Anna Brosowsky's Lekh Lekha Dvar Torah Sourcebook

Hi Anna,

I've prepared a few sources for you, though I think you may need more. Let's make sure you look through the Lekh Lekha, and at chapter 37, 39, 40, 41 in Genesis to compare between Abraham and Joseph.

What I would suggest you do is create a little chart with piece of from the story of Abraham, and pieces from to story of Joseph. Line them up side by side, and we can take a look at them.

Divrei Torah need a structure, and based on what you've told me I want to suggest one to help you get started. All of this is stuff you've suggested, with one exception. I'm just putting in order. We'll talk about it today to see if it works for you.

1. Start with the similarities in the stories of Abraham and Joseph

2. Explain who Abraham is (use commentaries and your insights)

3. Explain who Joseph is (use commentaries and your insights)

4. Teach people by comparing the two of them. Their stories seem similar, but they're very different people? Why?

5. Explain a little bit of who Anna is, in light of what you've learned about Avraham and Joseph? Are you like either, or a third way entirely?

6. Thank some people

What kind of person was Abraham?

(א) לך לך. להנאתך ולטובתך, ושם אעשך לגוי גדול, וכאן אי אתה זוכה לבנים ועוד שאודיע טבעך בעולם:

(1) "Go, yourself" - For your benefit, and for your own good, and there I will make you into a great nation. Here you will not merit children. And what's more, I will let the world know all about you.

(א) אשר עשו בחרן. שהכניסן תחת כנפי השכינה, אברהם מגיר את האנשים, ושרה מגירת הנשים, ומעלה עליהם הכתוב כאלו עשאום ופשוטו של מקרא עבדים ושפחות שקנו להם, כמו (שם לא א) עשה את כל הכבוד הזה, (במד' כד יח) וישראל עשה חיל, לשון קונה וכונס:

(1) "that they 'made' in Haran"-they brought them under the wings of the Shechina (God's presence); Abraham would convert the men and Sarah would convert the women, the Torah writes it as if they 'created' them (that's why it says 'made')...

What kind of person was Joseph?

(ד) וַיִּרְא֣וּ אֶחָ֗יו כִּֽי־אֹת֞וֹ אָהַ֤ב אֲבִיהֶם֙ מִכָּל־אֶחָ֔יו וַֽיִּשְׂנְא֖וּ אֹת֑וֹ וְלֹ֥א יָכְל֖וּ דַּבְּר֥וֹ לְשָׁלֹֽם׃
(4) And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

(א) ולא יכלו דברו לשלום, לדבר עמו בדברי שלום אלא בדברי מריבה:

(1) ולא יכלו דברו לשלום, any conversation with Joseph did not revolve around peacefully discussed matters of common interest, but concerned only matters of dispute between them.

(א) ויגד לאחיו גם זה עשה מחסרון העצה כנער:

(1) ויגד לאחיו, this too was an ill advised move. Had he been more mature he would have kept the contents of such a dream to himself.

(ב) אֵ֣לֶּה ׀ תֹּלְד֣וֹת יַעֲקֹ֗ב יוֹסֵ֞ף בֶּן־שְׁבַֽע־עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה שָׁנָה֙ הָיָ֨ה רֹעֶ֤ה אֶת־אֶחָיו֙ בַּצֹּ֔אן וְה֣וּא נַ֗עַר אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י בִלְהָ֛ה וְאֶת־בְּנֵ֥י זִלְפָּ֖ה נְשֵׁ֣י אָבִ֑יו וַיָּבֵ֥א יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־דִּבָּתָ֥ם רָעָ֖ה אֶל־אֲבִיהֶֽם׃
(2) These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren, being still a lad even with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought evil report of them unto their father.

(ב) והוא נער. שהיה עושה מעשה נערות, מתקן בשערו ממשמש בעיניו, כדי שיהיה נראה יפה:

היה נער - That Joseph would do adolescent things: he would style his hair, and make up his eyes, so that he would look cute.