Parsha Mikeytz

From Prison to Rule

The more I read about Joseph the more impressed I am. The way he rebounded from one disaster after another, how he worked hard to reach the top, time and time again. He becomes the head of Potiphar’s household. Sent to jail he rises to manage the prison. And now called to explain Pharaoh’s dreams, he becomes the senior administrator…

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Parsha Mikeytz

Consultancy

The genius of Joseph was not so much in his interpretations of dreams. Clearly, he had a gift. But as he admits, the gift came from God. Interpreting dreams was just his visiting card. It got him through the door. But once in he had to make himself indispensable. You could say his story is that of the first consultant.…

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Parsha Mikeytz

Dreams

“Mikeytz” is known as the Shabbat of Dreams because of the part that dreams play in it even though there are earlier examples of dreams in the Torah. By implication Avraham dreamt first when he fell asleep and God appeared and promised the land of Israel to his descendants. Then God appeared to Avimelech the Philistine King. Jacob dreamt of…

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Parsha Mikeytz

Spies

The famine in Canaan forces the brothers to go down to Egypt for corn. They come down, minus Benjamin, the other son of Rachel who died in childbirth. Jacob was not going to risk losing him too. The arrive at the distribution center where Joseph himself controls the process. Joseph immediately recognizes them. They were mature men when he last…

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Parsha Mikeytz

Who Looks After Benjamin?

When they return and recount what had happened, Jacob replies “You have robbed me of Joseph, Simon is not with us and now you want to take Benjamin.” Reuben the eldest son then says to Jacob that he will be responsible for Benjamin and that of he fails Jacob can kill Reuben’s two sons. This extreme and illogical suggestion only…

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