[Par-reg] Vayigash - questions for self study

[Menachem Leibtag]

*********************************************
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     THE TANACH STUDY CENTER
[http://www.tanach.org]

          In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag

     Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem
Leibtag

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             PARSHAT VAYIGASH

 

PART I - QUESTIONS FOR THE 'SHABBOS TABLE'

 

TREATING STRANGERS

1.  In your opinion, how do the Egyptians
relate to anyone who

is not an Egyptian?  In your answer, relate
to Breishit 43:32

and 46:31-34.  Note as well 39:17 and
41:12-14 (& explain why

Yosef must shave!).

  Based on these psukim, how do the Egyptians
relate to

'ivrim' and 'can'anim'?  [See also Shmot
8:22.]  Do you think

that it was specifically those nations or any
type of

foreigner?

  In your opinion, is there a logical reason
for this

treatment of 'non-Egyptians'?  To the best of
your

recollection, throughout history, does this
phenomenon occur

in other societies as well?  [If so, to what
extent, and for

what reasons?]

  Would you consider this phenomenon morally
correct (or

proper)?  In your answer, relate to Shmot
22:20 & 23:9!

     Relate this as well to what may have
been the underlying

cause of Bnei Yisrael's enslavement in Egypt
many decades

later (or at least the ability of Egyptians
to enslave them)?

 

2.  In your opinion, and based on your answer
to the above

question, are the people of Egypt aware that
Yosef was once an

'ivri', or is this a 'well kept secret'
(known only to Pharaoh

and his closest advisors)?  In your answer,
relate to 41:14 &

41:42-46!

     With this background, review 45:16 in
its context.

According to this pasuk, why are Pharaoh and
his servants

'happy to hear' that Yosef's brothers have
arrived?

     Be sure to see how Ramban, Radak, and
Seforno each answer

this question.  Note how each commentator
relates to this

question, and what is unique about each
approach?

 

VISITING CANAAN

3.  In your opinion, why does Yosef prefer
that Yaakov come

down to Egypt instead of he himself traveling
to Eretz Canaan

to visit his father?  Can you relate this to
your answer to

the above questions?

     Why is Yosef worried that Pharaoh may
not allow him to

bury Yaakov in Eretz Canaan (see 50:4-6)?
Based on those

psukim, what 'excuse' does Yosef use to
convince Pharaoh?

Relate this as well to 47:29-31.

  As you review 50:7-13, note as well where
the Egyptians

travel to (when they go to bury Yaakov), and
why they stop for

the 'eulogy', and who (alone) goes to Eretz
Canaan for the

actual burial!  Relate this point to the
above questions.

 

DOWN TO '210'

4.  Review 45:9, noting Yosef's command
"redah eilai" - come

down to me (to Egypt).  What is the problem
with the grammar

of this pasuk, in regard to the word 'redah'?

     See Chizkuni on 45:9; note how he
explains how this

relates to 'redu' said by Yaakov in 42:2, and
how this relates

to the years of exile according to the 400
years of Brit bein

ha-btarim!  [See also Rashi on 42:2.]

 

ONE TOPIC OR THREE?

5.  Note that the Torah includes all of 44:18
thru 46:7 in ONE

'parshia' while the classical division into
chapters considers

this 'parshia' as part of three different
chapters, and hence

three different topics.

     Attempt to explain the logic for each
division.

          In your opinion, which division
makes more sense?

     What is the thematic significance of
considering all of

these psukim as one complete unit?

  [Similarly, compare 44:18 with 46:28,
noting how and why

  each pasuk begins a new 'parshia'.]

 

SHIV'IM NEFESH

6.  In Parshat Pinchas, the Torah records the
census that was

to serve as the basis for the proportional
"nachala"

[inheritance] of Eretz Canaan, and its
division among the

twelve tribes.

     Compare the family names in that census
(Bamidbar 26:2-

56) to the list of the 'shiv'im nefesh' (70
souls) who go down

to Egypt (see 46:8-26).  Attempt to explain
the reason for the

similarities between these two lists (and for
the differences

as well).

     Can you point to a thematic connection
as well?  In other

words, how does Bnei Yisrael's inheritance of
Eretz Canaan

relate to the events that took place earlier
in Parshat

Vayigash specifically (and Sefer Breishit in
general)?

 

WHAT'S A CHOK?

7.  To the best of your recollection, how
would you define the

Hebrew word 'chok'?

     Now, read 47:20-26, noting the use of
the word 'chok'.

     Does your definition fit with its
context in these

psukim?

     [Relate as well to the word 'chok' in
Yirmiyahu 33:25.]

     Relate this to your understanding of the
mitzvot that are

considered by the Torah as 'chukim'?

     In your answer, relate to the use of the
word 'chok' in

regard to the offering of the Korban Pesach
in future

generations, based on Shmot 12:14 and
12:24-26.

  [Based on your answer, would you say that
certain 'chukim'

  could be logical, or by definition do all
'chukim' have to

  be laws that don't make sense?]

     Note especially the commentaries of Ibn
Ezra, Ramban, and

Seforno on Breishit26:5 in regard to the
meaning of the word

'chukotai'!    Based on the above, how would
you now a define

law that the Torah refers to as a 'chok'?

  [For more detail, see the TSC shiur on
Parshat Chukat in

  regard to the laws of Para Aduma.]

===========

 

PART II - QUESTIONS FOR PREPARATION (for
weekly shiur)

1.  When Yosef invites his family to 'move'
to Egypt (see 45:5-

11), is his intention that they now should
settle in Egypt

permanently, or is it just to survive during
the remaining

five years of famine (after which they would
return 'home')?

     When the famine is over, do Bnei Yisrael
return to Eretz

Canaan, or do they remain in Egypt (in Eretz
Goshen)?

     To the best of your recollection, does
the Torah explain

why they stayed?  Can you suggest a reason?

     [Were they permitted to leave at that
time?]

 

2.  Based on 45:25-28, when Yaakov decides to
go down to Egypt

to visit Yosef, what was the stated purpose
of this journey,

and for how long does Yaakov originally plan
to stay in Egypt?

     [Relate as well 46:30-47:4!]

     Does Yaakov (and his family) have any
reason for staying

in Egypt any longer than during the years of
the famine?

     Based on 45:5-11 and 46:31-47:4, what
does Yosef's

original plan appear to be?

     For how long does he expect his family
to stay in Egypt?

 

3.  With this background, review 46:1-7.  Do
these psukim

provide an answer to any of the above
questions?  Explain.

     In what manner does God's answer to
Yaakov relate to both

Breishit 12:1-3 and 15:13-18?

 

4.  Review once again 46:1.  In your opinion,
why does Yaakov

stop specifically at Beer Sheva in order to
offer sacrifices?

Furthermore, why does he offer sacrifices at
this time?  And

finally, why does he offer them specifically
to the God of his

father Yitzchak

     In your answer, relate Yaakov's present
situation to the

predicament that Yitzchak faced in 26:1-5
(noting 26:25 as

well), and Yaakov's own predicament in
28:10-18.

  [In regard to why he offers korbanot
specifically to the God

  of his father YITZCHAK (and not Avraham),
see the Parshanut

  section below - question #1.]

 

5.  What is God's response to these korbanot
that Yaakov

offers?  See 46:2-4.  Does God's response
imply that Yaakov

was scared; if so, why?

     What is surprising about God's
'affirmative' answer,

allowing Yaakov to travel to Egypt?  In your
opinion, do you

think that it surprised Yaakov?

     According to God's plan, now revealed to
Yaakov, for how

long are Yaakov and his family supposed to
stay in Egypt?

     Does God provide an explicit reason?
[Is there an

implicit reason, based on these psukim?]
Relate once again to

Breishit 15:13-18 & 12:1-3.]

     How does God's plan, as now revealed to
Yaakov, relate to

Yosef's perception of these events (as he
explained to his

brothers in 45:5-8)?  Relate as well to
Breishit 48:21 and

50:24.

 

6. Compare the style of 46:5-7 with Breishit
11:31, 12:5, and

31:17-18.  In what manner is this
significant?

     Relate this to the theme of 'bechira' in
Sefer Breishit.]

 

7.  Note how 46:1-7 is followed by 46:8-27.
Compare these

psukim (note that they form their own
'parshia') with Shmot

1:1-7.

     How (and why) are 46:8-27 and Shmot
1:1-7 similar, and in

what manner are they different?

     Can you explain why Sefer Shmot opens
with these psukim?

Relate especially to Shmot 1:7.

  In regard to 46:8-27, have we found lists
of names before in

Sefer Breishit?  If so, have these 'lists'
[or genealogies]

been referred to as 'shmot' or as 'toladot'?

     Can you explain why the list is now
called 'shmot'?

    [Relate once again to the 'bechira'
process and its

    connection to the overall theme of Sefer
Breishit.]

 

8.  Note that 46:1-5 is the last 'hitgalut'
of Sefer Breishit.

     First, verify this statement.

     Then, find the FIRST 'hitgalut' in Sefer
Shmot.

          [If you give up, scan Shmot
3:1-10.]

     What is God's message in that
'hitgalut'?

     How does that first 'hitgalut' in Sefer
Shmot relate to

this last 'hitgalut' in Sefer Breishit?
[Relate to this

parallel at both a textual and thematic
level.]

  Try to explain the thematic importance of
this final

'hitgalut' of Sefer Breishit, and its
connection to the

'parshia' that follows with "eileh shmot..."
(in 46:8-26).

 

PART III - PARSHANUT

1.  Review again 46:1, make sure that you
understand the major

problems in the pshat of this pasuk (i.e. why
does Yaakov

offer korbanot at this time, why specifically
to the God of

Yitzchak, and why specifically in Beer
Sheva).

     See Rashi - how does Rashi answer these
questions, or

doesn't he?  [In other words, is Rashi
explaining the pasuk,

or is he learning something from it?]

     Now, see Ramban.  What bothers Ramban in
regard to

Rashi's interpretation.  [Explain what Ramban
means by his

statement that Rashi's peirush 'is not
sufficient' / "ve-

eineno maspik..."]

     Next, see Rashbam.  How is his approach
different from

Rashi's?   Does Rashbam attempt to explain
simple 'pshat'?

     Does Rashbam base his peirush on 26:1-2
or on 26:25?  Can

you explain why?  What assumption does
Rashbam make in regard

to korbanot that Yitzchak offered in Beer
Sheva?  Is there

support for this assumption in the psukim?

     Now, see Radak!  In what manner is his
approach similar

to that of Rashbam, and in what manner is his
interpretation

totally different? What psukim does Radak
base his peirush on?

     In your opinion, which peirush (between
Radak & Rashbam)

is more thematic, and which is more textual?

    [See also Seforno and Chizkuni.]

     Finally, return once again to Ramban.
Read his answer

carefully.  [Just the first ten lines, you
don't need to read

the entire section concerning 'zevachim'.]
How is his approach

to the explanation of this pasuk different
that Rashbam and

Radak?

    How does Ramban's interpretation relate
to the overall

theme of Sefer Breishit?  Would you consider
Ramban's peirush

as 'pshat'?

 

2.  Why do you think that Yaakov offers
specifically

'ZEVACHIM' at this time? Is there any other
example of someone

offering a "zevach" to God in Sefer Breishit?
When (later on

in Chumash) are 'zevachim' offered?  [Relate
to Shmot 24:3-9,

especially 24:4-5!

    [For the technical difference between an
'olah' and

    'zevach', you should review Sefer Vayikra
chapters 1 &

    3.]

     Now [if you have lots of time and
patience] you can see

the lengthy Ramban on this topic (on 46:1 /
"ve-amar ha-katuv

zvachim...").  It is quite complicated, but
it gives you a

tiny glimpse of Ramban's understanding of
'kabbala'.]

 

3.  Re: why Yaakov stopped specifically in
Beer Sheva, see

also a very interesting discussion concerning
this in middle

of the lengthy Ramban on Breishit 28:17,
where he quotes

Breishit Rabba 68:6.

  [In Torat Chaim edition, by footnote 22; in
Chavell edition

  by footnote 27.]

Note how that Midrash explains how Beer Sheva
serves as the

'exit' gate for those who wish to leave Eretz
Canaan, and how

it relates to Breishit 46:1-3 as well as
28:10-17.

 

4.  Review 45:1, noting the phrase "le-chol
ha-nitzavim alav"

- i.e. Yosef was not able to 'restrain
himself' from - all

that stood around him.  In your opinion, what
group is this

pasuk referring to?  In other words, who are
these people

gathered around who Yosef later (in this
pasuk) expels from

the room?

     Once you determine WHO they are, explain
how this phrase

relates to this pasuk and why he wants to
expel them from the

room before he reveals himself. First see
Rashi on 45:1, most

likely Rashi's approach is what you answered.
[See also

Rashbam and Radak who are quite similar.]

     Now (to your surprise) see Ramban.  Note
how he explains

who these 'nitzavim' were, and why they
'bothered' Yosef.  Can

you explain why he provides an alternate
interpretation?  Note

how (and why) he disagrees with Ibn Ezra as
well.

     Finally, see Seforno.  Note how he
provides a totally

different (and very creative) interpretation!
Can you explain

how his interpretation relates to Ramban's?

 

5.  Review 45:12.  As a proof that he is
truly their brother,

Yosef tells them "... ki pi ha-medaber
aleichem - see, it is

my mouth that is speaking to you".  In your
opinion, what does

this phrase mean, and how is it a proof?  Is
Yosef proving

them who he is by the fact that he knows
Hebrew?  Was this the

'secret language' of Yaakov's family that the
brothers spoke,

that no one else knew?

     First see Rashi.  Note his approach (as
usual, the one

that we are most familiar with).  [Note as
well Ibn Ezra.]

     Next, see Rashbam.  Does he agree or
disagree with Rashi?

In either case, what does Rashbam add to
Rashi's explanation?

How does this relate to the context of the
psukim that follow?

     Finally, see Ramban.  Note his very
strong questions

explaining why the 'classic interpretation'
is not sufficient.

Then pay careful attention to how he explains
this pasuk.  As

usual, note how comprehensive Ramban is in
his peirush, and

how he relates to the realities of each
situation!

 

BIBLICAL ADDITION

6.  Review 46:8-27, and while doing so, see
if the math works

out to total up to seventy. If not, where
specifically are

there problems in the totals, i.e. where
doesn't the total

match the itemized list of names?

     First, see Rashi on 46:15 & 46:26.
Which problems does

he deal with, and what answers does he
provide?

     In your opinion, does Rashi's
interpretation (regarding

when Yocheved was born, etc.) make sense?  If
not, what is the

problem?

     Then, see Rashbam on 48:8 & 26.  How
does he solve the

math problem?

     Next, see Chizkuni, how does he solve
the math problem?

          How is his approach different from
Rashbam's?

     Now, see Ibn Ezra on 46:27.

     Note how and why he disagrees with the
various Midrashim.

          How does he explain pshat?  [Like
Rashbam or

Chizkuni?]

     Review this Ibn Ezra, noting his
approach.

    [It is a classic example of his
methodology and his

    approach to 'pshat' in contrast to
'drash', and the

    connection between them.]

  Finally, see Ramban on 46:15 (it's long,
but worth your while).

     Note how Ramban supports the Midrashic
approach, as

presented by Rashi, and totally disagrees
with Ibn Ezra, and

seems to take issue with his entire approach
to Midrashim.  Be

sure to read this Ramban carefully, for he
explains his

approach - and why he feels it is important
to look for

miracles 'between the lines' of the Bible!

                              be-hatzlacha,

                              menachem

 

 

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