Torah Trivia for Parshah 10: Miketz

Torah Trivia for Parshah 10. Miketz

1.) How long does Yosef remain in prison after interpreting the dreams of the cup-bearer and the baker; and how old is Yosef when he is released from prison?

Answer: Yosef remains in prison during 2 additional orbits of the Earth around the Sun (2 years J) (Bereshit 41:1); Yosef is 30 years old when he is released from prison and elevated by Pharaoh (Bereshit 41:46).

2.) What are the objects that are respectively described in Pharaoh’s 2 dreams, and how many of each object are included?

Answer: Pharaoh’s first dream involves 7 fat cows being eaten by 7 gaunt cows, and the 7 gaunt cows remaining thin (Bereshit 41:2 – 4, 17 -21); Pharaoh’s second dream involved 7 fat ears of grain being swallowed by 7 burnt ears of grain and the 7 burnt ears of grain remaining thin (Bereshit 41:5 – 7, 22 – 24); also, technically, the additional objects in Pharaoh’s first dream include himself, the Nile river, and reed grass (included within previous citation).

3.) What percentage of the crops does Yosef recommend that Pharaoh withdraw from the Egyptians during the period of surplus before the famine arrives?

Answer: Yosef recommends that Pharaoh takes 20% of the crops from the Egyptians; Bereshit 41:34.

4.) What mode of transportation does Yosef utilise to travel around Egypt: a.) an ox and cart, b.) a sedan chair carried by soldiers, c.) his own 2 feet, d.) a horse-drawn chariot, e.) a donkey, f.) a camel, g.) he swims up and down the Nile and only visits places that are situated nearby the river, and/or h.) option f.) is simply a joke, and Yosef actually travels up and down the Nile river by riding on dolphins?

Answer: d.) It is described that Yosef rides on the 2^nd-in-Command Egyptian’s chariot (Bereshit 41:43); although English translations abstain from specifically including any horses in that description; however, amidst later descriptions of the interactions between Pharaoh and Moshe and the Tribes of Israel, there is the specific description of the chariots being drawn by horses (within Parshah Beshallach, including Shmot 14:9); so there is the presumption that the chariots are similarly drawn by horses (as opposed to ox or donkeys or people) unless the Egyptians only learn to domesticate horses during the intermediate 400 orbits of the Earth around the Sun J.

5.) What does Pharaoh bestow upon Yosef as a sign of Yosef’s authority in Egypt: a.) the official position of being 2^nd in Command, b.) a signet ring, c.) fine linen garments, d.) a gold chain, e.) royal chariot, f.) subjugation of the crowds, g.) a new name, and/or g.) a new wife?

Answer: Pharaoh provides Yosef with the hip-hop mc starter kit (all the above): a.) the official title of being 2^nd in Command (Bereshit 41:40); b.) some bling bling on the finger (Bereshit 41:42); c.) new threads (Bereshit 41:42); d.) the obligatory gold chain (Bereshit 41:42); e.) a new ride (Bereshit 41:43); f.) crowds bowing down upon sight (Bereshit 41:43); g.) a brand new stage name, “Yosef Tzaphnath Paaneach” (“God speaks; he lives” or “Creator of life”) (Bereshit 41:45); and, of course, the girl, Asenath (Bereshit 41:45) J.

6.) What strong similarity does Yosef’s father-in-law have with Yosef’s first master?

Answer: The 2 have similar names: Yosef’s first master in Egypt is named, “Potiphar,” (Bereshit 39:1), and Yosef’s father-in-law is named, “Poti Phera” (Bereshit 41:45).

7.) What are the names of Yosef’s 2 sons?

Answer: Yosef’s first son is named, “Manasseh” (“Adonai has made me forget completely my hardship and my paternal home”) (Bereshit 41:51), and Yosef’s second son is named, “Ephraim” (“Adonai has made me fertile in the land of my affliction) (Bereshit 41:42).

8.) Which of Yosef’s brothers remain with Yaakov in Canaan whilst the other 10 brothers travel to Egypt; and which of Yosef’s brothers remain in Egypt whilst the 9 return to Canaan to retrieve the first?

Answer: Benyamin remains in Canaan (Bereshit 42:3 – 4); and Simeon remains in Egypt whilst the 9 brothers return to retrieve Benyamin (Bereshit 42:24).

9.) Of what does Yosef accuse his brothers when his brothers approach him in Egypt, and what misinformation do Yosef’s brothers tell him at that juncture?

Answer: Yosef accuses his brothers of being spies (Bereshit 42:9); and Yosef’s brothers inaccurately proclaim that the brothers’ missing brother (Yosef himself) is passed away (Bereshit 42:13).

10.) What does Yosef place in his brothers’ sacks when the brothers first leave Egypt; and when Yosef’s brothers return, what does Yosef prepare for his brothers, and of what are the brothers fearful?

Answer: Yosef orders his servants to replace his brothers’ money within his brothers’ sacks after providing his brothers with the food provisions after his brothers’ first visit to Egypt (Bereshit 42:25); when his brothers return to Egypt, Yosef prepares a lunch for his brothers (Bereshit 43:16); however, Yosef’s brothers are fearful that, because of the money, Yosef plans to arrest the brothers, confiscate the brothers’ donkeys, and enslave the brothers (Bereshit 43:18).

11.) When Yosef’s brothers approach his palace for lunch, what is the sequence of interaction between the 2 parties (and the described customs) involved in having this lunch; and how much additional provisions does Yosef give to Benyamin compared to the rest of his 10 brothers?

Answer: When Yosef’s brothers arrive at his palace, his brothers confess to his chief servant that the brothers still have the money, that the brothers are uncertain why that is, that the brothers abstain from intentionally stealing the money, that the brothers are interested in returning the previous money, and that the brothers are simply interested in honestly paying for additional food (Bereshit 43:19 – 22); the chief servant responds by reassuring the brothers that he has the previous money, attributing the brothers’ money to a gift from Adonai (Bereshit 43:23); the chief servant then reunites Simeon with his brothers and escorts the brothers into Yosef’s palace (Bereshit 43:23); the chief servant provides water for the brothers to wash the brothers’ feet and food for the donkeys (Bereshit 43:24); Yosef’s brothers then provide Yosef with the gifts from Yaakov and the land of Canaan and bow before Yosef (Bereshit 43:26 – 28); Yosef asks about Yaakov and blesses Benyamin (Bereshit 43:27 – 29); Yosef later commences the meal, with himself sitting alone, the Egyptians seated segregated from the sons of Israel, and Yosef’s brothers sitting in chronological order (Bereshit 43:31 – 33); and Yosef provides Benyamin with 5 times additional amounts of delicacies compared to his brothers (Bereshit 43:34).

12.) From the point that Yosef is sold to the Midianites to the point he is reunited with Yaakov, on how many occasions is it described that Yosef weeps: a.) 1, b.) 2, c.) 3, d.) 4, e.) 5, f.) 6?

Answer: There are: d.) 4 described occasions of Yosef weeping: although it is later described that Yosef is in anguish and pleads with his brothers when he is first abducted and sold into slavery, there is an absence of a description of Yosef actually weeping or crying at that point (Bereshit 42:21); there is also an absence of a description of Yosef weeping at any point wherein he is imprisoned within Egypt; the first described occurrence of Yosef weeping is when he overhears his brothers arguing about previously being treacherous towards him (Bereshit 42:24); Yosef weeps again, for the 2^nd occasion, when he sees Benyamin for the first time after being sold intoslavery (Bereshit 43:30); within the later Parshah, Vayigash, there is the description of the 3^rd occasion of Yosef weeping when he reveals himself to his brothers (Bereshit 45:1 – 3); and Yosef continues to weep with Benyamin and then with all his brothers weeping as well (Bereshit 45:14 – 15); Yosef then later weeps, on a 4^th occasion, when he reunites with Yaakov in Egypt (Bereshit 46:29).

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Discussion Questions:

Is it accurate that there is an absence of any specific mention of horses being maintained by Avraham, Yitzak, Yaakov, or any of the sons of Israel? If so, why do Avraham and his descendants maintain cattle such as cows, oxen, donkeys, goats, and sheep, yet abstain from maintaining horses (at least to draw the vehicles)? And whilst we are on the subject, what about chickens: why are doves and pigeons comparatively prominent?

(Spoiler Alert: the actual humour referenced within this question is actually only explicitly revealed within the specific answer to question # within this Torah Trivia; this discussion question is provided for further consideration) Amidst the humour in question # , regarding the similarity between Pharaoh’s gifts to Yosef and the standard practice of commercial hip hop artists, is there any genuine comparisons and lessons to be derived from these similarities. Does Yosef become “caught up” in his rise through society; and if so, does this have subsequent consequences for the Tribes of Israel within the proceed hundreds of orbits around the Sun (years); and what lessons can be considered amidst contemporary circumstances of efforts of assimilation throughout the Jewish Diaspora beyond Eretz Israel? If Yosef abstains from enslaving Egypts and enacts an increasingly altruistic policy for providing food during the famine, do the Egyptians better remember Yosef within the subsequent 400 orbits around the Sun (years)? And/or is all of this simply destined to occur according to the Will of Adonai?

Why does Yosef select Simeon to remain behind (Bereshit 42:24)? If he is basing his decision upon age, and presumably authority, why does he abstain from selecting Reuven? Does Reuven, by that juncture, already forfeit his “seniority” of being the eldest son because he previously sleeps with Bilhah (Bereshit 35:22)? It also seems as though Yosef may have particular spite towards Yudah because of his apparent prominence in the decisions regarding Yosef’s abduction and sale to the Midianite traders, if that is, indeed, an accurate inference (Bereshit 36:26 – 27)? Does Simeon’s stature rise because of his response after Dinah is raped (Bereshit 34:25)? And if that is the case, why is Levi excluded from the same treatment?

The implicit power dynamics amongst the sons of Israel becomes increasingly interesting with the interaction of Reuven and Yaakov (Bereshit 42:37 – 38), and Yudah and Yaakov (Bereshit 43:1 – 14). How is Yudah able to convince Yaakov to let Benyamin go to Egypt? Is there something that Yudah previously does that entrusts such influence within him, or is Yaakov simply responding to the increased desperation that his family experiences in Canaan)?

This Parshah of Miketz seems to conclude on a considerable cliffhanger, with Yosef’s brothers being summoned back to Yosef amidst the accusation of the brothers stealing Yosef’s “divining” cup. Is there a specific reason for that (Bereshit 44)?