CHAMISHOH MI YODEI'A - FIVE QUESTIONS ON THE WEEKLY SEDRAH - PARSHAS VA'YIGASH 5767 - BS"D

2) Ch. 47, v. 1: "V'tzonom uvkorom" - Everyone and everything that Paroh mentioned in 45:19, were mentioned by Yoseif to Paroh upon their arrival, except for the women, who were mentioned by Paroh, "v'linsheichem." Why were women left out?

3) Ch. 47, v. 9: "M'at v'ro'im" - The gemara Megilloh 17a says that because Yaakov complained, 33 years were subtracted from his life. He was to have lived 180 years as did his father Yitzchok, but only lived 147 years, equal to the amount the Torah spent on relating his complaint. Upon counting the words we only find 21 words.

4) Ch. 45, v. 23: "U'l'oviv sholach K'ZOSE asoroh chamorim nosim" - And to his father he sent LIKE this ten donkeys carrying - What is meant by "k'zose"?

5) Ch. 45, v. 27: "Va'yar es ho'agolos" - "Agolos" were a sign of the final matters Yaakov learned with Yoseif before he was sold into servitude. What "agolos" laws were they?

ANSWERS:

#1

1) Yehudoh is relating that Yoseif intimated when chastising them that they behaved in a manner that is not in consonance with their ancestor Avrohom. Avrohom put his life on the line to save his nephew Lote, while they planned to either kill Yoseif, throw him into a pit inhabited by poisonous serpents, or sell him as a slave. (Medrash Habiur)

2) Alternatively, perhaps Yoseif chastised them by asking, "Do all of you have ONE father?" Your behaviour towards Yoseif was so despicable that it is hard to believe that you are sons of the same father.

#2

1) The Meshech Chochmoh explains that because of the negative experience that Soroh had with the king of Egypt (Breishis 12:12-20), Yoseif was reluctant to even mention women.

2) Rabbi Yehudoh Kuperman shlit"a adds that it seems that a word to the wise is sufficient, as when Paroh noticed that Yoseif did not mention women, he likewise did not mention them in verse 6. However, Rabbi Kuperman offers a simple reason for Paroh's mentioning women in 45:19. He was offering wagons for transportation for men, women, belongings, etc. In our verse Yoseif advises Paroh of the arrival of his family and its entourage. In verses 4 and 6 the brothers and Paroh discuss work opportunities and settling into the land. These are matters that are decided by men.

#3

1) Rabbi Yechezkel Levenstein concludes from this that one is responsible even for his demeanour and appearance arousing such a question in the onlooker's mind.

2) The Maharil Diskin answers that we don't count the words, but rather the letters, starting from "v'lo hisigu" until the end of v. 9. Although we find 34 letters, he says that possibly the first vov is not counted, or possibly the gemara had a variation of the spelling of "hisigu" or "m'gu'rei'hem." By the way, the Baalei Tosfos cite a medrash that gives us a different source for the deduction of thirty-three years from Yaakov's life. Since Yaakov said to Lovon (31:32), "The person by whom you will find your idols, "lo yichyeh," shall not live," Yaakov caused his wife Rochel to die prematurely, he was also punished to die 33 years earlier, the numerical value of "YiCHYeH.

#4

1) Ten donkeys loaded with "tuv Mitzrayim" weren't sent. Rather an equivalent to ten loads worth was sent in wagons. (Rashi)

2) Like the numerical value of what was given to Binyomin. "Chalifos" is a plural word, meaning 2 sets of clothing. "Cho'meish chalifos" makes 10 sets of clothing (This seems to go against the gemara Megiloh 16a, which clearly states that Binyomin received 5 sets of clothing.), and 300 silver coins brings us up to a total of 310 items. The items that were sent to Yaakov had a numerical value of 310 as well. Ten male and ten female donkeys equals 20. The final letters of the three clearly enumerated items, "boR, lecheM, and mozoNe" are Reish-Mem-Nun, which have a value of 290. Adding the 20 donkeys gives us 310. (Rabbeinu Efrayim)

3) Like this will happen in the future to the Egyptians, 10 donkeys, i.e. 10 plagues will visit the Egyptians who are equated to donkeys. (Ro'kei'ach)

4) Like this, i.e. in this order. Here he sent male donkeys ahead of the female "asonos," because they were beasts of burden. When his father Yaakov sent donkeys to Eisov he sent females first (Breishis 32:16), as his gift was for animal reproduction. (Ro'kei'ach)

5) Like the present Yoseif gave his brothers, articles of clothing, "mituv Mitzroyim," of the top quality that was available in Egypt. (Chizkuni)

6) Like the provisions Yoseif sent for his brothers for their trip. (Rabbi Yehudoh Chalavoh)

7) Like the provisions Yoseif sent for his brothers for their trip for Yaakov, and "mituv Mitzroyim" for the wives and children. (Ralba"g)

8) Exactly as he gave Binyomin, 5 sets of clothing and 300 silver coins. (Rabbi Yehoshua Ibn Sho'ib)

9) Similar to what he gave Binyomin, but not exactly the same. He only sent Yaakov 5 sets of clothing but no money. (Rabbeinu Menachem)

10) Don't stress the "Kof hadimyon." Understand these words to mean that Yoseif sent THIS, 10 donkeys, etc. (Ramban)

11) Like what he gave Binyomin, 5 sets of clothes, and the donkeys that carried them. "Asoroh chamorim" should be understood as if it said "v'asoroh." (Sforno)

12) Like the numerical value of "k'zose," 428. The Kabbalists write that during a time of famine even a person who has sufficient provisions and eats well will still feel hungry, as there is a pervasive hunger looming on the general populace that also effects him. What should he do to feel satiated? They write that he should recite the name of Hashem CHoSaCH, Ches-Sof-Chof, which is an acronym of the final letters of the first three words of the verse in T'hilim 145:16, "Po'seiaCH eS yo'deCHo," which ends with u'masbia l'chol chai rotzon," - and satiates all living creatures to their satisfaction. CHoSaCH numerically equals K'ZOSE, 428, hence Rashi's explanation "k'cheshbone ha'zeh." (Ge'res Carmel)

#5

1) Rashi (M.R. 94:3) says that Yaakov and Yoseif studied the laws of "egloh arufoh" (Dvorim 21), the calf that is axed.

2) Rabbeinu Efrayim says that when Yoseif left Yaakov, Yaakov was involved in planting cedar trees. Yoseif asked his father why he was planting trees, and he responded that in the future the bnei Yisroel would be commanded to make a traveling sanctuary, the Mishkon, and the boards of the building would be taken from the trees he was planting. When it would be disassembled and transported, WAGONS would be used. These were Yaakov's last words to Yoseif. When Yaakov saw WAGONS, which his sons claimed were sent by Yoseif, he realized that Yoseif was truly alive, as they had left off their last conversation with WAGONS.

3) Baalei Tosfos say that it refers to laws of purity, the subject of "agoloh mosheches b'korone.

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