This week’s Torah portion, Mikeitz, opens with a description of Pharaoh’s two perplexing dreams. First he sees seven scrawny cows devouring seven fat cows and then he sees seven thin stalks of grain swallowing seven healthy stalks. His advisors are unable to interpret the dreams. The royal butler steps forward. He suggests that they call on Joseph, who had interpreted his dream correctly two years earlier. Joseph is brought from jail to the palace. He explains that Pharaoh’s dream means that Egypt will experience seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine. The famine years will be so harsh, he explains, that they will "swallow up" [the glory of] the good years. He advises Pharaoh to establish a food preservation system, and save the excess grain of the good years for the famine years. Greatly impressed, Pharaoh asks Joseph to lead that effort and appoints him to be the Viceroy of all of Egypt.

As predicted, the years of plenty come and go, and the years of famine

arrive. Back in Canaan, Joseph’s brothers are without food. They decide to go down to Egypt to purchase some. They do not recognize Joseph, but Joseph does recognize them and sets into motion a plan to determine whether or not they have repented the wrong of selling him into slavery. Joseph first accuses his brothers of being spies. He forces them to bring Benjamin, his only full brother, down to Egypt (Benjamin was not part of the original group). When Benjamin arrives, Joseph favors him excessively –recreating Jacob’s excessive love for Joseph, the same sort of favoritism that led the brothers to sell him. He then arrests Benjamin on concocted charges and rules that Benjamin will be enslaved for life. The brothers are faced with a perfect challenge: allow Benjamin to be enslaved or stand up for Benjamin and refuse to make the same mistake twice. What will they do?