Bilha Zilpah Project – Miketz

In Miketz, named for the end of the two years Yosef has languished in prison, Pharoah’s Cupbearer finally remembers his promise and tells of Yosef’s ability to interpret dreams. Yosef’s insight led Pharoah to organize during the years of plenty to avoid devastation during the years of famine. This is how Yosef came to be in charge of Pharoah’s court at the age of 33. Pharoah renames Yosef, Zaphnat Paneakh, and gives his daughter Poti-fera as his wife.

Yaakov learns of food rations to be had in Egypt and sends ten of Yosef’s brothers to see about getting food to survive, choosing to hold back Benyamin for his safety. Yosef recognizes his brothers, but not they he. Yosef accuses them of being spies in order to see Benyamin. Yosef returns all the brothers, except for Shimon as collateral, with bags of grain and their payment returned, until they bring Benyamin.

Yaakov doubles down on lamenting consideration of sending Benyamin, now believing to have lost two sons, Yosef and Shimon. Reuven swears to Yaakov that he will protect Benyamin at the expense of Reuven’s two sons. Yehuda also says to send Benyamin with him, referring this time to Yaakov as Yisrael, vowing to be culpable for sin against his father for all days if Benyamin doesn’t return, referencing the time that has passed since they were asked to bring Benyamin. Yaakov resigns himself to more grief and finally allows Benyamin to be taken for more rations, now acknowledging Benyamin as having brothers.

Yosef sees his brothers coming with Benyamin and orders a feast be prepared. The brothers are directed into the house of Yosef and fear that the payment returned before was an omen they are to be enslaved through an interesting line that reads:

וְלָקַ֧חַת אֹתָ֛נוּ לַעֲבָדִ֖ים וְאֶת־חֲמֹרֵֽינוּ

his sign to be seized as slaves and with our donkeys

The brother’s speak to Yosef’s house man, return the coin, and explain what happened, to which they are told not to worry. Shimon reappears. The brothers wash their feet and prepare to eat with Yosef who now sees his brother Benyamin for the first time since being sold into slavery. Yosef goes off to cry by himself and returns. The Egyptians eat separately from the Hebrews…

וְלַמִּצְרִ֞ים הָאֹכְלִ֤ים אִתּוֹ֙ לְבַדָּ֔ם כִּי֩ לֹ֨א יוּכְל֜וּן הַמִּצְרִ֗ים לֶאֱכֹ֤ל אֶת־הָֽעִבְרִים֙ לֶ֔חֶם כִּי־תוֹעֵבָ֥ה הִ֖וא לְמִצְרָֽיִם

And to the Egyptians ate together apart because they could not endure the Egyptians to eat bread with the Hebrews because it was disgusting to them the Egyptians

The brothers feast, and get drunk. Yosef’s goblet filled with silver is slipped into Benyamin’s sack at Yosef’s command when the brothers receive rations and depart to return to their father. Yosef sends men after the brothers and accuses them of stealing to which they say, hey, we returned the money we found in our packs from last time, why would we steal from you… if you find something, kills the one who has it and enslave the rest of us! Yosef changes the deal to the one with whom it is found shall become my servant but the rest of you shall be absolved. The brothers show their packs and the goblet is found with Benyamin. All the brothers return to Egypt and the house of Yosef. Yehuda prostrates himself and Yosef asks if they did not know he could divine. Yehuda begs and Yosef insists that Benyamin will stay and the brothers may return in peace to their father.

Previous Bilhah Zilpah Project emails opened with a drash on how to read the title of the parashat with them in mind. The idea of the end of imprisonment brings to mind if there is an end to enslavement for Bilhah and Zilpah. There were end periods to some enslavement under some circumstances and ways to end enslavement in other conditions. Do you have other creative drashes to bring in Bilhah and Zilpah? We’d love to read them!

Our main musing in this Bilhah Zilpah pesuk-less parasha is that the Torah says Bilha’s children were supposed to be attributed to Rachel, Yosef  and Benyamin’s mother, who herself is also deceased… and the favored wife. If Dan and Naphtali belonged to Rachel, then Yosef still had brothers. For nuances like these, in addition to the fact that the Torah always notes Bilhah and Zilpah as the mother of their children, suggests that they were not only recognized as birth-mother, but also retained their status as parent. Does this moment feel bittersweet, given their status as wives and parents, in hearing confirmation that Yaakov values his children differently? If the wife/child ordering when meeting Esav had not already confirmed their understanding of who was not counted, who was worth sacrificing.

Reflection Questions

• How does Yaakov’s lamenting sending “his son” because his brother is dead affect Bilpah?

• How can we explore the status shifting that Bilhah and Zilpah experience, their naming by others, in relationship to the renaming of Yaakov to Israel (twice) by God and the renaming of Yoseph to Zaphnat Paneakh by Pharoah?

• What do you make of the brother’s lamenting of their feared enslavement along with their donkeys?

• Why do you think Shimon was the brother held back in Egypt? Do you think this was Yosef’s choice, the brothers, or custom?

• At the end, how long were Bilhah and Zilpah enslaved? Can you create midrash that brings Bilhah and Zilpah into the title of this parasha? We’d love to read them!

Our homecoming continues with or third and final event in this series: Bilhah & Zilpah Drew Near: Listening for Torah Women’s Wisdom on Sunday December 17 at 9-11amPT / 12-2pmET / 7-9pmIT.

The last weekly email during Bilhah Zilpah season will also go out on December 17, but fear not… emails will switch to monthly for those who registered for those emails. Meanwhile, if you missed them, check out the Vayeshev, Vayishlakh, and Vayeitzei reflections…

Happy third day of Chanukah. May the light we kindle help us to see the Bilhah & Zilpah’s of today!