One of the most dramatic narratives in the Torah, arousing our emotions anew with each reading, is the story of Yosef's reunion with his brothers following a break of 22 years.
Our shiur this week will focus on two characters in the parasha: Yosef and Yehuda. The first rises from the depths of jail to the lofty heights of Egyptian viceroy. The second succeeds in persuading Yaakov to part with Binyamin, assuming responsibility for him on the journey to Egypt. We will investigate the nature of their personalities and their different paths to greatness.
In this shiur, we will discuss some of the fundamental questions relating to the story of Yosef's treatment of his brothers. What was Yosef trying to accomplish, and why didn't he contact his father once he had the opportunity to do so? Why did Yosef wait so long to reveal his identity to his brothers?
When the brothers return from Egypt, Reuven attempts to assuage his father's concerns about sending Binyamin by suggesting that his own two sons should be killed if Reuven failed to bring Binyamin back. What is the explanation for this peculiar suggestion?
Why did Yosef imprison Shimon, and what was his goal in telling the brothers to bring Binyamin to him? In this shiur, we will examine the possibility that Yosef was testing his brothers to see if they had repented for their sin.
