Commentary on Parashat Miketz, Genesis 41:1 - 44:17
Questions
1. What were Pharaoh’s two dreams about? How did Joseph interpret them?
2. When Pharaoh said to Joseph that he heard he could interpret dreams, what did Joseph reply?
3. In what chariot did Joseph ride when he went out with Pharaoh?
Help us keep Jewish knowledge accessible to millions of people around the world.
Your donation to My Jewish Learning fuels endless journeys of Jewish discovery. With your help, My Jewish Learning can continue to provide nonstop opportunities for learning, connection and growth.
4. What was Joseph’s wife’s name? Was there any connection between her father and Joseph’s first master in Egypt?
5. How do you spell Pharaoh in English?
6. How much time elapsed between Joseph’s going to meet his brothers in Dothan and his becoming second to Pharaoh?
7. When Joseph’s brothers left him after their first trip to Egypt, who was left behind as a hostage?
8. When they were to return to Egypt, what did Jacob give them to take as gifts?
9. What did Reuben tell his father would happen if he failed to bring Benjamin back from Egypt?
10. Why didn’t Joseph eat with his brothers?
11. What did Joseph instruct his servants to do with his brothers’ sacks?
Answers
1. In the first dream, seven fat cows and seven scrawny cows came out of the river. The scrawny cows ate the fat cows, but remained just as thin. In the second dream, seven ears of corn came up healthy and good. Then seven thin, scorched ears came up and ate the healthy corn. Joseph’s interpretation was that there would be seven bountiful years followed by seven years of famine and that the people would not remember the years of plenty (41:1-7).
2. Joseph replied “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace” (41:16).
3. Joseph rode in the second chariot (41:43).
4. Joseph’s wife’s name was Asenath bat Potiphera (41:45). We do not know if there was any connection between Joseph’s first master and his wife.
5. It is spelled p-h-a-r-a-o-h.
6. Thirteen years had passed.
7. Simeon was left behind as a hostage (42:24).
8. Jacob told them to bring choice foods from the land, plus some balm, spices, nuts, and ladanum (43:11).
9. Reuben said to his father “You may slay my two sons if I fail to bring him back to you” (42:37).
10. Joseph didn’t eat with his brothers because Egyptians considered Hebrews loathsome and would not eat with them (43:32).
11. Joseph instructed his servants to put as much food in them as they could carry, as well as each man’s money. He also told them to put his silver goblet in Benjamin’s sack (44:1-2).
Provided by the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies.
Torah
Pronunced: TORE-uh, Origin: Hebrew, the Five Books of Moses.
Help us keep Jewish knowledge accessible to millions of people around the world.
Your donation to My Jewish Learning fuels endless journeys of Jewish discovery. With your help, My Jewish Learning can continue to provide nonstop opportunities for learning, connection and growth.
