Optional parental preparation:

1.  The eponym of Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ, a Patriarch developer of the core proto-Tor•âhꞋ, blesses the chief proponent of Egyptian idolatry! This conundrum merits thought.

   In ancient times, the bᵊrâkh•âhꞋ via an esteemed man was enormously valued (e.g., bᵊ-Reish•itꞋ 32.26-27).

   Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ's bᵊrâkh•âhꞋ was a unilateral and voluntary act of gratitude for respectful and generous treatment. But the Tor•âhꞋ precept of Ha•vᵊdâl•âhꞋ prohibits any mingling of Tor•âhꞋ with – lᵊ‑ha•vᵊdilꞋ – a•vod•âhꞋ zâr•âhꞋ! Tor•âhꞋ goes even further, declaring that even the prayers of those who don't do their utmost to keep Tor•âhꞋ are a to•eiv•âhꞋ!! How much more so the prayers of those who practice a•vod•âhꞋ zâr•âhꞋ, praying to their idols (including Jesus )!!! To give one's imprimatur to a to•eiv•âhꞋ (e.g., saying "â•meinꞋ" concluding a prayer to Jesus ) makes one an accomplice in the a•vod•âhꞋ zâr•âhꞋ and to•eiv•âhꞋ, profaning י‑‑ה.

   So how did Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ avoid all of these potholes to bless the idolatrous Par•ohꞋ? Scripture doesn't reveal how, nor even the text of the bᵊrâkh•âhꞋ.

   Some Medieval European commentators had become so assimilated into the European culture that their own usage so profaned the verb (בַּרֵךְ)—and Scripture—that they inanely attempted to explain this passage by arguing that this Hebrew verb often means no more than "Hi." In contrast to Medieval Europe and the western world, however, such was not the case in ancient Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ and the Middle East at the time of this event in Egypt.

   The solution likely is found in the Israeli tradition that developed a plethora of bᵊrâkh•ōtꞋ appropriate for every situation imaginable (see the glossary entry for bᵊrâkh•âhꞋ). Extrapolating from this tradition, a scene from the popular "Jewish" play, Fiddler on the Roof, comes to mind. The rabbi's son asks, "Is there a proper blessing for the czar?" To which the rabbi replied, "A blessing for the czar? Of course. May [ha-SheimꞋ] bless and keep the czar… far away from us!"

   Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ knew, before he even left Kᵊna•anꞋ, that he would meet Par•ohꞋ, the head of the world's superpower for a millennium. He would most certainly have considered what he would say upon meeting, and taking his leave of, Par•ohꞋ. A bᵊrâkh•âhꞋ for the next event or meeting is something we should all be preparing for, at all times. The very name, YᵊhudꞋâh, means "he shall confess-thanks"—which is expressed by reciting a bᵊrâkh•âhꞋ!

   In the case of Par•ohꞋ, of course, neither jest nor insult would have been tolerated, much less courteous diplomatic protocol. Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ's grandfather, Avᵊrâ•hâmꞋ, had already established the precedent that י‑‑ה would bless those who bless the family of Avᵊrâ•hâmꞋ (bᵊ-Reish•itꞋ 12.3). Accordingly, his bᵊrâkh•âhꞋ, upon his introduction to, and taking his leave of, Par•ohꞋ likely began with the standard preface ("Bâ•rukhꞋ at•âhꞋ…") and concluded something like …"Who blesses Par•ohꞋ as he (Par•ohꞋ) is blessing Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ." This is the pattern to bless anyone who blesses Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ. This Scripture-based principle also implies that one's actions (in the paradigm, showing kindness to Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ) outweigh their beliefs (in the paradigm, Egyptian idolatry). Logically, the converse also holds true: belief in Judaic ritual is, likewise, eclipsed and outweighed by one's actions. Practicing Tor•âhꞋ pleases the Creator and makes the Jew, not race! 

2. What is involved in speaking diplomatically? PC? Spin? What's the difference, if anything, between each of these and lying?

3. What language(s) did Par•ohꞋ and Yo•seiphꞋ speak? Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ and the rest of his family? (While Par•ohꞋ may have been only fluent in Egyptian, Yo•seiphꞋ was fluent in both Egyptian, Hebrew and almost certainly some Aramaean. The rest of his family were fluent in Hebrew and, because they did business with caravan traders, they probably spoke some Aramaean and Egyptian. Egyptian was probably the lingua Egypta (international language of the day).

4. Goshen was in the Delta. The Egyptian Delta was regarded, throughout the ancient Middle East, as their world's breadbasket. Why is a river delta so productive and relatively unaffected by drought?

Questions you might anticipate that your child might raise and be prepared to discuss:

1. What are natural resources?

2. What is infrastructure?

3. What is one's occupation? (mᵊlâkh•âhꞋ)

4. What is a palace? A royal court?

5. What does it mean to roll one's eyes?

6. What is chattel?

7. What is an executive summary?

8. What is a résumé?

9. What do "dark days" mean?