PLEAVE DAVEN FOR CHAIM LEIB BEN SHEINA ITA HA'LEVI LIRFUOH SHLEIMOH B'KOROV
SEDRAH SELECTIONS PARSHAS VAYIGASH 5775 BS"D

Ch. 44, v. 18: "Va'yomer bee adoni" - And he said please my master - The pristine translation of "bi" is "in me." Yehudoh's message to Yoseif was that he was endowed with kingship and he serves as the conduit for kingship for the world. Since he heard in their conversation that Yoseif was acting as if he had mastery over all the brothers Yehudoh responded that mastery and kingship emanate from himself for the whole world. (Rabbi Yehoshua Apter in Oheiv Yisroel)

Ch. 44, v. 18: "Y'da'ber na av'd'cho dovor b'oznei adoni" - May your servant please speak a matter into the ears of my master - I suggest that your servant who set out after us and found the royal goblet in Binyomin's sack should have a talk with you. He was surely in on the plot of framing Binyomin, and he will tell you who slipped the goblet into his sack. (Kli Yokor)

Ch. 44, v. 19: "Ha'yeish lochem ov o och" - Do you have a father or a brother - Your complaint of having your special goblet through which you divine being stolen seems to be a spurious claim. If it is truly so why did you ask if we have a father or brother when you could have arrived at the answer by use of your goblet? (Rabbi Matisyohu Shtrashan)

Ch. 44, v. 20: "V'ochiv meis" - And his brother is dead - Earlier they said "einenu," he is not to be found. These two expressions mean the same thing, as we find by the death of Chanoch, "V'einenu ki lokach oso Elokim." (Riv"o)

Rashi says that Yehudoh did not say the truth here, as Yoseif might still be alive. As this seemingly erratic ruler was so demanding he feared that he might ask them to produce Yoseif if he is only not to be found. He therefore changed to "he is dead."

The Meshech Chochmoh writes that Yehudoh said that Yoseif was dead because he was sure that it was the case. Given that Yoseif's soul was so tied up in his father's he surely would have communicated with him if he were still alive.

Ch. 44, v. 20: "Va'yivo'ser hu l'vado" - And he alone was left - That which is of value that is left is expressed with the word form "shaar." The word form "nosar," which is used here connotes unworthy leftovers. Yehudoh expressed himself this was because the sons of Rochel brought him trouble. Yoseif's dreams were an infringement on his kingship and Binyomin, whom he guaranteed to remain safe, was now in grave danger of never returning to his father. (Haksav V'hakaboloh)

Ch. 45, v. 1: "V'lo yochole Yoseif l'his'a'peik l'chol hanitzovim olov" - And Yoseif was unable to restrain himself before all those who stood by him - This is the common translation. However, Haksav V'hakaboloh explains "l'his'a'peik" in the reverse manner. Just as we find the words "afikei mayim," which mean those who gush forth water, so too here, it means that Yoseif was unable to let out all his pent up words because of all his servants who stood there. He first had to hurry them out and then speak to his brothers.

Ch. 45, v. 3: "Ha'ode ovi chai" - Is my father still alive - There was a powerful chastisement in the word "ovi." He should have said "ovinu," as Yaakov was THEIR father. He said to them that they didn't treat their father as a beloved father, causing him much pain in selling Yoseif. This is why they could not respond to him, because they were frightened on account of his stinging rebuke. (Kli Yokor)

Ch. 45, v. 3: "Ki nivhalu miponov" - Because they were frightened from his face - Earlier "Va'yisna'keir a'leihem," he hid his holiness and they thought of him as an idol worshipping king. Now that he let be known his true identity he allowed his holy countenance to be seen. This startled them greatly. (Rabbi Tzodok haKohein, Rabbi Mordechai Gifter)

Ch. 45, v. 4: "Ani Yoseif asher m'chartem osi Mitzroimoh" - I am Yoseif whom you have sold to Egypt - I am the same person with the same sanctity as when you sold me. Egypt has not affected me negatively. (Holy Admor of Kotzk)

Ch. 45, v. 11: "V'chilkalti os'cho shom" - And I will sustain you there - Why didn't Yoseif suggest that Yaakov stay home and he would send him sustenance to Canaan? He was afraid to do this because the Egyptians would likely complain that he was sending the best of the stored food out of the country to his father's family. (Why wasn't this concern also relevant when sending food to Goshen?) (Meshech Chochmoh)

Ch. 45, v. 12: "Ki fi hamda'beir a'leichem" - That my mouth is speaking to you - Rashi comments that Yoseif spoke to them in Loshon Hakodesh. The verse earlier says that Yoseif said, "Your eyes see and Binyomin's eyes see." The gemara Megiolh says that with these words he equated them. Just as he had no hatred in his heart for Binyomin, as Binyomin was not involved in his sale, so too, he harboured no hatred for them. He was confident that based on his not hating them they would in turn not hate him, "K'mayim ponim el ponim……" To prove this point he sent out his servants and was alone with them when he revealed that he was Yoseif. There obviously there would be a great risk of their attacking him on the spot, so why did he send his servants away? This shows that he was confident that their attitude towards him reflected his towards them. Perhaps he was not truly sure of this but was caught in a conundrum of not wanting to embarrass them in front of his servants. To dispel this he ended with "Ki fi hamda'beir a'leichem." Since they heard him speaking Loshon Hakodesh he could have kept his servants and guards in the royal chamber and spoken to them in Loshon Hakodesh, which his servants would not understand, in turn causing them no embarrassment. Nevertheless, he sent them out. This makes Yoseif's claim that he harboured no ill will towards them and was confident that they would feel the same towards him watertight. (Rabbi Shoul of Amsterdam)

Ch. 45, v. 15: "Va'yeivk a'lei'hem" - And he cried on them - He cried because he saw that in the future their souls would enter the "asoroh harugei malchus." "A'lei'hem" is "al," yud is ten, hei is harugei, mem is malchus. (Ro'isi)

Ch. 45, v. 18: "V'etnoh lochem es tuv eretz Mitzrayim" - And I will give you the good of the land Egypt - His intention was the area of Goshen, but his mouth said the land of Egypt. This was like a prophecy that the bnei Yisroel would empty out the whole land of Egypt upon their exodus. (Riv"o)

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See also Oroh V'Simchoh - Meshech Chochmoh on the Weekly Parsha, Chasidic Insights and Chamisha Mi Yodei'a