GEN1499 Although not expressed explicitly in the Torah, the Rabbis understood that, according to [this verse], Potiphar bought the Hebrew, Joseph, specifically for homosexual purposes.  Sotah 13b.  This is significant, as it clearly implies that homosexuality was prevalent in Egypt at that time.  Thus, when the Torah (later on) commands Jews not to imitate the ways of the Egyptians (and Canaanites), this prohibition could also include the practice of homosexuality that was commonly found in these societies.   This in fact is the Rabbinical source prohibiting lesbianism.   [See also 6:12 AMJV 140] AMJV 140

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GEN1526 When the Jews were slaves in Egypt, they had no Mitzvot-commandments, to perform. (The one commandment previously given, circumcision, was no longer observed at that time).  Without commandments, how did the Jewish people remain Jewish?   What did they do in Egypt to show that they were worth to be redeemed and become the Jewish people, the nation of God? The Midrash Leviticus Rabbah 32:5 says that they kept using their distinctive Jewish names (as well as their distinctive Jewish language and clothing). … Another Midrash describes this act of using Jewish (and not Egyptian) names as an ethical characteristic of the Jewish people.   A parallel to today can easily be drawn: Even those Jews who do not keep a Jewish lifestyle can remain distinctively “Jewish” by using their Jewish names.  The Maharal Gevurot Hashem 43 explains that their uniquely Jewish names kept the Jews from assimilating into Egyptian society and losing their Jewishness.   Another commentary Tur on Exodus 1:1 points out that the Hebrew name for the book of Exodus in the Torah is actually “Shemot,” “Names,” because it was their names that made the Jewish people deserving of the Exodus.  Early on in Egypt, Joseph understood this principle and put it into action.   Pharaoh had given Joseph a special Egyptian name demonstrating his rank as royalty of Egypt [this verse].   Yet nowhere in the Torah do we see that Joseph ever used this non-Jewish name, and once he revealed to all that he was a Hebrew, he was called in the Torah (and apparently called himself) only Joseph, the Jewish name given to him by his mother and later taken on by so many Jewish “Josephs” through the millennia.   AMJV 187

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GEN1529 Part of the insidious nature of greed is the need not only to have it, but also to show off one’s wealth and accomplishments to others.   Jacob was well aware of this and that how appearances matter.  Therefore, even though he and his family were not particularly in need of food, when there was a famine in the land of Israel and almost all of the surrounding families required food from Egypt, Jacob nevertheless instructed his sons to go to Egypt to obtain food.  Why? The Talmud Taanit 10b explains that Jacob was careful that his family should not appear to be showing off its wealth by not requiring Egyptian food to survive.  AMJV 338

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GEN1530 Except for one technical reference, the very first time that the sons of Jacob were called “the children of Israel” was right after the Torah referred to them for the first time as “the brothers of Joseph.” [this verse].   Why, asks Rashi, did the Torah depict these men as Joseph’s brothers now, when they had been his brothers for thirty-nine years and they had not seen Joseph for twenty-two years? He answers that this is the first time that they had ever felt like true brothers to Joseph, as they were now remorseful when they recalled their sin of hating him and selling him to Egypt, and they wanted to find him and free him in Egypt.   Thus, this the first moment in Jewish history when this family, the Jewish family, was truly united.  It was only then that they were called by the Torah “the children of Israel,” indicating that the essence of the Jewish people is the feeling of harmony that a truly united family feels.  AMJV 193

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GEN1596 See [[GEN1420]] Genesis 34:25 slew AMJV 275-6

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EXOD3 …the essence of the Jewish people is the feeling of harmony that a truly united family feels. This concept of unity continued as the Jews came down to Egypt. The very first verse of the book of Exodus describes that Bnai Yisrael came to Egypt, each person with his family, totally united. But then something catastrophic happened to break apart the Jewish family. When Pharaoh forced the Jews into slavery and then threatened to kill every Jewish baby boy, the unity of the Jewish family in Egypt disintegrated. This phenomenon is exemplified by Amram, who married Yocheved, daughter of Levi, one of the leading families of the Jews. After Pharaoh’s edict, he separated from her, afraid to have any more children who would then be killed. Undoubtedly many other families did the same, which broke apart the family structure of the Jewish people. [Continued at [[EXOD28]] (Exodus 2:1 with Rashi commentary) married AMJV 194)].

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EXOD5 Part of the insidious nature of greed is the need not only to have it, but also to show off one's wealth and accomplishments to others. Jacob was well aware of this and that how appearances matter. Therefore, even though he and his family were not particularly in need of food, when there was a famine in the land of Israel and almost all of the surrounding families required food from Egypt, Jacob nevertheless instructed his sons to go to Egypt to obtain food. Why? The Talmud explains that Jacob was careful that his family should not appear to be showing off its wealth by not requiring Egyptian food to survive. Genesis 41:57-58, 42:1-2, Ta'anit 10b Unfortunately, it appears that this message did not carry over to the next few generations. Two generations later, it says that the new Egyptian King did not know Joseph, i.e., he ignored all the Joseph had done to save Egyptian society, and he began to enslave the Jews. What caused this sudden change of attitude toward Joseph and the Jewish people? The verse immediately prior to this one about the new king says that as the Jewish people multiplied greatly, they became exceedingly eminent "Bime'od, Meo'd," which is usually translated as "mighty." But we know from the Talmud and the explanation of the Shema cited above that this word also signifies "wealth." Thus, some interpret this verse to signify that the Jewish people showed off their wealth to the Egyptians (rather than keep it private), which is one of the symptoms of greed. It was for this reason that the Egyptian king and the Egyptian people turned against the Jews, despite everything that Joseph had done to save and lead the country. Berachot 54a

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EXOD21 Long before Jewish law was even formally established, we can see many examples in the Jewish Bible that emphasize that lying is permitted in order to save one’s life. … Two of the Bible’s heroines, Shifra and Puah, risked their lives by defying Pharaoh after he told them to kill all the male Jewish babies, which they refused to do. When Pharaoh questioned them, they could not possibly tell him the truth about having saved the babies (and continue to live), so they lied to him saying that the Jewish others gave birth to their babies before they arrived at the scene.

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EXOD28 [continued from [[EXOD3]] Exodus 1:1 AMJV 193-4] But unlike those other families, now divided, their young daughter Miriam convinced her parents Amram and Yocheved to reunite. It was this reunification of the family which resulted in the subsequent birth of Moses, which in turn symbolized and began the redemption of the Jewish people from Egypt. [Continued at [[EXOD132]] Exodus 10:10 no AMJV 194].

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EXOD72 When God wanted to explain the essence of God and His message to the Jewish people in freeing them from Egyptian bondage, Moses asked God, “What is Your name?” Not only man’s essence, but even God’s essence is revealed through a name. Judaism believes that the name of a person is so crucial that it can change and sometimes help determine a person’s personality and future. In fact, the Talmud states that a person’s name impacts upon his future life. Berachot 7b. There is a Talmudic story describing Rabbi Meir as “one who understood the meaning of names.” Yoma 83a When he and other Rabbis went to an inn, Rabbi Meir realized that the innkeeper’s name revealed that he was an immoral person. When everyone else put money in the safe at the inn, Rabbi Meir did not. The next day, the innkeeper denied having received any of the money. Since the name often defines a person, the Midrash states that parents should be very careful in choosing a specific name to match the essence of the baby because the name could determine if the child will grow up to be moral or immoral. Midrash Tanchuma, Ha’azinu 7.

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