There is a well-known difference of opinion as to whether “A new king arose in Egypt who did not know Joseph” means literally a new king, or one who changed his mind. A new king could have been the result of an invasion and a completely new rule, like when Cyrus of Persia defeated Babylon and created the Persian Empire.…
Author: Jeremy Rosen
The Role of Women
We read about Shifra and Pua the two midwives who defied Pharaoh’s instructions to kill the Israelite male children. Their reward was establishing dynasties within the Children of Israel. Think of the times. Kings, Pharaohs had the power to kill at a whim. To try to eliminate a whole nation. It must have taken amazing fortitude and huge risk to…
Moses Runs Away
Sometimes even the bravest of men have to know when to get out of the way and lie low. Moses, brought up in the Palace, went out to see “his people.” It was clear where his loyalty was. Moses struggled with both Egyptian and Israelite opposition. And after killing an Egyptian task master he flees towards Midian. There he arrives…
Who is God ?
Moses encounters God, for the first time, it seems at the Burning Bush. And he is told that he will become the agent of their freedom, their leader. He resists the mission. Finally he gives in. But he asks God to give him some more information as to what or who God is. “Who shall I tell (the people) has…
Blessings
What is a Beracha, a blessing? What does it mean? Just before Jacob dies, he blesses his grandsons Ephraim and Menashe. We still use the words he used when we bless our children every Friday night before we sit down to the meal. This in addition of course to the text of the blessing the priests gave the people of…
After Jacob Dies
What if? As soon as Jacob dies the brothers panic. They thought “What if Joseph really hates us and will now take revenge upon us?” In a way, it was natural that the guilty consciences of the brothers would fester and lead them to worry. Perhaps Joseph was only concerned with avoiding conflict and revenge while his father was alive.…