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Beit Midrash
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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.
Rabbis in Midrash
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The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
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Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
