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?