GEN1567 R. Shimon said: “Such is the punishment of the liar: even when he tells the truth, he is not believed.   For so we find with respect to Jacob’s sons. It is written Genesis 37:33: ‘And he recognized it and said: “it is the coat of my son.’” Therefore, in the end, even though they spoke the truth, he did not believe them, as it is written: ‘And his heart fainted, for he did not believe them’” Avoth d’R. Nathan TEMIMAH-GEN 178

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GEN1566 [Talmud tractate] Derech Eretz advises: “Love [the word] ‘perhaps’ and hate [the phrase] ‘why not’? [implying throwing caution to the wind].” That is, avoid speaking with certitude unless you are absolutely positive that your statement is accurate.  The Sages say, “The punishment of a liar is that no one believes him even when he speaks the truth” Sanhedrin 99b, Avos deRabbi Natan 34.   The Talmud brings a proof for this statement from the sons of Yaakov – because they did not speak the truth to him about Yosef’s supposed death, Yaakov refused to believe their claim that Yosef was alive.   WAGS 199

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GEN1569 [S]ome  moral virtues, such as [irascibility], [laziness], [sadness], [anxiety and grief] prevent prophecy entirely.  …   for the holy spirit was removed from our father Jacob during all the days of his sadness over Joseph until the news came that he was alive. It [Scripture] said: [this verse.]   EWM 82

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GEN1570 [Why not of his grandfather, Abraham?]   Regarding the question of who is covered by the commandment to honor parents, there may be some surprises.   In-laws are covered … Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, “Yitro”, ch. 1, p. 190; Yalkut Shimoni, “1 Samuel,” no. 133; Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah, 240:24.   In the case of a divorce, a step-parent is covered, as long as honoring the step-parent does not detract from honoring the natural parent. Because the main activity of Jewish parenting is pedagogic, the obligation to honor parents is extended to teachers.   According to the Talmud Ketubot 103a, older siblings are covered as well. Surprisingly, on the question of whether grandparents are covered, there is a difference of opinion.   Despite the Talmudic saying that “one’s grandchildren are like one’s children,” Yevamot 62b; Kiddushin 4a, this view was not universally held. E.g., Sotah 49a  The reason is psychologically interesting. The major work of the Jewish mystics, the Zohar 2:233a , states, “a man loves his grandchildren more than his children.” In other words, because grandparents tend to dote on their grandchildren more than on their own children, there was an apprehension that the bond between grandparents and grandchildren might threaten the relationship between children and their parents Genesis Rabbah 94:5; Rashi and Nachmanides’ commentaries this verse. Hence, the grandparent-grandchild relationship was deflated by some of the sources in order to try to defuse this possibility.  HTBAJ 166

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GEN1571 It is not written: “to the God of his father, Abraham.” R. Yochanan said: “This teaches us that one must give more honor to his father than to his father’s father.” [Midrash Rabbah]. We may derive from this that one is, indeed, duty-bound to honor his father’s father, but that his father’s honor takes precedence.  Rama to Yoreh Deah 240:24  TEMIMAH-GEN 178

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GEN1572 A child should strive to give his parents pleasure.   Imagine how anxious Yosef was to see his father after an absence of twenty-two years.  And yet on the momentous occasion of being reunited with his father “Yosef appeared to his father,” that is, his only thought was to give his father the pleasure of seeing him.  Yosef’s own pleasure in seeing his father was secondary to his main concern, that his father should derive pleasure from seeing him. (Rabbi Naftoli Trop, Rosh Hayeshiva of the Chofetz Chayim’s yeshiva in Radin, cited in Chayai Hamussar, vol. 2, p. 189)  How important this lesson is for our generation, in which many children act as if their parents are obligated to give them pleasure.   PLYN 123

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GEN1573 See [[GEN1316]] Genesis 30:14 brought BLIDSTEIN 51-53

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GEN1574 Try to curb your animosity even when you believe you can find a justification for hating another group or nation.   Thus, the Israelites leaving Egypt—after having endured hundreds of years of slavery and, at one point, the drowning of their newborn male infants – could easily have justified hating Egyptians.   And yet the Bible legislates, “You shall not abhor an Egyptian, for you were a stranger in his land” Deuteronomy 23:8.   In other words, even in an instance as extreme as that of Egypt, the Jews must still remember that they had entered Egypt by invitation at a time of famine and desperation, had been provided with food, and given land on which to live. … The same verse that prohibits hating Egyptians, continues “You shall not abhor an Edomite [a historic enemy of Israel], for he is your brother” [The Edomites were descended from Esau, Jacob’s brother; hence, they were in a sense, the Jews’ cousins].  In this prohibition of hatred, we are reminded that many of those whom we regard as our enemies are also our brothers, fellow creates who, like us, are created in God’s image. TELVOL1:317

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GEN1575 R. Yossi opened with remarks in honor of the host, expounding: “now if Egypt drew Israel close only for its own benefit, as it is written: ‘Now if you know that there are among them any able men, then make them rules over my cattle’ – the Torah still commanded Deuteronomy 23:8: ‘Do not hate an Egyptian, because you were a stranger in his land’ – then one who hosts a Torah scholar, and feeds him, and gives him to drink, and benefits him with his possessions – how much more so is he to be commended!” Berachot 63b TEMIMAH-GEN 181

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GEN1576 See [[GEN1253]] Genesis 27:34 sobbing SACKS 35-7

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