Parshat Vayigash opens at a very tense moment. Joseph’s brothers are standing in front of him, not knowing who he is. All they know is that this powerful Egyptian official has threatened to keep Benjamin in Egypt as his slave. So Judah steps forward to plead for returning Benjamin to their father… and Joseph bursts into tears and reveals his identity to them. The long separation from his family is finally over. But have you ever wondered how things got so bad in the first place? Why Jacob favored Joseph and Benjamin so much that his other sons were consumed by jealousy, even selling Joseph into slavery?
Join Rabbi David Fohrman and Ari Levisohn as they explore the roots of Jacob’s actions. Even if you think the Joseph story couldn’t possibly be more dramatic and moving than it already is… this episode will reveal a whole new layer of meaning.
Rabbi Fohrman and Ari continued to gather fascinating evidence and are still putting the puzzle together. Get a sneak peek into their research notes here, and if you have any thoughts, we would love to hear them!
Looking for even more parallels between Parshat Mishpatim and the Book of Genesis? Check out Ami Silver's video How Can The Laws Of Mishpatim Help Correct Past Mistakes?
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