BS”D QUESTIONS FOR PARSHAT VAYIGASH 5775 by Rabbi Edward Davis I. From the Text 1. What was Yehudah’s plan to save Binyamin? (44:37) 2. Why was Yehudah the only one pleading on behalf of Binyamin? (44:32) 3. What was the first thing Yosef said to his brothers when he revealed his true identity to them? (45:3) 4. Upon sending his brothers back to get their father, Yaakov, Yosef gave all his brothers changes of clothing; but he favored Binyamin. What did Yosef give Binyamin? (45:22) 5. How old was Yaakov when he moved to Egypt? (47:9) II. From Rashi 6. Why did Yehudah state that one brother had died? He did not know that! (44:20) 7. Why did Yosef send all of his servants out of the room when he was about to reveal himself to his brothers? (45:1) 8. In what language did Yosef now speak to his brothers? (45:12) 9. Why did Yosef and Binyamin now cry and embrace after Yosef revealed himself? (45:14) 10. Why was Yehudah sent ahead to Goshen before the family? (46:28) III. From the Rabbis 11. Why did Yosef choose Goshen as the residing place for his father and family? 12. What descendant of Binyamin would wear royal garments? (Talmud Megillah 16b) 13. The Torah states that all the people of Yaakov’s family who came to Egypt numbered 70. Yet when one tallies the list provided in Chapter 46, we find at least 69. Explain. IV. From the Haftorah : Ezekiel 14. What is the connection between the Haftorah and the Torah reading? V. Relationships a) Chushim – Bilhah b) Gershon – Sered c) Asher – Serach d) Yimnah – Yishvah – Yishvi e) Dinah – Ephraim ANSWERS FOR PARSHAT VAYIGASH 5775 1. Yehudah offered to substitute himself as a slave thereby enabling the brothers to return Binyamin to their father. 2. Yehudah was the only one who took responsibility for Binyamin when convincing their father to allow Binyamin to be brought to Egypt. 3. “Is my father still alive?” 4. 300 hundred pieces of silver and 5 changes of clothing. 5. 130 years old. 6. Yehudah was afraid that if he said that there was another living brother, the Viceroy would insist on seeing him. 7. He didn’t want the Egyptians to see the brothers be embarrassed. 8. Hebrew. 9. They saw within the divine spirit that the Holy Temple (to be built in Binyamin’s portion of Israel) and the Tabernacle in Shiloh (in Yosef’s portion, in Ephraim) would be destroyed. 10. To scout out the living arrangements. Rashi also records the Midrash that Yehudah was sent ahead to establish a house of study. 11. Goshen was a fertile area in northeast Egypt. The family would be segregated from the idolatrous mainstream of Egyptian life, and they could be shepherds there. 12. Mordechai, when he became the Prime Minister of Achashveirush’s empire. 13. (1) Yocheved was born at the gates of Egypt (Rashi). (2) Yaakov was included in the count as the father (Ibn Ezra). (3) Hashem is counted. (4) We round up the number from 69 to 70 (Rosh and the Torah Temimah). 14. The reunification of the Tribes of Israel. Relationships: a) Grandmother Bilhah b) First cousins (Gershon is the son of Levi; Sered is the son of Zevulun) c) Father – Daughter d) Brothers (sons of Asher) e) Aunt Dinah .