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How could the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, whom Yosef befriended and defended against their half-brothers' denigration, later join the plot against him? The drive to belong to the dominant group overpowers gratitude and self-interest. This explains why people often betray those who help them to gain acceptance from those who reject them.
This shiur provides a deep psychological and sociological analysis of the family dynamics in Parshas Vayeishev, focusing on Rashi (רש"י)'s interpretation of Yosef's relationship with his half-brothers, the children of Bilhah and Zilpah. The speaker begins by examining a difficult Rashi on Yevamos 47a regarding conversion, where a potential convert must express worthiness to join in Jewish suffering, not just avoid it. The main analysis centers on Genesis 37:2, where Rashi explains that Yosef befriended the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah because Leah's sons were denigrating them, calling them servants and treating them as second-class citizens. Yosef upgraded their status, referring to their mothers as 'wives' rather than 'maids' or 'concubines.' However, when the brothers later conspired against Yosef, even these beneficiaries joined the plot.
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Parshas Vayeishev 37:2, Yevamos 47a
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