Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Bais Moshe Chaim
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Who was the first Jew, and what defines Jewish identity? The shiur explains that Jewish identity follows maternal lineage based on Kiddushin 68b's derivation from Deuteronomy 7:3-4, but this principle only began at Sinai. Avrohom, Isaac, and Yaakov were righteous individuals with divine covenants, but their descendants only became 'Jews' after accepting Torah at Mount Sinai.
Why does the Torah state redundantly that 'Yosef was in Egypt' and why isn't Yosef symbolized in his own dream where his family appears as celestial bodies? Yosef represents the Shechinah in this world, serving as the visible reminder of divine providence behind Jewish success. When Jews forget this 'Yosef consciousness' and pursue achievement without acknowledging Hashem, they become perceived as threats rather than blessings to their host societies.
