[Par-reg] Vayeshev - questions for self study

Tue Dec 20 13:25:35 EST 2016

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THE TANACH STUDY CENTER  www.tanach.org
   In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
      Questions for self study - by Menachem Leibtag
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PARSHAT VA'YESHEV

PART I - QUESTIONS FOR THE 'SHABBOS TABLE'

1. Does God ever speak directly to any of Yaakov's children (i.e.
as He had spoken to Avraham Yitzchak and Yaakov)?
If so, where, when, and why?
If not, in your opinion, why doesn't He?
[As above,] does God ever speak directly to Yosef?
Does God ever speak to him [indirectly] through dreams?
If so, explain how and when.
Does God ever speak to any of Yaakov's children through
events?  If so, explain how and when.
Can you explain why this may be significant?

2. There is a famous Rashbam at the beginning of this week's
Parsha (see 37:2/ "ayleh toldot...") in which he discusses his
conversation with Rashi (his grandfather) concerning the need to
focus more on the study "pshat" when studying Chumash.
I recommend that you take a few minutes to read this
important Rashbam, for it provides the basis for the approach that
we employ on our shiurim.

3. Compare Yosef's two dreams (see 37:5-10) to Yitzchak's
blessing of Yaakov (s/b Esav) in 27:28-29. In what manner are
they similar?  [In what manner are they different?]
How does this similarity help explain the nature of the
brothers' hatred of Yosef?  Could this be a source for a "ruchani"
reason that would 'justify' their hatred?
[Compare with the story of Yitzchak & Esav.]
How does this similarity explain Yaakov's reaction to Yosef's
dreams?  [Keep this question in mind as you study the story of
Yosef and his brothers, for it can help explain the reason for its
complexity.]

4. Do the brothers have reason to believe that Yaakov is making
a mistake by favoring Yosef? Pretend that you are 'hired' as their
lawyer. Attempt to defend their decision to 'remove' Yosef from
God's 'chosen family'. Base your 'defense' both on Yosef's
behavior and on precedents from earlier generations.
[When you finish, pretend that your are the 'judge' and
explain why that 'defense' is wrong.]

5. In the story of "mechirat Yosef", why do the brothers need to lie
concerning the 'blood stained coat' to trick their father to believe
that Yosef had been devoured by an animal? Why don't they just
keep quiet and pretend as though they never saw him, and
therefore have no idea what happened to him?
In your opinion, does Yaakov ever suspect that the brothers
may have killed Yosef (or sold him)?  Does Yaakov ever find out
what 'really' happened?  If so, who told him?

6. Whenever Bnei Yisrael as a nation offer a Korban Musaf, the
"chatat" offering is always a "seir izim" (e.g. see Bamidbar
chapters 28->29). In your opinion, do you think that this specific
"chatat" offering of a "seir izim" relates to the actions of the
brothers when they sold Yosef?  In your answer, relate to 37:31!
[See also Ramban on Vayikra 9:2-3 (towards the end) where
he explains why Bnei Yisrael must offer a "seir izim l'chatat"
on the eighth day dedication ceremony.  Note how he relates
this to "mechirat Yosef" and "chet ha'egel".]

7. Review 40:12-15. In your opinion, was Yosef correct in asking
the "sar ha'mashkim" to intervene on his behalf to free him from
jail, or was Yosef expected to rely only on God?
If Yosef was correct in this regard, what can we learn from
this story?  If Yosef was 'wrong', what do you base your opinion
on?

PART II   - QUESTIONS FOR PREPARATION
(for weekly shiur)
1. Considering Yosef's dreams,as well as his relationship with his
brothers, attempt to explain the 'spiritual reason' for the brothers'
hatred of Yosef.  Attempt to relate your answer to the nature of
the "bechira" process (as we have discussed thus far in Sefer
Breishit).  [Relate as well to questions 3, 4, & 5 in Part I above.]

2. Can you suggest a reason why specifically Reuven wants to be
the one to save Yosef (and bring him back to his father)?  Relate
to his position within the family (as well as earlier events).

3. Forgetting any previous knowledge you may have of the story
of 'Yosef and his brothers', undertake a careful reading of 37:12-
36.  As you study these psukim, be sure that you follow the logic
of everyone's plan, including:
  1) the brothers' first plan to kill Yosef
  2) Reuven's plan to save Yosef (and what he tells the brothers)
  3) Yehuda's plan to sell Yosef.

Then, based on your study, consider the following questions:
a. When the brothers sit down to eat (37:25), do they sit
down NEARBY, i.e. in sight of the pit that Yosef is in, or do
they sit much farther away, out of sound and site of the pit?
b. When they sat down to eat, is Reuven sitting down to eat
with them, or did he go away? If he did go away, where did
he go to and why? [Does this fit with his original plan to save
Yosef?]  [In your answer, relate to the word "va'yashov" in
37:29 & 37:20!]
c. How far of a walk is it from Shechem to Hebron?
Does it make sense that Reuven (based on his plan)
would leave the area near Yosef's pit?

4.  If you have a detailed map of Israel, attempt to locate Hebron,
Shechem, Dotan [i.e. Jennin], the Gilad mountains (and the
highway that travels via Emek Yizrael from the Gilad to Egypt).  [If
your map includes topographic detail, it would be helpful to note
the elevation of these areas.]   Attempt to relate this 'topographic
information' to your understanding of the details of this story and
to help determine the difference between the Midyanim and the
Yishmaelim in 37:28..
5. Based on your answers to the above question, review 37:28 (in
its context) and try to determine WHO precisely sold Yosef to the
Yishmaelim.
How many possible ways are there to explain this pasuk?
[In your answer, relate to statements later made by Yosef in
BOTH 40:15 and 45:4.]
If you have time, answer at this time the first five questions in
the Parshanut section below.

6. In your opinion, was Yosef aware of the brothers' original plan
to kill him?  Does he understand why they originally threw him
into the pit?
Likewise, are the brothers aware of what really happened to
Yosef?
Relate your answer to this question to Yosef's behavior in
Egypt in regard to why he never contacted home before his
brothers came, and how he treated his brothers after they came
to buy food.

PART III - PARSHANUT
1. Review your answers to the preparation questions above, then,
before reading the various commentators on 37:28, ask yourself
the following questions:
(A) Are the Midyanim and Yishmaelim the same people?
 [Relate to 25:1-4]
(B) Who pulled Yosef out of the pit?
(C) Why is Reuven not there when all of this transpires?

2. See Rashi 37:28. How does he solve (A)?
See Rashi 37:29 (where he quotes the Midrash that it was
Reuven's turn to go home to learn with his father).  How far is it
from Hebron to Dotan? [i.e how many days of travel?]
Does it make any sense that Reuven would leave for such a
long time while Yosef was in the pit? In your opinion, does this
Midrash explain "pshat" concerning what 'happened' or does it
provide us with insight concerning the brothers 'respect' for their
father?  [If the latter is true, what the message of this Midrash
concerning the nature of "sinat achim"?]
Next, explain the second possibility raised by Rashi.

3. See Ibn Ezra & Radak on 37:28 and Ramban 37:25.
How do they answer (A)?
How (and why) do their respective commentaries differ?

4. See Rashbam on 37:28, how does he answer (A), (B), & (C)?
In what manner is his approach totally different than all of
the others?    [Why do you think Rashbam concludes with a
'second opinion?]

5. Finally, see Chizkuni on 37:28. How does he answer A, B, &
C?   In what manner is his pirush different than Rashbam?
[Why do you think that Chizkuni also includes  a 'second
opinion? Is this 'second opinion' the same as Rashbam's
'second opinion'?]

========
WHEN DID YEHUDA GET MARRIED?
6.  In Chapter 38 - the story of Yehuda and his children -
interrupts the narrative that describes the story of Yosef in Egypt
that began in chapter 37 and continues in chapter 39.
Review the story in chapter 38, and consider the minimum
amount of years that have transpired. Consider as well how many
years pass from the time that Yosef is sold (see 37:2) and when
he solves Pharaoh's dream (see 41:46), and the fact that the
entire family goes down to Egypt less than a decade later.
Based on the above, at what age do you think Yehuda first
married Shua's daughter (see 38:1-2)? [i.e. before or after Yosef
was sold?]

Then, see Rashi on 38:1. What is his opinion? Does he relate
to any of the above questions? If so, how?
See also Radak (until the end of his pirush to 38:1!). In what
manner is his pirush similar to Rashi, and how is it different?
Next, see Chizkuni on 38:1. Note how he relates to the above
questions.  How does he solve them? See also Seforno!
Finally, see Ibn Ezra on 38:1.  How does he solve the above
questions?  How and why is his pirush different than Chizkuni?
In your opinion, which pirush appears to be most logical?

7. Re: WHO Yehuda married, i.e. did he marry a Canaanite? See
how Unkelos translates this word. [Note that there are two
versions.]
What is the problem with translating "c'naani" as a
Canaanite?
Then see Rashi on 38:2. See also Rashbam. What does his
explanation add to Rashi's 'translation. [See also Radak.]
[See also Rasa"g. What does he mean "k'pshuto"?]
See Ibn Ezra.
Finally, see Ramban. It's quite long, but be sure to see at
least the final few lines of that Ramban (in relation to David
ha'melech). What is the Ramban's primary point, and why does
he go to such great lengths to support his interpretation?
How does this topic relate to a primary theme in Sefer
Breishit, in regard to Bnei Yisrael's future inheritance of Eretz
Canaan based on 9:18-27, 10:15-20, and 17:7-8.

b'hatzlacha,
menachem
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