And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph; is my father still alive? And his brothers could not answer him because they were terrified at his presence. (45:3)Instead of simply stating, “I am Joseph,” he added “Is my father still alive?” Anyone following the story knows that he had been talking to the brothers until […]

I am Joseph; is my father still alive? (Genesis 45:3)These words are the climax of one of the Torah’s most dramatic stories. Joseph, the second most powerful person in Egypt, reveals his identity to his unsuspecting brothers. Question:  Why did he wait 22 years before telling his father (Jacob) that he was safe and thriving in […]

Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: Vayigash (Genesis44:18-47:27) imagine the days before photos, fingerprints, and other ways to positively identify someone. If someone came to town claiming he was Person X, how could he prove it? Imagine a man marrying a woman and vanishing a week after the marriage and then showing up many years later. The […]

We have finally reached one of the dramatic scenes in the entire Bible. Joseph’s brothers had tossed him into a pit, then some passing merchants brought him out and sold him into slavery. When Reuven, the oldest brother retuned to the pit, it was empty. The brothers thought he (Joseph) was dead and didn’t know […]

 Imagine a trusted colleague at work with a flawless track record of decision making. If that person brought his father to work one day and ushered him into your office to meet you, what is the first question you would ask him? Put your response on hold as we delve into the most dramatic scene […]

This week’s Parsha is the climax of the drama of Joseph and his brothers. His brothers still think the man before them is the Egyptian Viceroy and Yehuda(Judah), their leader, argues that the youngest brother, Benjamin, should not be taken as a slave. And Yehuda (Yehuda) approached (Joseph) and he said, ‘Please my master, allow […]