Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: A Byte Of Torah II,XI VaYigash
From: ToraByte Int'l <CFRQC@CUNYVM.BITNET>
Date: Thursday, 31 Dec 1992 00:53:57 EST
Organization: City University of New York/ University Computer Center

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                                     A                                   BS"D
   Volume II                      B Y T E     The Electronic
     Issue XI                       O F          Torah Weekly
                                 T O R A H
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                           Dvar Torah of the Week
                           ----------------------

"And Joseph said to his brothers:
  I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?
   And the brothers were unable to answer him,
    because they were terrified of his presence." (Genesis 45:3)

  In a previous dialogue with his brothers, Joseph had already asked them
about the welfare of his father (see Genesis 43:7,27,28). Thus why does he
repeat the inquiry concerning his father's well-being? In this instance,
Joseph was not asking whether his father was still alive, but rather about the
health and condition of his father. Alternatively, the previous conversations
with his brothers were through an interpreter, but in this case, Joseph asked
them directly (Tur).
  Why were the brothers terrified by Joseph's presence? The brothers realized
that their brother Joseph was virtually a king. They were therefore afraid
that Joseph might kill them for what they had done to him years before
(Rabbeinu Bachya). Alternatively, their terror was due to their embarrassment
(Rashi). Why were they embarrassed? Previously, when Joseph demanded that
Benjamin remain with him in Egypt, the brothers responded that leaving
Benjamin in Egypt would cause Jacob to die, as the souls of Jacob and Benjamin
were intertwined (see Genesis 45:30-31). Therefore, when Joseph asked, "I am
Joseph. Is my father still alive?", he was asking the following question: If
Benjamin's absence would bring Jacob so much pain and grief that it would
cause him to die, would not my own absence have done the same? Thus one can
say that the brothers were terrified of Joseph's presence because they
realized the contradiction in their argument for previously condemning Joseph
and presently protecting Benjamin (Beis HaLeivi).


                             Mussar of the Week
                             ------------------

"And now do not feel sad nor angry in your eyes
  because you sold me here,
   because Hashem sent me to preserve life." (Genesis 45:5)

  Now, Joseph tells his brothers not to be despondent. The actions that they
had taken were necessary to send him to Egypt so that he could save the world.
Who would have interpreted Pharoah's dreams properly and know how to prepare
for the famine? Therefore, it must have been his destiny to come to Egypt and
save the world from the famine (cf. Ramban). Joseph is teaching us an
important lesson. During our lifetime, many things happen. Some events appear
to be good and some incidents seem to be bad. However, we should not always
look askance upon the bad events that happen in our life, as many times they
will ultimately come out for the good - we just need the patience to wait and
see.

Please direct any comments, questions, etc. to bytetorah@israel.nysernet.org,
which will be forwarded to me. Please pass it on to a friend. If you want to
subscribe, please send e-mail to listserv@israel.nysernet.org with the msg:
SUB bytetorah <first name> <last name>.  --Zev Itzkowitz        Copyright 1992
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