Video Study for Parsha Miketz : The Rise to the Top

[muman613]

Shalom JTF Readers,

It is Wednesday, the 2nd night of Chanukah, and time to start studying the Torah portion of the week (Parsha HaShavuah)...

This weeks portion contains the critical story of Josephs rise to power as the 2nd in command to Paroah due to his divine gift of being able to interpret dreams. He interprets Paroahs dreams correct concerning the famine and he has Egypt build store-houses to store food during the 'years of plenty' in preparation for the 'years of famine'. By doing so it ensured Egypts ability to rule over the people of the lands. Even Jacobs family in Israel suffered from this famine and it was necessary for the brothers to go down to Egypt to try to find food. It is during this descent into Egypt that the brothers encounter Joseph yet they do not recognize him (while he recognizes them). Joseph engages in a righteous deceit of the brothers in order to gauge whether they have repented for selling him into slavery.



From Chabad's Parsha in a Nutshell:

http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/3213/jewish/Mikeitz-in-a-Nutshell.htm
Joseph’s imprisonment finally ends when Pharaoh dreams of seven fat cows that are swallowed up by seven lean cows, and of seven fat ears of grain swallowed by seven lean ears. Joseph interprets the dreams to mean that seven years of plenty will be followed by seven years of hunger, and advises Pharaoh to store grain during the plentiful years. Pharaoh appoints Joseph governor of Egypt. Joseph marries Asenath, daughter of Potiphar, and they have two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

Famine spreads throughout the region, and food can be obtained only in Egypt. Ten of Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt to purchase grain; the youngest, Benjamin, stays home, for Jacob fears for his safety. Joseph recognizes his brothers, but they do not recognize him; he accuses them of being spies, insists that they bring Benjamin to prove that they are who they say they are, and imprisons Simeon as a hostage. Later, they discover that the money they paid for their provisions has been mysteriously returned to them.

Jacob agrees to send Benjamin only after Judah assumes personal and eternal responsibility for him. This time Joseph receives them kindly, releases Simeon, and invites them to an eventful dinner at his home. But then he plants his silver goblet, purportedly imbued with magic powers, in Benjamin’s sack. When the brothers set out for home the next morning, they are pursued, searched, and arrested when the goblet is discovered. Joseph offers to set them free and retain only Benjamin as his slave.

Rabbi Richman has just posted this video:

[muman613]

I find that the animated G-dcast presentations often provide a good Pshat level understanding although sometimes they add interpretation to the message.



I may have said this before but I disagree with the assessment that 'Joseph was a jerk'. It does not take into account a lot of the stories of the medresh and the sages concerning why he actually acted that way with his brothers. As I said above it was in order to determine if the brothers truly had changed their ways from the time they sold him.

[muman613]

Rabbi Shafiers short 'Shmuz' on our portion.

[muman613]

Rabbi Mizrachi speaks for 2 hours... Of course he will tell some stories along the way of teaching the portion.

[muman613]

Rabbi Nassan Maimon gives over some Breslever thoughts on Miketz...

[muman613]

Once again rabbi Richman on just what makes Joseph the 'Tzadik'.