Shabbat Table Topics – Parashat Vayigash/0/en
Shabbat Table Topics – Parashat Vayigash
Did Yosef Cause the Enslavement?
The Torah speaks at length about Yosef's Economic Policies in Egypt, a topic which at first glance would seem to be of little import to the history of the Nation of Israel. Commentators divide both in their explanation of the significance of the unit, and their evaluations of Yosef's policies. Ramban lauds Yosef for his economic genius in handling the hardships of famine while still maintaining Egyptian favor. In contrast, modern scholars, following R"Y BekhorShor, assert that Yosef's harsh policies and enslavement of the Egyptians naturally bred resentment. His favoritism towards his family backfired causing a backlash that eventually paved the way for their enslavement.
- With which reading of the episode do you agree?
- 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?
- In general, how is one to approach midrashim that seem to veer sharply from the plain sense of the verses?
- Can you think of other examples where
