Difference between revisions of "Shabbat Table Topics – Parashat Vayigash/0/en"
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<div><b><center><span class="highlighted-notice">This topic has not yet undergone editorial review</span></center></b></div> | <div><b><center><span class="highlighted-notice">This topic has not yet undergone editorial review</span></center></b></div> | ||
| − | <category> | + | <category>Economic Antisemitism |
| − | <p>The | + | <p>Throughout history Jewish economic success has sparked antisemitism. Jews have been blamed for the ills of capitalism, stereotyped as greedy moneylenders, and accused of attempting to take over the world. The phenomenon goes back to Biblical times, and one of its first manifestations might stem from Parashit Vayigash.<fn>An earlier example might be found in Bereshit 25 where Yitzchak's successful well-digging causes complications with his Philistine neighbors.</fn>  Modern scholars, following R"Y BekhorShor, assert that <a href="Yosef's Economic Policies" data-aht="page">Yosef's Economic Policies</a> and enslavement of the Egyptians, together with his simultaneous nepotism towards his family, bred resentment that later paved the way for the Israelite bondage. </p> |
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li> | + | <li>Do you think this is a valid reading of the events?</li> |
| − | <li>In what circumstances do you think that nepotism is a valid practice, and when is it problematic? | + | <li>What are the root causes of economic antisemitism?  How does it compare to religious antisemitism?  What role does each play in the enslavement?</li> |
| + | <li>In what circumstances do you think that nepotism is a valid practice, and when is it problematic? Where else in Tanakh do leaders give preferential treatment to their families? Does this end well or poorly?</li> | ||
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
<category>Making Sense of Midrash | <category>Making Sense of Midrash | ||
| − | <p>The Midrash recasts Yehuda's plea for Binyamin into an overtly hostile and aggressive dispute in  which the two sides threaten each other with violence.  Is there any evidence for such a reading in the text?  If not, where is the Midrash coming from and what message is it trying to impart?</p> | + | <p>The Midrash recasts Yehuda's plea for Binyamin into an overtly hostile and aggressive dispute in  which the two sides threaten each other with violence.  Is there any evidence for such a reading in the text?  If not, where is the Midrash coming from and what message is it trying to impart?  For several suggestions, see <a href="Yehuda's Oration" data-aht="page">Yehuda's Oration</a>.</p> |
<ul> | <ul> | ||
<li>In general, how is one to approach midrashim that seem to veer sharply from the plain sense of the verses?</li> | <li>In general, how is one to approach midrashim that seem to veer sharply from the plain sense of the verses?</li> | ||
| − | <li> | + | <li>of other examples where </li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
| + | </category> | ||
| + | <category>Purpose of the Exile | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
</page> | </page> | ||
</aht-xml> | </aht-xml> | ||
Version as of 13:12, 5 January 2017
Shabbat Table Topics – Parashat Vayigash
Economic Antisemitism
Throughout history Jewish economic success has sparked antisemitism. Jews have been blamed for the ills of capitalism, stereotyped as greedy moneylenders, and accused of attempting to take over the world. The phenomenon goes back to Biblical times, and one of its first manifestations might stem from Parashit Vayigash.1 Modern scholars, following R"Y BekhorShor, assert that Yosef's Economic Policies and enslavement of the Egyptians, together with his simultaneous nepotism towards his family, bred resentment that later paved the way for the Israelite bondage.
- Do you think this is a valid reading of the events?
- What are the root causes of economic antisemitism? How does it compare to religious antisemitism? What role does each play in the enslavement?
- In what circumstances do you think that nepotism is a valid practice, and when is it problematic? Where else in Tanakh do leaders give preferential treatment to their families? Does this end well or poorly?
Making Sense of Midrash
The Midrash recasts Yehuda's plea for Binyamin into an overtly hostile and aggressive dispute in which the two sides threaten each other with violence. Is there any evidence for such a reading in the text? If not, where is the Midrash coming from and what message is it trying to impart? For several suggestions, see Yehuda's Oration.
- In general, how is one to approach midrashim that seem to veer sharply from the plain sense of the verses?
- of other examples where
