Yosef To The Shevatim, I Am No Worse Than Eisav When Yosef revealed himself to his brothers he said, “Ani Yosef, Ha’Od Avi Chai?” Why did Yosef ask if Yaakov was alive? Yehuda just finished giving a speech about Yaakov’s frail health and how he may die if Binyomin doesn’t come back.
Rav Yehonoson Eibushitz answers that the Shevatim were scared that Yosef who was now in a position of great power would have them executed as revenge for selling him. Yosef wanted to allay their fears. He reminded them that although Eisav wanted to kill Yaakov immediately after he got the Brachos, nevertheless, the Torah says that Eisav didn’t plan to carry out the murder of Yaakov until Yitzchok died, in order not to cause Yitzchok pain and grief.
Yosef rhetorically asked his brothers, “Is Yaakov still alive?” If so, they had nothing to fear because Yosef is no worse than Eisav and would not kill them in Yaakov’s lifetime.
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Yosef Reveals His Voice To prove his real identity to his brothers Yosef says, “Ki Pi HaMidaber Aleichem.” (Vayigash 45:12) Rashi explains that he spoke Lashon HaKodesh. What kind of proof was this, if the interpreter had spoken Lashon HaKodesh all along?
The Iturei Torah brings from Rav Chaim of Tzanz that the reason why the brothers did not recognize Yosef was because they never saw him with a beard. “However,” asks the Divrei Chaim, “the Gemara (Chulin 96) says that you can recognize someone by their voice. Why did they not recognize his voice?”
He answers that a voice varies depending on the language you are speaking. Each language has its own intonation, articulation, and sing song. A voice is only recognizable in the same language that you are used to hearing it in. Since at home the Shvatim spoke with him Lashon Kodesh and now he spoke Egyptian, they did not recognize his voice.
To prove his identity to the brothers Yosef spoke to them in Lashon Kodesh and they were amazed to recognize that familiar voice that was certainly their brother Yosef.
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Why Does Yaakov Need Egyptian Wine? “Asara Chamorim Nosim MiTuv Mitzrayim; Ten donkeys laden with the best Mitzrayim has to offer.” (Vayigash 45:23) Rashi says this refers to old wine that old people are happy with. Rav Shimon Schwab asks, “Yaakov was a tzaddik and didn’t need anything from Olam HaZeh. Was good wine going to make Yaakov happy? Also was wine the best thing Mitzrayim had?
Rav Schwab answers with another question. “How could Yosef send wine from Mitzrayim that was assur because it was Stam Yeinam (Yayin Nesech), and we know the Avos kept all the mitzvos even DRabanan? We must conclude from here that in Mitzrayim they did not have a practice of pouring wine before their Hashems. Because their wine was clean from any traces of Avodah Zara, Yosef calls the wine the best Mitzrayim has to offer. This is why the ‘Zakein’ which means, not old, but someone who learns Torah, enjoys it.”
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Yaakov Tries To Trick Yosef In Parshas Vayigash (44:25) Yehuda tells Yosef that after the Shevatim came back from Mitzrayim and told Yaakov that Shimon was arrested, Yaakov told them, “Shuvu Shivru Lanu Mi’at Ochel; Go back and buy a little food.” Yaakov said that they should do this without taking Binyomin, even though Yosef told them not to come without him. Why did Yaakov tell them to bring only a little food? Why did he think he could send them without Binyomin?
Rav Yehonoson Eibushitz says that Yaakov wanted to fool Yosef. Yosef had a dream that there would be seven years of famine. Yaakov saw with Ruach HaKodesh that it would end after two years in his zechus. He wanted the Shevatim to go to Mitzrayim and ask for only a little food so that they can tell Yosef that they will bring Binyomin on their next trip, since they would certainly need more to survive the seven years. He would then free Shimon. Yaakov however planned accordingly and knew that this minimal amount of food would carry them through to the end of the famine according to his calculation, and they would never need return.
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Hashem Tells Yaakov That Mitzrayim Is A Very Safe Place The numbers show that more Jews were wiped out in the past few decades in America than were brutally murdered by the Nazis in Germany. How? Through assimilation.
Hashem tells Yaakov, “Al Tira Meirda Mitzrayim Ki LiGoy Gadol Asimcha Sham; Do not be afraid to go to Mitzrayim because I will make you into a great nation there.” (Vayigash 46:3) If it was the bitter galus that Yaakov was afraid of, then what was Hashem’s answer to him? How will becoming a great nation take away the pain of the galus. It will just mean more suffering for more people.
The Sforno says in this pasuk that Yaakov was afraid about the future of Klal Yisrael. How will they survive through the torment? Hashem answers him that Mitzrayim is the place where Bnei Yisrael can thrive and become a nation. If they remain in Eretz Kna’an they will ultimately intermarry with the natives of the land and disappear. However, as the Torah tells us in Parshas Mikeitz (43:32), that the Mitzrim despised the Jews and wouldn’t eat or intermingle with them. Because

of this isolation Klal Yisrael will maintain their unique identity and grow into a great nation.
“This hatred has kept Yisrael alive throughout the ages,” says Rav Moshe Shternbuch. The murder, the hate, the libels and pogroms were the force that stood behind us. In a world of relative freedom for a Jew, and a willingness to socialize and even intermarry with the Jews, we face the greatest threat to our entire existence. And sadly we are losing the battle. When shunted and made to feel like a stranger in a strange land, smile and remember the battle cry, “Al Tira Meirda Mitzrayim Ki LiGoy Gadol Asimcha Sham!”

Created By Rov Avrohom Sherman
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