Miketz - Genesis 41:15-25 - Dreaming of ... Cows and Corn?

15. Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter for it, but I have heard it said of you [that] you listen to a dream and can interpret it."		טו. וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה אֶל יוֹסֵף חֲלוֹם חָלַמְתִּי וּפֹתֵר אֵין אֹתוֹ וַאֲנִי שָׁמַעְתִּי עָלֶיךָ לֵאמֹר תִּשְׁמַע חֲלוֹם לִפְתֹּר אֹתוֹ:
16. Joseph replied to Pharaoh, saying, "Not I; God will give an answer [that will bring] peace to Pharaoh."		טז. וַיַּעַן יוֹסֵף אֶת פַּרְעֹה לֵאמֹר בִּלְעָדָי אֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶה אֶת שְׁלוֹם פַּרְעֹה:
17. Pharaoh said to Joseph, "In my dream, look here, I was standing on the bank of the Nile.		יז. וַיְדַבֵּר פַּרְעֹה אֶל יוֹסֵף בַּחֲלֹמִי הִנְנִי עֹמֵד עַל שְׂפַת הַיְאֹר:
18. And look here, seven cows of muscular flesh and good form were coming up from the Nile, and they pastured in the marshland.		יח. וְהִנֵּה מִן הַיְאֹר עֹלֹת שֶׁבַע פָּרוֹת בְּרִיאוֹת בָּשָׂר וִיפֹת תֹּאַר וַתִּרְעֶינָה בָּאָחוּ:
19. And look here, seven other cows were coming up after them, emaciated and of very ugly form and with scrawny flesh; I have not seen such ugly ones throughout the entire land of Egypt.		יט. וְהִנֵּה שֶׁבַע פָּרוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת עֹלוֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶן דַּלּוֹת וְרָעוֹת תֹּאַר מְאֹד וְרַקּוֹת בָּשָׂר לֹא רָאִיתִי כָהֵנָּה בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לָרֹעַ:
20. And the scrawny and ugly cows devoured the first seven healthy cows.		כ. וַתֹּאכַלְנָה הַפָּרוֹת הָרַקּוֹת וְהָרָעוֹת אֵת שֶׁבַע הַפָּרוֹת הָרִאשֹׁנוֹת הַבְּרִיאֹת:
21. And they devoured them, but you would never know that they had eaten them, for their appearance was as ugly as in the beginning; then I awoke.		כא. וַתָּבֹאנָה אֶל קִרְבֶּנָה וְלֹא נוֹדַע כִּי בָאוּ אֶל קִרְבֶּנָה וּמַרְאֵיהֶן רַע כַּאֲשֶׁר בַּתְּחִלָּה וָאִיקָץ:
22. Then I saw in my dream, and look here, seven stalks of grain were growing from one stalk, full and good.		כב. וָאֵרֶא בַּחֲלֹמִי וְהִנֵּה | שֶׁבַע שִׁבֳּלִים עֹלֹת בְּקָנֶה אֶחָד מְלֵאֹת וְטֹבוֹת:
23. And look here, seven stalks of grain, hardened, thin, and beaten by the east wind, were growing up after them.		כג. וְהִנֵּה שֶׁבַע שִׁבֳּלִים צְנֻמוֹת דַּקּוֹת שְׁדֻפוֹת קָדִים צֹמְחוֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶם:
24. And the thin stalks of grain swallowed up the seven good stalks of grain; I told the magicians, but no one can tell me [its meaning]."		כד. וַתִּבְלַעְןָ הַשִּׁבֳּלִים הַדַּקֹּת אֵת שֶׁבַע הַשִּׁבֳּלִים הַטֹּבוֹת וָאֹמַר אֶל הַחַרְטֻמִּים וְאֵין מַגִּיד לִי:
25. And Joseph said to Pharaoh, "Pharaoh's dream is one; what God has told Pharaoh what is happening.		כה. וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹסֵף אֶל פַּרְעֹה חֲלוֹם פַּרְעֹה אֶחָד הוּא אֵת אֲשֶׁר הָאֱלֹהִים עֹשֶׂה הִגִּיד לְפַרְעֹה:

Guiding Questions:

1. According to Rashi, what is the meaning of Joseph "תִּשְׁמַע" (verse 15) to Pharaoh's dream? How do you think Joseph listened to/understood Pharaoh? What are the different ways we listen? What other "listening" or "hearing" happens in Judaism (think of Jewish prayers)?

2. According to the Stone Chumash (p. 225), what does it mean that Joseph answers Pharaoh in verse 16, בִּלְעָדָי? What lesson might this have for us?

3. Compare Pharaoh's retelling of his dream here to the verses when they happen (41:1-7). What does Pharaoh change in his retelling? Why? See Stone Chumash (p. 225)

4. According to Rebbe Nachman's Torah (p. 294), what does Pharaoh dreaming of the cows represent? What does Joseph advising him to "tax his wealth" symbolize? How do you know you have enough wealth?

5. According to Rabbi Cherie Koller-Fox in Text Messages (p. 43), why does Pharaoh trust Joseph? How do we know what is true?

6. According to Sparks Beneath the Surface (p. 51), Pharaoh's dreams represent a challenge to tell the difference between prophetic vision of truth and self-delusion. According to this commentary, how should we think of our power of imagination?

7. According to the midrash in The Midrash Says (vol. 1, p. 383-384), on what day does Pharaoh have his dream? Why is this significant?

Vayeshev - Genesis 37:1-11 - What Do You Do With an Obnoxious Brother?

1. Jacob settled in the land of his father's wanderings, in the land of Canaan.		א. וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מְגוּרֵי אָבִיו בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן:
2. This is the legacy of Jacob: when Joseph was seventeen years old, being a shepherd, he was with his brothers with the flocks, and he was a boy, [and was] with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought evil tales about them to their father.		ב. אֵלֶּה | תֹּלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף בֶּן שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה הָיָה רֹעֶה אֶת אֶחָיו בַּצֹּאן וְהוּא נַעַר אֶת בְּנֵי בִלְהָה וְאֶת בְּנֵי זִלְפָּה נְשֵׁי אָבִיו וַיָּבֵא יוֹסֵף אֶת דִּבָּתָם רָעָה אֶל אֲבִיהֶם:
3. Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons because he was a son of his old age; and he made him a colorful coat.		ג. וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אָהַב אֶת יוֹסֵף מִכָּל בָּנָיו כִּי בֶן זְקֻנִים הוּא לוֹ וְעָשָׂה לוֹ כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים:
4. His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, so they hated him, and they could not speak with him peacefully.		ד. וַיִּרְאוּ אֶחָיו כִּי אֹתוֹ אָהַב אֲבִיהֶם מִכָּל אֶחָיו וַיִּשְׂנְאוּ אֹתוֹ וְלֹא יָכְלוּ דַּבְּרוֹ לְשָׁלֹם:
5. Joseph dreamed a dream and told his brothers, and they continued to hate him.		ה. וַיַּחֲלֹם יוֹסֵף חֲלוֹם וַיַּגֵּד לְאֶחָיו וַיּוֹסִפוּ עוֹד שְׂנֹא אֹתוֹ:
6. And he said to them, "Listen now to this dream, which I have dreamed:		ו. וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם שִׁמְעוּ נָא הַחֲלוֹם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר חָלָמְתִּי:
7. Look here, we were binding stalks in the midst of the field, and look here, my sheaf rose and stood up, and look here, your sheaves made a circle and bowed down to my sheaf."		ז. וְהִנֵּה אֲנַחְנוּ מְאַלְּמִים אֲלֻמִּים בְּתוֹךְ הַשָּׂדֶה וְהִנֵּה קָמָה אֲלֻמָּתִי וְגַם נִצָּבָה וְהִנֵּה תְסֻבֶּינָה אֲלֻמֹּתֵיכֶם וַתִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶיןָ לַאֲלֻמָּתִי:
8. So his brothers said to him, "Will you rule over us, or will you govern us?" And they continued further to hate him because of his dreams and his words.		ח. וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ אֶחָיו הֲמָלֹךְ תִּמְלֹךְ עָלֵינוּ אִם מָשׁוֹל תִּמְשֹׁל בָּנוּ וַיּוֹסִפוּ עוֹד שְׂנֹא אֹתוֹ עַל חֲלֹמֹתָיו וְעַל דְּבָרָיו:
9. And he again dreamed another dream, and he told it to his brothers, and he said, "Look here, I have dreamed another dream, and look here, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me."		ט. וַיַּחֲלֹם עוֹד חֲלוֹם אַחֵר וַיְסַפֵּר אֹתוֹ לְאֶחָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה חָלַמְתִּי חֲלוֹם עוֹד וְהִנֵּה הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְהַיָּרֵחַ וְאַחַד עָשָׂר כּוֹכָבִים מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לִי:
10. And he told [it] to his father and to his brothers, and his father scolded him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Will we come I, your mother, and your brothers to bow ourselves down to you to the ground?"		י. וַיְסַפֵּר אֶל אָבִיו וְאֶל אֶחָיו וַיִּגְעַר בּוֹ אָבִיו וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ מָה הַחֲלוֹם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר חָלָמְתָּ הֲבוֹא נָבוֹא אֲנִי וְאִמְּךָ וְאַחֶיךָ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לְךָ אָרְצָה:
11. So his brothers were jealous of him, but his father hesitated on the matter.		יא. וַיְקַנְאוּ בוֹ אֶחָיו וְאָבִיו שָׁמַר אֶת הַדָּבָר:

Guiding Questions:

1. According to the Etz Hayim chumash (p. 226), what is irony of the phrase "Jacob settled"? (Irony is when the text says one thing but actually the opposite is true.) What is the lesson for all of us about "settling" when we should be paying attention or trying harder?

2. According to Rashi, what is the meaning of the phrase in verse 1, "he was a boy" when he was actually  seventeen years old? In your opinion, what is the difference between being a boy and being a man, or being a girl and being a woman?

3. According to the Etz Hayim chumash (p. 227), why does Joseph tell his brothers his dreams instead of keeping them to himself? Have you ever shared something you knew you shouldn't because you couldn't hold it in? What happened?

4. According to the Plaut Modern Torah commentary (p. 244), what are a few of the different translations of כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים? What is the possible meaning of the coat for Jacob and Joseph?

5. According to the Stone Chumash (p. 199), what was wrong about Joseph's "evil reports" about his brothers? What is the lesson for us?

6. According to the Women's Torah Commentary (p. 212), what does Jacob's behavior in this story have in common with the story of Dinah?

7. According to Rashi (verse 10), why did Jacob scold or rebuke Joseph? Do you think this was enough? What do you think Jacob should have done?

Vayeitzei - Genesis 28:10-22 - Buying a Stairway to Heaven

10. Jacob left Beer Sheva, and he went toward Haran.		י. וַיֵּצֵא יַעֲקֹב מִבְּאֵר שָׁבַע וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה:
11. He arrived at the place and got ready to sleep there because the sun had set, and he took some of the stones of the place and placed them at his head, and he lay down in that place.		יא. וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם וַיָּלֶן שָׁם כִּי בָא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וַיִּקַּח מֵאַבְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם וַיָּשֶׂם מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו וַיִּשְׁכַּב בַּמָּקוֹם הַהוּא:
12. And he dreamed, and look: a ladder was set up on the ground and its top reached to heaven; and look: angels of God were going up and going down on it.		יב. וַיַּחֲלֹם וְהִנֵּה סֻלָּם מֻצָּב אַרְצָה וְרֹאשׁוֹ מַגִּיעַ הַשָּׁמָיְמָה וְהִנֵּה מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים עֹלִים וְיֹרְדִים בּוֹ:
13. And look: the Eternal was standing over him, and God said, "I am the Eternal, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac; the land upon which you are lying I will give it to you and to your descendants.		יג. וְהִנֵּה יְהֹוָה נִצָּב עָלָיו וַיֹּאמַר אֲנִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִיךָ וֵאלֹהֵי יִצְחָק הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה שֹׁכֵב עָלֶיהָ לְךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה וּלְזַרְעֶךָ:
14. And your descendants shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall strongly go westward [lit. "toward the sea"] and eastward and northward and southward [lit. "toward the Negev"]; and through you and your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.		יד. וְהָיָה זַרְעֲךָ כַּעֲפַר הָאָרֶץ וּפָרַצְתָּ יָמָּה וָקֵדְמָה וְצָפֹנָה וָנֶגְבָּה וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ כָּל מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָה וּבְזַרְעֶךָ:
15. And look: I am with you, and I will guard you wherever you go, and I will return you to this land, for I will not abandon you until I have done what I have promised you."		טו. וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ וּשְׁמַרְתִּיךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵךְ וַהֲשִׁבֹתִיךָ אֶל הָאֲדָמָה הַזֹּאת כִּי לֹא אֶעֱזָבְךָ עַד אֲשֶׁר אִם עָשִׂיתִי אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי לָךְ:
16. Jacob woke up from his sleep, and he said, "Wow! The Eternal is in this place, and I did not know."		טז. וַיִּיקַץ יַעֲקֹב מִשְּׁנָתוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר אָכֵן יֵשׁ יְהֹוָה בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וְאָנֹכִי לֹא יָדָעְתִּי:
17. And he was overwhelmed, and he said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."		יז. וַיִּירָא וַיֹּאמַר מַה נּוֹרָא הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה אֵין זֶה כִּי אִם בֵּית אֱלֹהִים וְזֶה שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָיִם:
18. So Jacob arose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had placed at his head, and he set it up as a monument, and he poured oil on top of it.		יח. וַיַּשְׁכֵּם יַעֲקֹב בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּקַּח אֶת הָאֶבֶן אֲשֶׁר שָׂם מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו וַיָּשֶׂם אֹתָהּ מַצֵּבָה וַיִּצֹק שֶׁמֶן עַל רֹאשָׁהּ:
19. And he named the place Beth El, but Luz was orignally the name of the city.		יט. וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא בֵּית אֵל וְאוּלָם לוּז שֵׁם הָעִיר לָרִאשֹׁנָה:
20. And Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and God will guard me on this way, upon which I am going, and God will give me bread to eat and clothes to wear;		כ. וַיִּדַּר יַעֲקֹב נֶדֶר לֵאמֹר אִם יִהְיֶה אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי וּשְׁמָרַנִי בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ וְנָתַן לִי לֶחֶם לֶאֱכֹל וּבֶגֶד לִלְבֹּשׁ:
21. And if I return in peace to my father's house, and the Eternal will be my God;		כא. וְשַׁבְתִּי בְשָׁלוֹם אֶל בֵּית אָבִי וְהָיָה יְהֹוָה לִי לֵאלֹהִים:
22. Then this stone, which I have placed as a monument, shall be a house of God, and everything that You give me, I will surely pay back to You.		כב. וְהָאֶבֶן הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי מַצֵּבָה יִהְיֶה בֵּית אֱלֹהִים וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר תִּתֶּן לִי עַשֵּׂר אֲעַשְּׂרֶנּוּ לָךְ:

Guide Questions:

1. In verse 11,  how many times does the word מָּקוֹם occur in this verse? Why do you think this word is repeated? According to Rashi, what is "the place"? Why is this significant? One of God's names is The Place (of the universe). How can God be like a "place"? What are some places in your life that you would consider special or holy?

2. According to Rashi, what is the meaning of verse 16? In what other ways are we "asleep" or not aware of special or holy things that are happening right in front of us? Give an example from your life.

3. According to the Sfas Emes in Sparks Beneath the Surface (p. 38, look under "Perush"), what kind of feelings accompany discovering truth? What kind of feelings do not? Do you agree?

4. According to the Stone Chumash (p. 145), there is great symbolism in Jacob's dream. What are some of the things the ladder might represent? The angels? Jacob's standing with God above him?

5. According to Rebbe Nachman's Torah (p. 231), what does the Hebrew verb וַיִּפְגַּע mean? What prayer did Jacob establish? It also says that Jacob at first did not pray, but then he did. Why is it hard to pray in the "dark"?

6. According to Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso in Text Messages (pp. 29-30), what question do the Rabbis ask, and what is the meaning of their answer? How does Rabbi Sasso say this applies to you today?

7. According to Plaut's Modern Torah Commentary (p. 195), what is the history of the place Beth El? In the "Gleanings" section of that same commentary under "The Gate of Heaven" (p. 197), what does it mean that Beth El is the "gate of heaven"? Do you agree?