Parash 10 Mikketz (At the end) B’resheet/Genesis 41:1 to 44:17
Synopsis – Pharoah’s dream, the famine, Israel sends his sons to Egypt seeking food, Yoseph/Joseph deceives his brothers, Ya’akov/Jacob’s sons return to Egypt with Benyamin/Benjamin, the sons of Israel change their ways
TORAH LESSON – Although Yoseph/Joseph’s family believed him to be dead or never to be seen again, Joseph was alive and well and the Lord was preparing him for his true great mantle. He was greatly anointed in the interpretation of dreams even while imprisoned. When the Pharaoh was given dreams neither he nor his other servants could interpret, it was the cupbearer who remembered Yoseph/Joseph’s gift and told the Pharaoh about him. The Pharaoh and the Egyptian people could see the anointing and gifting in Joseph a lifted him to a place of honor, respect and responsibility and trust. They trusted him with their lives, their very futures. As he prepared them for the impending famine he faithfully accepted the great task with respect and care. When the great famine finally struck the land, the other nations readily had begun to seek the bread from Yoseph/Joseph’s storehouses. Finally, it was the sons of Israel who appeared before him seeking the same bread. His true identity was hidden from the brothers in plain sight. They did not recognize their own flesh and blood. . The brothers along with their father needed to prove they had learned by Yoseph/Joseph then uses this trial to teach his brothers a valuable lesson in humility, repentance and forgiveness showing obedience and selflessness even if it meant risking the life of the precious young brother, Benyamin/Benjamin. For without this willingness of sacrifice, there would be certain starvation and death for the entire family of Israel. In the end, we see a transformed family who recognize their sin in selling their brother Joseph, recognize their helplessness to restore things to the way it should be, and finally show compassion in caring more for their brother and father than for themselves. They give over the entire situation to Joseph and depend on his mercy.
