Restoring Hebrew Roots To Christians
For Christians Seeking Knowledge Of Their Hebraic Roots…

In this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Miketz, we read the following, Bereshit / Genesis 42:5 So the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those who were coming, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also. 42:6 Now Joseph was the ruler over the land; he was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. 42:7 When Joseph saw his brothers he recognized them, but he disguised himself to them and spoke to them harshly. And he said to them, ‘Where have you come from?’ And they said, ‘From the land of Canaan, to buy food.’ 42:8 But Joseph had recognized his brothers, although they did not recognize him. 42:9 Joseph remembered the dreams which he had about them, and said to them, ‘You are spies; you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land.’ 42:10 Then they said to him, ‘No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. 42:11 ‘We are all sons of one man; we are honest men, your servants are not spies.’ 42:12 Yet he said to them, ‘No, but you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land!’ (NASB) A lot can be drawn out of these seven verses, we read how the Lord established Joseph above all people as a ruler. His brothers come to buy food, he recognized them, they did not recognize him. Their inability to recognize him may be spiritual in the sense how their hearts were seared with hatred for their brother, leading to murder, selling him into slavery, and then believing he was dead. Though they did not physically murder him, selling him into slavery was considered a death sentence. Joseph tests his brothers to see if they have changed or if they have continued to walk in the way of the wicked. Something to note in the story of Joseph and his brothers was his brothers were not repentant until they were confronted with some insurmountable thing where they had to trust in the Lord God of Israel and confess their sins. Looking at the rabbis, the commentaries such as Chizkuni on Bereshit / Genesis 42:12 Part 1, Rashbam on Bereshit / Genesis 42:12 Part 1, Rashi on Bereshit / Genesis 42:12 Part 1, Sforno on Bereshit / Genesis 42:12 Part 1 and 2, and Siftei Chkhamim on Bereshit / Genesis 42:12 Part 1, all these commentaries speak of Joseph’s brothers saying that they did not enter into Egypt through the same gate. They took different gates, different paths to the same location to buy food. Each commentary states that Joseph knew this which is why he questioned His brothers in the way that he did saying they are spies. Why do you think the rabbis focus upon this entering through differing gates? What are the Rabbis are trying to draw out from the text? There may be something about not traveling together, traveling separately which suggests they were not all of the same mind….