Joseph and His Brothers of Egypt

Sifrei Devarim 38:1

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·March 24, 2026

(Devarim 11:10) "It is not like the land of Egypt": the land of Egypt — the low (land) drinks (rain); the high, does not drink (and water has to be carried to it); Eretz Yisrael — the low and the high drink. The land of Egypt drinks its (own waters [from the Nile]); Eretz Yisrael drinks rainwater.

Themes

Continue Reading

Letter of AristeasPsammetichus and the DreamerOne fascinating, though potentially embellished, account is found in the Letter of Aristeas, a Hellenistic Jewish text purporting to describe how the Hebrew Bib Legends of the JewsHow Joseph Stockpiled Grain During the Fat YearsThat’s kind of what happened in Egypt, according to the legends surrounding Joseph, the dreamer who rose to power. Remember Joseph? Sold into slavery by his bro Mekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelJoseph Made His Brothers Swear a Solemn OathJoseph made his brothers swear a solemn oath, and the Mekhilta records the exact logic behind his request. He said to them: "My father went down to Egypt of his Book of JubileesThe Expanded Story of Moses on Mount SinaiThe familiar story is this: Moses goes up the mountain, gets the Ten Commandments, and comes back down. But what if there was more to the story? What if the Bib Book of JubileesArpachshad and the DreamerBook of Jubilees turns to Arpachshad and the Dreamer. This ancient Jewish text, considered apocryphal by some but deeply revered by others, offers a unique pers Book of JubileesNoah and Creation of ShinarThe familiar story is this: humanity, once united in language and purpose, dared to build a tower reaching for the heavens. God, seeing their hubris, scattered