DECEMBER 20, 2014 28 KISLEV 5775 SHABBAT CHANUKAH Weekly Portion: MIKETZ Genesis 41:1 – 44:17 Haftorah: ZECHARIAH 2:14 – 4:7 THIS WEEK’S WORSHIP FRIDAY EVENING December 19, 2014 at 7:30 SHABBAT CHANUKAH SERVICE Rabbi Marc S. Jagolinzer & Cantor Fredric Scheff Officiating There will be NO Oneg Shabbat following the services For those with dinner reservations, the dinner will begin at 6:00 p.m. THIS WEEK’S TORAH READING FROM THE RABBI Pharaoh has two dreams. In one version, seven thin cows devour seven fat cows. In the other dream, seven thin ears of corn eat seven fat ears of corn. Pharaoh’s butler remembers that Joseph had correctly interpreted his dream in prison and so Pharaoh summons Joseph. Joseph explains the dream; seven plentiful years will be followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh rewards Joseph by putting him in charge of the food collections throughout all of Egypt. During the subsequent famine, Jacob sends his sons to Egypt for food, but keeps Benjamin at home. The brothers fail to recognize the powerful Egyptian ruler as Joseph, although Joseph recognizes them at once. Hiding his identity, Joseph accuses them of bring spies and demands that they bring their youngest brother with them when they return for more food. Jacob reluctantly allows them to bring Benjamin to Egypt. In Egypt, Joseph hides his goblet in Benjamin’s sack. When the soldiers “find” it, Joseph declares that Benjamin is a thief and must remain in Egypt as his slave. QUESTIONS 1. Joseph rises to great power. Yet he does not contact his family. Why? 2. One commentator, Rambam, says that it was a great sin for Joseph not to have contacted his father. Abarbanel, on the other hand, excuses Joseph’s behavior on grounds of political considerations. Why kind of political considerations might have kept him from contacting his father? If you were Joseph what would you have done? 3. Why did Joseph hide his identity and plays cruel tricks on his brothers? Was he afraid of them? Was he getting revenge for what they did to him? Was he giving them a chance to repent? Is he testing them? If so, how? 4. When Benjamin is taken as a slave at the end and the brothers will have to return again to Jacob and report that another favored brother is missing, how do you think they feel?
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 21:14:05 +0000
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