Torah Parallels

פרשת מקץ Parsha Stumpers and Something to Think About Rashi ( 41:2,4 ) writes what the simanim in Pharoah's dreams meant. Why is Rashi telling us this here and not by Yosef's interpretations? Rashi (41:8) differentiates between the dreams of Pharoah and those of Nevuchadnetzer. Nevuchadnetzer not only did not understand the meaning of his dreams, but also did not even remember his dreams. Why the difference? Both Yosef and Pharoah had double dreams. Why? The mefarshim explain that Yosef knew that the years of plenty and famine would happen very soon because Pharoah dreamed them one right after another. But what about Yosef's own dreams? He also had two dreams (seemingly one right after another) but his dreams did not come to reality until many years later? Rashi (41:55) comments that Yosef made everyone in Mitzrayim get bris millah and move from their houses in order for the brothers to feel comfortable when they came down to Mitzrayim – a land where...

Parshas Miketz and Chanukah Thanksgivakkah: It's Never Late, Nor Is It Early... It Arrives Precisely When We Mean It To By: Daniel Listhaus וַיִּיטַב הַדָּבָר בְּעֵינֵי פַרְעֹה וּבְעֵינֵי כָּל עֲבָדָיו : וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה אֶל עֲבָדָיו הֲנִמְצָא כָזֶה אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר רוּחַ אֱלֹקים בּוֹ : וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה אֶל יוֹסֵף אַחֲרֵי הוֹדִיעַ אֱלֹהִים אוֹתְךָ אֶת כָּל זֹאת אֵין נָבוֹן וְחָכָם כָּמוֹךָ : אַתָּה תִּהְיֶה עַל בֵּיתִי וְעַל פִּיךָ יִשַּׁק כָּל עַמִּי רַק הַכִּסֵּא אֶגְדַּל מִמֶּךָּ : וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה אֶל יוֹסֵף רְאֵה נָתַתִּי אֹתְךָ עַל כָּל אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם “ The matter appeared good in the eyes of Pharoah and in the eyes of his servants. And Pharoah said to his servants, 'Could we find like this – a man in whom is the spirit of G-d?” Then Pharoah said to Yosef, 'Since G-d has informed you of all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house and by your command shall all my people be sustained; only by the throne shall I outrank you....

פרשת וישב Parsha Stumpers The Torah and Rashi describe that Yosef would to tell Yaakov about things he saw the shevatim do. He claimed to have eye-witnessed his brothers eating eiver min ha'chai , degrading the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, and doing gilui arayos . If these claims were true, how could we understand that the shevatim did such things and why was Yosef punished? And if not true, then how could Yosef say such things about them? Yaakov grew up in a house of brother rivalry between him and Eisav. So, why does he anyway do so many things to single out Yosef over his brothers? As we know, the Torah is written on many levels. When Yosef is telling Yaakov his dreams, Yaakov responds, “What is this dream that you dreamt? Are we to come – I and your mother and your brothers – and bow down to the ground to you?” Rashi explains that Yaakov was essentially saying that Rachel was dead and was not coming back to bow down to Yosef. Where is this hinted to in the passuk ...

Parshas Vayeishev For Heaven's Sake: 50-50 = 80-20 By: Daniel Listhaus וַיַּכֵּר יְהוּדָה וַיֹּאמֶר צָדְקָה מִמֶּנִּי כִּי עַל כֵּן לֹא נְתַתִּיהָ לְשֵׁלָה בְנִי וְלֹא יָסַף עוֹד לְדַעְתָּהּ “ Yehuda recognized; and he said, 'She is right; it is from me, inasmuch as I did not giver her to Sheilah my son,' and he did not continue to be intimate with her anymore.” -Vayeishev 38:26 Throughout the Torah, there are many examples of seemingly horrible things that people – even tzadikkim (righteous people) – have done, which were claimed wholeheartedly to have been done completely l'sheim shamayim (literally: for Heaven's [Hashem's] sake). Many of these events and actions resulted in tremendous world-changing consequences. 1 In this week's parsha too there are a few famous examples. The parsha opens with a look into, what appears to be, the dysfunctional house of Yaakov avinu . Yosef would tattle-tale on his brothers, 2 Yaakov loved Yosef and showed his affection...