"He took Shimon from them and arrested him before their eyes." (42:24)
Question: He was arrested only "before their eyes," but as soon as they left, Joseph took him out of prison and gave him food and drink (Rashi). Since Joseph treated Shimon so well, why did he arrest him?
Answer: Joseph wanted very much that the brothers should bring Benjamin to Egypt. However, he was afraid that if all the brothers would go back to Jacob, they would take a person off the street, bring him to Egypt, and present him as Benjamin. Joseph hardly knew Benjamin, and thus he would not know if it was really him or not.
Therefore, after insisting that the brothers come back with Benjamin, he took Shimon and arrested him before their eyes. His plan was that when the brothers returned, he would ask Shimon to identify the person they presented to him as their brother Benjamin.
Since in reality, Shimon did not do anything wrong, there was no reason to keep him under arrest. Consequently, as soon as the brothers left, Joseph took him out of prison and treated him royally.
"And portions were taken from before him to them; but Benjamin's portion was greater than the portions of all of them, five times as much. And they drank and were merry with him." (43:34)
Question: The famed commenter Rashi writes: "Since the day that they had sold him they did not drink wine, nor did he (Joseph) drink wine; but on that day they did drink." Joseph recognized his brothers. Therefore, he had good reason to drink and be merry. However, since the brothers did not know who he was, why did they indulge in drinking?
Answer: The major problem between the brothers and Joseph was jealousy. Due to their jealousy of his aspirations to rise above them, they went as far as selling him as a slave. When the brothers were invited to a meal in Joseph's house, Joseph put them to a test to see if they had overcome their negative trait. He gave Benjamin five times as many presents as he gave them, and waited to see how they would react.
The brothers had already learned their lesson and showed no signs of jealousy whatsoever. When a person strives to improve his ways and overcomes their failings, they are very happy. Proud of their victory over jealousy, they permitted themselves to indulge in wine to celebrate their improved character.
"Anyone among your servants with whom it is found shall die." (44:9)
Questions: According to Torah law, the punishment for a thief is not death. Why did the brothers select death as punishment? Why did they relinquish their self-esteem and refer to themselves as "servants?"
Answer: The brothers told the prosecutor: "It is far from us to commit such a crime. Behold, we returned the money we found; how then should we steal silver and gold from your house? Since the purchase money was again found in our sacks, we are obviously being framed. There is someone among your servants who has a vendetta against us, or who is anti-semitic. A righteous country like Egypt, which helps the world endure the famine, should not tolerate such people.
"Therefore, he with whom it is found from your servants - who is out to get innocent people into trouble, he should be put to death.
"If an investigation will show that we are indeed the thieves, then we will be slaves in accordance with the laws of our Torah." The prosecutor accepted this offer and agreed that if one of the brothers stole it, he should remain as a slave.
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