God-fearing people are continuously looking to grow and improve, and to that end, they are continuously thinking, analyzing and assessing their conduct. 

The brothers were all provided a full-trip’s supply of food for themselves and their animals, and yet one of them had to open his luggage to get food for his donkey.  Why?

The brothers grieved not only because of the precarious situation that had unfolded, but also because they could have so easily avoided this situation.  All it would have taken was a quick glance in their bags before leaving.  Realizing the opportunity they had squandered, the brothers trembled.

The Midrash here subtly points to the fact that Shimon and Levi could not truly claim to have been driven by fraternal loyalty if they were also capable of perpetrating a violent crime against their brother. One cannot claim to be driven by sincere, altruistic motives if he does not display the same passion and unwavering commitment to the ideal in question under all circumstances. 

הקשיים הכלכליים בתקופת שיבת ציון גרמו לכך שהעם נמנע מלהפריש מעשרות. כיצד התמודדו עם התופעה מנהיגי התקופה - עזרא ונחמיה, והנביא מלאכי? עזרא מטיל קנס; נחמיה כורת אמנה; ומלאכי מבטיח שפע ועושר.

  Often, our dreams our ambitions are being realized, but without us knowing it.  Achieving our goals is seldom easy or quick, and the process advances in small, incremental steps.    The question of why Yosef’s dreams did not materialize immediately is fundamentally mistaken – because they did materialize immediately.  The process was put into place already then, during Yosef’s youth, but building a capable, effective leader does not happen overnight.    

  Words spoken without careful thought and consideration, and without sensitivity and respect, will fall on deaf ears.

  Yaakov’s warning to his sons alerts us to the fact that overly concerning ourselves with our reputation and honor is not only vain, but also self-defeating and potentially dangerous.  

        We read in Parashat Miketz that as the drought in Canaan tightened its grip and Yaakov and his family faced the prospect of starvation, “Yaakov saw there was food in Egypt” (42:1), and thus decided to send his sons to Egypt to purchase grain.

          The Torah in Parashat Miketz tells of Yosef’s brothers’ experiences upon arriving in Egypt to purchase grain.  Yosef, who supervised the distribution of grain, accused the brothers of spying and ordered them to bring their youngest brother – Binyamin – to prove their innocence.  Before they left Egypt, Yosef had his servants fill the brothers’ bags with grain and to return the money which they had used to pay for it.  During the brothers’ trip home to Canaan, they stopped off for lodging and one brother opened his bag and saw that his money was returned.  The brothers were frighte