We're Takin' Names! - Exodus 1:1-14

1. And these are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt; with Jacob, each man and his household came:		א. וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה אֵת יַעֲקֹב אִישׁ וּבֵיתוֹ בָּאוּ:
2. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah.		ב. רְאוּבֵן שִׁמְעוֹן לֵוִי וִיהוּדָה:
3. Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin.		ג. יִשָּׂשכָר זְבוּלֻן וּבִנְיָמִן:
4. Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.		ד. דָּן וְנַפְתָּלִי גָּד וְאָשֵׁר:
5. Now all those descended from Jacob were seventy souls, and Joseph, [who] was in Egypt.		ה. וַיְהִי כָּל נֶפֶשׁ יֹצְאֵי יֶרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב שִׁבְעִים נָפֶשׁ וְיוֹסֵף הָיָה בְמִצְרָיִם:
6. Now Joseph died, as well as all his brothers and all that generation.		ו. וַיָּמָת יוֹסֵף וְכָל אֶחָיו וְכֹל הַדּוֹר הַהוּא:
7. The children of Israel were fruitful and swarmed and increased and became very very strong, and the land became filled with them.		ז. וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל פָּרוּ וַיִּשְׁרְצוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ וַיַּעַצְמוּ בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ אֹתָם:
8. A new king arose over Egypt, who did not know about Joseph.		ח. וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ עַל מִצְרָיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע אֶת יוֹסֵף:
9. He said to his people, "Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more numerous and stronger than we are.		ט. וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל עַמּוֹ הִנֵּה עַם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל רַב וְעָצוּם מִמֶּנּוּ:
10. Get ready, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they increase, and a war befall us, and they join our enemies and depart from the land."		י. הָבָה נִתְחַכְּמָה לוֹ פֶּן יִרְבֶּה וְהָיָה כִּי תִקְרֶאנָה מִלְחָמָה וְנוֹסַף גַּם הוּא עַל שׂנְאֵינוּ וְנִלְחַם בָּנוּ וְעָלָה מִן הָאָרֶץ:
11. So they appointed over them tax collectors to afflict them with their burdens, and they built store cities for Pharaoh, namely Pithom and Raamses.		יא. וַיָּשִׂימוּ עָלָיו שָׂרֵי מִסִּים לְמַעַן עַנֹּתוֹ בְּסִבְלֹתָם וַיִּבֶן עָרֵי מִסְכְּנוֹת לְפַרְעֹה אֶת פִּתֹם וְאֶת רַעַמְסֵס:
12. But as much as they would afflict them, so did they multiply and so did they gain strength, and they were disgusted because of the children of Israel.		יב. וְכַאֲשֶׁר יְעַנּוּ אֹתוֹ כֵּן יִרְבֶּה וְכֵן יִפְרֹץ וַיָּקֻצוּ מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
13. So the Egyptians enslaved the children of Israel with back breaking labor.		יג. וַיַּעֲבִדוּ מִצְרַיִם אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּפָרֶךְ:
14. And they embittered their lives with hard labor, with clay and with bricks and with all kinds of labor in the fields, all their work that they worked with them with back breaking labor.		יד. וַיְמָרֲרוּ אֶת חַיֵּיהֶם בַּעֲבֹדָה קָשָׁה בְּחֹמֶר וּבִלְבֵנִים וּבְכָל עֲבֹדָה בַּשָּׂדֶה אֵת כָּל עֲבֹדָתָם אֲשֶׁר עָבְדוּ בָהֶם בְּפָרֶךְ:

Guide Questions:

1. According to Rashi, why are the names of the children of Israel listed at the beginning of Exodus when they had already been listed at the end of Genesis? What does this tell us about the relationship between God and Israel? How can you reconcile that with the fact that they were going into slavery?

2. The Torah says that the Israelites went from 70 people to hundreds of thousands in just a few generations. How does Rashi say they did this (see verse 7)? Can you figure out where he got this number from? Read the verse carefully.

3. What are the two ways Rashi says we can understand verse 8? Which do you think is more likely?

4. According to Rashi on verse 12, what were the Egyptians disgusted at? How might this connect to the idea of freedom activist Nelson Mandela, that it is not only the enslaved who need to be freed but also the enslaver?

5. According to the Stone Chumash (p. 293), how does Pharaoh's plot relate to anti-Semitism?

6. According to Rebbe Nachman's Torah (p. 24-25), what does the word קָשָׁה  (in verse 14) mean with regard to the Israelites' (and our) faith in God? How does this relate to us today?

7. According to the Women's Torah commentary (p. 308), what is new about calling the Israelites in verse 9 עַם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל? Do you think of the Jewish community as a nation or a family? Why?

8. In The Commentator's Bible (p. 3) , Nahmanides says the theme of the book of Exodus is exile.  What is exile? What two conditions had to be met in order for in order for the exile to be over? Do you think we have met those conditions today? Why or why not?

Vayechi - Genesis 50:15-26 - So... Now Do You Hate Us?

15. Now Joseph's brothers saw that their father had died, and they said, "Perhaps Joseph will hate us and return to us all the evil that we did to him."		טו. וַיִּרְאוּ אֲחֵי יוֹסֵף כִּי מֵת אֲבִיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוּ יִשְׂטְמֵנוּ יוֹסֵף וְהָשֵׁב יָשִׁיב לָנוּ אֵת כָּל הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר גָּמַלְנוּ אֹתוֹ:
16. So they commanded [messengers to go] to Joseph, to say, "Your father commanded [us] before his death, saying,		טז. וַיְצַוּוּ אֶל יוֹסֵף לֵאמֹר אָבִיךָ צִוָּה לִפְנֵי מוֹתוֹ לֵאמֹר:
17. 'So shall you say to Joseph, "Please, forgive now your brothers' transgression and their sin, for they did evil to you. Now please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." ' " Joseph wept when they spoke to him.		יז. כֹּה תֹאמְרוּ לְיוֹסֵף אָנָּא שָׂא נָא פֶּשַׁע אַחֶיךָ וְחַטָּאתָם כִּי רָעָה גְמָלוּךָ וְעַתָּה שָׂא נָא לְפֶשַׁע עַבְדֵי אֱלֹהֵי אָבִיךָ וַיֵּבְךְּ יוֹסֵף בְּדַבְּרָם אֵלָיו:
18. His brothers also went and fell before him, and they said, "Look here, we are your slaves."		יח. וַיֵּלְכוּ גַּם אֶחָיו וַיִּפְּלוּ לְפָנָיו וַיֹּאמְרוּ הִנֶּנּוּ לְךָ לַעֲבָדִים:
19. But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid, for am I in the place of God?		יט. וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יוֹסֵף אַל תִּירָאוּ כִּי הֲתַחַת אֱלֹהִים אָנִי:
20. Indeed, you meant evil against me, [but] God designed it for good, in order to bring about what is at present to keep a great many people alive.		כ. וְאַתֶּם חֲשַׁבְתֶּם עָלַי רָעָה אֱלֹהִים חֲשָׁבָהּ לְטֹבָה לְמַעַן עֲשׂה כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה לְהַחֲיֹת עַם רָב:
21. So now do not fear. I will sustain you and your small children." And he comforted them and spoke to their hearts.		כא. וְעַתָּה אַל תִּירָאוּ אָנֹכִי אֲכַלְכֵּל אֶתְכֶם וְאֶת טַפְּכֶם וַיְנַחֵם אוֹתָם וַיְדַבֵּר עַל לִבָּם:
22. So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father's household, and Joseph lived a hundred and ten years.		כב. וַיֵּשֶׁב יוֹסֵף בְּמִצְרַיִם הוּא וּבֵית אָבִיו וַיְחִי יוֹסֵף מֵאָה וָעֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים:
23. Joseph saw children of a third generation [born] to Ephraim; also the sons of Machir the son of Manasseh were born on Joseph's knees.		כג. וַיַּרְא יוֹסֵף לְאֶפְרַיִם בְּנֵי שִׁלֵּשִׁים גַּם בְּנֵי מָכִיר בֶּן מְנַשֶּׁה יֻלְּדוּ עַל בִּרְכֵּי יוֹסֵף:
24. Joseph said to his brothers, "I am going to die; God will surely remember you and take you up out of this land to the land that God swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."		כד. וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹסֵף אֶל אֶחָיו אָנֹכִי מֵת וֵאלֹהִים פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד אֶתְכֶם וְהֶעֱלָה אֶתְכֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב:
25. And Joseph promised the children of Israel, saying, "God will surely remember you, and you shall take up my bones out of here."		כה. וַיַּשְׁבַּע יוֹסֵף אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד אֱלֹהִים אֶתְכֶם וְהַעֲלִתֶם אֶת עַצְמֹתַי מִזֶּה:
26. Joseph died at the age of one hundred ten years, and they embalmed him and he was placed into the coffin in Egypt.		כו. וַיָּמָת יוֹסֵף בֶּן מֵאָה וָעֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים וַיַּחַנְטוּ אֹתוֹ וַיִּישֶׂם בָּאָרוֹן בְּמִצְרָיִם:

Guiding Questions:
1. According to Rashi on verse 15, what did Joseph's brothers "see" that made them worried that Joseph was only waiting for their father to die before he took his revenge on them?

2. In The Midrash Says  (vol. 1, p. 474), what did Joseph do on his way back from their father's funeral that got his brothers worried? Why do you think Joseph did this?

3. According to Rashi on verse 16, did their father really command Joseph to forgive them? Why would they lie?

4. In the Stone Chumash (p. 288), what does Joseph mean when he says "Am I in the place of God?" Compare both Rashi's and Sforno's explanations. Which do you prefer?

5. In The Midrash Says (vol. 1, p. 476), how is Joseph different from Cain, Esau, and Ishmael? Do you think this was easy for Joseph? What can we learn from him?

6. What is the Hebrew word for Joseph's coffin? How else is this word used? According to Plaut's Modern Commentary (p. 318), what is the meaning of "the Coffin and the Ark"?

7. According to Etz Hayim (p. 310), how do the last words of Genesis foreshadow the beginning of the book of Exodus? What are the last words of all the books of the Torah, and how might they connect with each other?

8. According to Rebbe Nachman's Torah on 50:21 (p. 343), what does Joseph do that shows he is a tzaddik, a righteous person? Can you think of modern examples of people who are/were able to do the same?

9. According to the Women's Torah Commentary (p. 296), what is the meaning of the word יִפְקֹד? When else is it used? What questions or thoughts do you have about an idea of God who does this?

Vayigash - Genesis 45:1-10 - I Am My Brother's Keeper

1. Now Joseph could not take all those standing around him, and he called out, "Everyone get away from me!" So no one stood with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.		א. וְלֹא יָכֹל יוֹסֵף לְהִתְאַפֵּק לְכֹל הַנִּצָּבִים עָלָיו וַיִּקְרָא הוֹצִיאוּ כָל אִישׁ מֵעָלָי וְלֹא עָמַד אִישׁ אִתּוֹ בְּהִתְוַדַּע יוֹסֵף אֶל אֶחָיו:
2. And he wept out loud, so the Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard.		ב. וַיִּתֵּן אֶת קֹלוֹ בִּבְכִי וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ מִצְרַיִם וַיִּשְׁמַע בֵּית פַּרְעֹה:
3. Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?" but his brothers could not answer him because they were stunned by his face.		ג. וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹסֵף אֶל אֶחָיו אֲנִי יוֹסֵף הַעוֹד אָבִי חָי וְלֹא יָכְלוּ אֶחָיו לַעֲנוֹת אֹתוֹ כִּי נִבְהֲלוּ מִפָּנָיו:
4. Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come closer to me," and they drew closer. And he said, "I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.		ד. וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹסֵף אֶל אֶחָיו גְּשׁוּ נָא אֵלַי וַיִּגָּשׁוּ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲנִי יוֹסֵף אֲחִיכֶם אֲשֶׁר מְכַרְתֶּם אֹתִי מִצְרָיְמָה:
5. But now do not be sad, and let it not trouble you that you sold me here, for it was to preserve life that God sent me before you.		ה. וְעַתָּה | אַל תֵּעָצְבוּ וְאַל יִחַר בְּעֵינֵיכֶם כִּי מְכַרְתֶּם אֹתִי הֵנָּה כִּי לְמִחְיָה שְׁלָחַנִי אֱלֹהִים לִפְנֵיכֶם:
6. For already two years of famine [have passed] in the midst of the land, and [for] another five years, there will be neither plowing nor harvest.		ו. כִּי זֶה שְׁנָתַיִם הָרָעָב בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ וְעוֹד חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים אֲשֶׁר אֵין חָרִישׁ וְקָצִיר:
7. God sent me before you to make for you a portion in the land, and to keep [it] for you for a great deliverance.		ז. וַיִּשְׁלָחֵנִי אֱלֹהִים לִפְנֵיכֶם לָשׂוּם לָכֶם שְׁאֵרִית בָּאָרֶץ וּלְהַחֲיוֹת לָכֶם לִפְלֵיטָה גְּדֹלָה:
8. And now, you did not send me here, but God, who made me a father to Pharaoh, a lord over all his household, and a ruler over the entire land of Egypt.		ח. וְעַתָּה לֹא אַתֶּם שְׁלַחְתֶּם אֹתִי הֵנָּה כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים וַיְשִׂימֵנִי לְאָב לְפַרְעֹה וּלְאָדוֹן לְכָל בֵּיתוֹ וּמשֵׁל בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם:
9. Go quickly and go up to my father, and say to him, 'So said your son, Joseph: "God has made me a lord over all the Egyptians. Come down to me, do not hesitate.		ט. מַהֲרוּ וַעֲלוּ אֶל אָבִי וַאֲמַרְתֶּם אֵלָיו כֹּה אָמַר בִּנְךָ יוֹסֵף שָׂמַנִי אֱלֹהִים לְאָדוֹן לְכָל מִצְרָיִם רְדָה אֵלַי אַל תַּעֲמֹד:
10. And you shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children and your grandchildren, and your flocks and your cattle and all that is yours.		י. וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בְאֶרֶץ גּשֶׁן וְהָיִיתָ קָרוֹב אֵלַי אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ וּבְנֵי בָנֶיךָ וְצֹאנְךָ וּבְקָרְךָ וְכָל אֲשֶׁר לָךְ:

Guiding Questions:

1. According to Etz Hayim (p. 276), why did Joseph tell all of his Egyptian servants to "get away" from him?

2. According to Etz Hayim, (p. 276), what are some of the possible reasons Joseph chose not to send a message to his father Jacob that he was okay? Do you agree with any of them?

3. According to the Stone Chumash (p. 253), what is the meaning of the word וְעַתָּה ("and now") in verse 8?

4. According to the Stone Chumash (p. 254), what are some of the reasons Joseph choose Goshen for his brothers' families?

5. Barry Shrage compares Joseph to Moses in Text Messages (p. 53). Why was Moses a better leader?

6. Compare this story of Joseph reacting to his brothers to Cain's reaction to God in Genesis 4:1-12 (which we studied before)? How can you read this story as an answer to that story?

7. The Women's Torah Commentary points out that this is one of many times that Joseph cries (see p. 263). What are the other times? Why does Joseph cry?