Parshat Vayigash

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Judah's plea for Benjamin, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, and Jacob's family descends to Egypt. Genesis 44:18-47:27.

Pharaoh's Miracle and Moses

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 4:200

Moses certainly did. Imagine being chosen to lead an entire nation out of slavery! No wonder he had a few… questions. Moses, as we know from the Book of Exodus, wasn't exactly thri...

PatriarchsJosephMosesTorah

Moses's Journey and Pharaoh

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 1:22

According to Legends of the Jews, by Louis Ginzberg, Moses, overwhelmed, turned to God in desperation. "O Lord of the world!" he cried, comparing himself to a careless shepherd who...

Adam & EvePatriarchsJosephMoses

Abraham and Creation of Jacob

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 78:8

Take the reunion of Jacob and Esau in Genesis 33. We read how Jacob arranged his family as he approached his brother, placing the maidservants and their children first, Leah and he...

CreationPatriarchsMatriarchsJoseph

Joseph: Joshua and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 84:20

Jewish tradition certainly thinks so, and there's a fascinating passage in Bereshit Rabbah (Genesis Rabbah), a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Genesis...

CreationPatriarchsJosephMoses

Joseph and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 90:4

Names aren't just labels; they're stories waiting to be unpacked. Take Joseph, for example, and the rather unusual name Pharaoh gives him: Tzafenat Paane’aḥ. What does it even mean...

CreationPatriarchsMatriarchsJoseph

Holy Spirit and Egypt

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 91:6

That’s kind of what happened to Jacob after Joseph disappeared, according to the ancient commentary, Bereshit Rabbah. The Torah tells us, "Jacob saw that there was grain [shever] i...

CreationHell/GehennaPatriarchsJoseph

Trial of Benjamin

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 92:8

We're diving into Genesis 44, where Joseph, now a powerful figure in Egypt, is testing his brothers. Remember the setup? Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt seeking food during a famin...

CreationPatriarchsMatriarchsJoseph

Jacob's Journey and Beersheba

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 94:4

Jewish tradition is just teeming with those kinds of moments. Take Jacob, for instance, as he's about to head down to Egypt to reunite with his son Joseph. The Torah tells us, "Isr...

CreationNoah & FloodPatriarchsJoseph

Joseph and the Origins of the World

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 94:8

Turns out, sometimes, there's a whole universe of emotion and history packed into those few words. Take, for example, the passage in Genesis 46:21: "And the sons of Benjamin: Bela,...

CreationPatriarchsJosephPrayer