atem, and you guys lechu will go avyu shevery afam beteychem, while the rest of you can go back and bring back the produce for the people at home of your household for the hunger to those that are hungry in your household. Rashi, 19. Beveis mishmarcham, she'atem asurim be'achshav, the place where you now imprisoned. She'atemu lechu hevi'u, where you going to go and bring it? Leveis avichem, to the home of your pa- father. Shever avin beteychem, what are you going to bring back? Mash shekanisem lerei'avon, what you bought because you were hungry, you're now going to bring it back to anshei beteychem, to the people that are hungry back home that they should have what to eat. Verse 20. Ve'et achichem hakaton tavi'u eilay, but you must bring back your younger brother with you. Veye'amnu divreichem, in this way you will be able to substantiate the words that you said velo samusu, and you will not die. Veyasu chein, and they agreed to this. Veye'amnu divreichem, Rashi says comes the word veye'amnu is from the word amen, to believe that it's true. It's emet uvi'es keinem, will be substantiated, will be true. Omein omein, like when a person says omein omein, it's true. Kema ye'amnu divreichem, like it says in the book of Kings, your true your words will be seen truth. Verse 21. Vaye'amru ish el achiv, and one man said to the other. Aval asheimim anachnu, however we are we are indeed indeed guilty. Al anachnu about our brother regarding our brother asher i'inu tzaros nafsho, therefore we saw his anguish. Vayischanen eilenu when he was pleading to us shema'inu but we did not listen. Alkein, therefore bo eilenu atzarah zeis, we have now this misfortune has come upon us. Rashi, verse 21. Aval, bekushta, the Targum the Targum gives the explanation that it means bekushta, in truth. But the Rashi continues, for I see beveis Rabbah I saw in the Medrash kelishnah d'rei mal, it's a la- terminology from the people of the south. Aval is means but, however. Beram means in truthfully this is why it happened. Bo eilenu, the word bo if you notice tam alef beveis, it's on the base, telling us lefi shur lashon avar, meaning of the past. Shekvar bo, that means this uh tragedy that's coming to us is because of something else. Targum alei asah lanu came to us. Vaya'an Reuvein, verse 22. Vaya'an Reuvein eisav leimor, and Reuvein here even Reuvein responded to them as they are saying this is because of us that we did not listen to the son. And Reuvein tells them halo yamarti aleichem, haven't I told you leimor saying halo yamarti aleichem, haven't I told you, didn't I tell you so? Leimor saying al tech to be al do not sin against the child. Velo shema'itemi, you didn't listen to me. Not only did you not listen to me vegam damo yinidrash, you all even called for spilling his blood. Over here, Reuvein is the first person to say in the Torah that we in history that says I told you so. Didn't I tell you don't kill him? Vegam damo, Rashi says es in vegam ribuyim, anytime where it says es and gam in the pasuk, it is extra. Damo, what does it mean damo? The blood. Whose blood? That means it's coming to tell us an extra thing here. Not only the blood of Yosef, vegam dam asakin, but also the blood of Yaakov, meaning the pain and suffering that Yaakov is going through. Verse 23. Veheim lo yad'u, they did not know. Kishama kishmei'a Yosef that Yosef understood exactly what's going on. Ki ameilutz benei Yisrael, because there was an interpreter the whole time translating from Hebrew from the from lashon hakodesh to Egyptian. Kameilutz benei Yisrael, Rashi explains. Heim lo yad'u, they did not know meivin lashonam that Yosef understands everything that's going on. Uvefanav hem medabrim, okay, they were talking in front of Yosef in the holy tongue. They didn't realize that who Yosef was and he understands. Kameilutz benei Yisrael, because generally when they would speak to him keshayu medabrim eemai, when they would talk to Yosef hayah meilutz beineihem, translator beineihem, between the two of them. Hayah dei'a lashon ivri that knew the land of the holy tongue u'lashon mitzri, an Egyptian. Vayameilutz eemai u vetargem divreihem leYosef. Veidivrei Yosef lahem, and then reiterating the words of Yosef back to them. Lekach Yisrael umru therefore they thought she'ein Yosef meivin lashon ivri that Yosef doesn't know the holy tongue. Hameilutz, who was this interpreter? Zeh ben Asher ben Ay, that was Menasheh son that served as the interpreter. Vayasev me'aleihem, and Yosef turned away from the turned aside from them vayevk, and he cried. Vayoshev aleihem, then he came back to them. Vayedaber aleihem, and he spoke to them as follows. Vayikach me'eitam, and also he took from them Shimon Shimon vayaser es leineihem, and he imprisoned them before their eyes. Rashi, vayasev me'aleihem, what did he do in order for him to cry? Not that he just turned away, but actually s'rachik meleihem, he went further away from them shelo yiru beicha that they should not see that he's crying. Vayevk, why was he crying? Lefi sheshama shehu mischa'er es chem, because he saw that they regret what they did and about selling him. Es Shimon, why did he take Shimon out of all the brothers? Hu ishlicho levorcha, Shimon was the one that threw him into the ditch. Into the pit. Hu sham el Levi, he is the one that told Levi hinei ba'al hachalomos haba, look, here's the dreamer coming. Let's throw him into the pit. Davar acher, another reason which you can explain why Shimon was the one sheskav in Yosef lehafrido meLevi, because Yosef wanted to separate him from Levi. Because he knew already that Shimon and Levi together equals trouble. Shema yisyatzu shneihem leharog eisav, maybe the two of them will come together and they'll want to kill him. Vayaser es leineihem, and therefore he imprisoned them in front of them. Rashi says, why does it say in the Torah specifically in front of them, in front of their eyes? Shelo asrei eilaneihem, in front of their eyes it looked like he was in prison, but as soon as they left keivan sheyatzu, as soon as they left vayitzivu he took him out to eat and gave him to eat, and gave him to drink. Over here we see something very interesting. That some may ask, what was Yosef doing here? Wasn't this a sort of revenge? Why would he have to get back at his brothers? Is this befitting of Yosef the tzaddik to revenge, especially that his father is suffering? But Yosef actually wanted to bring them to a state of teshuvah. And the only time somebody can have true teshuvah, true repentance, if they are brought back in the same particular situation and they would do something differently. And over here in this case, and that's why we see later on with Binyamin as well. When he sees the brothers regretting what they've done, so he sees the first step of teshuvah happen. That they regret what they've done in the past. But now, as we continue to see further, he makes them bring Binyamin to see if if the same scenario would play out, how would they react and what would they do then? Then he would be able to bring them, and that's why he cried, because he brought them and he saw that they came to the fullest level of teshuvah. That's why Reuvein is the one that responds. Vaya'an Reuvein, haven't I told you so? Because Reuvein was the first in the Torah who perfected the concept of teshuvah. That's why he wasn't there when Yosef was sold, because he himself was doing teshuvah. Verse 25. Vayetzaf Yosef, and Yosef commanded vayemalu es keleihem, and they filled and he gave orders to fill their containers bar with lots of grain ulehashiv kaspeihem, and to return their money ish el sako, each person to his sack velatzes es tzeidah laderech, and give them food, provisions for their journey. Vayas lahem kein, and the order was carried out so. Verse 26. Vayisu es shivram, and they carried their they loaded their produce al chamoreihem on their donkeys. Vayelchu misham, and they departed from the land of Egypt, and that was afterwards when Joseph released Shimon and as we read in the previous Rashi. Verse 27. Vayiftach echad es sako, and one of them now that they were uh they were continuing to travel, so one of them which was Levi, opened up his sack latzeis mishpay, to give food fodder to his donkey at the hotel. Vayar es kaspo, and he saw his money. Ve'ineihu befi amtachto, and he sees that it was right there at the opening of his pack. Verse 27. Vayiftach echad, who is the one that opened it? Who Levi, that's Levi. How do I know that he's one? Because he's missing his companion. Shanishe'a yachid mishimon, he's alone now, he's not with Shimon. Ben zugo who was his pair at all times and whatever they did. So now he's considered one on his own. Bamolain, what does it mean in the hotel? Bamakom shelanu al laylah, the place that they rested overnight. That means after they left Egypt, they played they stayed over there overnight. Amtachti, hu asak, that's the sack that they had, as we were told he was told to put it in their sacks. Verse 28. Vayomer el achav, and he tells his brothers hu be my money was returned also in my pack. Their heart sank. And they were trembling saying one to another this is this the God is done to us. Verse 28, he got me talking about that means the money not only the money with the grain maze is also like him alone in a way of worrying concern like what is this bad that's happening to us that we have now this problem against us that this they going to concoct some type of theory against us that all of these are all alone. The only reason why this was given to us because they're framing us and saying some type of liable that is going to happen to us because of it. We continue in the Torah verse 29 as the brothers come back home and they all feel like you can they came to Jacob. They all feel like you can they came home to Jacob. Our second on the land of Canaan where you get the land they told him it's going to say some everything that occurred to them and happened to them lay more saying. The man of the land the man who was in charge the master of the land spoke to us very harshly by eating and they said to the commander and they accused us of being spying the land. Verse 31 and they said we told him came in the afternoon we are honest we are truthful people like you you know we are not spies we were never spies. Verse 32 we are 12 brothers they have you know from one father one went missing and this little one the youngest one is with our father but it's Canaan in the land of Canaan. Verse 33. And so the man said to us I don't know which man the master of the land this is by this way I will know that you are saying the truth one brother you going to leave with me the food they came and the food. That you need the hunger for your household that you need for the people of your household take and go home with it. Verse 34. And only then do you must bring back your younger brother. I to me I will know that you are not spies what you saying is truthful as I I will give you back the brother who I who I'm keeping here that's what this is and you'll be able to move. About in the land freely and not being able to worry. What does this mean? And Rashi explains the word doesn't mean over here that they going to be able to do wholesale and business here means to save if you be able to move around anytime we talk about the word generally can be business or material used for business I'll show you the reason is why they're called peddlers or material is because they go around from place to place selling selling their business and selling their wares. Verse 35. And while they were emptying their sacks each one found the money pouch in the sack. They were and they saw all the money that was there. The them and their father and they became afraid. What does it mean cash or cash the way they would keep the money was like in a handkerchief in a curchief and they would tie it on the top so therefore it was called the tied up money. Verse 36. And their father Jacob said to them. You see she called them you are bereaving me. Of my sons meaning Joseph and Joseph's not here she must not hear and now you're going to take Benjamin as well. A lie how you learn that. All this has befallen me. Rashi. I see she called them. Verse 36 we can see over here that he's telling the brothers. That he's accusing them you are the ones that made me believe of my children. That Jacob accused them she maybe they killed him and they sold him like Joseph. They were concerned what's happening here with him something suspicious. She called them call me any person who loses his children. Is called bereaved. Verse 37. Verse 37 says to his father. And one night Thomas. You can put put my two sons to death if I do not bring Benjamin back to you. Give him to me and I will make sure to bring him back. Verse 38 said my son will not go down with you Benjamin he's referring to his mates. His brother already died he's here alone and maybe a tragedy might befall him a disaster may come upon him he's traveling you go and you'll bring down my old age my white haired head down to the grave in grief. 38 Rashi. He did not accept this what he said that my two sons will be killed if I don't bring him back. Jacob said to his older son my older son is he foolish he says nonsense. He says he says to kill his children. You think that my grandchildren are not like my children what does he think he's going to do that he's going to kill his children because he didn't bring back my son how does that even make sense. Chapter 43 verse one. Because now they're back in the land of Canaan. Negotiating with their father Jacob doesn't want to let Benjamin go down however things are only getting worse. The covid the famine in the region is becoming severe. Verse two when they consumed all the produce that they have brought as a share of the produce that they produce that they brought from Egypt. Their father told them should we go back return to Egypt get us some produce buy for us some food. Rashi. Two when they finished eating what does this mean? Why did they wait until everything was finished Judah gave this advice let me said let our father wait until he sees that there's no bread at home things are going to become desperate and when things are desperate his mind will change. When they completed they finished everything cut when they finished everything cut when they completed everything they had. That's a mistake of translating it that way because you see in the verse of the when the camels conclude drinking and therefore over there he translated cut until they yet it wasn't finished when they drank enough that they had Over here in this case it's not the same translation when they finished eating doesn't mean when they ate enough but when there was no longer any food left. That there's no food that means when he told spoke about about the camels the camels drank enough but there's still water in the pitcher over here we're talking about that they not that they ate enough but when they completed eating everything that they have. Verse three. The brothers protest the father Jacob. I don't know you Judah. And you would have to tell Jacob. Hey hey hey but no I eat. Didn't we tell you the man. Where we get the where the food from sternly warned us saying lay more saying don't you see my face built the eat them unless your brother is with you. Rashi. Hey hey. This terminology. The double terminology. Like a warning which is means a person giving warning. Because usually when a person does warning it's a front of witnesses and therefore he uses a terminology hey hey coming from witnessing. We find this another place like in Jeremiah your fathers in the book of Exodus when it comes to the center of the golden calf God tells Moses go down and warn the people they see the do not show yourself show up unless your brother is with you Targum Targum don't see me without your brother with you Targum translates Elohim do not come unless your brother is with you. Though he explained it according to what it was correct however he was not particular to make sure it could be by the exact language of the verse. Verse four. If you decide to send our brother with us, then we will go down and we will get food for you. 5. However, if you do not send, we will not go down. The man said to us, "Do not show up you." Verse 6. Israel said, "Why did you make it bad for me? Why did you do such a terrible disservice for me? Why did you have to even tell them that you have another brother?" That you have another brother. Verse 7. They responded. It wasn't our fault. The man asked us about asked us where we were born, about our birth, saying, "Is your father still alive?" He asked us about our family. "Do you have another brother?" So we told him according to the truth. Would we have ever known that you would tell us to bring down your younger brother? Rashi verse 7. The simple interpretation is about our family. The Midrash explains that he even told us exactly what the wood in our home is made of. Others explain comes from the word advice. When a person speaks meaning that the person knew the details of our family even the deepest secrets he knew. We told him that we have a father and a brother. According to what he asked, we had to answer. Rashi, would we have known that he would have said the word "key" can mean if how if would have also can mean the word "as sure" that I raised him we mentioned many times key can have four different types of terminologies, different interpretations. And this one is e if he would say until he would say his words. Verse 8. Judah told his father as follows, "You know what? Send the boy with me and we will get up and go and we will be able to live and we will not die. Us come so to you as well as our little children." Verse 8. Rashi, why does he say this twice? We will live and not die. Generally, if you live you're not dying. He said a spark of divine inspiration to his fathers because of us going to Egypt, your spirits will be uplifted. It says later on that it uplifted the spirits of his father Jacob. We will not die in hunger. Why did he have to explain so much? But this is what Jacob was telling Benjamin. This is what Judah was telling Jacob. Benjamin, when we talk about it's not definite if he's going to get killed, if he's going to get hurt. I doubt he will be taken and I doubt he won't be taken. But if we don't go down, we're going to die for sure. If we're not going to go, we're not going to go. Rather, put down the doubt and take what's definite. Definite is that we're going to die. And put down the doubt maybe something will happen to him. Verse 9. I will be his guarantee. I will guarantee for him by making sure that he will be all right. I will guarantee. From me you can from me you can demand if I don't bring him back to you. And I will have sinned against you. I'll have to be present to you and I'll have sinned against you for the rest of all the time of my life. What does this mean? Rashi explains I guarantee you I will not bring him dead but alive. Because if I don't bring him back, then I'm willing to put my world to come on the line. Verse 10. He is my money. For had we not lingered up until now, that means if we're not for your the waiting keeping us delayed, we could have been back twice already. Rashi, if not for you us holding us back because of you holding us back home, we would have returned him and you wouldn't have had to been in pain all this time. And you wouldn't have had to been in pain all this time. Verse 11. Therefore, Israel tells them as follows. If so, their father Israel if so, if I then this is what you should do. You're going to take some of the best food of the land. The most celebrated parts of the land with in your containers. What are you going to take? You're going to bring down to the man as a gift. A little balsam, a little bit of honey, and some wax, the light lotus, pistachios, and almonds. Rashi. What is the word mean over here in this case? And any time this word in the verse over here seems like an extra verse in extra word, what's it coming to tell me? But it's there to correct and to fix the words in the Hebrew language. Therefore, what is it work here? What what in this case what does it refer to? So therefore, what do we need to do? They ordered to send Benjamin with you. At least you have to think about what kind of way. Meaning we're here some type of correction, some type of advice that can be done. And therefore, what does he say the advice is? I tell you what to do. The word the word comes from the word from the best the choices of the land. The reason why it was called everybody sings and is great and is happy that it came to the world. The word tells us it's wax. I do not know what kind of fruit are called but them. I do not know what kind of fruit are called but them. However, in the explanation of I saw that he explained this to mean in as they call it pistachios. Shame of skin. This is what is called in other places. The rabbis call the and over here Rashi calls it pistachios. Verse 12. The and take along with you double the amount of money. You're going to take the money that was returned to you as well but you have to get up and go back to the man. Get up and go back to the man. Rashi. You're going to take double of the what you took before. You're going to take with you money to buy. Maybe money maybe went up in price. Maybe there was a mistake by the guy that was in charge and he put the money back in. Verse 14. The God Almighty will have mercy upon And God Almighty will then have mercy upon you. Will grant mercy upon you in front of the individual in front of the man. We will send back your other brother meaning Simeon. As Simeon and Benjamin and Benjamin and Benjamin. And as for me as I have been bereaved, so will I be bereaved. Rashi. Now the only thing now that you did, your efforts, you put in your part, you did your part. You're not missing anything. The only thing is that I should pray. I will pray for you. He is Almighty because in his mercy that he has he has the ability to give. He will give you his mercy. That's the simple interpretation. According to the Midrash, the word is the one that said that the world is enough. That he said this is enough of how much the world has to in the creation of the world. Should already say enough to my pain and suffering. From the time I was a young man, I had only problems with I had the problems with I had the problems with the anguish from the anguish of dying along the road. Dina Dina being taken. And Simeon and of Simeon and Benjamin. He will then exempt you from take you out of prison. Shall send you free. Because it doesn't mean that they will send you. It means that once you get there, he will be able to send Shimon out, who as Achim your brother Shimon Achair another one. And over here Yakov was saying things with Ruach Hakodesh. Ruach Hakodesh is the way at that moment he had a divine presence that came upon him that he was including the Rabbi says however and I until you come back I won't be considered a until you come back I will feel bereaved. A Yishak because I'm in doubt. I don't know what's going to happen. Just like I am bereaved I'll be bereaved from Binyamin as well. Verse 15. >> [snorts] >> And the brothers took the gift and the double amount of money they took with them in their hands Binyamin and Binyamin as well. They got up went down to Egypt and they stood before Yosef. Verse 15 Binyamin explains what is he saying here and Binyamin and the taking of money and the taking The taking of money and the taking of humans in Aramaic are not the same. So therefore he uses a different terminology for when Binyamin something that's taken in your hand something that you take with you something that you tell come along with me that you say something that you tell come along with me that you say something that you tell come along with me that you say something that you tell come along with me that you say something that you tell come along with me that you say something that you tell This concludes the Torah reading for Thursday Parshas Miketz the fifth Torah reading of Parshas Miketz as we learned today is Parshas and I'm sure you'll check out to see the details of it.