Chapter 43

אכאשר כלו לאכל. יְהוּדָה אָמַר לָהֶם הַמְתִּינוּ לַזָּקֵן עַד שֶׁתִּכְלֶה פַת מִן הַבַּיִת (בראשית רבה):

1כאשר כלו לאכל WHEN THEY HAD EATEN UP — Judah said to them: Leave the old man alone until the house will run short of bread (Midrash Tanchuma, Miketz 8).

בכאשר כלו. כַּד שֵׁצִיאוּ, וְהַמְתַרְגֵּם כַּד סַפִּיקוּ טוֹעֶה; כַּאֲשֶׁר כִּלּוּ הַגְּמַלִּים לִשְׁתּוֹת מְתֻרְגָּם כַּד סַפִּיקוּ – כְּשֶׁשָּׁתוּ דֵי סִפּוּקָם הוּא גְמַר שְׁתִיָּתָם; אֲבָל זֶה כַּאֲשֶׁר כִּלּוּ לֶאֱכֹל, כַּאֲשֶׁר תַּם הָאֹכֶל הוּא, וּמְתַרְגְּמִינָן כַּד שֵׁצִיאוּ:

2כאשר כלו WHEN THEY HAD FINISHED [EATING THE GRAIN] — The Targum renders it by כד שציאו which means “when they finished” in the sense of making an end of doing an action. He who has the reading in the Targum כד ספיקו “when they had enough” is in error. The words (24:22) כאשר כלו הגמלים לשתות “when the camels had finished drinking” are rightly rendered in the Targum כד ספיקו which means “when they had drunk sufficient for their needs”, for that was the end of their drinking. Here, however, this phrase “when they had finished eating” refers to the time when the food came to an end, and we should render it in the Targum by כד שציאו when they had finished (which means finishing in the sense of nothing being left over).

אהעד העד. לְשׁוֹן הַתְרָאָה שֶׁסְּתָם הַתְרָאָה מַתְרֶה בוֹ בִּפְנֵי עֵדִים, וְכֵן הַעִדֹתִי בַּאֲבוֹתֵיכֶם (ירמיהו י"א); רֵד הָעֵד בָּעָם (שמות י"ט):

1העד העד [THE MAN] DID SOLEMNLY PROTEST UNTO US — The Hebrew is an expression signifying warning and it is derived from the root עוד to bear witness, because a warning is, as a rule, given in the presence of witnesses. Other examples are (Jeremiah 11:7) “I earnestly forewarned (העדותי) your fathers”, and (Exodus 19:21) “Go, warn (העד) the people.

בלא תראו פני בלתי אחיכם אתכם. לֹא תִרְאוּנִי בְלֹא אֲחִיכֶם אִתְּכֶם; וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם אֶלָּהֵן כַּד אֲחוּכוֹן עִמְּכוֹן, יִשֵּׁב הַדָּבָר עַל אָפְנוֹ וְלֹא דִּקְדֵּק לְתַרְגֵּם אַחַר לְשׁוֹן הַמִּקְרָא:

2“לא תראו מני בלתי אחיכם אתכם means YE SHALL NOT SEE ME IF YOUR BROTHER BE NOT WITH YOU — Onkelos renders it by אלהין כד אחוכון עמכון ,“except when your brother is with you” adding the word כד when, to which there is no corresponding word in the Hebrew text. He gave the explanation of the word (בלתי) correctly, but he was not particular to translate according to the exact expression used in the text.

אלנו ולמולדתנו. לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתֵנוּ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ אֲפִלּוּ עֲצֵי עֲרִיסוֹתֵנוּ גִּלָּה לָנוּ:

1לנו ולמולדתנו CONCERNING OURSELVES AND CONCERNING OUR KINDRED — concerning our families. A Midrashic comment based upon the meaning of מולדת, “birth” — He asked of us concerning the circumstances of our birth — is: he could even tell us of what kind of wood our cradles were made (Genesis Rabbah 91:10).

בונגד לו. שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָנוּ אָב וְאָח:

2ונגד לו AND WE TOLD HIM that we had a father and a brother.

געל פי הדברים האלה. עַל פִּי שְׁאֵלוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר שָׁאַל, הֻזְקַקְנוּ לְהַגִּיד:

3על פי הדברים האלה ACCORDING TO THE TENOR OF THESE WORDS — we were forced to tell him according to the tenor of the questions he put to us.

דכי יאמר. אֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר, כִּי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן אִם וְאִם מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר; הֲרֵי זֶה שִׁמּוּשׁ אֶחָד מֵאַרְבַּע לְשׁוֹנוֹתָיו שֶׁמְּשַׁמֵּשׁ כִּי, וְהוּא אִם, שֶׁהֲרֵי כִּי זֶה כְמוֹ אִם, כְּמוֹ עַד אִם דִּבַּרְתִּי דְּבָרָי (בראשית כ״ד:ל״ג):

4כי יאמר THAT HE WOULD SAY — The word כי is used here in the sense of אשר “that”. The word כי may be used in the sense of אם and אם may be used in the sense of אשר; therefore this (i.e. אשר) is one of the four meanings in which כי, according to the Rabbis, is used, viz., אם (Rosh Hashanah 3a), for the word כי here has the same meaning as אם, as in (24:33) עד אם דברתי דברי “until that I have spoken my words” (where אם is the same as כי or אשר).

אונחיה. נִצְנְצָה בוֹ רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, עַל יְדֵי הֲלִיכָה זוֹ תְחִי רוּחֲךָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַתְּחִי רוּחַ יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם (בראשית מ"ה):

1ונחיה THAT WE MAY LIVE — (literally, and we shall live). The spirit of prophecy was enkindled within him. He said: owing to this journey your spirit will live again, which indeed happened, as it is said, (Genesis 45:27) “And the spirit of Jacob, their father, revived”.

בולא נמות. בָּרָעָב; בִּנְיָמִין סָפֵק יִתָּפֵשׂ סָפֵק לֹא יִתָּפֵשׂ, וְאָנוּ כֻּלָּנוּ מֵתִים בָּרָעָב אִם לֹא נֵלֵךְ, מוּטָב שֶׁתַּנִּיחַ אֶת הַסָּפֵק וְתִתְפֹּשׂ אֶת הַוַּדַּאי:

2ולא נמות AND THAT WE MAY NOT DIE of hunger. As for Benjamin it is doubtful whether he will be seized or whether he will not be seized, but as for us, we shall certainly all die of hunger if we do not go. It is better that you should let go what is doubtful and snatch at what is certain (Genesis Rabbah 91:6).

אוהצגתיו לפניך. שֶׁלֹּא אֲבִיאֶנּוּ אֵלֶיךָ מֵת, כִּי אִם חַי:

1והצגתיו לפניך AND SET HIM BEFORE THEE — for I will not bring him back to you dead but alive.

בוחטאתי לך כל הימים. לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא:

2וחטאתי לך כל הימים THEN SHALL I HAVE SINNED AGAINST THEE ALL THE DAYS — also in the world to come (Genesis Rabbah 91:10).

אלולא התמהמנו עַל יָדְךָ, כְּבָר הָיִינוּ שָׁבִים עִם שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֹא נִצְטַעַרְתָּ כָּל הַיָּמִים הַלָּלוּ:

1לולא התמהמהנו EXCEPT WE HAD LINGERED — through you, we would have already come back with Simeon and you would not have had this anxiety all these days.

אאפוא. לְשׁוֹן יֶתֶר הוּא, לְתַקֵּן מִלָּה בְלָשׁוֹן עִבְרִי, אִם כֵּן אֶזְדַּקֵּק לַעֲשׂוֹת, שֶׁאֶשְׁלָחֶנּוּ עִמָּכֶם, צָרִיךְ אֲנִי לַחֲזֹר וּלְבַקֵּשׁ אַיֵּה פֹה תַקָּנָה וְעֵצָה לְהַשִּׂיאֲכֶם, וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי זאת עשו:

1אפוא NOW — This is really a redundant word used in Hebrew for stylistic purposes. If it be so that I am compelled to do this — that I must send him with you — I must endeavour to seek where (אי) there is here (פה) some measure and plan to propose to you and therefore, I say: “Do this”.

במזמרת הארץ. מִדִּמְשַׁבַּח בְּאַרְעָא – שֶׁהַכֹּל מְזַמְּרִים עָלָיו כְּשֶׁהוּא בָא לָעוֹלָם:

2מזמרת הארץ OF THE CHOICE PRODUCTS OF THE LAND — This is rendered in the Targum by “Take of that which is praised in the land” — that about which people sing its praise (מזמרים) when it comes into existence (Genesis Rabbah 91:11).

גנכאת. שַׁעֲוָה:

3נכאת is WAX (Genesis Rabbah 91:11; cf. 37:25).

דבטנים. לֹא יָדַעְתִּי מַה הֵם, וּבְפֵרוּשֵׁי א"ב שֶׁל רַבִּי מָכִיר רָאִיתִי פשט"ציאס וְדוֹמֶה לִי שֶׁהֵם אֲפַרְסְקִין:

4בטנים PISTACHIO-NUTS — I do not know what these are. but in the definitions given in the Dictionary of R. Machir I have read that they are Pistachios; I think that they are peaches.

אוכסף משנה. פִּי שְׁנַיִם כָּרִאשׁוֹן:

1וכסף משנה AND DOUBLE MONEY — twice as much as at first.

בקחו בידכם. לִשְׁבֹּר אֹכֶל, שֶׁמָּא הוּקַר הַשַּׁעַר:

2קחו בידכם TAKE IN YOUR HAND to buy food: perhaps the market-price has risen (Genesis Rabbah 91:11).

גאולי משגה הוא. שֶׁמָּא הַמְמֻנֶּה עַל הַבַּיִת שְׁכָחוֹ שׁוֹגֵג:

3אולי משגה הוא PERADVENTURE IT WAS AN OVERSIGHT — perhaps the man in charge of the house forgot it inadvertently).

אואל שדי. מֵעַתָּה אֵינְכֶם חֲסֵרִים כְּלוּם אֶלָּא תְפִלָּה, הֲרֵינִי מִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיכֶם:

1ואל שדי AND GOD ALMIGHTY — Now you lack nothing except prayer, and therefore I pray for you (Genesis Rabbah 91:11).

באל שדי. שֶׁדַּי בִּנְתִינַת רַחֲמָיו וּכְדַי הַיְכֹלֶת בְּיָדוֹ לִתֵּן, יִתֵּן לָכֶם רַחֲמִים, זֶהוּ פְשׁוּטוֹ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ מִי שֶׁאָמַר לָעוֹלָם דַּי, יֹאמַר דַּי לְצָרוֹתַי, שֶׁלֹּא שָׁקַטְתִּי מִנְּעוּרַי, צָרַת לָבָן, צָרַת עֵשָׂו, צָרַת רָחֵל, צָרַת דִּינָה, צָרַת יוֹסֵף, צָרַת שִׁמְעוֹן, צָרַת בִּנְיָמִין:

2אל שדי God שֶׁ-דַּי who gives plenteous mercy and in whose hand is sufficient power to give — may He give you mercy. This is the real meaning of the words. A Midrashic explanation is: He who said to the Universe, “Enough!”, may He say “Enough!” to my troubles. I have had no rest since my youth — trouble through Laban, trouble through Esau, the trouble of Rachel, the trouble of Dinah, the trouble of Joseph, the trouble of Simeon, the trouble of Benjamin (Genesis Rabbah 92:1).

גושלח לכם. וְיִפְטַר לְכוֹן כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ – יִפְטְרֶנּוּ מֵאֱסוּרָיו, לְשׁוֹן לַחָפְשִׁי יְשַׁלְּחֶנּוּ (שמות כ"א), וְאֵינוֹ נוֹפֵל בַּתַּרְגּוּם לְשׁוֹן וַיִּשְׁלַח, שֶׁהֲרֵי לְשָׁם הֵם הוֹלְכִים אֶצְלוֹ:

3ושלח לכם means AND MAY HE RELEASE UNTO YOU, as the Targum renders it — may He release him from his bonds. It has the same meaning as (Exodus 21:26) “He shall let him go, יְשַׁלְּחֶנוּ (Piel) free”. It would not have been correct to translate it in the Targum by “and may he send to you your other brother”, because, as a matter of fact, they were going there where he was.

דאת אחיכם. זֶה שִׁמְעוֹן:

4את אחיכם YOUR BROTHER — This refers to Simeon.

האחר. רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ נִזְרְקָה בוֹ, לְרַבּוֹת יוֹסֵף (בראשית רבה):

5אחר THE OTHER ONE — The spirit of prophecy was diffused upon him so that he included Joseph also (Genesis Rabbah 92:3).

וואני. עַד שׁוּבְכֶם אֶהְיֶה שַׁכּוּל מִסָּפֵק:

6ואני AND AS FOR ME — until you return I shall feel myself bereaved of my children being in constant suspense.

זכאשר שכלתי. מִיּוֹסֵף וּמִשִּׁמְעוֹן:

7כאשר שכלתי means EVEN AS I AM BEREAVED of Joseph and of Simeon

חשכלתי. מִבִּנְיָמִין:

8שכלתי I SHALL BE BEREAVED of Benjamin.

אואת בנימין. מְתַּרְגְּמִינַן וּדְבָרוּ יָת בִּנְיָמִין, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין לְקִיחַת הַכֶּסֶף וּלְקִיחַת הָאָדָם שָׁוָה בְלָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי; בְּדָבָר הַנִּקָּח בַּיָּד מְתַרְגְּמִינָן וּנְסִיב, וְדָבָר הַנִּקָּח בְּהַנְהָגַת דְּבָרִים, מְתַרְגְּמִינָן וּדְבַר:

1ואת בנימין [AND THEY TOOK DOUBLE MONEY] AND BENJAMIN — We render this in the Targum by ודברו ית בנימן “and they led Benjamin away”, because the same expression cannot be used in Aramaic for taking money and for taking a person. In the case of a thing that can be taken in the hand the Targum uses ונסיב “and he carried” for the Hebrew verb לקח, whilst in the case of a person who is taken by persuasion (literally, by leading him with words) the Targum uses ודבר and he led away.

אוטבח טבח והכן. כְּמוֹ וְלִטְבֹּחַ טֶבַח וּלְהָכִין, וְאֵין טְבֹחַ לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר וּטְבַח:

1וטבח טבח והכן AND SLAUGHTER THE BEASTS AND MAKE READY — The Hebrew is the same as ולטבח טבח ולהכין (infinitives) “and to slaughter… and to prepare”. The word וּטְבֹחַ is not an imperative, for this should be וּטְבַח (as from שָׁלַח the imperative is שְׁלַח).

בבצהרים. זֶה מְתֻרְגָּם בְּשֵׁירוּתָא, שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן סְעוּדָה רִאשׁוֹנָה בְלָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי וּבְלַעַז דיזנ"ר, וְיֵשׁ הַרְבֵּה בַּתַּלְמוּד, שָׁדָא לְכַלְבָּא שֵׁירוּתֵהּ; בָּצַע אַכּוּלָּא שֵׁירוּתָא, אֲבָל כָּל תַּרְגּוּם שֶׁל צָהֳרַיִם טִיהֲרָא:

2בצהרים AT NOON — This word is rendered in the Targum by בשירותא which in Aramaic denotes the first meal during the day ; in old French disner. It occurs frequently in the Talmud: (Taanit 11a, lib) “He threw the dog שירותיה his meal; (Berakhot 39b) “he cut bread for the whole of שירותא his meal.” But wherever צהרים means noon it is translated in the Targum by טיהרא.

אוייראו האנשים. כָּתוּב הוּא בִּשְׁנֵי יוֹדִ"ין, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ וּדְחִילוּ:

1וייראו האנשים AND THE MEN WERE AFRAID — The word ויראו is written with two yods and its translation in the Targum is ודחילו and they were afraid.

בכי הובאו בית יוסף. וְאֵין דֶּרֶךְ שְׁאָר הַבָּאִים לִשְׁבֹּר בָּר לָלוּן בְּבֵית יוֹסֵף, כִּי אִם בְּפֻנְדְּקָאוֹת שֶׁבָּעִיר: וייראו. שֶׁאֵין זֶה אֶלָּא לְאָסְפָם אֶל מִשְׁמָר:

2כי הובאו בית יוסף BECAUSE THEY WERE BROUGHT INTO JOSEPH S HOUSE, and it was not usual for other people who came to buy corn to stay overnight in Joseph’s house but in the inns of the city. וייראו AND THEY WERE AFRAID, because this could be only for the purpose of putting them in prison.

גאנחנו מובאים. אֶל תּוֹךְ הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה:

3אנחנו מובאים WE HAVE BEEN BROUGHT inside this house.

דלהתגלל. לִהְיוֹת מִתְגַּלְגֶּלֶת עָלֵינוּ עֲלִילַת הַכֶּסֶף וְלִהְיוֹתָהּ נוֹפֶלֶת עָלֵינוּ; וְאֻנְקְלוֹס שֶׁתִּרְגֵּם וּלְאִסְתַּקָּפָא עֲלָנָא הוּא לְשׁוֹן לְהִתְעוֹלֵל, כְּדִמְתַרְגְּמִינָן עֲלִילַת דְּבָרִים – תַּסְקוּפֵי מִלִּין, וְלֹא תִרְגְּמוֹ אַחַר לְשׁוֹן הַמִּקְרָא וּלְהִתְגּוֹלֵל שֶׁתִּרְגֵּם לְאִתְרַבְרָבָא, הוּא לְשוֹן גֻּלַּת הַזָּהָב (קהלת י"ב), וְהֻצַּב גֻּלְּתָה הֹעֲלָתָה (נחום ב'), שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן מַלְכוּת:

4להתגלל means THAT THERE MAY BE ROLLED UPON US an accusation regarding the money AND THAT THIS MAY FALL UPON US. And according to Onkelos who rendered ולהתנפל עלינו by ולאסתקפא עלנא, it signifies seeking an occasion — just as we render in the Targum the words (Deuteronomy 12:17) עלילת דברים, which mean a pretext, by תסקופי מלין “intrigues” — but he did not translate it literally. The word ולהתגלל which he translated by לאתרברבא “to play the lord over us” he takes as connected in meaning with (Ecclesiastes 12:6) “the bowl of (גלת) gold”, and (Nahum 2:8) “And Huzzab the queen (גלתה) is carried away”, where these words from the root גלל denote symbolically royal rank.

אבי אדני. לְשׁוֹן בַּעְיָא וְתַחֲנוּנִים הוּא, בְלָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי בַּיָּא בַּיָּא (יבמות צ"ז:, סנהדרין ס"ד.):

1בי אדני O, MY LORD — The word בי is an expression of entreaty (בעיא) and supplication. In Aramaic we have בייא בייא “woe, woe!” (Yoma 69b).

בירד ירדנו. יְרִידָה הִיא לָנוּ, רְגִילִים הָיִינוּ לְפַרְנֵס אֲחֵרִים, עַכְשָׁו אָנוּ צְרִיכִים לְךָ (בראשית רבה):

2ירד ירדנו WE CAME INDEED DOWN — This is a “come down” (degradation) for us. We have been accustomed to give food to others and now we are dependent upon you (Genesis Rabbah 92:4).

אאלהיכם. בִּזְכוּתְכֶם, וְאִם אֵין זְכוּתְכֶם כְּדַאי, ואלהי אביכם, בִּזְכוּת אֲבִיכֶם נתן לכם מטמון:

1אלהיכם YOUR GOD — your God because of your own merits: and if your own merits do not suffice, then ואלהי אביכם THE GOD OF YOUR FATHER — because of your father’s merits HE HAS GIVEN YOU A TREASURE (Genesis Rabbah 92:4).

אויבא האיש. הֲבָאָה אַחַר הֲבָאָה, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ דוֹחֲפִים אוֹתוֹ לַחוּץ עַד שֶׁדִּבְּרוּ אֵלָיו פֶּתַח הַבַּיִת; וּמִשֶּׁאָמַר לָהֶם שָׁלוֹם לָכֶם, נִמְשְׁכוּ וּבָאוּ אַחֲרָיו:

1ויבא האיש AND THE MAN BROUGHT [THE MEN] — There is here a mention of bringing in after bringing in has been mentioned in Genesis 43:17, because then they hustled him outside so that they spoke to him at the door of the house (cf. Genesis 43:18 and Genesis 43:19 where they said אנחנו מובאים “we are being brought”), but as soon as he said to them “Peace be with you” they followed and went after him, into the house (Genesis Rabbah 92:4).

אויכינו. הִזְמִינוּ, עִטְּרוּהָ בְּכֵלִים נָאִים:

1ויכינו means AND THEY MADE READY — they laid it out ornately in fine vessels.

אהביתה. מִפְּרוֹזְדּוֹר לִטְרַקְלִין:

1הביתה [THEY BROUGHT THE PRESENT] INTO THE HOUSE — from the outer hall into the reception hall.

אויקדו וישתחוו. עַל שְׁאִלַת שָׁלוֹם קִידָה – כְּפִיפַת קָדְקֹד; הִשְׁתַּחֲוָאָה – מִשְׁתַּטֵּחַ לָאָרֶץ:

1ויקדו וישתחו AND THEY BOWED THE HEAD AND PROSTRATED THEMSELVES — in recognition of his enquiry regarding their welfare. The root קדד denotes bowing the head: the verb שחה in the Hiphil denotes prostration upon the ground (Megillah 22b).

אאלהים יחנך בני. בִּשְׁאָר שְׁבָטִים שָׁמַעְנוּ חֲנִינָה אֲשֶׁר חָנַן אֱלֹהִים אֶת עַבְדֶּךָ (בראשית ל"ג), וּבִנְיָמִין עֲדַיִן לֹא נוֹלַד, לְכָךְ בֵּרְכוֹ יוֹסֵף בַּחֲנִינָה:

1אלהים יחנך בני GOD BE GRACIOUS UNTO THEE, MY SON — With regard of the other sons of Jacob we have heard the expression “grace” used — viz., (33:5) “[The children] whom God hath graciously given (חנן) to thy servant”. But Benjamin had not then been born and therefore was not included amongst the children of whom Jacob used this term; on this account Joseph used the term “grace” in blessing him (Genesis Rabbah 92:5).

אכי נכמרו רחמיו. שְׁאָלוֹ יֵשׁ לְךָ אָח מֵאֵם? אָמַר לוֹ אָח הָיָה לִי, וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ הֵיכָן הוּא; יֵשׁ לְךָ בָנִים? אָמַר לוֹ יֵשׁ לִי י', אָמַר לוֹ מַה שְּׁמָם? אָמַר לוֹ בֶּלַע וָבֶכֶר וְגוֹ'; אָמַר מַה טִּיבָן שֶׁל שֵׁמוֹת הַלָּלוּ? אָמַר לוֹ כֻּלָּם עַל שֵׁם אָחִי וְהַצָּרוֹת אֲשֶׁר מְצָאוּהוּ, בֶּלַע שֶׁנִּבְלַע בֵּין הָאֻמּוֹת, בֶּכֶר שֶׁהָיָה בְּכוֹר לְאִמִּי, אַשְׁבְּאֵל שֶׁשְּׁבָאוֹ אֵל, גֵּרָא שֶׁגָּר בְּאַכְסַנְיָא, וְנַעֲמָן שֶׁהָיָה נָעִים בְּיוֹתֵר, אֵחִי וָרֹאשׁ – אָחִי הָיָה וְרֹאשִׁי הָיָה, מֻפִּים – מִפִּי אָבִי לָמַד, וְחֻפִּים – שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה חֻפָּתִי וְלֹא רָאִיתִי אֲנִי חֻפָּתוֹ, וָאָרְדְּ – שֶׁיָּרַד לְבֵין הָאֻמּוֹת, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּמַסֶּכֶת סוֹטָה, מִיָּד נִכְמְרוּ רַחֲמָיו:

1כי נכמרו רחמיו FOR HIS COMPASSION WAS EXCITED — He asked him, “Have you a brother of the same mother as yourself?” — He replied, “I had a brother but I know not where he is”. — “Have you sons?” He replied, “I have ten”. Joseph asked him, “And what are their names?” Benjamin replied, “Bela, Becher etc.” (cf. 46:21). Joseph then enquired, “What are the ideas underlying these names?” He replied, “They all have some reference to my brother and the troubles that have befallen him. I called them Bela (בלע) because he disappeared (נבלע) amongst alien nations; Becher (בכר) because he was the firstborn (בכור) of his mother; Ashbel (אשבאל) because God sent him into captivity (שבאו אל), Gera (גרא) because he had to live (גר) in a foreign country; Naaman (נעמן) because he was exceedingly pleasant (נעים); Ahi (אחי) and Rosh (ראש) because he was my brother (אח) and my superior (ראש) ; Muppim (מופים) because he learned from the mouth (מפי) of my father; Huppim (חופים) because he did not witness my marriage (חופה —marriage canopy) and I did not witness his marriage; and Ard (ארד) because he went down (ירד) amongst the nations” — just as it related in Treatise Sotah 36b. When he heard all this immediately his affection was enkindled.

בנכמרו. נִתְחַמְּמוּ, וּבִלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה עַל הַכֹּמֶר שֶׁל זֵתִים, וּבְלָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי בְּמִכְמַר בִּשְׂרָא; וּבַמִּקְרָא עוֹרֵנוּ כְּתַנּוּר נִכְמָרוּ (איכה ה'), נִתְחַמְּמוּ וְנִקְמְטוּ קְמָטִים קְמָטִים מִפְּנֵי זַלְעֲפוֹת רָעָב; כֵּן דֶּרֶךְ כָּל עוֹר כְּשֶׁמְּחַמְּמִין אוֹתוֹ נִקְמָט וְנִכְוָץ:

2נכמרו means WAS ENKINDLED, BECAME HOT — In Mishnaic Hebrew we have (Bava Metzia 74a) “upon (כומר) a mass of heated olives”; in Aramaic (Pesachim 58a) “because of the (מכמר) drying up (through heat of the weather) of the meat”. And in Biblical Hebrew we have (Lamentations 5:10) “Our skin is hot (נכמרו) as though by an oven” — i.e. it became hot and full of wrinkles “because of the burning heat of the famine”, for it is the nature of any skin to wrinkle and shrink together when it becomes hot.

אויתאפק. נִתְאַמֵּץ; וְהוּא לְשׁוֹן אֲפִיקֵי מָגִנִּים (איוב מ"א), חֹזֶק, וְכֵן וּמְזִיחַ אֲפִיקִים רִפָּה (שם י"ב):

1ויתאפק AND HE REFRAINED HIMSELF — He made a strong effort. The root in this sense occurs in (Job 41:7) אפיקי “the strong parts of the shields”. Similar also is (Job 12:21) “And He looseth the belt of the (אפיקים) strong”.

אכי תועבה הוא. דָּבָר שָׂנְאוּי הוּא לַמִּצְרִים לֶאֱכֹל אֶת הָעִבְרִים, וְאֻנְקְלוֹס נָתַן טַעַם לַדָּבָר:

1כי תועבה היא FOR THAT IS AN ABOMINATION — it is a hateful thing to the Egyptians to eat together with the Hebrews. Onkelos states a reason for this.

אהבכור כבכרתו. מַכֶּה בַּגָּבִיעַ וְקוֹרֵא רְאוּבֵן, שִׁמְעוֹן, לֵוִי, יְהוּדָה, יִשָּׂשכָר, וּזְבוּלֻן, בְּנֵי אֵם אַחַת, הָסֵבּוּ כַּסֵּדֶר הַזֶּה, שֶׁהִיא סֵדֶר תּוֹלְדוֹתֵיכֶם, וְכֵן כֻּלָּם. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְבִנְיָמִין, אָמַר זֶה אֵין לוֹ אֵם וַאֲנִי אֵין לִי אֵם, יֵשֵׁב אֶצְלִי:

1הבכור כבכרתו THE FIRST-BORN ACCORDING TO HIS BIRTHRIGHT — He struck the goblet and called aloud: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulon, sons of one mother, take your seats at the table in this order which is the order in which you were born — and similarly in the case of them all. When he reached Benjamin’s name he said, “This one has no mother and I have no mother — let him sit beside me” (Genesis Rabbah 92:5).

אמשאת. מָנוֹת:

1משאת means PORTIONS OF FOOD.

בחמש ידות. חֶלְקוֹ עִם אֶחָיו, וּמַשְׂאַת יוֹסֵף וְאָסְנַת וּמְנַשֶּׁה וְאֶפְרַיִם:

2חמש ידות FIVE TIMES — His own portion that was due to him alike with his brothers and additional portions given to him by Joseph, Asenath, Manasseh and Ephraim (Genesis Rabbah 92.5).

גוישכרו עמו. וּמִיּוֹם שֶׁמְּכָרוּהוּ לֹא שָׁתוּ יַיִן וְלֹא הוּא שָׁתָה יַיִן, וְאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם שָׁתוּ (בראשית רבה):

3וישכרו עמו AND THEY DRANK WITH HIM — but from the day they sold him they had not drunk wine nor had he drunk wine. That day, however, they drank wine (Genesis Rabbah 92:5).

Sefaria: Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934 · Public domain · sefaria.org

Sefaria: Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934 · Public domain · sefaria.org