Posts so far for parshat Shmos

2012

1. Shemot sources, 2012 edition.

2. Why the dagesh in הַצְּפִינוֹ? And whether Ibn Ezra actually disagrees with the existence of the phenomenon. While our Ibn Ezra explains the phenomenon of the dagesh, Ohr Torah understands him as saying there is no dagesh!

3. Was the new king over Egypt from the zera hamelucha? Considering Ibn Ezra's fit of 'prophecy'. Ibn Ezra argues on midrash and Rashi, and asserts that the 'new' king means that the king was of a new dynasty. Abarbanel and Ibn Caspi question how Ibn Ezra can know this. We consider what the inputs can be to this peshat.

4. Why translate that Pharaoh did not *chakim* Yosef?  I disagree with the idea that Tg Yonasan is channeling Kli Yakar and saying that Pharaoh did not learn from Yosef's history. Rather, חכים simply means 'recognize' in Aramaic.

5. YUTorah on parashat Shemot.

6. Angels raising the Israelite children in Egypt -- In reply to an email from a regular reader: 

Hi,

I have a question about Shemot. My son told me that his Morah told his 1st grade class that when the Egyptians threw the boys into the Nile, melachim took the babies and raised them in a cave and then returned them to their parents.

Have you heard of this before? I can't seem to find any references to it . . . .

7. Thoughts on the Short Vort of Shemos, which is this:

 

For my thoughts on it, follow the link.

8. Is marrying two sisters intrinsically or extrinsically obnoxious? We consider the perspective of Rashi (intrinsically), Ibn Ezra (based on the land), and Ibn Caspi (who rejects Ibn Ezra and gives a rationalist reason for the prohibition). I suggest that it is extrinsically bad, based on intent and social mores.

2011

1. How did Moshe remove his shoes?  I saw this cute devar Torah the other day in aparsha sheet, about Hashem's instruction to Moshe to remove his sandals, at the burning bush. It is from Rav Chaim Kanievsky.
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2. The mercha kfula in parshas Shmini --  How shall we account for it? There is one towards the end of parashat Shemot as well.

December 2010

1. Shemot sources - further improved.
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2. The Targum on וְלֹא בְּיָד חֲזָקָה -- What was Rashi's original girsa of the Targum on Shemot 3:19?
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3. Why did Pharaoh target Jewish male infants?  Philo and Josephus, with Josephus giving the famous midrash about astrology. What was bothering Josephus?
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4. Did Pharaoh command the Egyptians to kill their own children?  So goes a midrash. Does peshat follow? To an extent, I think. Plus, how the Samaritans over-correct and so tip their hand.
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5. When did the Bnei Yisrael say חֲדַל מִמֶּנּוּ?  It makes sense, chronologically, that it would fall somewhere in Va'era. I explore some approaches which are open and closed canon to varying degrees.
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6. "Rasha! Lama Sakeh Rei'echa?!"  This week, from Junior's school.
   
   Q: When Moshe saw Datan and Aviram fighting, what did he call the man who was about to hit the other man?
   A: Rasha.
   
   My thoughts regarding this -- not exactly, though it seems a common misconception.
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7. Moshe killing the Egyptian, and Destiny --  In answer to a 'ponderousparsha point', of just what Moshe expected when looking into the future.
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8. Yocheved His Aunt, and the Length of the Servitude --  If Yocheved was literally Amram's aunt, it is difficult to make the servitude 210 years, and even more, 400 years. Relax this and you have more leeway. Rav Saadia Gaon and the Targum Hashiv'im give us this leeway.
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January 2010

1. The Gra on the trup of Vayemararu et Chayeihem -- There is a famous commentary by the Gra on the trup of Vayigash Elav Yehuda. Here is one on וימררו את חייהם, from parashat Shemot.
   This is actually part of a series of such posts I am doing right now, considering all of the Vilna Gaon's interpretations of trup, to try to deduce just how serious he intends them, among other things. Here is the "famous" one on Vayigash. And here are his comments on the trup of he`ashir lo yarbeh, on Ki Tisa. And here are his comments on asser taaser, in Reeh. And one of megillat Esther. And there is still more to come.
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2. Shemot sources -- links to over a hundred meforshim on the parsha and haftorah, plus links to an online Mikraos Gedolos by perek and aliyah.
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3. An exciting yet possibly nonexistent variant in the spelling of amatah -- Gur Aryeh come up with a variant masorah in order to defend the tradition, and so perhaps confuses Minchas Shai. I investigate, and take a tour of Rav Saadia Gaon's translation, Dunash Ibn Labrat's attack, Ibn Ezra's defense as well as commentary, and Mizrachi and Gur Aryeh's suggestion. Then an analysis, as to why I think Gur Aryeh's suggestion is rather unlikely.
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4. The repercussions of Moshe's oath -- Regarding a midrash that Moshe promised his first son would be dedicated to idolatry, and a midrash that the Levite priest by pesel Micha was Moshe's descendant. The Baal HaTurim seems to be dan a gezeira shava le'atzmo, something quite likely permitted for aggadah, though not for halacha. I investigate the background to this derasha. Also, what merited censorship in all this? Finally, considering and challenging Rav Chaim Kanievsky's take on this.
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5. How could Rashi say that animals don't need midwives?! -- Challenging a midrash, brought by Rashi, that animals don't need midwives. With an obvious, and not so obvious answer. But more deeply, what makes for a silly question, and what makes for a legitimate question, in Rashi studies?
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6. Why should Ibn Ezra assert that the word "Am" is not construct? Ibn Ezra has a seemingly strange comment, that in am benei Yisrael it is duplication, rather than construct form. What could compel this? I examine two reactions, and consider a semantic, rather than syntactic cause. Also, the trend across Tanach such that this is a common expression. Then, I consider that it just might be the influence of trup.
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7. The chronological problem in the saving of Moshe -- This chronological difficulty struck me (ouch!) when reading through parshat Shemot.
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8. What does ויעש להם בתים mean? To determine the peshat in this one phrase requires understanding of so much else in context. Namely, should we understand them as Hebrew midwives, or Egyptian midwives for the Hebrews? When they feared Elohim, was this Hashem or was it the local Egyptian deity? Were they individual midwives, or the heads of widwife guilds? And so on and so forth. This context will allow for different plausible answers to the question of just what vayaas lahem batim means.
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2009

1. Ramses vs. Raamses -- one as the land of Goshen, and the other as the treasure-city they built for Pharaoh. Cross-listed from Vaychi.
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2. The long-lived donkey -- how old was the donkey Moshe put his family on?
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3. Shemot sources -- useful for preparing the sedra: links to an online Mikraos Gedolos and meforshim on the parsha and haftara.
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4. 6 in one birth? Discussing Rashi's source, and Shemot Rabba's source for this midrashic claim; how Ibn Ezra partially endorses it based on contemporary science; an explication just what that contemporary science was; how Ibn Ezra and Rashbam cope with the multiple languages of fecundity, and how I would; then, how multiple births shorten term, and how we might read that into midrash and pesukim. And more.
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5. Six in one womb simultaneously, or sequentially? Considering a suggestion / theory by Rabbi Medan that when Chazal said 6 in one womb, they meant it sequentially over the woman's entire lifetime -- and this as a part of a response to Shadal about chronology and generations in Egypt. I don't think it fits well with Chazal intent in the midrash, and so we would be sacrificing one maamar Chazal to save another.
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6. What are the evil diseases of Egypt? On Ekev, Shadal discusses a malady particular to Egypt of elephantiasis. And while Shadal does not make the connection, Pliny notes that when it affected the kings of Egypt, they treated it by tempering their sitting-baths with human blood. Which then fits well with the famous midrash.
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7. Is the three-fold ambiguity of  וְרַב יַעֲבֹד צָעִיר deliberate? Early theories of multi-valence -- really focused on parshat Toledot, but long the way I discuss the ambiguity inherent in Moshe's killing of the Egyptian taskmaster.

2007

1. Who Made "Houses" From Whom? And Why? A rundown of the many different explanations of this ambiguous phrase, and how it connects to the context.
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2. The Age of Trup -- from Shadal's Vikuach Al Chochmat haKabbalah, the beginning of a discussion of how old trup is, and how old the orthography of trup is. With implications as to whether a parshan can argue on trup and nikkud. Here, he claims Rashi does so on occasions, and gives examples. But also that Rashi at times brings proof from trup and nikkud. The pasuk from Shemot, of stretching out her hand (see next post on Shemot) is such an example, where Rashi states that the peshat must be maidservant, because of the nikkud on "amata."
   
   Also see Rabbenu Bachya on the same.
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3. Why Did The Daughter of Pharaoh Stretch Out Her Hand? If it was so many cubits away? The Lubavitcher Rebbe gives an answer, which I think may well accord with the peshat of the midrash. Plus a comment section.
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4. Vayifen Ko vaCho -- Why Did Moshe Look Around? I suggest it is to see if anyone else will intervene. Plus, some comments.

2006

1. The Dangers of Midrashim? A Fisking -- discussing, in part, whether the daughter of Pharaoh's hand really extended several cubits, and what to make of a midrash which says it did.
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2. Finally Arriving in Egypt -- How could parshat Shemot say they arrived in Egypt when they already did in sefer Bereishit? This is no question on a peshat level. However, the midrash answers that they began to feel the oppression with the death of Yosef. I show how this midrash shows a sensitivity to theme in the text of the parsha. Finally, I reiterate my explanation of habaim mitzrayma that may well clarify a several difficult chronological/genealogical points.

2005

• Vav HaChibbur vs. Vav HaHippuch And How It Applies To וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת
• Hirhurim had a question about the statement that that sefer Shemot is unique in that it leads off with a vav, showing several other seforim that do the same. The answer is grammatical - va does not (need) mean "and," but most often just transforms what would otherwise be an imperfect into the perfect (past tense). I go through each instance, demonstrating this.

Dec 2004

1. Who Was Chovav? Who Was Yitro? And Who Was Moshe's Father-in-law? In this post on parshat Behaalotecha, I consider these questions. It is not at all clear that these were all alternate names for the same person. See various resolutions.
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2. Vayakam Melech Chadash Al Mitzrayim -- Besides the standard "and a new king arose over Egypt," there are at least three other parses and translations, depending on whether vayakam is transitive or intransitive, whether it means "arose" or "enacted," whether chadash modifies king or arose. It could mean that Pharaoh decreed new decrees on Egypt which did not recognize Yosef. This is the dispute between Rav and Shmuel, cited by Rashi. It could be that the (same) king rose anew over Egypt (the view of the Rabanan). It could mean that a new counsel (melech) was established over Egypt, which fits well with the pasuk as fits in with some midrash as well.
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3. Who were Shifra and Puah? A relatively unknown identification alternative to Miriam as the second midwife.
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4. Pharaoh the Leper -- In association with the post above about Vayakam Melech Chadash, I point out one midrashic motivation for saying that Pharaoh did not die -- in that the pasuk says a new king arose but does not state that he died.. Another pasuk that states that the Pharaoh died is interpreted as not that he died but was struck with leprosy. Parallels to two other kings struck with leprosy, Uzziya and Pharaoh, where the former is also an instance in which leprosy = death. Also a suggestion that וַיָּמָת מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם is parsed as if the word was metzora'im, lepers, such that "the king died the death of lepers."

Jan 2004

1. Moshe/Kayin parallels, and the midrashic vs. pshat narrative -- Two murders, but the one perpetrated by Moshe is good. And in both instances, the matter becomes known. Both murderers must go into exile, and the ground plays a role in concealing the deed. Parallel focus on potential descendants of the murdered. Plus a non-contradiction between two midrashim about the Egyptian's descendants, or lack thereof.
   
   Finally, a distinction between the theme and mood of the narrative within the peshat and within the drash retelling.
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2. Multivalence -- With the famous example of who echav is that Moshe goes out to -- the Egyptians or the Israelites?
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3. Shifra & Puah == Yocheved & Miriam? Shifra actually appears on a list of Egyptian slave names from the 18th century. Are these midwives Egyptians who cater to Israelites, or are they Israelites themselves. Plus why the midrash equates them with Shifra and Puah. Plus a possible textual derivation I propose, doubling to mem to make miyaldei haIvrim, about Moshe, become mimeyaldei haIvrim. See inside. And a precedent for such doubling.
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4. A Bunch of Chayos! And how to translate it -- animals, midwives, intelligent...
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5. The derivation of Moshe's name -- The one given in the pasuk, and the one offered by some Biblical scholars. And my analysis of the overall picture, such that the one offered by some Biblical scholars is not really compelling (IMHO).
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6. Moshe's Name -- cross-listed from Vayikra, 2005. An expansion on the above.

to be continued...

Chasam Sofer on מִטֶּרֶף בְּנִי עָלִיתָ

Summary: Parsing it as referring to tarof toraf yosef, he interprets it in a consistent, positive, manner.

Post: In parashat Vaychi:

9. A cub [and] a grown lion is Judah. From the prey, my son, you withdrew. He crouched, rested like a lion, and like a lion, who will rouse him?

ט. גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה מִטֶּרֶף בְּנִי עָלִיתָ כָּרַע רָבַץ כְּאַרְיֵה וּכְלָבִיא מִי יְקִימֶנּוּ:

The Chasam Sofer writes:

"Presumably, that he did not know of the sale of Yosef all his days, as I wrote. And the Ramban proves, still, that one needs to say that Yaakov suspected in his heart these four, or one of them: Reuven, Shimon, Levi, and Yehuda, and not the others at all, for he was not chas veshalom, choshed b'ksherim.


However, these four were not k'sherim in his eyes: Reuven, in the incident with Bilhah; and Shimon and Levi in the incident in Shechem; and Yehuda in the incident with Tamar.


However, now he saw and understood via ruach hakodesh that the kingdom of the house of David would come from Tamar, and that from Him, Yisbarach Shemo, has come out this pickely situation {:-) ?}. Therefore, he says, from now, מטרף בני עלית, you have gone out from under the suspicion, just like the rest of the brothers, except for those three."

To provide a bit of context to all of this, the phrase מִטֶּרֶף בְּנִי עָלִיתָ is somewhat ambiguous. The trup on it is: מִטֶּ֖רֶף בְּנִ֣י עָלִ֑יתָ. That is, a tipcha separating off miteref from the rest, and then a munach joining beni to alita.

The two possible parses are:

1. From the teref of my son Yosef you, Yehuda, arose
2. From teref, my son Yehuda, you arose

The former is negative, and refers to the sale or killing of Yosef. But it seems to be against the trup. The latter is positive, talking about what lions do, and no reference is made to Yosef. And it is in accordance with the trup.

Another consideration when disambiguating between these two options is whether other cryptic parts of Yaakov's blessing refer to incidents throughout sefer Bereishit. For example, the destruction of Shechem by Shimon and Levi, or the incident with Tamar in עד כי יבוא שילה, or the incident with Bilhah for Reuven.

Once we interpret it as מִטֶּרֶף בְּנִי, referring to tarof toraf yosef, one can spin it positively or negatively. Rising up from the teref of his son sounds like an accusation. But see how Rashi interprets it:

from the prey: From what I suspected of you, (namely) that“Jospeh has surely been torn up; a wild beast has devoured him” (Gen. 37: 33). This referred to Judah, who was likened to a lion. - [from Tanchuma Vayigash 9]		מטרף: ממה שחשדתיך (לעיל לז לג) בטרף טרף יוסף חיה רעה אכלתהו, וזהו יהודה שנמשל לאריה:
my son, you withdrew: Heb. עָלִיתָ, you withdrew yourself and said, “What is the gain [if we slay our brother and cover up his blood]?” (Gen. 37:26) (Gen. Rabbah 99:8). Similarly, [Judah withdrew] from killing Tamar, when he confessed, “She is right, [it is] from me…” (Gen. 38: 26) (Aggadath Bereshith 83). Therefore, “he crouched, lay down, etc.” [This was fulfilled] in the time of Solomon,“every man under his vine, etc.” (I Kings 5:5) (Gen. Rabbah 98:7).		בני עלית: סלקת את עצמך, ואמרת (שם כו) מה בצע וגו'. וכן מהריגת תמר שהודה (לעיל לח כו) צדקה ממני, לפיכך כרע רבץ וגו' בימי שלמה (מ"א ה ה) איש תחת גפנו וגו':

Thus, while miteref beni is negative, alita is positive. And this is that they were actually going to slay him, and he withdrew from that. And note how Rashi already (citing Tanchuma on Vayigash) talks about the chashad of which Yaakov suspected Yehuda.

The Chasam Sofer's parse and explanation is along the same lines. He suspected them of the disposal of Yosef, whether through killing or (eventually) sale. But, Yehuda has taken himself out of that chashad. While the two midrashim Rashi cites are perhaps somewhat contradictory, the Chasam Sofer consistently explains it as chashad and moving out of the realm of that chashad.

YUTorah on parashat Vaychi

Audio Shiurim on Vayechi Rabbi Hanan Balk: The Centrality of the Land of Israel: Should All Jews Be Buried There?  Rabbi Asher Brander: Did Yaakov ever find out about the mechira?  Rabbi Chaim Brovender: Yaakov Still Lives Rabbi Ally Ehrman: My Best Talmid Is A Super-Donkey  Rabbi Chaim Eisenstein: Yaakov and Yosef's Machloket  Rabbi Aaron Feigenbaum: Yosef and the Brothers after Yaacov's Death  Rabbi Joel Finkelstein: Bridging the Generation Gap  Rabbi David Fohrman: The Gathering Storm: Yosef, His Brothers, and the Path to Egyptian Slavery  Rabbi Beinish Ginsburg: Mesorah, the Rav zt'l, my grandmother A"H Mrs. Yael Goldfischer: Yosef and Yehuda: A Clash of Personalities  Dr. Naomi Grunhaus: Ephraim and Menashe: One Shevet or Two?  Rabbi Shalom Hammer: Rabbis who Wield Power Rabbi Jesse Horn: Yosef's challange of remaining Jewish in a secular world  Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky: Yaakov's Blessings  Rabbi Eliakim Koenigsberg: Time to Think  Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz: Biebermania Hits Egypt  Rabbi Meir Lipschitz: Ephraim and Menasheh, and Summary of Sefer Bereishit  Rabbi Moshe N. Reichman: Yissocher and Zevulun  Rabbi Zvi Romm: Haftarat Vayechi - Dovid's Charge to Shlomo  Mrs Ilana Saks: A Sign of Things to Come  Rabbi Avi Schneider: A Blessing or a Curse?  Rabbi Avraham Shulman: Ona'as Devarim - Harmful Speech  Rabbi Baruch Simon: Yaakov and the Strength of Torah  Mrs. Shira Smiles: Tenacity and Truth  Rabbi Aaron Soloveichik: Why is Vayechi a Parsha Stuma?  Rabbi Reuven Spolter: Buy Jewish Real Estate  Rabbi Moshe Taragin: Defining pluralism  Rabbi Michael Taubes: Living Off the land in Eretz Yisroel  Rabbi Moshe Tendler: Rachel's Legacy and Yaakov's Blessings  Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner: The Berachah of Shimon and Levi  Rabbi Ira Wallach: Blessing or Rebuke  Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Weinberg: Reconnecting to Eretz Yisrael  Rabbi Andi Yudin: Calm, Cool and Collected  Rabbi Ari Zahtz: The Uniqueness of Shevet Dan  Rabbi Eliezer Zwickler: Forgiving  Articles on Vayechi Rabbi Ozer Glickman: Family as Formative Experience Rabbi Shmuel Goldin: Menashe and Ephraim: Tying up Loose Ends Rabbi Meir Goldwicht: Staying Connected to Israel Rabbi Avraham Gordimer: The Funeral Procession of Yaakov Avinu Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb: The True Meaning of Achdus Rabbi Maury Grebenau: Motivation & Values Rabbi David Horwitz: The Final Reconciliation between Joseph and His Brothers: A Lesson for us All Rabbis Stanley Wagner and Israel Drazin: Onkelos Refers to the Messiah, or Does it? Rav Avigdor Nebenzahl: Truth and Peace Rabbi Eli Baruch Shulman: Fish and Ayin Harah Rabbi Jeremy Wieder: Laining for Parshat Vayechi See all shiurim on YUTorah for Parshat Vayechi

New This Week The Kingdom of Shlomo Hamelech  Rabbi Avishai David Speaking Softly: The Antidote to Anger  Rabbi Chaim Eisenstein Change Comes From Within  Rabbi Gil Elmaleh Building and Funding Community Institutions Rabbi Josh Flug Torah: How much do you want it?  Rabbi Jesse Horn May a Jew Deck the Halls? Holiday Parties & Gifts in Jewish Law  Rabbi Beni Krohn Gratitude and Habituation  Dr. David Pelcovitz Tefillot Avot Tiknum: Three Paths to Meaningful Prayer Rabbi Marc Penner 6 Reason Why we Say Halllel Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky   The Eternal Torah, 'Old, old, old ,old', conservative with a small 'c'  Rabbi Mordechai Willig

Three reasons for Yaakov to avoid being buried in Egypt

Summary: R' Yonasan Eibeshitz explains why each is necessary.

Post:

29. When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "If I have now found favor in your eyes, now place your hand beneath my thigh, and you shall deal with me with lovingkindness and truth; do not bury me now in Egypt.

כט. וַיִּקְרְבוּ יְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָמוּת וַיִּקְרָא לִבְנוֹ לְיוֹסֵף וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אִם נָא מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ שִׂים נָא יָדְךָ תַּחַת יְרֵכִי וְעָשִׂיתָ עִמָּדִי חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת אַל נָא תִקְבְּרֵנִי בְּמִצְרָיִם:

Rav Yonasan Eibeshitz writes:

"In the midrash it states three reasons why Yaakov did not wish to be buried in Egypt.

1. in the end, its dust would become lice
2. that the dead of chul laAretz only live via the pain of underground rolling
3. so that the Egyptians should not make him a deity.

And it appears that all three were necessary specifically, for one would not have sufficed. For behold, they ask about the chacham the Kuzari that he answered the king of the Khazars that Goshen was from Eretz Yisrael, such that they did not slaughter the paschal lamb outside. And if so, it is difficult why Yaakov put Yosef to all the trouble to bury him in Eretz Yisrael because of the underground rolling, and did not command him to bury him in Goshen. However, he knew that the dust of Goshen would not be smitten with lice, and that the Egyptians would say that this was because Yaakov was buried there that this occurred, and they would make him a deity.

However, why did he not command to bury him in the Nile {J: which would not have lice and so the Egyptians would not make him a deity}? And one must say the reason is because of the underground rolling. And also, without this, there is to consider that behold, they were able to make him a deity in Eretz Yisrael as well. And so too, why should it bother him if there were lice upon his grave above? Perforce, one must give all the reasons."

One can read the midrash in Midrash Rabba here.

There is an additional reason given in Midrash Rabba besides these three:

דבר אחר: יעקב אמר שלא יפדו בי המצרים. הם משתחוים לשה ואני נמשלתי בשה, שנאמר (ירמיה נ) שה פזורה ישראל. ובמצרים כתיב: (יחזקאל כג)אשר בשר חמורים בשרם. 
וכתיב: (שמות לד) ופטר חמור תפדה בשה, הוי, אל נא תקברני במצרים. 

In terms of why Yaakov might be concerned about lice upon his grave above, the midrash elsewhere says that the ground up to two amos down turned to lice, and IIRC, the minimum burial depth for a mes is two amos. Would these lice bother him? Perhaps we could refer to the Talmudic statement in Berachos 18b:

And R. Isaac said [commenting on this]: The worm is as painful to the dead as a needle in the flesh of the living?

Maybe we could extrapolate to other sorts of pain. Or perhaps a living person does not like the thought of what would happen to his body after death.

All this operates on the assumption that the midrash must work together with the teretz of the Kuzari. This is not a necessary assumption. Perhaps the Kuzari was not thinking of these midrashim. And what about the midrashist?

1. He can assert that there was no requirement for the Pesach Mitzrayim to be in Eretz Yisrael
2. He can agree with the Mechilta and with Targum Yonasan that Hashem flew the Jews to Israel for Pesach Mitzrayim, and then brought them back,

Regardless, this dvar Tirah is a rather nice and clever construction, and we can appreciate it for its merits.

Vaychi sources -- 2012 edition

by aliyah

rishon (Bereshit 47:28)

sheni (48:10)

shelishi (48:17)

revii (49:1)

chamishi (49:19)

shishi (49:27)

shevii (50:21), maftir (50:23)

haftara (I Kings 2:1) with Ralbag and Malbim

by perek

perek 48 ; perek 49 ; perek 50

meforshim on Vaychi

Judaica Press Rashi in English and Hebrew (France, 1040 - 1105) -- ואני לא באתי אלא לפשוטו של מקרא ולאגדה המיישבת דברי המקרא, דבר דבור על אופניו

Chizkuni (13th century, commentary written about 1240)-- see Jewish Encyclopedia entry.
Shadal (1800-1865) -- see Wikipedia entry:

1. In plain text here, though not encoding some of the trup and nikkud, and omitting certain references to non-Jewish scholars.
2. In Google book form here, but with all that was omitted above. Also, with Shadal's Italian translation of the Chumash text.
3. Mishtadel, an earlier and shorter commentary
4. In determining the correct girsa of Targum Onkelos, Ohev Ger

Daat -- with Rashi, Ramban, Seforno, Ibn Ezra, Rashbam, Rabbenu Bachya, Midrash Rabba, Tanchuma+.

Gilyonot Nechama Leibovitz (Hebrew, English)  -- see Wikipedia entry.

Rav Yonasan Eibeshitz (1690-1764) -- see Wikipedia entry:

1. Tiferes Yehonasan
2. Chasdei Yehonasan -- not until Shmos  -- chiddushim and pilpulim on midrashim, Toras Kohanim, Sifrei, and Rashi al haTorah. With supercommentary of R' Yaakov Goldshlag.
3. Toldos Yitzchak Acharon, repeated from R' Yonasan Eibeshitz
4. Divrei Yehonasan  -- discussing halacha and aggada together, interpreting difficult midrashim
5. Nefesh Yehonasan   -- commentary on midrashim and pilpulim + Tanchuma, and suygot in Shas connected to each parsha.
6. Midrash Yehonasan -- on difficult midrashim

Even Shleimah -- from Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Ehrenreich  (Hungary, 1860-1944)

R' Saadia Gaon(882-942) -- see Wikipedia entry:

Details on the HaOlam and Miller's shredded cheese recall

Received via email:

BS"D

 

Haolam cheese recall:

 

The products affected by the voluntary recall are limited to the following Haolam shredded products:

- All 8 oz and 16 oz. bags of Haolam shredded cheese (Pizza, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Fancy, Muenster, R/F Muenster, R/F Cheddar), with an expiration of June 5,2012 through Sept 4, 2012

- All 32 oz bags of Haolam shredded Mozzarella and Gourmet Blend with an expiration date of February 6, 2012 through May 7, 2012

- All 5 lb bags of Haolam shredded Mozzarella, Cheddar and Muenster with a pack date of September 8, 2011 through Dec 7, 2011

Please note: everything is expiration date except the 5 lb. Shredded bags are pack date

We apologize for any inconvenience this voluntary recall may cause.

Miller cheese recall:

 

The products affected by the voluntary recall are limited to the following Miller’s shredded products:

- All 8 oz and 16 oz. bags of Miller’s shredded cheese (Pizza, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Fancy, Muenster), with an expiration of June 5,2012 through Sept 4, 2012

- All 32 oz bags of Miller’s shredded Mozzarella with an expiration date of February 6, 2012 through May 7, 2012

- All 5 lb bags of Miller’s shredded Mozzarella, Cheddar, Muenster and Monterey Jack with a pack date of September 8, 2011 through Dec 7, 2011

Please note: everything is expiration date except the 5 lb. Shredded bags are pack date

We apologize for any inconvenience this voluntary recall may cause.

posts so far for parshat Vayechi

2010

1. Vaychi sources -- further expanded.
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2. Is חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת a hendiadys? I don't know. But I think that this is what Rashi, following the midrash, is suggesting as a matter of peshat.
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3. Does Rashi predict moshiach in 2011? No. He cites Rav Saadia Gaon who predicts it in 1405, or rather, 1399. Of course, if you want to kvetch it, you can make Rashi or any sources say anything you want it to. But this shows only your own creativity and ability to distort Jewish sources. Also, a nice tie-in to this week's parasha, Vaychi.
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4. Darshening El Yisrael as Eil Yisrael --  Is this a revocalization for the sake of derash, or does it reflect their actual vocalization?
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5. Reuven and Bilhah --  In Midrash Rabba, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi takes a peshat-approach to the incident.
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6. Parsha questions -- From Junior's school parsha sheet, questions on the parsha for Shabbos table discussion. Coupled with my answers.
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7. The incident with Reuven and Bilhah, in light of Divrei Hayamim and the Code of Hammurabi --  The Torah's recording of the incident in Vayishlach is terse, and Chazal interpret it in two ways. And the seeming reference to the incident in Yaakov's blessing in Vaychi is cryptic. But Divrei Hayamim expands upon it. Plus, there is a fascinating parallel in the Code of Hamurabbi that sheds excellent light on the matter.
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8. A blessing for Yosef, or for his sons?  Rumors of a popular variant have been greatly exaggerated. And in fact, contextcan support a blessing for Yosef alone. Update: I am wrong about the Peshita on this post. I was misled by a mislabeled Targum.
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9. Salvation -- nothing to sneeze at! Why the sudden interjection in Yaakov's blessings?

Dec 2009

1. Vaychi sources -- more than 100 meforshim on the parsha and haftora.
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2. For how long does Binyamin consume his prey? A Chizkuni on Vaychi, where he parses apasuk apparently against its trup, past the etnachta, as baboker yochal ad la'erev. With the same justification he offered in last week's parsha.. 
3. The trup on va`ani -- A variant trup has revii on Bereishit 48:22 instead of gershayim. What would be the difference, in terms of the parse of the pasuk?
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4. Ibn Caspi on the "calling" of Yehuda -- Once again, Ibn Caspi interprets the trup, which informs us of meaning. This time the revii on Yehuda of Yehuda ata yoducha achecha. Also, a clarification of what Ibn Caspi means when referring to the gaaya -- namely, a zakef gadol, which is a disjunctive accent..
5. The yetiv on ad ki yavo Shilo -- According to Rabbenu Bachya's rebbe, the trup on ad ki yavo Shilo led Onkelos to renderad as forever, such that it is "forever once mashiach comes", rather than "until mashiach comes". This is a good response to Christians. But Shadal doesn't find it compelling.
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6. The possible double entendre of Lo Yasur Shevet Miyhuda -- namely, until Shelah comes.

Jan 2009

• Vayechi sources -- online sources, of a Mikraos Gedolos, and a plethora of meforshim, useful for preparing the sedra.
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• Rashbam vs. Zohar on deviating from parsha divided by Moshe, where Rashbam clames the communities changed the place of parsha division. A look at Aruch Hashulchan on the matter, based on Zohar.
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• Parallels between Vaychi and its haftarah -- maybe broadly thematic, and one point in language, but otherwise, the connection (and post) seems quite weak.
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• Yaakov wanted to reveal the ketz -- a Daat Zekeinim centered look at the midrash, and what it means. I disagree.
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• Yaakov's maggid -- and he told to Yaakov. But who was he?

December 2007

• The Missing Parsha Break
• and how it aids in stressing the parallelism to the previous verse, at the end of Vayigash.
• HaMelech HaGoel Oti
• and different approaches to dealing with the theological difficulties of asking an angel to bless.
• Mind The Gap: Is Vayechi Unique In Not Being Introduced With A Gap?
• Or is this true as well for parshat Vayeitzei, within Ben Naftali manuscripts?
• Was Gad, Son of Yaakov, Named After The deity?
• Or does it mean "with luck," or "luck has come?" Or does it mean that a troop has come, as it means in Yaakov's blessing in parshat Vayechi? Also, a Karaite promotes the krei reading as the correct pronunciation of the ketiv.
• How big a gap between Vayigash and Vaychi? (pt i, ii, iii).
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• Minchas Eluzer's Teshuvah on the gap (pt i, ii, iii, iv)
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• My own thoughts on the gap issue
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• From 2008, about Vayeitzei being setuma.
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• Shadal mentions how Rashbam follows the trup in explaining Miteref Beni Alita, in the course of his discussion of the age of trup in his Vikuach al Chochmat haKabbalah.

2007

• An Open Canon Vs. Changing The Truth
• Did Yaakov really command the brothers to tell Yosef to forgive his brothers their transgression. This hooks into the question of whether Yaakov ever found out about the sale of Yosef. Now, the brothers relate this command to Yosef, but we never see Yaakov command this. And a gemara in Yevamot, 65b, states that this was a changing of the truth for the sake of peace, as a precedent for doing the same. It is also a closed-canon approach. An open canon approach would allow otherwise unknown event to occur. And an example from Yona where something happens without being previously mentioned.
• The Trup On "Asher Kana Avraham"
• and why on such similar words across pesukim, the trup shifts over. A Wickes-based explanation, featuring trup charts and Prepositional Phrases.

2006

• The Count of Pesukim in Sefer Bereishit
• Understanding the extended gematria in a masoretic note. Plus, ד appears to stand for shem haShem here!
• Yaakov Avinu Didn't Die
• We consider the famous midrash, and discussion in Taanit that Yaakov Avinu did not die. Was Rav Yitzchak going for a spit-take? What are the implications of this statement? How exactly is this deduced midrashically from the pasuk in Yirmiya, and how does that pasuk work on a peshat level, from the perspective of poetic parallelism?

Dec 2004

• Can Mashiach Return From the Dead?
• A source that he clearly cannot.

2004

• Maaseh Avot Siman LaBanim
• To Eliezer's oath to Avraham. An oath to a dying man, a theme of staying rooted in Eretz Yisrael. Also, where they differ.
• Why Did Yaakov Bow? And Did Yaakov Bow?
• I recommend this one. In it, I suggest that vayishtachu does not mean "bowed" but rather "lied prostrate," because he was weak and sick. This is in contrast to later, when the pasuk relates that he became strengthened and sat on the head of the bed.
• Further Maaseh Avot Siman LaBanim
• A striking similarity between the presentation of Ephraim and Menashe to Yaakov, and the earlier meeting of Esav and Yaakov.
• A Final Maaseh Avot Siman LaBanim
• In which Yaakov seemingly recreates his theft of Yitzchak's blessing when he blesses Ephraim and Menashe.