Torah
Study Questions
Mark R. Ensign, Adot
Adonai, Amarillo, Texas
Introductory questions -- Brief answers, not for extended discussion:
1. At what point in history does this parsha unfold?
2. Where does this parsha take place geographically?
What are the setting and environment?
3. Who are the primary actors in the parsha and what
role or roles does each play? What is the
significance of each role? Who are the secondary
actors and what roles do they play? What is the
significance of their roles?
4. What is the overall theme of this parsha? What are
the subdivisions, if any?
Parsha Specific Questions -- for extended discussion:
Chapter 37
What is the purpose of verse 1 and the first phrase
of verse 2? What was the conflict between Yosef and
his brothers? What was its source and cause? How did
Ya’akov exacerbate the situation? What
symbolism did this item have and how did it affect
Yosef's brothers' feelings toward him? What lesson did
Ya’akov not learn from the actions of his father and
mother in their treatment of he and his brother? What
two events fueled the conflict between Yosef and his
brothers; how and why? What was the response of
his father?
Where did Ya’akov send Yosef and why? What did his
brothers do when they saw him? What was their
initial plan? What role did Reuven play and why? What
role did Y’hudah play? To whom was Yosef sold
and for what price? What did the brothers do to
explain Yosef's disappearance to their father? What did
they say to him? What was his response? To whom was
Yosef finally sold?
List the parallels between the life of Yosef and the
life of Y'shua HaMashiach, including the people and
events that influenced their lives. What big mistakes
did Yosef make that Y'shua did not?
Chapter 38
What happened to Y’hudah as a result of his role in
the sale of Yosef? What did he do that his father and
grandfather had been instructed not to do? What was
the result of this error? What did YHVH do to the
offspring of this union and why? What did the second
son fail to do in the place of his brother? What was
the result? What promise did Y’hudah make that he
failed to complete and to whom was it made? What
did she do to fulfill the promise? How did she
document Y’hudah's identity? What was Y’hudah's
response to the news of her pregnancy? What did she
do to identify the father of the child? Who was it
and what was his response? What is the Messianic
significance of this story?
Chapter 39
What did YHVH do for Yosef in his initial days in
Egypt? How did his master recognize this and what
were the results for the master and for Yosef? What
lessons can we learn from this and how can we apply
them in our lives?
What was the response of the master's wife and how
did she act towards Yosef? What was his response?
How did she finally attempt to have her away with
him? When he refused, what did he do? How did she
react? What story did she tell? What did her husband,
Yosef's master, do to him? What did YHVH do
for Yosef and with what result?
Chapter 40
Who ended up in Yosef's custody and care and why?
What happened to each of them on the same night
and how did it affect them? What did Yosef say to
them and offer to do? To whom did he attribute this
ability? Describe the first dream and its
interpretation relating its symbolism to the results. What favor did
Yosef request of the first dreamer with what
expectation? Describe the second dream and its interpretation
relating its symbolism to the results? What did
Pharaoh do on his birthday? What did the first dreamer not
do?
Closing Questions: For Personal Introspection
Why do you believe our loving Father provided us with
this particular portion of his words? What was his
purpose and objective in preserving this portion of
the Scriptures to this day? What benefit do they have
for Torah observant believers today?
What other insights has the Ruach HaKodesh given you
in your study of this portion that you would like
to share with the group?
What questions from this portion have you had that
have not been answered by the study?
What impact do you think the study of the words from
your Father in this portion will have on your life?
How do you plan to implement his instructions in this
parsha in your life?
Silently pray for the Ruach HaKodesh to implant his
words like seeds, to nurture their growth in your heart,
and to enable you to respond fully as they do.