Parashat Miketz.

And it came to pass at the end. As the Targum renders it by מסוף “at the end” All forms of the noun קץ signify one end or the other.

By the river. No other river is called יאר) except the Nile, because the whole country (Egypt) is full of artificially constructed canals (יאורים) and the Nile flows into them and fills them with water, since rain does not fall in Egypt as regularly as in other lands.

Beautiful to the sight. This was an indication of a period of plenty, when people show themselves well-disposed one to another, for no-one then envies another person’s prosperity (cf. Genesis Rabbah 89:4).

In the reed-grass. in the marshy land. old French marais; English, marsh. Similar is (Job 8:11) “Can reed-grass (אחו) grow?”

. THIN-FLESHED in old French tenuis, meaning thin.

And they ate. indicating that all the joy occasioned by the years of plenty would be forgotten in the days of famine.

On one stalk. Tuyau in old French

. sains, English HEALTHY.

Parched. old French hales, (i.e. burnt up by the east wind), But the Targum renders it by שקיפן קדום beaten upon by the east wind (and so burst open). This Aramaic word שקיפן is of the same root as משקוף a lintel, which is beaten continually by the door which knocks against it.

. is THE EAST WIND, called bise in old French

. sains in old French; English HEALTHY.

And, behold. it was a dream. and behold a whole dream was completed before him (i.e. representation of what was evidently a completed whole had passed before him as a dream during his sleep) and demanded an interpreter.

חָלִילָה לַעֲבָדֶיךָ. חֻלִּין הוּא לָנוּ, לְשׁוֹן גְּנַאי. וְתַרְגוּם "חַס לְעַבְדָּךְ" – חַס מֵאֵת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יְהִי עָלֵינוּ מֵעֲשׂוֹת זֹאת. וְהַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בַּתַּלְמוּד: "חַס וְשָׁלוֹם".

His spirit was troubled. The Targum renders it by “his spirit was agitated” (beaten upon), it rang within like a bell (פעמון). With regard to Nebuchadnezzar it states (Daniel 2:1) ותתפעם רוחו (the verb in the Hithpael, thus having a double ת), because in that case there were two reasons for perturbation, his forgetting the dream and his ignorance of its interpretation (Genesis Rabbah 89:5).

Engravers of hieroglyphics. It is a compound word הנחרים בטימי those who excite themselves by means of the bones of the dead, because they enquire of the dead. טימי used in this phrase means bones in Aramaic. In the Misnna we have (Mishnah Oholot 17:3) “a house that is full of טמיא”, full of bones.

And there was none that could interpret it to Pharaoh. There were, indeed, some who interpreted it, but not in reference to Pharaoh (לפרעה) (i.e., their interpretations had no reference to him as a Pharaoh, as a king), so that their words found no acceptance by him and he was not satisfied with their interpretation. They said: “You will beget seven daughters and you will bury seven daughters” (Genesis Rabbah 89:6).

[we dreamed] each man according to the interpretation of his dream. each of us dreamed a dream that fitted in with the interpretation that was given to us, and was exactly like it (not the kind of irrelevant interpretation offered you by your wise men).

A lad, an hebrew, a slave. Cursed be the wicked for the favours they do are never really complete! He mentions him in disparaging language.

. a lad, unwise and unfitted for a high position.

. a Hebrew, who does not even know our language;

. a slave, and it is written in the laws of Egypt that a slave may neither become a ruler nor dress in princely robes (Genesis Rabbah 89:7).

Each man according to his dream. He interpreted in accordance with the dream and approximating to its contents.

He restored unto my office. he means Pharaoh who was mentioned before, where it is said (v. 10) “Pharaoh was wroth with his servants”. The phrase is elliptical not stating explicitly who restored, for it is not necessary to state explicitly who restored: obviously he who has the power to restore viz, Pharaoh. This is the ease with all elliptical sentences, they leave the matter indefinite as to who has to do the action (i.e. they omit the subject of the verb).

Out of the dungeon. from the place of imprisonment which was made as a kind of pit Similarly, wherever בור occurs in Scripture it signifies a pit, even though it does not contain water (for בור is used of a cistern, excavated as a pit out of rocks) it is still called a בור; old French fosse.

And he clipped his hair. out of respect for the king (Genesis Rabbah 89:9).

. means thou payest heed to and UNDERSTANDEST A DREAM TO INTERPRET IT.

. means understanding and paying heed to. Examples are: (42:23) “Joseph (שומע) understood”; (Deuteronomy 28:49) “[a people] whose tongue thou shalt not understand (תשמע)”. old French entendre.

Not i. (the word is compounded of בל and עדי, it does not extend to me) The wisdom to interpret dreams is not my own, but G-d will answer, He will put in my mouth an answer that will be for Pharaoh’s welfare.

. means LEAN, as (2 Samuel 13:4) “Why art thou thus becoming (דל) lean?” which occurs in the narrative of Amnon.

And lean-fleshed. wherever רקות is found in Scripture it means spare (literally, deficient) of flesh; old French flouet.

Parched. In Aramaic צונמא signifies a rock. They are like wood without moisture and as hard as a rock. But in the Targum it is translated by נצן לקין “their blossom is stricken”, there was nothing in them but the withered blossom, because they were empty of grain).

Seven years and seven years. all together they are only seven years (not fourteen); and the reason why the dream was repeated is because the thing is ready to happen as he expressly stated to him afterwards (v. 32) “And for that the dream was doubled etc.” With reference to the seven good years it says (v. 25) “[What He is about to do] G-d hath declared unto Pharaoh”, because it (that period) was close at hand; whilst in the case of the seven years of famine it states (v. 28) “He hath shown unto Pharaoh”, because this thing was distant and far off (as regards time) the proper word to use in reference to it is “showing”.

And all the plenty shall be forgotten. this is the interpretation of the act of swallowing.

And the plenty shall not be known. this is the interpretation of (v. 21) “And it could not be noticed that they had eaten them up”.

. means PREPARED.

. render it as the Targum does “and they shall prepare”. Similar is (Exodus 13:18) “וחמושים and prepared (for war)”.

All the food. The word אֹכֶל is a noun and therefore the accent is on the א and the last syllable has the vowel Patach Katan (a name Rashi uses for our Segol), whilst אוֹכֵל, which is a participle, as for instance, (Leviticus 7:25) “For whosoever eateth (אוֹכֵל) the fat”, has the accent on the ultimate syllable, on the כ, and has the vowel Kametz Katan (Zéré).

Under the hand of Pharaoh. under his control and in his storehouses.

. means AND THE FOOD that is stored up SHALL BE AS ANY other DEPOSIT (פקדון) that is held in reserve for the maintenance of the people of the land.

Can we find such a one as this?. The Targum renders it: “can we find like this one”, meaning, “If we go to seek one could we find anyone like him?” הנמצא is a question, as is every ה prefixed to a word with the vowel Chataph Patach.

There is none so discreet and wise as thou art. If we do seek for a discreet and wise man as you suggested (v. 33) we shall find none like you).

. The Targum renders it by יתזן which means SHALL BE FED, all my people’s needs shall be provided through you. Similar are (15:2) “and the steward (ובן משק) of my house”, and (Psalms 2:12) “Provide yourselves (נשקו) with purity” old French garnison.

Only in the throne. only in the fact that they shall call me king.

Throne. is a metaphorical term for royal rank, like (1 Kings 1:37) “And he has made his throne (כסאו) greater than the throne of my lord king”.

. The Targum translates it by, “I have appointed thee”; nevertheless even in this sense it really means “giving”, as (Deuteronomy 26:19) “and to make thee (ולתתך) high”. To express either the idea of raising to high rank or of degrading the term “to give” may be used. An example of the latter is (Malachi 2:9) “I have made thee (נתתיך) contemptible and base”.

And Pharaoh took off his ring. When the king gives his ring it is a sign that the person to whom he hands it is to be second to him in rank.

Fine linen. this is a material much valued in Egypt (cf Rashi on Genesis 2:11).

. means A CHAIN, it is termed רביד because it is made up of links placed in a row. The root is the same as that found in (Proverbs 7:16) “I have decked (רבדתי) my bed with coverings of tapestry (מרבדים)”, i.e. I have placed on my couch rows of rugs. In Mishnaic Hebrew (Mishnah Middot 1:8) we have, “was surrounded with rows (רובדין) of stone”, and (Yoma 43b) “on the (רובד) row of stones that was in the Temple Court”, referring to the pavement (רצפה).

. means, the chariot second in order to his chariot, that which drove next to his own.

. Render this as the Targum does: “This is the father (counsellor) of the king”. In Aramaic (some editions read in Roman i.e. Latin) רך means king (rex). Thus in the chapter beginning with השותפין (Bava Batra 4a) we have: “neither a noble (ריכא) nor the son of a noble (ריכא)”. In the Midrash (Sifré Devarim 1:1) Rabbi Judah explained: אברך is appellation for Joseph who was אב “a father” in wisdom and רך “tender” in years. Whereupon Rabbi Jose the son of a woman of Damascus said to him: “How much longer will you pervert for us the meaning of Scripture? The word אברך can only be connected with the word ברכים knees (i.e. “Bend the knee”), for all came in and went forth only by his permission, just as it states “and he set him [over all the land of Egypt]”.

I am Pharaoh. in whose power it is to issue decrees for my kingdom, and I order that no man shall lift up his hand בלעדיך, without your permission. Another explanation of אני פרעה: I AM PHARAOH, I shall be king, but without thy permission etc. It is exactly similar in meaning to (v. 40) “only in the throne [will I be greater than thou]”.

His hand or his foot. Understand it as the Targum does: no man shall raise his hand to gird on a sword or raise his foot to mount a horse.

. signifies "Explainer of hidden things". There is no other example in Scripture of the word.

. POTIPHERAH, he is identical with Potiphar.

And the earth brought forth. understand it as the Targum does: the inhabitants of the land gathered. Still the word ותעש does not really lose its meaning of “doing” or “making”.

By handfuls. they stored up the grain handful upon handful, fist upon fist.

The food of the field which was round about every city laid he up in the same. for every district preserves its own produce; and for this people always put amongst the grain some of the earth of the place in which it grows and this prevents it decaying (Genesis Rabbah 90:5).

Until they ceased numbering. until the one who was numbering stopped numbering, it is an elliptical phrase

. means because it was without number, The word כי has the meaning of because (Rosh Hashanah 3a).

Before the year of famine came. from here we learn that a man must practise continence during times of famine (cf. Taanit 11a).

And the land of Egypt was famished. for all the grain they had stored up rotted except that of Joseph (cf. Genesis Rabbah 91:5)

What he saith to you, do. He gave them this order because Joseph had told them to be circumcised. When they came to Pharaoh and said, “Thus he bids us do otherwise he will give us no corn”, he asked them, “Why did you yourselves not lay up corn? Did he not publicly announce that years of famine were coming?” They answered him, “We gathered in much, but it has rotted”. He said to them, “If this be so, what he saith to you, do. See, he laid a decree upon the produce and it rotted; what will happen if he lays a decree upon us that we should die!” (cf. Genesis Rabbah 91:5)

Over all the face of the earth. Who are the face of the earth? the well-to-do people (Genesis Rabbah 91:5).

. understand it as the Targum renders it: [JOSEPH OPENED ALL THE STOREHOUSES] IN WHICH THERE WAS CORN.

And he sold unto the egyptians. The root שבר has the meaning both of selling and buying. Here it is used in the sense of selling, whereas in (43:2) “שברו for us a little food”, it means buying. You cannot say that it (the word) can be used only of selling and buying grain for we find it used also of wine and milk: (Isaiah 55:1) “And come, buy (שברו) wine and milk without money and without price”.

. Transpose the words and explain it thus: “and all the countries came into Egypt אל יוסף to Joseph לשבר to buy corn”, for if you explain the words in the order in which they are written it ought to state לשבור מן יוסף to buy from Joseph.

And Jacob saw that there was a sale of corn in Egypt. How did he see it? Surely he did not see but he heard it, as it is said (v. 2) “Behold, I have heard ... What, then, is meant by “And Jacob saw”? He saw in a holy dim vision that there was שֶׂבֶר hope for him in Egypt, but it was not a true prophetic vision telling him plainly that it was Joseph in whom his hope lay (Genesis Rabbah 91:6).

Why do ye look upon one another?. Why do you show yourselves (pretend) before the children of Ishmael and the children of Esau as though you have plenty to eat (Taanit 10b). For at that time they still had some grain. I am of opinion that the real meaning of למה תתראו is: Why should every one gaze at you and wonder at you because you do not search for food before what you have in your possession comes to an end. From others I have heard that it has the meaning of leanness: why should you become lean through hunger? A similar use of the verb as that in the first explanation is (Proverbs 11:25) “And he that satisfieth abundantly shall be satisfied (יורא) also himself”.

Go down thither. He did not say to them לכו “Go ye” but רדו an allusion to the 210 years during which Israel was to be enslaved in Egypt corresponding to the numerical value of (רד״ו (210 (Genesis Rabbah 91:2).

And Joseph s brethren went down. It does not call them “the sons of Jacob” (as in 5:5), thus suggesting that they regretted having sold him and that they had made up their mind to behave towards him in a brotherly manner and to redeem him at whatever price people might fix for them to pay (Midrash Tanchuma, Miketz 8).

Ten. What is the mention of this number intended to tell us? Is it not written (Genesis 42:4) “but Benjamin, Joseph’s brother did he not send” (and we therefore know that only ten brothers went to Egypt)? But it means to suggest that so far as their feeling of brotherhood towards Joseph was concerned they were divided into ten, because the love and hatred that all of them bore him were not alike, where as in regard to buying corn they were at one and united (Genesis Rabbah 91:2).

Lest mischief befall him. And at home could not mischief befall him?! Rabbi Eliezer the son of Jacob said: We may infer from this that Satan accuses a man at the time of danger (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayigash 1).

Among those that came. They hid themselves in the crowd that people should not recognize them, for their father had bidden them not to show themselves all at one entrance to the city but that each should enter by a different gate in order that the evil eye should not have power over them (i.e. that they should not attract the envious attention of the people) for they were all handsome and stalwart men (Midrash Tanchuma 1.:10:6).

. means THEY PROSTRATED THEMSELVES ON THEIR FACES, Similarly wherever various forms of this verb (שחה) in the Hithpael occur it implies stretching out the hands and feet when a person casts himself on the ground in the act of prostration (Megillah 22b).

He made himself strange unto them. He made himself like a נכרי a stranger to them in his conversation, speaking harshly (Genesis Rabbah 91:7).

And Joseph recognised his brethren. etc., because, when he left them they were full-bearded (Yevamot 88a).

But they recognised him not. because when he left them he had no beard whereas now he had grown a beard.

Which he had dreamed of them. להם means “about them”. He then knew that they (the dreams) were being fulfilled, for they (his brothers) had bowed down to him.

. means THE NAKEDNESS OF THE LAND, from which side it might easily be conquered. Of similar meaning are, (Leviticus 20:18) “He hath made naked (הערה) her fountain”; (Ezekiel 16:7), “naked and עריה) bare”. Indeed all forms of this root ערה signify “uncovering”). Onkelos renders it by “the breach (בדקא) of the land”, similar to (2 Kings 12:6), “the breach (בדק) of the house”, the defective places in the house, but he was not particular to translate according to the wording of the text (i.e. literally).

Nay, my Lord. do not say this, for behold ועבדיך באו לשבר אכל THY SERVANTS HAVE COME TO BUY FOOD.

We are all one man’s sons. The Holy Spirit was enkindled in them and they included him with themselves (by using the word “We”) that he, also, was the son of their father (Genesis Rabbah 91:7).

. means TRUE MEN, Similar examples of כן in sense of true, right, are (Exodus 10:29) “Thou hast spoken right (כן)”; (Numbers 27:7) “The daughters of Zelophechad speak (כן) right”; (Isaiah 16:6) “and his wrath, his untruthful (לא־כן) boastings”.

But to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. I still insist that you are spies, for what you have just said bears this out for you have entered by ten different gates of the city; why did you not all enter by the same gate if you are really brothers and travelled together? (Genesis Rabbah 91:6).

And they said, thy servants were twelve brethren. [AND ONE IS NO MORE], and it is on account of that one who is no more that we dispersed ourselves through the city in order that we might search for him (Genesis Rabbah 91:6).

That is it that i spake unto you. The statement which I made, that you are spies, is true and certain. This is the meaning according to the literal sense of the words. A Midrashic explanation is: he said to them, “And if you find him (your brother) and they demand of YOU a large sum, would you redeem him?” They answered him, “Certainly!” He asked them, “If they tell you that they will not restore him to you for any sum of money, what would you do?” They replied, “That is what we have come for, to kill or to be killed”. Whereupon he retorted:הוא אשר דברתי אליכם THAT IS JUST WHAT I SAID TO YOU, you have come to kill the people of this city. I have divined by my goblet that two of you destroyed the great city of Shechem (Genesis Rabbah 91:7).

By the life of Pharaoh. If Pharaoh lives! Whenever he swore for the sake of appearance (literally, falsely) he swore by Pharaoh’s life (Genesis Rabbah 91:7).

Ye shall not go forth from this. i.e. from this place.

. means WHETHER THERE BE TRUTH IN YOU, therefore the ה has the vowel Patach, because it is a kind of question. And if you do not (ואם לא) bring) him חי פרעה כי מרגלים אתם BY THE LIFE OF PHARAOH, SURELY YOU ARE SPIES.

Ward. the prison-house.

. (literally, in the house of your ward), the house in which you are at present imprisoned.

But ye, go, carry. to your father’s house.

Corn for the famine of your houses. what you have purchased for the hunger of the people in your houses.

דבריכם. means so shall your words be verified and confirmed. Other examples are, (Numbers 5:22) “It is true, it is true (אמן אמן)”, and (1 Kings 8:26) “Let thy word, I pray thee, be verified (יאמן).”

Verily. It is to be understood as the Targum renders it: בקושטא “in truth”. I have seen a statement in (Genesis Rabbah 91:8) that in the Roman (Latin) language אבל means ברם (verum) truly, indeed.

[this distress] has come upon us. The word באה has the accent upon the ב because it is the perfect tense, for it had already come upon them. The Targum therefore renders it by אתת which is a perfect tense in Aramaic, it has come.

Also his blood [is required]. the particles את and גם extend the scope of the clause; here it implies “his blood and also the blood of his old father” (Genesis Rabbah 91:8).

And they knew not that Joseph. שמע UNDERSTOOD their language, and they said this in his presence.

For the interpreter was between them. for when they had spoken to him there was an interpreter between them who knew both the Hebrew and the Egyptian languages. He interpreted their words to Joseph and Joseph’s words to them. Consequently they were under the impression that Joseph did not understand the Hebrew language.

The interpreter. This was Manasseh (Genesis Rabbah 91:8).

And he turned away from them. He moved some distance away from them so that they should not see him weeping.

And he wept. because he heard that they regretted their past conduct to him.

Simeon. he had cast him into the pit and it was he who had said to Levi “Behold, this dreamer cometh” (Tanchuma Yashan 1:10:17). Another explanation is: It was Joseph’s intention to separate him from Levi lest the two of them might conspire to kill him.

And he bound him before their eyes. He only kept him in bonds whilst he was before their eyes, but as soon as they departed he freed him and gave him food and drink (Genesis Rabbah 91:8).

. literally, AND THE ONE OPENED HIS SACK, This was Levi who remained alone (one) being without Simeon his companion (cf Targum Jonathan).

. means the place where they stayed over night, THE INN.

. is the sack (שק) just mentioned.

And, lo, it is even in my sack. the money also (גם) is in it together with the grain.

What is this that G-d hath done unto us. by bringing us into the danger of this accusation? For the money can only have been put back into our sacks in order to bring an accusation against us.

And ye shall travel in the land. It means literally, “ye may travel round the land”. All such words as סוחרים merchants, סחורה merchandise, are derived from this root סחר to go round, because the merchants travel round looking for merchandise.

. means HIS BUNDLE OF MONEY.

Me ye have bereaved of children. The inference is that he suspected them of having slain or sold him (Simeon) as they had done to Joseph (Genesis Rabbah 91:9).

Ye have bereaved. any-one whose children are lost to him may be called (שכול) bereaved.

My son shall not go down with you. He did not accept Reuben’s offer. He said, “What a fool is this oldest son of mine! He suggests that I should kill his sons. Are they his only and not mine also?” (Genesis Rabbah 91:9)

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).

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).

[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.

. “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.

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).

And we told him. that we had a father and a brother.

According to the tenor of these words. we were forced to tell him according to the tenor of the questions he put to us.

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).

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”.

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).

And set him before thee. for I will not bring him back to you dead but alive.

Then shall i have sinned against thee all the days. also in the world to come (Genesis Rabbah 91:10).

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.

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”.

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).

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

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.

And double money. twice as much as at first.

Take in your hand. to buy food: perhaps the market-price has risen (Genesis Rabbah 91:11).

Peradventure it was an oversight. perhaps the man in charge of the house forgot it inadvertently).

And G-d almighty. Now you lack nothing except prayer, and therefore I pray for you (Genesis Rabbah 91:11).

. G-d 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).

. 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.

Your brother. This refers to Simeon.

The other one. The spirit of prophecy was diffused upon him so that he included Joseph also (Genesis Rabbah 92:3).

And as for me. until you return I shall feel myself bereaved of my children being in constant suspense.

. means EVEN AS I AM BEREAVED of Joseph and of Simeon

I shall be bereaved. of Benjamin.

[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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

We have been brought. inside this house.

. 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.

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

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).

Your G-d. your G-d because of your own merits: and if your own merits do not suffice, then ואלהי אביכם THE G-D OF YOUR FATHER, because of your father’s merits HE HAS GIVEN YOU A TREASURE (Genesis Rabbah 92:4).

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).

. means AND THEY MADE READY, they laid it out ornately in fine vessels.

[they brought the present] into the house. from the outer hall into the reception hall.

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).

G-d 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 G-d 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).

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 G-d 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.

. 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.

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”.

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.

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).

. means PORTIONS OF FOOD.

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).

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).

My cup. a long goblet called maderin in old French.

Behold the money which we found. This is one of the ten inferences from minor to major mentioned in the Bible. They are all enumerated in Genesis Rabbah (Genesis Rabbah 92:7).

It were right to be according to your words. Indeed, this is only right: in very truth it should be according to your words since you are all guilty in this matter. Because when there are ten men and stolen property is found in possession of one of them, all of them are involved in the theft. I, however, shall deal with you within the line of strict justice (i.e. more equitably) and only אשר ימצא אתו יהיה לי עבד HE WITH WHOM IT IS FOUND SHALL BE MY BONDMAN (Genesis Rabbah 92:8).

At the eldest he began. so that they should not perceive that he knew where it was (Genesis Rabbah 92.8).

They laded every man his ass. They were stalwart men and did not require the assistance of each other in loading (Genesis Rabbah 92:8).

And they returned to the city. It was the metropolis and yet Scripture says העירה, an ordinary city! But this is because in their eyes it was regarded as a very medium-sized city of only ten inhabitants if it became a matter of waging war against it (Genesis Rabbah 92:8).

He was yet there. for he was waiting for them.

Know ye not that such a man as i can certainly divine?. Are you not aware that so distinguished a person as I am knows how to divine, and (even though you have robbed me of the goblet by which I divine) to discover by my own intelligence and common sense or by logical deduction that it was you who stole the goblet!

G-d hath found out. We know that we have done no wrong, but it has been brought about by the Holy One, blessed be He, that this should come upon us. The Creditor has found an opportunity to collect His debt (Genesis Rabbah 92:9).

. How shall we justify ourselves?, This is a verbal form of צדק. In the same way every root whose first letter is צ when used in the Hithpael or Nithpael takes a ט instead of the ת of the prefix. This, however, is not placed before the first radical letter, but between the first two letters of the root. For example: נצטדק of the root צדק; (Daniel 4:13) “and let it be wet (ויצטבע)” of the root צבע to steep; Joshua 9:4) “and made as if they had been ambassadors (ויצטירו)”, of the same root as ציר in (Proverbs 13:17), ציר אמונים a faithful ambassador”; (Joshua 9:12) “we took our provision (הצטידנו)” of the same root as צדה in (Genesis 45:21) צדה לדרך “provision for the way”. And in the same way, with a root whose first letter is ס or ש, when it is used in the Hithpael, the ת of the prefix separate (i.e. is placed between) the first two letters of the root. For example: (Ecclesiastes 12:5) “and the grasshopper shall drag itself along heavily (ויסתבל)” from the root סבל “to carry a load”; (Daniel 7:8) “I considered (משתכל הוית) the horns”, from the root שכל to reflect on: (Micah 6:16) “for the statutes of Omri are kept (ישתמרו)” from the root שמר to keep; (Isaiah 59:15) “And he that departeth from evil (משתולל) is regarded as a fool”, from the same root as שולל in (Job 12:17) “He leadeth counsellors away (שולל) as though they were fools”; (Exodus 9:17) “Thou treadest down (מסתולל) my people”, from the same root as סלולה in (Jeremiah 18:15) “a way not trodden down (סלולה).”