Seforno teaches us that even when a decision is appropriate and warranted, we cannot remain apathetic to other people’s distress.

"יוֹשֵׁב בַּשָּׁמַיִם יִשְׂחָק אֲדֹנָי יִלְעַג לָמוֹ" (תהילים ב', ד)

"וַתִּצְחַק שָׂרָה בְּקִרְבָּהּ" (בראשית י"ח, יב) 

רמב"ן בראשית פרק י"ח פסוק טו 

"ותצחק... בקרבה" (בראשית י"ח, יב) - ללעג 

כמו "יושב בשמים ישחק, ה' ילעג למו" (תהילים ב', ד).

כי השחוק לשמחה הוא בפה, "אז ימלא שחוק פינו" (תהילים קכ"ו, ב),

בסרגל המוצג לפניכם מופיעות שתי רמות של חלוקה: הרמה השנייה מתייחסת, בדרך כלל, לכל פרק בנפרד, ואילו הרמה הראשונה מחלקת את ספר תהילים על פי חמשת הספרים השונים ועל פי מכנה משותף המאגד יחד כל קבוצת מזמורים.

חלוקת ספר תהילים לחמשה ספרים היא חלוקה קדומה והיא באה לידי ביטוי בגוף הספר: בכל סיום ספר מופיע נוסח דומה של ברכה ('ברוך ה'') והלל לה' (בסוף פרקים מ"א, ע"ב, פ"ט, ק"ו).

לנוכח אהבת ה' את ישראל, בולטת כפיות הטובה של ישראל המתבטאת בזלזול במקדש.

The Torah tells us that throughout Yossef's term of service in Potifar's house, "God was with him, and he was successful" (39:2). This verse is usually understood as a cause and effect: because God was with him - meaning, He helped him -, Yossef had success. The Chafetz Chayim, however, reads the verse as follows: "God was with him, despite the fact that he was successful." Although success often leads one to forget his total dependence on the Almighty, this did not happen to Yossef. God remained with him, in his mind and heart, even as he rose through the ranks in Potifar's home.

In the end of this week’s parasha, as Yoseif sits in jail in Egypt, God’s divine guidance develops an opportunity for him to attain his release. Par'oh's butler and baker and jailed together with Yoseif, and they each dream a strange dream. Yoseif interprets the dream of the butler to mean that the butler will be freed in three days’ time; this comes true, and sometime after the butler is released, he tells Par'oh of Yoseif’s skills, and Yoseif himself is released. As for the baker, his fate is not quite as positive.

Parashat Vayeshev describes Potifar's attempt to seduce Yosef and his heroic resistance to her efforts. The verse states, "He refused; he said to his master's wife... How could I do this great evil, and I will have sinned against God?'"

Why is it that Yosef, the master of self-control, suddenly loses his composure and emotional discipline?

How does the image of the menorah show Zerubavel that he will succeed "not by might, nor by power," but rather with the divine spirit?

As we discussed yesterday, Reuven, as told in Parashat Vayeshev, attempts to save the life of his brother Yosef, whom the other brothers had decided to kill. Reuven recommends to his brothers that they cast Yosef into a pit rather than kill him, with the intention that he, unbeknownst to his brothers, would later rescue Yosef. However, after Yosef is cast into the pit, Yehuda instructs his brothers to sell Yosef as a slave. When Reuven, who was apparently absent when Yehuda made his suggestion, returns to the pit to rescue Yosef, he is astonished to discover that Yosef is gone.