Anash.org presents a weekly Dvar Torah for children by Rabbi Yekusiel Goldstein, author of the book Divrei Torah for Children.
For a printable PDF of the Dvar Torah for Parshas Mikeitz, click here.
Bonus: For a printable PDF of a special Dvar Torah for Shabbos Chanukah, click here.
מִקֵץ
Who is the Ruler?
The seven years of hunger began and the Egyptians came to Yosef begging for food. Yosef told them that he would only sell them food if they would get a bris mila. The Egyptians had no choice but to listen to Yosef, and they all got a bris mila.
Question – Why did Yosef force the Egyptians to get a bris mila if it isn’t one of their mitzvos?
Answer – When Hashem gave Avraham the mitzva of bris mila, He commanded him to give a bris not just to the children in his family, but also to the non-Jewish slaves that he owned.
Yosef was the ruler over Mitzrayim. His rulership became even greater during the hunger, as he was in charge of selling all the wheat. As the ruler of Mitzrayim, Yosef actually had a mitzva to give the Egyptians a bris mila, since they were considered his slaves!
Lesson – We can learn from Yosef how to relate to the world around us. Yosef was in Mitzrayim and that did not affect his connection to Hashem. Furthermore, he even had an effect on the Egyptians! So too, we should not be affected by the nations around us. Rather we should affect them in a positive way by teaching them how to be good people and keep the seven mitzvos for bnei noach.
(Based on Likutei Sichos vol. 10 p. 136)
Let’s Review…
Question #1 – Why was Yosef obligated to give the Egyptians a Bris Mila?
Question #2 – What does Yosef teach us about how to relate to the world?
Divrei Torah for ChildrenVolume 2 can be purchased online or in Crown Heights bookstores.
