YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bereshit
- Miketz
In Bereishit 42:1-3, we learn that Yaakov "saw shever (meaning, food) in Egypt" and then told his sons that he heard about the food. Then he uses the root shever as a verb for buying the food, specifically grain. Mashber (using the same root) also means, in both Biblical and Modern Hebrew, a crisis, which existed in regard to the famine throughout the region.
Rabbeinu Bachyei shows other examples of when shever as a verb refers to buying (see Devarim 2:6). He posits that the Torah purposely used this root, while others could have been chosen, because it is related both to grain and to buying it.
We should look also at the apparent contradiction regarding how Yaakov knew about the food resources in Egypt. First it said he saw, and then it says he heard, with the latter seemingly being the accurate, literal description. Rav Ovadia of Bartenura says that seeing here refers to hope that is brought about by the knowledge that food is available. The Chizkuni relates to the phenomenon of "seeing" something that one does not physically see in the pasuk about the giving of the Torah (Bnei Yisrael "saw the sounds" (Shemot 20:14)). While the literary phenomenon exists, it does not explain why that unusual choice of words was made in this case.
We therefore posit that Yaakov’s seeing the shever in Egypt was a matter of a prophetic revelation, which is often called mareh or chazon, which are from roots meaning seeing. Bereishit Rabba (91:6) says that from the day that Yosef was sold, Yaakov lost his full prophetic powers and retained only fuzzy glimpses. In this case, says the midrash, he saw more clearly not "shever," but "sever," meaning hope. The hope that he saw in Egypt, which he did not clearly identify, was that Yosef was there.
While the change between shever and sever in Mishnaic Hebrew is from the letter shin to the letter samech, in Biblical Hebrew, one needs to only use a left-hand dotted shin instead of a right-hand dotted shin. We find this in the daily recited psalm (Tehillim 146:5): "sivro al Hashem Elokav" (his hope is in Hashem, his G-d). Bereishit Rabba (91:1) again "plays with the letter" and says that shever can relate to famine (being broken by the lack of food) while sever implies plenty. It can refer to the tragedy of Yosef being sold into slavery or success with his emerging as the leader of the land. It can be the tragedy of the long period of servitude in Egypt or the emergence from there with great wealth.
The conclusion is clear: The selling of Yosef is the root of great tragedy, and its antidote is unity between the sons of Yaakov. In every tragedy is the hope for success, and those with "vision" can see that which the eye cannot. During these days of Chanuka, let us pray that we will emerge from recent hardships unified and with a hopeful outlook for quickly coming happy times.
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
