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Video Study for Parsha Vayeshev

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muman613:
Shalom JTF Readers,

It is Wednesday already and it is the time I start studying the portion for the Torah portion we read on Shabbat. This week we are reading the portion called Vayeshev. It is hard to believe we are already at this point in the story of the creation of the Jewish nation.

It is in this weeks portion that we learn about how the brothers of Joseph became deeply jealous of Joseph, and conspired against him in order to remove him from the family. First they planned on killing him, and then agreed to sell him to passing arabs who brought him down to Egypt. The story about the rise and fall, and rise again and fall again, and rise again of Joseph is a very inspiring tale. It is intended to teach us that a righteous person may experience unpleasant circumstances yet he can retain the core traits of his beliefs, and remain righteous in tough conditions.

The entire idea of how Josephs interpretation of dreams was both a blessing and a curse. As it caused his brothers to become deeply jealous of him when they heard of his dreams of him ruling over the family and them bowing to him. But it was because of his ability to interpret dreams which brought him to the attention of Pharaoh, and after interpreting his dream was appointed viceroy over the Pharaohs kingdom.

From the Chabad portion in a nutshell:


--- Quote ---
Jacob settles in Hebron with his twelve sons. His favorite is seventeen-year-old Joseph, whose brothers are jealous of the preferential treatment he receives from his father, such as a precious many-colored coat that Jacob makes for Joseph. Joseph relates to his brothers two of his dreams which foretell that he is destined to rule over them, increasing their envy and hatred towards him.

Simeon and Levi plot to kill him, but Reuben suggests that they throw him into a pit instead, intending to come back later and save him. While Joseph is in the pit, Judah has him sold to a band of passing Ishmaelites. The brothers dip Joseph’s special coat in the blood of a goat and show it to their father, leading him to believe that his most beloved son was devoured by a wild beast.

Judah marries and has three children. The eldest, Er, dies young and childless, and his wife, Tamar, is given in levirate marriage to the second son, Onan. Onan sins by spilling his seed, and he too meets an early death. Judah is reluctant to have his third son marry her. Determined to have a child from Judah’s family, Tamar disguises herself as a prostitute and seduces Judah himself. Judah hears that his daughter-in-law has become pregnant and orders her executed for harlotry, but when Tamar produces some personal effects he left with her as a pledge for payment, he publicly admits that he is the father. Tamar gives birth to twin sons, Peretz (an ancestor of King David) and Zerach.

Joseph is taken to Egypt and sold to Potiphar, the minister in charge of Pharaoh’s slaughterhouses. G‑d blesses everything he does, and soon he is made overseer of all his master’s property. Potiphar’s wife desires the handsome and charismatic lad; when Joseph rejects her advances, she tells her husband that the Hebrew slave tried to force himself on her, and has him thrown into prison. Joseph gains the trust and admiration of his jailers, who appoint him to a position of authority in the prison administration.

In prison, Joseph meets Pharaoh’s chief butler and chief baker, both incarcerated for offending their royal master. Both have disturbing dreams, which Joseph interprets; in three days, he tells them, the butler will be released and the baker hanged. Joseph asks the butler to intercede on his behalf with Pharaoh. Joseph’s predictions are fulfilled, but the butler forgets all about Joseph and does nothing for him.
--- End quote ---

Let us first learn from Rabbi Richmans video he posted this week.

muman613:
Here is the incredible Rabbi Shwab from TorahAnyTime...

muman613:
Rabbi Shwab has a longer shiur on the topic, I may post it later but for now let us hear Rabbi Moshe Weisblum's thoughts on our portion.

muman613:
I gotta admit that what Rabbi Weisblum said in the previous video I posted is true. It is so sad that my brother was the 'favorite' son, the younger son who was adored. It is not that I was jealous of him and I never wished him any harm, but this story of the parsha always reminds me of this family dynamic.

muman613:
I need to get to work early tomorrow for a 'conference call' with a co-worker in Europe... So I need to start getting ready to 'crash'.. But I am naturally not tired... May Hashem grant me a good morning, and a safe trip...

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