We read how Jacob on his death bed, switches his hands round to bless Ephraim the younger son of Joseph over Ephraim the elder. We are bound to ask why Jacob had not learnt from Joseph’s fate how dangerous it can be to favor one son over others. You might say that Yaakov by then had realized that favoring Yosef…
Author: Jeremy Rosen
Jacob’s Predictions
The Book of Bereishit ends with Yaakov and Yosef’s deaths. Just before he dies Yaakov blesses his sons but in so doing makes important comments on past events and significant predictions about the future. Most of the sons are given two or three lines like Reuven, the first born, who is dismissed as unstable. An obvious justification for the first…
Burials
When Jacob dies, in this week’s Sedra, he is embalmed by the Egyptians who were experts in mummification. We are naturally surprised. According to the Jewish tradition one does not mummify a body or put it on display after death. Rather we bury it as soon as possible. This looks like a massive concession to Egyptian culture or perhaps a…
Diplomacy
Diplomacy has become a dirty word. The seventeenth century English diplomat Henry Wotton said that a diplomat is sent abroad to lie for his country. And there is a fine line between sycophancy, being dishonest and on the other hand finding the right way of making one’s point with greatest effect. The Torah has several examples of how important diplomacy…
Joseph’s Game
Last week we read of the developing scheme of Joseph to confuse, bully and humiliate the brothers. One wonders at what moment the brothers realized they were being played. When they came down a second time with Benjamin they are taken not into his office but into his home. They protest their innocence thinking this is payback for the money…
Reconciliation
Judah’s speech in which he repeats the whole saga and reiterates his concern for father and sons, so moves Joseph that he can no longer keep the pretense up. He sends all the Egyptians out and reveals himself. He also emphasizes that all that has happened is part of a Divine plan “You did not send me down to Egypt.…