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Why does Rashi (רש"י) translate "brios malios" as the cows looking kindly at each other, rather than simply appearing healthy? The shiur reveals that the pasuk describes not seven years of plenty but seven years of "sova" (satisfaction). True satisfaction is measured by whether you're happy for another's success—and without this satisfaction, Yosef's plan to store grain for the famine would have been impossible.
The shiur examines a cryptic Rashi (רש"י) on Pharaoh's dream in Parshas Mikeitz. The pasuk describes "brios malios"—cows that are robust and healthy. The simple translation would indicate well-fed animals symbolizing abundant food. Yet Rashi explains that the animals "looked good at each other"—they looked kindly at one another. The question is obvious: where does Rashi derive this interpretation? It seems completely made up from the text. Rashi is teaching us that the dream is not actually about the food during the seven years of plenty; it's about the people. The people during those years looked good at each other—they viewed each other with a favorable eye. But this too requires explanation. Why would having a lot of food automatically mean people don't begrudge each other's success? History and experience show us that wealth does not eliminate jealousy. People can have tremendous abundance and still be bothered by someone else having more.
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Why does the Midrash connect Pharaoh's expulsion of the Jews to the mitzvah of shiluach hakan? The shiur develops a chiddush that Pharaoh's sin wasn't only drowning the children, but the insensitivity of expelling the parents afterward. The deeper analysis reveals that Pharaoh may have valued the Jews greatly and wanted to control them—making his expulsion an act of tremendous cruelty, not liberation.
Why does Moshe respond to the splitting of the sea with shirah rather than praise or thanksgiving? Rashi's use of "al libo" reveals that shirah is an emotional expression—a response of love to love. When Hashem shows personal care, the only adequate response is "I love You too," not mere gratitude or praise, and this principle applies to all relationships.
Bereishis 41 (Parshas Mikeitz)
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