In Parshat Miketz, Yosef rises to royalty in Egypt. Yet, despite his high position, not once does he attempt to contact his father. Does Yosef no longer care for his father who loved him so dearly and now grieves for his lost son?

Last week, in Parshat Vayeshev, Yaakov Avinu's ten sons conspired to kill their own brother for what appears to be petty jealousy! Can there be any excuse for this cruel behavior?

How are we to understand the behavior of our ancestors in these two Parshiyot? Do these turbulent events of Sefer Breishit simply teach us of our 'shameful' heritage, or do they carry a message for future generations?

This week's shiur attempts to tackle these difficult questions by projecting the "bechira process" - the theme of Sefer Breishit - onto the story of Yosef and his brothers. Part One uses this theme to explain the brothers' hatred of Yosef, while Part Two applies this concept to explain Yosef's master plan.