Download Now »
ב"ה

Torah Reading for Mikeitz

Parshat Mikeitz
Shabbat, 4 Tevet, 5784
16 December, 2023
Select a portion:
Complete: (Genesis 41:1 - 44:17; Kings I 3:15 - 4:1)
Show content in:

First Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 41

1It came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh was dreaming, and behold, he was standing by the Nile.   אוַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ שְׁנָתַ֣יִם יָמִ֑ים וּפַרְעֹ֣ה חֹלֵ֔ם וְהִנֵּ֖ה עֹמֵ֥ד עַל־הַיְאֹֽר:
It came to pass at the end: Heb. מִקֵץ. The Targum renders: מִסוֹף, at the end, and every expression of קֵץ means end.   וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ: כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ מִסּוֹף, וְכָל לְשׁוֹן קֵץ סוֹף הוּא:
by the Nile: Heb. עַל-הַיְאֹר, lit., by the canal. No other rivers are called יְאוֹרִים except the Nile, because the entire land is covered with many man-made canals (יְאוֹרִים), and the Nile rises in their midst and waters them, for it does not usually rain in Egypt as it does in other countries.   עַל־הַיְאֹֽר: כָּל שְׁאָר נְהָרוֹת אֵינָם קְרוּיִין יְאוֹרִים חוּץ מִנִּילוּס, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכָּל הָאָרֶץ עֲשׂוּיִם יְאוֹרִים יְאוֹרִים בִּידֵי אָדָם וְנִילוּס עוֹלֶה בְּתוֹכָם וּמַשְׁקֶה אוֹתָם, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין גְּשָׁמִים יוֹרְדִין בְּמִצְרַיִם תָּדִיר כִּשְׁאָר אֲרָצוֹת:
2And behold, from the Nile were coming up seven cows, of handsome appearance and robust flesh, and they pastured in the marshland.   בוְהִנֵּ֣ה מִן־הַיְאֹ֗ר עֹלֹת֙ שֶׁ֣בַע פָּר֔וֹת יְפ֥וֹת מַרְאֶ֖ה וּבְרִיאֹ֣ת בָּשָׂ֑ר וַתִּרְעֶ֖ינָה בָּאָֽחוּ:
of handsome appearance: This was a symbol of the days of plenty, when creatures appear handsome to one another, for no one envies his fellow. — [from Gen. Rabbah 89:4]   יְפוֹת מַרְאֶה: סִימָן הוּא לִימֵי שֹׂבַע, שֶׁהַבְּרִיּוֹת נִרְאוֹת יָפוֹת זוֹ לָזוֹ, שֶׁאֵין עֵין בְּרִיָּה צָרָה בַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ:
in the marshland: Heb. בָּאָחוּ, in the marsh, maresc in Old French, like “Can the reed-grass (אָחוּ) grow…” (Job 8:11).   בָּאָֽחוּ: בָּאֲגַם, מריש"ק בְּלַעַז, כְּמוֹ יִשְׂגֶּא אָחוּ (איוב ח'):
3And behold, seven other cows were coming up after them from the Nile, of ugly appearance and lean of flesh, and they stood beside the cows [which were] on the Nile bank.   גוְהִנֵּ֞ה שֶׁ֧בַע פָּר֣וֹת אֲחֵר֗וֹת עֹל֤וֹת אַֽחֲרֵיהֶן֙ מִן־הַיְאֹ֔ר רָע֥וֹת מַרְאֶ֖ה וְדַקּ֣וֹת בָּשָׂ֑ר וַתַּֽעֲמֹ֛דְנָה אֵ֥צֶל הַפָּר֖וֹת עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיְאֹֽר:
and lean of flesh: Heb. וְדַקוֹת, tenves in Old French, a term meaning thin.   וְדַקּוֹת בָּשָׂר: טינב"ש בְּלַעַז, לְשׁוֹן דַּק:
4And the cows of ugly appearance and lean of flesh devoured the seven cows that were of handsome appearance and healthy; then Pharaoh awoke.   דוַתֹּאכַ֣לְנָה הַפָּר֗וֹת רָע֤וֹת הַמַּרְאֶה֙ וְדַקֹּ֣ת הַבָּשָׂ֔ר אֵ֚ת שֶׁ֣בַע הַפָּר֔וֹת יְפֹ֥ת הַמַּרְאֶ֖ה וְהַבְּרִיאֹ֑ת וַיִּיקַ֖ץ פַּרְעֹֽה:
devoured: A sign that all the joy of the plenty will be forgotten during the days of the famine.   וַתֹּאכַלְנָה: סִימָן שֶׁתְּהֵא כָל שִׂמְחַת הַשָּׂבָע נִשְׁכַּחַת בִּימֵי הָרָעָב:
5And he fell asleep and dreamed again, and behold, seven ears of grain were growing on one stalk, healthy and good.   הוַיִּישָׁ֕ן וַיַּֽחֲלֹ֖ם שֵׁנִ֑ית וְהִנֵּ֣ה | שֶׁ֣בַע שִׁבֳּלִ֗ים עֹל֛וֹת בְּקָנֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד בְּרִיא֥וֹת וְטֹבֽוֹת:
on one stalk: Heb. בָּקָנֶה אֶחָד, tudel , tuiel , or tue(i)l, in Old French, stalk.   בְּקָנֶה אחת: טוד"ל בְּלַעַז:
healthy: Heb. בְּרִיאוֹת sains in French, healthy.   בְּרִיאוֹת: שיינ"ש בְּלַעַז:
6And behold, seven ears of grain, thin and beaten by the east wind, were growing up after them.   ווְהִנֵּה֙ שֶׁ֣בַע שִׁבֳּלִ֔ים דַּקּ֖וֹת וּשְׁדוּפֹ֣ת קָדִ֑ים צֹֽמְח֖וֹת אַֽחֲרֵיהֶֽן:
and beaten: Heb. וּשְׁדוּפוֹת. hasled(e)s in Old French, burnt up, parched; וּשְׁקִיפָן קִדּוּם [in Targum Onkelos], beaten, an expression similar to מַשְׁקוֹף, lintel, which is constantly beaten by the door, which knocks against it.   וּשְׁדוּפֹת: הלייא"ש בְּלַעַז, שְׁקִיפָן קִדּוּם, חֲבוּטוֹת, לְשׁוֹן מַשְׁקוֹף הֶחָבוּט תָּמִיד עַל יְדֵי הַדֶּלֶת הַמַּכָּה עָלָיו:
the east wind: Heb. קָדִים, the east wind, called Bise in French. (Early editions read: the southeast wind.)   קָדִים: רוּחַ מִזְרָחִית, שֶׁקּוֹרִין בי"סא בְּלַעַז:
7And the thin ears of grain swallowed up the seven healthy and full ears of grain; then Pharaoh awoke, and behold, a dream.   זוַתִּבְלַ֨עְנָה֙ הַשִּׁבֳּלִ֣ים הַדַּקּ֔וֹת אֵ֚ת שֶׁ֣בַע הַשִּׁבֳּלִ֔ים הַבְּרִיא֖וֹת וְהַמְּלֵא֑וֹת וַיִּיקַ֥ץ פַּרְעֹ֖ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה חֲלֽוֹם:
healthy: Heb. בְּרִיאוֹת, sains in French, healthy.   הַבְּרִיאוֹת: שיינ"ש בְּלַעַז:
and behold, a dream: And behold, a whole dream was completed before him, and it required interpreters.   וְהִנֵּה חֲלֽוֹם: וְהִנֵּה נִשְׁלַם חֲלוֹם שָׁלֵם לְפָנָיו וְהֻצְרַךְ לְפוֹתְרִים:
8Now it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; so he sent and called all the necromancers of Egypt and all its sages, and Pharaoh related to them his dream, but no one interpreted them for Pharaoh.   חוַיְהִ֤י בַבֹּ֨קֶר֙ וַתִּפָּ֣עֶם רוּח֔וֹ וַיִּשְׁלַ֗ח וַיִּקְרָ֛א אֶת־כָּל־חַרְטֻמֵּ֥י מִצְרַ֖יִם וְאֶת־כָּל־חֲכָמֶ֑יהָ וַיְסַפֵּ֨ר פַּרְעֹ֤ה לָהֶם֙ אֶת־חֲלֹמ֔וֹ וְאֵֽין־פּוֹתֵ֥ר אוֹתָ֖ם לְפַרְעֹֽה:
that his spirit was troubled: Heb. וַתִּפָּעֶם [Onkelos renders:] that his spirit was agitated, knocking within him like a bell (כְּפַעִמוֹן) (Tanchuma Buber, Mikeitz 4). Concerning Nebuchadnezzar, however, Scripture says: “and his spirit was agitated (וַתִּתְפָּעֶם)” (Dan. 2:1). There were two [reasons for this] agitation: forgetting the dream and ignorance of its interpretation. — [from Tanchuma Mikeitz 2]   וַתִּפָּעֶם רוּחוֹ: וּמִטַּרְפָּא רוּחֵיהּ, מְקַשְׁקֶשֶׁת בְּתוֹכוֹ כְּפַעֲמוֹן; וּבִנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר אוֹמֵר, וַתִּתְפָּעֶם רוּחוֹ (דניאל ב'), לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם שְׁתֵּי פְעִימוֹת, שִׁכְחַת הַחֲלוֹם וְהַעֲלָמַת פִּתְרוֹנוֹ (בראשית רבה):
the necromancers: Heb. חַרְטֻמֵי, those who would arouse themselves (נֶחֱרִים) with the bones (טִימֵי) of the dead, so that they would [be able to] inquire of the bones. ([The word] טִימֵי means “bones” in Aramaic. In the Mishnah (Oholoth 17:3), we find: A house that was full of “timia,” meaning “full of bones.”)   חַרְטֻמֵּי: הַנֵּחָרִים בְּטִימֵי מֵתִים, שֶׁשּׁוֹאֲלִין בַּעֲצָמוֹת. טִימֵי הֵן עֲצָמוֹת בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי, וּבַמִּשְׁנָה בַּיִת שֶׁהוּא מָלֵא טִימַיָּא (אהלות פי"ז), מָלֵא עֲצָמוֹת:
but no one interpreted them for Pharaoh: They did interpret them, but not for Pharaoh, for their voice did not reach his ears, and he had no satisfaction from their interpretation, for they said, “You will beget seven daughters, and you will bury seven daughters.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 89:6]   וְאֵֽין־פּוֹתֵר אוֹתָם לְפַרְעֹֽה: פּוֹתְרִים הָיוּ אוֹתָם, אֲבָל לֹא לְפַרְעֹה, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה קוֹלָן נִכְנָס בְּאָזְנָיו, וְלֹא הָיָה לוֹ קוֹרַת רוּחַ בְּפִתְרוֹנָם, שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁבַע בָּנוֹת אַתָּה מוֹלִיד וְשֶׁבַע בָּנוֹת אַתָּה קוֹבֵר (בראשית רבה):
9Now the chief cupbearer spoke with Pharaoh, saying, "I call to mind my faults today.   טוַיְדַבֵּר֙ שַׂ֣ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֔ים אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אֶת־חֲטָאַ֕י אֲנִ֖י מַזְכִּ֥יר הַיּֽוֹם:
10Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and he put me in prison, in the house of the chief slaughterer, me and the chief baker.   יפַּרְעֹ֖ה קָצַ֣ף עַל־עֲבָדָ֑יו וַיִּתֵּ֨ן אֹתִ֜י בְּמִשְׁמַ֗ר בֵּ֚ית שַׂ֣ר הַטַּבָּחִ֔ים אֹתִ֕י וְאֵ֖ת שַׂ֥ר הָֽאֹפִֽים:
11And we dreamed a dream on the same night, I and he; each one according to the interpretation of his dream, we dreamed.   יאוַנַּֽחַלְמָ֥ה חֲל֛וֹם בְּלַ֥יְלָה אֶחָ֖ד אֲנִ֣י וָה֑וּא אִ֛ישׁ כְּפִתְר֥וֹן חֲלֹמ֖וֹ חָלָֽמְנוּ:
each one according to the interpretation of his dream: A dream fit for the interpretation that was interpreted for us and similar to it. [I.e., a dream for which the interpretation given was appropriate, and which was similar to that interpretation.]   אִישׁ כְּפִתְרוֹן חֲלֹמוֹ: חֲלוֹם הָרָאוּי לַפִּתְרוֹן שֶׁנִּפְתַּר לָנוּ וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ:
12And there with us was a Hebrew lad, a slave of the chief slaughterer, and we told him, and he interpreted our dreams for us; [for] each [of us], he interpreted according to his dream.   יבוְשָׁ֨ם אִתָּ֜נוּ נַ֣עַר עִבְרִ֗י עֶ֚בֶד לְשַׂ֣ר הַטַּבָּחִ֔ים וַנְּסַ֙פֶּר־ל֔וֹ וַיִּפְתָּר־לָ֖נוּ אֶת־חֲלֹֽמֹתֵ֑ינוּ אִ֥ישׁ כַּֽחֲלֹמ֖וֹ פָּתָֽר:
a Hebrew lad, a slave: Cursed are the wicked, for their favors are incomplete. He mentions him with expressions of contempt:   נַעַר עִבְרִי עֶבֶד: אֲרוּרִים הָרְשָׁעִים, שֶׁאֵין טוֹבָתָם שְׁלֵמָה, מַזְכִּירוֹ בִּלְשׁוֹן בִּזָּיוֹן:
a lad: a fool, unfit for a high position;   נַעַר: שׁוֹטֶה וְאֵין רָאוּי לִגְדֻלָּה:
a Hebrew: he does not even understand our language;   עִבְרִי: אֲפִלּוּ לְשׁוֹנֵנוּ אֵינוֹ מַכִּיר:
a slave: and in the statutes of Egypt it is written that a slave may neither reign nor wear princely raiment. — [from Gen. Rabbah 89:7]   עֶבֶד: וְכָתוּב בְּנִמּוּסֵי מִצְרַיִם שֶׁאֵין עֶבֶד מוֹלֵךְ וְלֹא לוֹבֵשׁ בִּגְדֵי שָׂרִים:
[for] each [of us]…according to his dream: According to the dream and close to its contents. — [from Ber. 55b]   אִישׁ כַּֽחֲלֹמוֹ: לְפִי הַחֲלוֹם וְקָרוֹב לְעִנְיָנוֹ:
13And it came to pass that just as he had interpreted, so it was; me he restored to my position, and him he hanged."   יגוַיְהִ֛י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר פָּֽתַר־לָ֖נוּ כֵּ֣ן הָיָ֑ה אֹתִ֛י הֵשִׁ֥יב עַל־כַּנִּ֖י וְאֹת֥וֹ תָלָֽה:
me he restored to my position: [“He” refers to] Pharaoh, mentioned above, as he said, “Pharaoh was angry with his servants” (verse 10). Hence, the verse is elliptical: it did not specify who restored, because it is not necessary to specify who restored, [for it could only be] the one who has the power to restore, namely Pharaoh. This is customary for all elliptical verses. Concerning the one who is to do [the thing], they leave the matter unspecified.   הֵשִׁיב עַל־כַּנִּי: פַּרְעֹה, הַנִּזְכָּר לְמַעְלָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר פַּרְעֹה קָצַף עַל עֲבָדָיו; הֲרֵי מִקְרָא קְצַר לָשׁוֹן, וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מִי הֵשִׁיב, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין צָרִיךְ לְפָרֵשׁ; מִי הֵשִׁיב? מִי שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ לְהָשִׁיב, וְהוּא פַּרְעֹה; וְכֵן דֶּרֶךְ כָּל מִקְרָאוֹת קְצָרִים, עַל מִי שֶׁעָלָיו לַעֲשׂוֹת הֵם סוֹתְמִים אֶת הַדָּבָר:
14So Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they rushed him from the dungeon, and he shaved and changed his clothes, and he [then] came to Pharaoh.   ידוַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח פַּרְעֹה֙ וַיִּקְרָ֣א אֶת־יוֹסֵ֔ף וַיְרִיצֻ֖הוּ מִן־הַבּ֑וֹר וַיְגַלַּח֙ וַיְחַלֵּ֣ף שִׂמְלֹתָ֔יו וַיָּבֹ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹֽה:
from the dungeon: Heb. מִן-הַבּוֹר, lit., from the pit. From the prison, which was made like a sort of pit, and so every [instance of] בּוֹר in the Scriptures is an expression of “pit.” Even if there is no water in it, it is called בּוֹר, fosse in Old French, a pit.   מִן־הַבּוֹר: מִן בֵּית הַסֹּהַר שֶׁהוּא עָשׂוּי כְּמִין גֻּמָּא, וְכֵן כָּל בּוֹר שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לְשׁוֹן גֻּמָּא הוּא, וְאַף אִם אֵין בּוֹ מַיִם קָרוּי בּוֹר, פוש"א בְּלַעַז:
and he shaved: in honor of the throne. — [from Gen. Rabbah 89:9]   וַיְגַלַּח: מִפְּנֵי כְבוֹד הַמַּלְכוּת (בראשית רבה):

Second Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 41

15And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter for it, but I have heard it said of you [that] you understand a dream, to interpret it."   טווַיֹּ֤אמֶר פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף חֲל֣וֹם חָלַ֔מְתִּי וּפֹתֵ֖ר אֵ֣ין אֹת֑וֹ וַֽאֲנִ֗י שָׁמַ֤עְתִּי עָלֶ֨יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר תִּשְׁמַ֥ע חֲל֖וֹם לִפְתֹּ֥ר אֹתֽוֹ:
you understand a dream, to interpret it: Heb. תִּשְׁמַע. You listen to and understand a dream, to interpret it.   תִּשְׁמַע חֲלוֹם לִפְתֹּר אֹתוֹ: תַּאֲזִין וְתָבִין חֲלוֹם לִפְתֹּר אוֹתוֹ:
you understand: Heb. תִּשְׁמַע. An expression of understanding and listening, similar to “Joseph understood (שֹׁמֵעַ)” (Gen. 42:23); and “whose language you will not understand (תִּשְׁמַע)” (Deut. 28:49), antandras in Old French, you understand.   תִּשְׁמַע: לְשׁוֹן הֲבָנָה וְהַאֲזָנָה, כְּמוֹ שׁוֹמֵעַ יוֹסֵף, אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִשְׁמַע לְשֹׁנוֹ, אנטינ"דרא בְּלַעַז:
16And Joseph replied to Pharaoh, saying, "Not I; God will give an answer [that will bring] peace to Pharaoh."   טזוַיַּ֨עַן יוֹסֵ֧ף אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֛ה לֵאמֹ֖ר בִּלְעָדָ֑י אֱלֹהִ֕ים יַֽעֲנֶ֖ה אֶת־שְׁל֥וֹם פַּרְעֹֽה:
Not I: Heb. בִּלְעָדָי. The wisdom is not mine, but God will answer. He will put an answer into my mouth that will bring peace to Pharaoh. — [from Targum Onkelos]   בִּלְעָדָי: אֵין הַחָכְמָה מִשֶּׁלִּי, אֶלָּא אֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶה – יִתֵּן עֲנִיָּה בְּפִי – לִשְׁלוֹם פַּרְעֹה:
17And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "In my dream, behold, I was standing on the bank of the Nile.   יזוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֶל־יוֹסֵ֑ף בַּֽחֲלֹמִ֕י הִנְנִ֥י עֹמֵ֖ד עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיְאֹֽר:
18And behold, seven cows of robust flesh and handsome form were ascending from the Nile, and they pastured in the marshland.   יחוְהִנֵּ֣ה מִן־הַיְאֹ֗ר עֹלֹת֙ שֶׁ֣בַע פָּר֔וֹת בְּרִיא֥וֹת בָּשָׂ֖ר וִיפֹ֣ת תֹּ֑אַר וַתִּרְעֶ֖ינָה בָּאָֽחוּ:
19And behold, seven other cows were ascending after them, emaciated and of very ugly form and with meager flesh; I have not seen such ugly ones throughout the entire land of Egypt.   יטוְהִנֵּ֞ה שֶֽׁבַע־פָּר֤וֹת אֲחֵרוֹת֙ עֹל֣וֹת אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֔ן דַּלּ֨וֹת וְרָע֥וֹת תֹּ֛אַר מְאֹ֖ד וְרַקּ֣וֹת בָּשָׂ֑ר לֹֽא־רָאִ֧יתִי כָהֵ֛נָּה בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לָרֹֽעַ:
emaciated: Heb. דַלוֹת similar to “Why are you becoming so thin (דַל)” (II Sam. 13:4), referring to Amnon.   דַּלּוֹת: כְּחוּשׁוֹת, כְּמוֹ מַדּוּעַ אַתָּה כָּכָה דַּל, דְּאַמְנוֹן (שמואל ב י"ג):
and with meager flesh: Heb. וְרַקוֹת בָּשָׂר Every expression of רַקוֹת in Scripture means “lacking flesh,” and in Old French [it is] bloses, deprived (deficient).   וְרַקּוֹת בָּשָׂר: כָּל לְשׁוֹן רַקּוֹת שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא חַסְרֵי בָשָׂר, וּבְלַעַז בלוא"ש:
20And the meager and ugly cows devoured the first seven healthy cows.   כוַתֹּאכַ֨לְנָה֙ הַפָּר֔וֹת הָֽרַקּ֖וֹת וְהָֽרָע֑וֹת אֵ֣ת שֶׁ֧בַע הַפָּר֛וֹת הָרִֽאשֹׁנ֖וֹת הַבְּרִיאֹֽת:
21And they went inside them, but it was not known that they had gone inside of them, for their appearance was as ugly as in the beginning; then I awoke.   כאוַתָּבֹ֣אנָה אֶל־קִרְבֶּ֗נָה וְלֹ֤א נוֹדַע֙ כִּי־בָ֣אוּ אֶל־קִרְבֶּ֔נָה וּמַרְאֵיהֶ֣ן רַ֔ע כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר בַּתְּחִלָּ֑ה וָֽאִיקָֽץ:
22Then I saw in my dream, and behold, seven ears of grain were growing on one stalk, full and good.   כבוָאֵ֖רֶא בַּֽחֲלֹמִ֑י וְהִנֵּ֣ה | שֶׁ֣בַע שִׁבֳּלִ֗ים עֹלֹ֛ת בְּקָנֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד מְלֵאֹ֥ת וְטֹבֽוֹת:
23And behold, seven ears of grain, hardened, thin, and beaten by the east wind, were growing up after them.   כגוְהִנֵּה֙ שֶׁ֣בַע שִׁבֳּלִ֔ים צְנֻמ֥וֹת דַּקּ֖וֹת שְׁדֻפ֣וֹת קָדִ֑ים צֹֽמְח֖וֹת אַֽחֲרֵיהֶֽם:
hardened: Heb. צְנֻמוֹת. [The word] צוּנְמָא in Aramaic means “rock.” They were like wood, without moisture and hard as a rock. The Targum (Onkelos) renders: נָצָן לַקְיָן נָצָן means that nothing was left but the [withered] blossom (הַנֵץ) because they were emptied out of seed. [לַקְיָן means “beaten.”]   צְנֻמוֹת: צוּנְמָא בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי סֶלַע, הֲרֵי הֵן כְּעֵץ בְּלִי לִחְלוּחַ וְקָשׁוֹת כְּסֶלַע, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ נָצָן לָקְיָן, נָצָן – אֵין בָּהֶם אֶלָּא הַנֵּץ, לְפִי שֶׁנִּתְרוֹקְנוּ מִן הַזֶּרַע:
24And the thin ears of grain swallowed up the seven good ears of grain; I told the necromancers, but no one tells me [its meaning]."   כדוַתִּבְלַ֨עְןָ֙ הַשִּׁבֳּלִ֣ים הַדַּקֹּ֔ת אֵ֛ת שֶׁ֥בַע הַשִּׁבֳּלִ֖ים הַטֹּב֑וֹת וָֽאֹמַר֙ אֶל־הַֽחַרְטֻמִּ֔ים וְאֵ֥ין מַגִּ֖יד לִֽי:
25And Joseph said to Pharaoh, "Pharaoh's dream is one; what God is doing He has told Pharaoh.   כהוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יוֹסֵף֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה חֲל֥וֹם פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֶחָ֣ד ה֑וּא אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁ֧ר הָֽאֱלֹהִ֛ים עֹשֶׂ֖ה הִגִּ֥יד לְפַרְעֹֽה:
26The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears of grain are seven years; it is one dream.   כושֶׁ֧בַע פָּרֹ֣ת הַטֹּבֹ֗ת שֶׁ֤בַע שָׁנִים֙ הֵ֔נָּה וְשֶׁ֤בַע הַשִּׁבֳּלִים֙ הַטֹּבֹ֔ת שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִ֖ים הֵ֑נָּה חֲל֥וֹם אֶחָ֖ד הֽוּא:
seven years and…seven years: All of them are only [a single period of] seven. The reason the dream was repeated twice is that the matter [the good years] is ready, as he explained to him at the end. “And concerning the repetition of the dream to Pharaoh twice-that is because the matter is ready…” (verse 32). In connection with the seven good years it says, “He has told Pharaoh” (verse 25), because it was near, but in connection with the seven years of famine, it says, “He has shown Pharaoh” (verse 28). Since the matter was distant and far off, an expression of “showing a vision” is appropriate.   שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים: כֻּלָּן אֵינָן אֶלָּא שֶׁבַע, וַאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁנָה הַחֲלוֹם פַּעֲמַיִם, לְפִי שֶׁהַדָּבָר מְזֻמָּן כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ לוֹ בַּסּוֹף ועל השנות החלום וגו' בְּשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים הַטּוֹבוֹת נֶאֱמַר הגיד לפרעה לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה סָמוּךְ וּבְשֶׁבַע שְׁנֵי רָעָב נֶאֱמַר הראה את פרעה, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה הַדָּבָר מֻפְלָג וְרָחוֹק, נוֹפֵל בּוֹ לְשׁוֹן מַרְאֶה:
27And the seven meager and ugly cows coming up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears of grain, beaten by the east wind, will be seven years of famine.   כזוְשֶׁ֣בַע הַ֠פָּר֠וֹת הָֽרַקּ֨וֹת וְהָֽרָעֹ֜ת הָֽעֹלֹ֣ת אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֗ן שֶׁ֤בַע שָׁנִים֙ הֵ֔נָּה וְשֶׁ֤בַע הַשִּׁבֳּלִים֙ הָֽרֵק֔וֹת שְׁדֻפ֖וֹת הַקָּדִ֑ים יִֽהְי֕וּ שֶׁ֖בַע שְׁנֵ֥י רָעָֽב:
28It is this matter that I have spoken to Pharaoh; what God is about to do He has shown Pharaoh.   כחה֣וּא הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר הָֽאֱלֹהִ֛ים עֹשֶׂ֖ה הֶרְאָ֥ה אֶת־פַּרְעֹֽה:
29Behold, seven years are coming, great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt.   כטהִנֵּ֛ה שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִ֖ים בָּא֑וֹת שָׂבָ֥ע גָּד֖וֹל בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
30And seven years of famine will arise after them, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will destroy the land.   לוְ֠קָ֠מוּ שֶׁ֨בַע שְׁנֵ֤י רָעָב֙ אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֔ן וְנִשְׁכַּ֥ח כָּל־הַשָּׂבָ֖ע בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְכִלָּ֥ה הָֽרָעָ֖ב אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ:
and all the plenty will be forgotten: This is the interpretation of the swallowing.   וְנִשְׁכַּח כָּל־הַשָּׂבָע: הוּא פִתְרוֹן הַבְּלִיעָה:
31And the plenty will not be known because of that famine to follow, for it [will be] very severe.   לאוְלֹֽא־יִוָּדַ֤ע הַשָּׂבָע֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ מִפְּנֵ֛י הָֽרָעָ֥ב הַה֖וּא אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֑ן כִּֽי־כָבֵ֥ד ה֖וּא מְאֹֽד:
And the plenty will not be known: This is the interpretation of “but it was not known that they had gone inside them” (verse 21).   וְלֹֽא־יִוָּדַע הַשָּׂבָע: הוּא פִּתְרוֹן "ולא נודע כי באו אל קרבנה":
32And concerning the repetition of the dream to Pharaoh twice that is because the matter is ready [to emanate] from God, and God is hastening to execute it.   לבוְעַ֨ל הִשָּׁנ֧וֹת הַֽחֲל֛וֹם אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֖ה פַּֽעֲמָ֑יִם כִּֽי־נָכ֤וֹן הַדָּבָר֙ מֵעִ֣ם הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים וּמְמַהֵ֥ר הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים לַֽעֲשׂתֽוֹ:
ready-: Heb. נָכוֹן, ready.   נָכוֹן: מְזֻמָּן:
33So now, let Pharaoh seek out an understanding and wise man and appoint him over the land of Egypt.   לגוְעַתָּה֙ יֵרֶ֣א פַרְעֹ֔ה אִ֖ישׁ נָב֣וֹן וְחָכָ֑ם וִֽישִׁיתֵ֖הוּ עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
34Let Pharaoh do [this] and appoint officials over the land and prepare the land of Egypt during the seven years of plenty.   לדיַֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה פַרְעֹ֔ה וְיַפְקֵ֥ד פְּקִדִ֖ים עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְחִמֵּשׁ֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּשֶׁ֖בַע שְׁנֵ֥י הַשָּׂבָֽע:
and prepare: Heb. וְחִמֵשׁ, as the Targum renders: וִיזָרֵז, and he shall prepare, and similarly, “and prepared (וַחֲמוּשִׁים)” (Exod. 13:18).   וְחִמֵּשׁ: כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וִיזָרְזוּן; וְכֵן וַחֲמֻשִׁים (שמות י"ג):
35And let them collect all the food of these coming good years, and let them gather the grain under Pharaoh's hand, food in the cities, and keep it.   להוְיִקְבְּצ֗וּ אֶת־כָּל־אֹ֨כֶל֙ הַשָּׁנִ֣ים הַטֹּב֔וֹת הַבָּאֹ֖ת הָאֵ֑לֶּה וְיִצְבְּרוּ־בָ֞ר תַּ֧חַת יַד־פַּרְעֹ֛ה אֹ֥כֶל בֶּֽעָרִ֖ים וְשָׁמָֽרוּ:
all the food: Heb. אֹכֶל. This is a noun; therefore, its accent is on the “aleph,” and it is vowelized with a“pattach katan,” but אוֹכֵל, which is a verb, e.g., “for whoever eats (אֹכֵל) fat” (Lev. 7:25), is accented on the final syllable, on the “chaff,” and is vowelized with a “kamatz katan.”   אֶת־כָּל־אֹכֶל: שֵׁם דָּבָר הוּא, לְפִיכָךְ טַעֲמוֹ בָּאָלֶ"ף וְנָקוּד בְּפַתָּח קָטָן, וְאוֹכֵל שֶׁהוּא פֹּעַל, כְּגוֹן כִּי כָּל אֹכֵל חֵלֶב, טַעֲמוֹ לְמַטָּה בַּכַּ"ף, וְנָקוּד קָמָץ קָטָן:
under Pharaoh’s hand: In his custody and in his storehouses.   תַּחַת יַד־פַּרְעֹה: בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ וּבְאוֹצְרוֹתָיו:
36Thus the food will remain as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will be in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not be destroyed by the famine."   לווְהָיָ֨ה הָאֹ֤כֶל לְפִקָּדוֹן֙ לָאָ֔רֶץ לְשֶׁ֨בַע֙ שְׁנֵ֣י הָֽרָעָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּֽהְיֶ֖יןָ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְלֹֽא־תִכָּרֵ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ בָּֽרָעָֽב:
Thus the food: The gathered [food] will be like any other reserve that is hidden away for the preservation of the land.   וְהָיָה הָאֹכֶל: הַצָּבוּר כִּשְׁאָר פִּקָּדוֹן הַגָּנוּז לְקִיּוּם הָאָרֶץ:
37The matter pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.   לזוַיִּיטַ֥ב הַדָּבָ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה וּבְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־עֲבָדָֽיו:
38So Pharaoh said to his servants, "Will we find [anyone] like this, a man in whom there is the spirit of God?"   לחוַיֹּ֥אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֶל־עֲבָדָ֑יו הֲנִמְצָ֣א כָזֶ֔ה אִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֛ר ר֥וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֖ים בּֽוֹ:
Will we find [anyone] like this: Heb. הִנִמְצָא כָזֶה [Onkelos renders:] הִנִשְׁכַּח כְּדֵין, will we find such as this? If we go and seek him, will we find [anyone] like him?- [from Gen. Rabbah 90:1] הִנִמְצָא is an interrogative expression, as is every “hey” used as a prefix and vowelized with a “chataf pattach.”   הֲנִמְצָא כָזֶה: הֲנִשְׁכַּח כְּדֵין? אִם נֵלֵךְ וּנְבַקְשֶׁנּוּ, הֲנִמְצָא כָמוֹהוּ? הֲנִמְצָא לְשׁוֹן תְּמִיהָה; וְכֵן כָּל הֵ"א הַמְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת בְּרֹאשׁ תֵּבָה וּנְקוּדָה בַחֲטַף פַּתָּח:

Third Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 41

39Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has let you know all this, there is no one as understanding and wise as you.   לטוַיֹּ֤אמֶר פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף אַֽחֲרֵ֨י הוֹדִ֧יעַ אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֽוֹתְךָ֖ אֶת־כָּל־זֹ֑את אֵֽין־נָב֥וֹן וְחָכָ֖ם כָּמֽוֹךָ:
there is no one as understanding and wise as you: To seek an understanding and wise man as you said, we will not [be able to] find anyone like you.   אֵֽין־נָבוֹן וְחָכָם כָּמֽוֹךָ: לְבַקֵּשׁ אִישׁ נָבוֹן וְחָכָם שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ, לֹא נִמְצָא כָמוֹךָ:
40You shall be [appointed] over my household, and through your command all my people shall be nourished; only [with] the throne will I be greater than you."   מאַתָּה֙ תִּֽהְיֶ֣ה עַל־בֵּיתִ֔י וְעַל־פִּ֖יךָ יִשַּׁ֣ק כָּל־עַמִּ֑י רַ֥ק הַכִּסֵּ֖א אֶגְדַּ֥ל מִמֶּֽךָּ:
shall be nourished: Heb. יִשַׁק [Onkelos renders:] יִתְּזַּן, shall be nourished, shall be sustained. All my people’s necessities shall be provided through you, similar to “the steward of my household (בֶּן מֶשֶׁק)” (Gen. 15:2), and “Arm yourselves (נַשְׁקוּ) with purity” (Ps. 2:12), garnis(s) on in Old French, provision.   יִשַּׁק: יִתְּזַן, יִתְפַּרְנֵס – כָּל צָרְכֵי עַמִּי יִהְיוּ נַעֲשִׂים עַל יָדְךָ, כְּמוֹ נַשְּׁקוּ בַר (תהילים ב'), גרני"שון בְּלַעַז:
only [with] the throne: That I will be called king.   רַק הַכִּסֵּא: שֶׁיִּהְיוּ קוֹרִין לִי מֶלֶךְ:
the throne: A term denoting the kingship, like “and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord, King [David]” (I Kings 1:37).   כסא: לְשׁוֹן שֵׁם הַמְּלוּכָה, כְּמוֹ וִיגַדֵּל אֶת כִּסְאוֹ מִכִּסֵּא אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ (מלכים א א'):
41So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Look, I have appointed you over the entire land of Egypt."   מאוַיֹּ֥אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֶל־יוֹסֵ֑ף רְאֵה֙ נָתַ֣תִּי אֹֽתְךָ֔ עַ֖ל כָּל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
I have appointed you: Heb. נָתַתִּי אֹת‏ְ. [Onkelos renders:] מַנֵיתִי יָת‏ָ, I have appointed you. It is nevertheless an expression of placing (lit., giving), like “and to place you (לְתִתּ‏ְ) above” (Deut. 26:19). Whether for greatness or lowliness, the term נְתִינָה is appropriate, like “I, [too,] have made you (נָתַתִּי אֶתְכֶם) contemptible and low” (Mal. 2:9).   נָתַתִּי אֹֽתְךָ: מַנֵּיתִי יָתָךְ, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵּן לְשׁוֹן נְתִינָה הוּא, כְּמוֹ וּלְתִתְּךָ עֶלְיוֹן (דברים כ"ו); בֵּין לִגְדֻלָּה בֵּין לְשִׁפְלוּת נוֹפֵל לְשׁוֹן נְתִינָה עָלָיו, כְּמוֹ נָתַתִּי אֶתְכֶם נִבְזִים וּשְׁפָלִים (מלאכי ב'):
42And Pharaoh removed his ring from his hand and placed it on Joseph's hand, and he attired him [with] raiment of fine linen, and he placed the golden chain around his neck.   מבוַיָּ֨סַר פַּרְעֹ֤ה אֶת־טַבַּעְתּוֹ֙ מֵעַ֣ל יָד֔וֹ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֖הּ עַל־יַ֣ד יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיַּלְבֵּ֤שׁ אֹתוֹ֙ בִּגְדֵי־שֵׁ֔שׁ וַיָּ֛שֶׂם רְבִ֥ד הַזָּהָ֖ב עַל־צַוָּארֽוֹ:
And Pharaoh removed his ring: [The] giving [of] the king’s ring is a sign to the one to whom it is given [that he is] to be second to him in greatness [rank].   וַיָּסַר פַּרְעֹה אֶת־טַבַּעְתּוֹ: נְתִינַת טַבַּעַת הַמֶּלֶךְ הִיא אוֹת לְמִי שֶׁנּוֹתְנָהּ לוֹ לִהְיוֹת שֵׁנִי לוֹ לִגְדֻלָּה:
raiment of fine linen: This is an item of value in Egypt.   בִּגְדֵי־שֵׁשׁ: דְּבַר חֲשִׁיבוּת הוּא בְּמִצְרַיִם:
chain: Heb. רְבִד, a chain, and because it consists of links placed in a row, it is called רְבִד, and similarly, “I have decked (רָבַדְתִּי) my couch” (Prov. 7:16). I have decked my couch with rows of ornaments. In the language of the Mishnah: “surrounded by rows (רוֹבְדִין) of stone” (Middoth 1:8); “on the row of stones (רוֹבֶד) in the forecourt” (Yoma 43b), which is the pavement.   רביד: עֲנָק, וְעַל שֶׁהוּא רָצוּף בְּטַבָּעוֹת קָרוּי רְבִיד וְכֵן מַרְבַדִּים רָבַדְתִּי עַרְשִׂי (משלי ז') – רִצַּפְתִּי עַרְשִׂי מַרְצָפוֹת, בִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה מֻקָּף רוֹבְדִין שֶׁל אֶבֶן, עַל הָרֹבֶד שֶׁבָּעֲזָרָה, וְהִיא רִצְפָּה:
43And he had him ride in his chariot of second rank, and they called out before him, "[This is] the king's patron," appointing him over the entire land of Egypt.   מגוַיַּרְכֵּ֣ב אֹת֗וֹ בְּמִרְכֶּ֤בֶת הַמִּשְׁנֶה֙ אֲשֶׁר־ל֔וֹ וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ לְפָנָ֖יו אַבְרֵ֑ךְ וְנָת֣וֹן אֹת֔וֹ עַ֖ל כָּל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
in his chariot of second rank: Heb. מִרְכֶּבֶת הַמִשְׁנֶה. The one second to his chariot, which goes next to his.   בְּמִרְכֶּבֶת הַמִּשְׁנֶה: הַשְּׁנִיָּה לְמֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ, הַמְהַלֶּכֶת אֵצֶל שֶׁלּוֹ:
the king’s patron: Heb. ‏ֵאַבְר, as the Targum renders: This is the patron of the king. [The word] ר‏ֵ in Aramaic means “king.” In [the chapter entitled] “The partners” (Baba Bathra 4a), he (Herod) is neither a king (רֵיכָא) nor the son of a king (בַּר רֵיכָא). [Thus, ר‏ֵ like rex in Latin, means king.] In the Aggadah (Sifrei Deut. 1), Rabbi Judah expounded: אַבְר‏ֵ refers to Joseph, who was a father (אָב) in wisdom, and tender (ר‏ַ) in years. Ben Durmaskith said to him, “How long will you pervert the Scriptures for us? אַבְר‏ֵ is only a term denoting knees (בִּרְכַּיִם), for all would enter and exit under his hand, as the matter that is stated: ”appointing him, etc."   אַבְרֵךְ: כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "דֵּין אַבָּא לְמַלְכָּא", רֵךְ בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי (נ"א רוֹמִי) מֶלֶךְ; בְּהַשֻּׁתָּפִין לָא רֵיכָא וְלֹא בַּר רֵיכָא, וּבְדִבְרֵי אַגָּדָה דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אַבְרֵךְ זֶה יוֹסֵף שֶׁהוּא אָב בְּחָכְמָה וְרַךְ בַּשָּׁנִים, אָמַר לוֹ רַ' יוֹסֵי בֶּן דֻּרְמַסְקִית עַד מָתַי אַתָּה מְעַוֵּת עָלֵינוּ אֶת הַכְּתוּבִים? אֵין אַבְרֵךְ אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן בִּרְכַּיִם, שֶׁהַכֹּל הָיוּ נִכְנָסִין וְיוֹצְאִין תַּחַת יָדוֹ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, וְנָתוֹן אוֹתוֹ וְגוֹ':
44And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and besides you, no one may lift his hand or his foot in the entire land of Egypt."   מדוַיֹּ֧אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֛ה אֶל־יוֹסֵ֖ף אֲנִ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה וּבִלְעָדֶ֗יךָ לֹֽא־יָרִ֨ים אִ֧ישׁ אֶת־יָד֛וֹ וְאֶת־רַגְל֖וֹ בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
I am Pharaoh: I have the power to enact a decree upon my kingdom, and I decree that no one should raise his hand, etc.   אֲנִי פַּרְעֹה: שֶׁיֵּשׁ יְכֹלֶת בְּיָדִי לִגְזֹר גְּזֵרָה עַל מַלְכוּתִי, וַאֲנִי גּוֹזֵר שֶׁלֹּא יָרִים אִישׁ יָדוֹ:
and besides you: [I.e.,] without your permission. Another interpretation: I shall be the king, and besides you, etc. This is parallel to “only [with] the throne” (verse 40). - [from Gen. Rabbah 90:2] [I.e., although I give you the exclusive power to raise your hand and foot, as explained below I am still the supreme ruler over the land.]   בִלְעָדֶיךָ: שֶׁלֹּא בִּרְשׁוּתְךָ. דָּבָר אַחֵר אֲנִי פַרְעֹה, אֲנִי אֶהְיֶה מֶלֶךְ, וּבִלְעָדֶיךָ וְגוֹ' וְזֶהוּ דֻּגְמַת רַק הַכִּסֵּא:
his hand or his foot: As the Targum renders [no man shall raise his hand to bear arms or his foot to ride a horse.]   אֶת־יָדוֹ וְאֶת־רַגְלוֹ: כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
45And Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenath Pa'neach, and he gave him Asenath the daughter of Poti phera, the governor of On, for a wife, and Joseph went forth over the land of Egypt.   מהוַיִּקְרָ֨א פַרְעֹ֥ה שֵֽׁם־יוֹסֵף֘ צָֽפְנַ֣ת פַּעְנֵ֒חַ֒ וַיִּתֶּן־ל֣וֹ אֶת־אָֽסְנַ֗ת בַּת־פּ֥וֹטִי פֶ֛רַע כֹּהֵ֥ן אֹ֖ן לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיֵּצֵ֥א יוֹסֵ֖ף עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
Zaphenath-Pa’neach: He who explains hidden things, and Pa’neach has no parallel in Scripture. — [from Targum Onkelos]   צָֽפְנַת פַּעְנֵחַ: מְפָרֵשׁ הַצְּפוּנוֹת; וְאֵין לְפַעְנֵחַ דִּמְיוֹן בַּמִּקְרָא:
Poti-phera: He is Potiphar, but he was called Poti-phera because he became emasculated since he desired Joseph for homosexual relations. — [from Sotah 13b]   פוטיפרע: הוּא פּוֹטִיפַר, וְנִקְרָא פּוֹטִיפֶרַע עַל שֶׁנִּסְתָּרֵס מֵאֵלָיו, לְפִי שֶׁחָמַד אֶת יוֹסֵף לְמִשְׁכַּב זָכָר (סוטה י"ג):
46And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and Joseph went out from before Pharaoh and passed through the entire land of Egypt.   מווְיוֹסֵף֙ בֶּן־שְׁלשִׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּעָמְד֕וֹ לִפְנֵ֖י פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיֵּצֵ֤א יוֹסֵף֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַיַּֽעֲבֹ֖ר בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
47And in the seven years of plenty, [the inhabitants of] the land gathered [food] by handfuls.   מזוַתַּ֣עַשׂ הָאָ֔רֶץ בְּשֶׁ֖בַע שְׁנֵ֣י הַשָּׂבָ֑ע לִקְמָצִֽים:
And…[the inhabitants of] the land gathered: Heb. וַתַּעַשׂ הָאָרֶץ, lit., and the land made. [This is to be understood] as the Targum renders: “And…the inhabitants of the land gathered.” The language, however, does not lose its meaning of making.   וַתַּעַשׂ הָאָרֶץ: כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, וְאֵין הַלָּשׁוֹן נֶעֱקָר מִלְּשׁוֹן עֲשִׂיָּה:
by handfuls: Heb. לִקְמָצִים. Handful over handful, hand over hand, they were storing it.   לִקְמָצִֽים: קֹמֶץ עַל קֹמֶץ, יָד עַל יָד, הָיוּ אוֹצְרִים:
48And he collected all the food of the seven years that was in the land of Egypt, and he placed food in the cities, the food of the field surrounding the city, he put within it.   מחוַיִּקְבֹּ֞ץ אֶת־כָּל־אֹ֣כֶל | שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר הָיוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּתֶּן־אֹ֖כֶל בֶּֽעָרִ֑ים אֹ֧כֶל שְׂדֵֽה־הָעִ֛יר אֲשֶׁ֥ר סְבִֽיבֹתֶ֖יהָ נָתַ֥ן בְּתוֹכָֽהּ:
the food of the field surrounding the city, he put within it: Because each land preserves its own produce, and they would put into the grain some of the soil of the place, and it would preserve the grain [and prevent it] from decaying. - [from Gen. Rabbah 90:5]   אֹכֶל שְׂדֵֽה־הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר סְבִֽיבֹתֶיהָ נָתַן בְּתוֹכָֽהּ: שֶׁכָּל אֶרֶץ וְאֶרֶץ מַעֲמֶדֶת פֵּרוֹתֶיהָ, וְנוֹתְנִין בַּתְּבוּאָה מֵעֲפַר הַמָּקוֹם, וּמַעֲמִיד אֶת הַתְּבוּאָה מִלִּרְקֹב:
49And Joseph gathered grain like the sand of the sea, in great abundance, until [one] stopped counting, because there was no number.   מטוַיִּצְבֹּ֨ר יוֹסֵ֥ף בָּ֛ר כְּח֥וֹל הַיָּ֖ם הַרְבֵּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד עַ֛ד כִּֽי־חָדַ֥ל לִסְפֹּ֖ר כִּי־אֵ֥ין מִסְפָּֽר:
until [one] stopped counting: Until the one who counted stopped counting. This is an elliptical verse. [The subject of חָדַל is missing.]   עַד כִּֽי־חָדַל לִסְפֹּר: עַד כִּי חָדַל לוֹ הַסּוֹפֵר לִסְפֹּר, וַהֲרֵי זֶה מִקְרָא קָצָר:
because there was no number: Heb. כִּי because there was no number, and here כִּי is used as an expression of “because.”   כִּֽי־אֵין מִסְפָּֽר: לְפִי שֶׁאֵין מִסְפָּר, וַהֲרֵי כִי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בְּלְשׁוֹן דְּהָא:
50And to Joseph were born two sons before the year of the famine set in, whom Asenath the daughter of Poti phera, the governor of On, bore to him.   נוּלְיוֹסֵ֤ף יֻלָּד֙ שְׁנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים בְּטֶ֥רֶם תָּב֖וֹא שְׁנַ֣ת הָֽרָעָ֑ב אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָֽלְדָה־לּוֹ֙ אָֽסְנַ֔ת בַּת־פּ֥וֹטִי פֶ֖רַע כֹּהֵ֥ן אֽוֹן:
before the year of the famine set in: From here is derived that a person may not engage in marital relations during years of famine. — [from Ta’anith 11a]   בְּטֶרֶם תבא שְׁנַת הָֽרָעָב: מִכָּאן שֶׁאָדָם אָסוּר לְשַׁמֵּשׁ מִטָּתוֹ בִּשְׁנֵי רְעָבוֹן (תענית י"א):
51And Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, for "God has caused me to forget all my toil and all my father's house."   נאוַיִּקְרָ֥א יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם הַבְּכ֖וֹר מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה כִּֽי־נַשַּׁ֤נִי אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־כָּל־עֲמָלִ֔י וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽי:
52And the second one he named Ephraim, for "God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."   נבוְאֵ֛ת שֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖י קָרָ֣א אֶפְרָ֑יִם כִּֽי־הִפְרַ֥נִי אֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּאֶ֥רֶץ עָנְיִֽי:

Fourth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 41

53And the seven years of plenty that were in the land of Egypt were finished.   נגוַתִּכְלֶ֕ינָה שֶׁ֖בַע שְׁנֵ֣י הַשָּׂבָ֑ע אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
54And the seven years of famine began, as Joseph had said, and there was famine in all the lands, but throughout the land of Egypt there was bread.   נדוַתְּחִלֶּ֜ינָה שֶׁ֣בַע שְׁנֵ֤י הָֽרָעָב֙ לָב֔וֹא כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר אָמַ֣ר יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיְהִ֤י רָעָב֙ בְּכָל־הָ֣אֲרָצ֔וֹת וּבְכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם הָ֥יָה לָֽחֶם:
55When the entire land of Egypt hungered, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread, but Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph; what he tells you, do."   נהוַתִּרְעַב֙ כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּצְעַ֥ק הָעָ֛ם אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֖ה לַלָּ֑חֶם וַיֹּ֨אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֤ה לְכָל־מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ לְכ֣וּ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף אֲשֶׁר־יֹאמַ֥ר לָכֶ֖ם תַּֽעֲשֽׂוּ:
When the entire land of Egypt hungered: For their grain, which they had stored, had decayed, except that of Joseph. — [from Mid. Tanchuma Mikeitz 7]   וַתִּרְעַב כָּל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם: שֶׁהִרְקִיבָה תְבוּאָתָם שֶׁאָצְרוּ חוּץ מִשֶּׁל יוֹסֵף:
what he tells you, do: Since Joseph had ordered them to circumcise themselves, and when they came to Pharaoh and said, “This is what he said to us,” he (Pharaoh) said to them, “Why didn’t you gather grain? Didn’t he announce to you that years of famine were coming?” They replied, “We gathered much, but it rotted.” He (Pharaoh) replied, “If so, do whatever he tells you. He issued a decree upon the grain, and it rotted. What if he issues a decree upon us and we die?” - [from Mid. Tanchuma Mikeitz 7, Gen. Rabbah 91:5]   אֲשֶׁר־יֹאמַר לָכֶם תַּֽעֲשֽׂוּ: לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה יוֹסֵף אוֹמֵר לָהֶם שֶׁיִּמּוֹלוּ, וּכְשֶׁבָּאוּ אֵצֶל פַּרְעֹה וְאוֹמְרִים: כָּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר לָנוּ, אָמַר לָהֶם: וְלָמָּה לֹא צְבַרְתֶּם בָּר, וַהֲלֹא הִכְרִיז לָכֶם שֶׁשְּׁנֵי הָרָעָב בָּאִים? אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אָסַפְנוּ הַרְבֵּה וְהִרְקִיבָה, אָמַר לָהֶם: אִם כֵּן, כָּל אֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר לָכֶם תַּעֲשׂוּ; הֲרֵי גָּזַר עַל הַתְּבוּאָה וְהִרְקִיבָה, מַה אִם יִגְזֹר עָלֵינוּ וְנָמוּת!
56Now the famine spread over all the face of the land, and Joseph opened all [the storehouses] in which there was [grain], and he sold [it] to the Egyptians, and the famine intensified in the land of Egypt.   נווְהָֽרָעָ֣ב הָיָ֔ה עַ֖ל כָּל־פְּנֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּפְתַּ֨ח יוֹסֵ֜ף אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר בָּהֶם֙ וַיִּשְׁבֹּ֣ר לְמִצְרַ֔יִם וַיֶּֽחֱזַ֥ק הָֽרָעָ֖ב בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
Now the famine spread over all the face of the land: Heb. פְּנֵי הָאָרֶץ. Who are the face of the land? These are the rich. — [from Gen. Rabbah 91:5]   עַל כָּל־פְּנֵי הָאָרֶץ: מִי הֵם פְּנֵי הָאָרֶץ אֵלּוּ הָעֲשִׁירִים:
all [the storehouses] in which there was: As the Targum renders: in which there was grain.   אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר בָּהֶם: כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ דִּי בְהוֹן עִיבוּרָא:
and he sold [it] to the Egyptians: Heb. וַיִשְׁבֹּר לְמִצְרַיִם. The word שֶׁבֶר is [sometimes] an expression of selling and [sometimes] an expression of buying. Here it is used as an expression of selling. [In the verse] “Return, buy (שִׁבְרוּ) us a little food” (Gen. 43:2), it is an expression of buying. Do not say that it applies only to grain, for also with wine and milk we find: “and go buy (שִׁבְרוּ) without money and without a price, wine and milk” (Isa. 55:1).   וַיִּשְׁבֹּר לְמִצְרַיִם: שבר לְשׁוֹן מֶכֶר וּלְשׁוֹן קִנְיָן הוּא; כָּאן מְשַׁמֵּשׁ לְשׁוֹן מֶכֶר; שִׁבְרוּ לָנוּ מְעַט אֹכֶל, לְשׁוֹן קִנְיָן. וְאַל תֹּאמַר אֵינוֹ כִּי אִם בִּתְבוּאָה, שֶׁאַף בְּיַיִן וְחָלָב מָצִינוּ וּלְכוּ שִׁבְרוּ בְּלוֹא כֶסֶף וּבְלוֹא מְחִיר יַיִן וְחָלָב (ישעיהו נ"ה):
57And all [the inhabitants of] the land came to Egypt to Joseph to purchase, for the famine had intensified in the entire land.   נזוְכָל־הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ בָּ֣אוּ מִצְרַ֔יְמָה לִשְׁבֹּ֖ר אֶל־יוֹסֵ֑ף כִּֽי־חָזַ֥ק הָֽרָעָ֖ב בְּכָל־הָאָֽרֶץ:
And all [the inhabitants of] the land came to Egypt: to Joseph to purchase, but if you interpret it (this verse) according to its sequence, it should have been written: “to purchase from (מִן) Joseph.”   וְכָל־הָאָרֶץ בָּאוּ מִצְרַיְמָה אֶל־יוֹסֵף לִשְׁבֹּר: , וְאִם תִּדְרְשֵׁהוּ כְסִדְרוֹ, הָיָה צָרִיךְ לִכְתֹּב: לִשְׁבֹּר מִן יוֹסֵף:

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 42

1Jacob saw that there was grain being sold in Egypt; so Jacob said to his sons, "Why do you appear satiated?"   אוַיַּ֣רְא יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב כִּ֥י יֶשׁ־שֶׁ֖בֶר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹב֙ לְבָנָ֔יו לָ֖מָּה תִּתְרָאֽוּ:
Jacob saw that there was grain being sold in Egypt: From where did he see it? Is it not true that he did not see it, only that he heard of it, as it is said: “Behold, I have heard, etc.” (verse 2)? What then is the meaning of “saw”? He saw with the divine “mirror” that he still had hope (שֶׂבֶר) in Egypt, but it was not a real prophecy to explicitly inform him that this was Joseph. — [from Gen. Rabbah 91:6]   וַיַּרְא יַֽעֲקֹב כִּי יֶשׁ־שֶׁבֶר בְּמִצְרָיִם: וּמֵהֵיכָן רָאָה? וַהֲלֹא לֹא רָאָה אֶלָּא שָׁמַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הִנֵּה שָׁמַעְתִּי וְגוֹ' וּמַהוּ וַיַּרְא? רָאָה בְאַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא שֶׁל קֹדֶשׁ שֶׁעֲדַיִן יֵשׁ לוֹ שֶׁבֶר בְּמִצְרַיִם; וְלֹא הָיְתָה נְבוּאָה מַמָּשׁ לְהוֹדִיעוֹ בְּפֵרוּשׁ שֶׁזֶּה יוֹסֵף:
Why do you appear satiated?“: Heb. לָמָה תִּתְרָאוּ. Why do you show yourselves before the sons of Ishmael and the sons of Esau as if you are satiated? For at that time they still had grain (Ta’anith 10b). (And it appears to me that it should be explained according to its simple meaning: לָמָה תִּתְרָאוּ -Why should everyone stare at you and wonder at you that you are not seeking food for yourselves before what you have in your hands is depleted.) From others I heard that it (תִּתְרָאוּ) is an expression of emaciation. [Thus:] Why should you become emaciated because of the famine? Similar to this is ”And he who emaciates [others] (וּמַרְוֶה) - he too will become emaciated (יוֹרֶא)" (Prov. 11:25)   לָמָּה תִּתְרָאֽוּ: לָמָּה תַּרְאוּ עַצְמְכֶם בִּפְנֵי בְנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל וּבְנֵי עֵשָׂו כְּאִלּוּ אַתֶּם שְׂבֵעִים? בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה עֲדַיִן הָיָה לָהֶם תְּבוּאָה (תענית י'). וְלִי נִרְאֶה פְּשׁוּטוֹ לָמָּה תִּתְרָאוּ, לָמָּה יְהְיוּ הַכֹּל מִסְתַּכְּלִין בָּכֶם וּמַתְמִיהִים בָּכֶם, שֶׁאֵין אַתֶּם מְבַקְּשִׁים לָכֶם אֹכֶל בְּטֶרֶם שֶׁיִּכְלֶה מַה שֶּׁבְּיֶדְכֶם. וּמִפִּי אַחֵרִים שָׁמַעְתִּי, שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן כְּחִישָׁה, לָמָּה תִּהְיוּ כְּחוּשִׁים בָּרָעָב, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ וּמַרְוֶה גַּם הוּא יוֹרֶא (משלי י"א):
2And he said, "Behold, I have heard that there is grain being sold in Egypt. Go down there and buy us [some] from there, so that we will live and not die."   בוַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּ֣ה שָׁמַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֥י יֶשׁ־שֶׁ֖בֶר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם רְדוּ־שָׁ֨מָּה֙ וְשִׁבְרוּ־לָ֣נוּ מִשָּׁ֔ם וְנִֽחְיֶ֖ה וְלֹ֥א נָמֽוּת:
Go down there: Heb. רְדוּ. But he did not say, “Go (לְכוּ).” He alluded to the 210 years that they were enslaved in Egypt, according to the numerical value of רְדוּ. — [from Gen Rabbah 91:2, Tan. Mikeitz 8]   רְדוּ־שָׁמָּה: וְלֹא אָמַר לְכוּ, רֶמֶז לְמָאתַיִם וְעֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּ לְמִצְרַיִם כְּמִנְיַן רד"ו:
3So Joseph's ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.   גוַיֵּֽרְד֥וּ אֲחֵֽי־יוֹסֵ֖ף עֲשָׂרָ֑ה לִשְׁבֹּ֥ר בָּ֖ר מִמִּצְרָֽיִם:
So Joseph’s… brothers went down: But Scripture did not write “the sons of Jacob.” This teaches that they regretted selling him and decided to behave toward him in a brotherly manner and to ransom him for whatever amount of money would be demanded of them. — [from Gen. Rabbah 91:6, Tan. Mikeitz 8]   וַיֵּֽרְדוּ אֲחֵֽי־יוֹסֵף: וְלֹא כָתַב בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ מִתְחָרְטִים בִּמְכִירָתוֹ וְנָתְנוּ לִבָּם לְהִתְנַהֵג עִמּוֹ בְּאַחְוָה וְלִפְדּוֹתוֹ בְּכָל מָמוֹן שֶׁיִּפְסְקוּ עֲלֵיהֶם:
ten: Why is this written? Is it not written, (verse 4) “But Joseph’s brother, Benjamin, Jacob did not send”? [It is therefore obvious that they were only ten.] But [this is what it means:] concerning brotherhood, they were divided into ten, for neither the love they all had for him (Joseph) nor the hate they all had for him was equal, [hence, in the attitude of brotherhood, they were divided into ten.] As concerning buying grain, they all were of one accord (lit., one heart). - [from Gen. Rabbah 91:2]   עֲשָׂרָה: מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר, וַהֲלֹא כְתִיב וְאֶת בִּנְיָמִין אֲחִי יוֹסֵף לֹא שָׁלַח? אֶלָּא לְעִנְיַן הָאַחְוָה הָיוּ חֲלוּקִין לְי' שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה אַהֲבַת כֻּלָּם וְשִׂנְאַת כֻּלָּם שָׁוָה לוֹ; אֲבָל לְעִנְיַן לִשְׁבֹּר בָּר כֻּלָּם לֵב אֶחָד לָהֶם (בראשית רבה):
4But Joseph's brother, Benjamin, Jacob did not send with his brothers, because, he said, "Lest misfortune befall him."   דוְאֶת־בִּנְיָמִין֙ אֲחִ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף לֹֽא־שָׁלַ֥ח יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב אֶת־אֶחָ֑יו כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר פֶּן־יִקְרָאֶ֖נּוּ אָסֽוֹן:
“Lest misfortune befall him.”: And at home, could not misfortune befall him? Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov said: From here [we learn] that Satan accuses [a person] at the time of danger. — [from Gen. Rabbah 91:9]   פֶּן־יִקְרָאֶנּוּ אָסֽוֹן: וּבַבַּיִת לֹא יִקְרָאֶנּוּ? אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב, מִכָּאן שֶׁהַשָּׂטָן מְקַטְרֵג בִּשְׁעַת הַסַּכָּנָה (בראשית רבה):
5So the sons of Israel came to purchase among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.   הוַיָּבֹ֨אוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִשְׁבֹּ֖ר בְּת֣וֹךְ הַבָּאִ֑ים כִּֽי־הָיָ֥ה הָֽרָעָ֖ב בְּאֶ֥רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן:
among those who came: They hid themselves [in the crowd] so that they would not be recognized, because their father had commanded them not to all appear at one entrance, but for each to enter through his own entrance, so that the evil eye would have no power over them, for they were all handsome and strong [and thus would be envied]. — [from Tan. Mikeitz 8, Gen. Rabbah 91:6]   בְּתוֹךְ הַבָּאִים: מַטְמִינִין עַצְמָם שֶׁלֹּא יַכִּירוּם, לְפִי שֶׁצִּוָּה לָהֶם אֲבִיהֶם שֶׁלֹּא יִתְרָאוּ כֻּלָּם בְּפֶתַח א', אֶלָּא שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס כָּל א' בְּפִתְחוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תִּשְׁלֹט בָּהֶם עַיִן הָרָע, שֶׁכֻּלָּם נָאִים וְכֻלָּם גִּבּוֹרִים:
6Now Joseph was the ruler over the land; it was he who sold grain to the entire populace of the land, and Joseph's brothers came and prostrated themselves to him, with their faces to the ground.   ווְיוֹסֵ֗ף ה֚וּא הַשַּׁלִּ֣יט עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ ה֥וּא הַמַּשְׁבִּ֖יר לְכָל־עַ֣ם הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיָּבֹ֨אוּ֙ אֲחֵ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־ל֥וֹ אַפַּ֖יִם אָֽרְצָה:
and prostrated themselves to him, with their faces to the ground: Heb. וַיִשְׁתַּחִווּ. They prostrated themselves to him on their faces, and so every [expression of] הִשְׁתַּחִוָאָה means spreading out hands and feet. — [from Shev. 16b]   וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־לוֹ אַפַּיִם: נִשְׁתַּטְּחוּ לוֹ עַל פְּנֵיהֶם, וְכֵן כָּל הִשְׁתַּחֲוָאָה פִּשּׁוּט יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם הוּא:
7And Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but he made himself a stranger to them, and he spoke to them harshly, and he said to them, "Where do you come from?" And they said, "From the land of Canaan to purchase food."   זוַיַּ֥רְא יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־אֶחָ֖יו וַיַּכִּרֵ֑ם וַיִּתְנַכֵּ֨ר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם וַיְדַבֵּ֧ר אִתָּ֣ם קָשׁ֗וֹת וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ מֵאַ֣יִן בָּאתֶ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ כְּנַ֖עַן לִשְׁבָּר־אֹֽכֶל:
but he made himself a stranger: He behaved toward them like a stranger verbally, by speaking harshly. — [from Gen. Rabbah 91:6, Tan. Mikeitz 8]   וַיִּתְנַכֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם: נַעֲשָׂה לָהֶם כְּנָכְרִי בִּדְבָרִים לְדַבֵּר קָשׁוֹת:
8Now Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.   חוַיַּכֵּ֥ר יוֹסֵ֖ף אֶת־אֶחָ֑יו וְהֵ֖ם לֹ֥א הִכִּרֻֽהוּ:
Now Joseph recognized, etc.: Because he had left them [when they were already] full-bearded. — [from Yeb. 88a, Keth. 27b, B.M. 39b, Gen. Rabbah 91:7, Targum Jonathan]   וַיַּכֵּר יוֹסֵף וגו': לְפִי שֶׁהִנִּיחָם חֲתוּמֵי זָקָן:
but they did not recognize him: Because when he left them, he was not full-bearded, and now they found him full-bearded. The Aggadic Midrash states: “And Joseph recognized his brothers” - when they were delivered into his hands, he recognized that they were his brothers, and he had compassion on them. But they did not recognize him when he fell into their hands, to behave toward him with brotherhood. — [from Yeb. 88a, Keth. 27b, B.M. 39b, Gen. Rabbah 91:7, Targum Jonathan]   וְהֵם לֹא הִכִּרֻֽהוּ: שֶׁיָּצָא מֵאֶצְלָם בְּלֹא חֲתִימַת זָקָן, וְעַכְשָׁו בָּא בַחֲתִימַת זָקָן (כתובות כ"ז) וַיַּכֵּר יוֹסֵף אֶת־אֶחָיו כְּשֶׁנִּמְסְרוּ בְיָדוֹ הִכִּיר שֶׁהֵם אֶחָיו וְרִחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם, וְהֵם לֹא הִכִּירוּהוּ כְּשֶׁנָּפַל בְּיָדָם לִנְהֹג בּוֹ אַחְוָה:
9And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, "You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land."   טוַיִּזְכֹּ֣ר יוֹסֵ֔ף אֵ֚ת הַֽחֲלֹמ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָלַ֖ם לָהֶ֑ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ מְרַגְּלִ֣ים אַתֶּ֔ם לִרְא֛וֹת אֶת־עֶרְוַ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ בָּאתֶֽם:
that he had dreamed about them: Heb. לָהֶם, lit., to them, [but here it means] about them (Targum Jonathan). He knew that they (his dreams) had been fulfilled, for they (his brothers) had prostrated themselves to him. — [from Zohar, vol. 1, p. 199b]   אֲשֶׁר חָלַם לָהֶם: עֲלֵיהֶם; וְיָדַע שֶׁנִּתְקַיְּמוּ שֶׁהֲרֵי הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ:
the nakedness of the land: Heb. עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ, the exposure of the land, from where it can be easily conquered, similar to “he exposed (הֶעֱרָה) her fountain” (Lev. 20:18), and like “naked and bare (וְעֶרְיָה)” (Ezek. 16:7), and likewise, every [expression of] עֶרְוָה in the Scriptures is an expression of exposure. Onkelos, [however,] rendered: בִּדְקָא דְּאַרְעָא, as equivalent to הַבָּיִת בֶּדֶק (II Kings 12:6), “the weakness of the house,” but he was not precise in explaining it according to the language of the verse.   עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ: גִּלּוּי הָאָרֶץ – מֵהֵיכָן הִיא נוֹחָה לִכָּבֵשׁ, כְּמוֹ אֶת מְקֹרָהּ הֶעֱרָה (ויקרא כ'), וּכְמוֹ עֵרֹם וְעֶרְיָה (יחזקאל ט"ז) וְכֵן כָּל עֶרְוָה שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לְ' גִּלּוּי, וְתַּרְגּוּם אוֹנְקֵלוֹסבִּדְקָא דְּאַרְעָא, כְּמוֹ בֶּדֶק הַבַּיִת (מלכים ב י"ב), רְעוּעַ הַבַּיִת, אֲבָל לֹא דִּקְדֵּק לְפָרְשׁוֹ אַחַר לְשׁוֹן הַמִּקְרָא:
10And they said to him, "No, my master, your servants have come to buy food.   יוַיֹּֽאמְר֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו לֹ֣א אֲדֹנִ֑י וַֽעֲבָדֶ֥יךָ בָּ֖אוּ לִשְׁבָּר־אֹֽכֶל:
No, my master: Do not say that, but your servants have come to buy food.   לֹא אֲדֹנִי: לֹא תֹאמַר כֵּן, שֶׁהֲרֵי עֲבָדֶיךָ בָּאוּ לִשְׁבָּר אֹכֶל:
11We are all sons of one man. We are honest. Your servants were never spies."   יאכֻּלָּ֕נוּ בְּנֵ֥י אִֽישׁ־אֶחָ֖ד נָ֑חְנוּ כֵּנִ֣ים אֲנַ֔חְנוּ לֹֽא־הָי֥וּ עֲבָדֶ֖יךָ מְרַגְּלִֽים:
We are all sons of one man: The Holy Spirit flickered within them, and they included him with them, for he too was the son of their father. — [from Gen. Rabbah 91:7]   כֻּלָּנוּ בְּנֵי אִֽישׁ־אֶחָד נָחְנוּ: נִצְנְצָה בָהֶם רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּכְלָלוּהוּ עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁאַף הוּא בֶּן אֲבִיהֶם:
honest: Heb. כֵּנִים, truthful, like “You have spoken truthfully (כֵּן)” (Exod. 10: 29); “the daughters of Zelophehad speak truthfully (כֵּן)” (Num. 27:7); “[their haughtiness] and their conception are improper (לֹא כֵן), [as are] their branches” (Isa. 16:6). - [from Targum Onkelos]   כֵּנִים: אֲמִתִּיִּים, כְּמוֹ כֵּן דִּבַּרְתָּ (שמות י'), כֵּן בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד דֹּבְרֹת (במדבר כ"ז), וְעֶבְרָתוֹ לֹא כֵן בַּדָּיו (ישעיהו ט"ז):
12But he said to them, "No! But you have come to see the nakedness of the land."   יבוַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֑ם לֹ֕א כִּֽי־עֶרְוַ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ בָּאתֶ֥ם לִרְאֽוֹת:
But you have come to see the nakedness of the land: For you have entered by way of the ten gates of the city. Why did you not enter [together] through one gate?- [from Gen. Rabbah 91:7; Tan. Buber, Mikeitz 17]   כִּֽי־עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ בָּאתֶם לִרְאֽוֹת: שֶׁהֲרֵי נִכְנַסְתֶּם בְּי' שַׁעֲרֵי הָעִיר, לָמָּה לֹא נִכְנַסְתֶּם בְּשַׁעַר א'? (בראשית רבה):
13And they said, "We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is with our father today, and one is gone."   יגוַיֹּֽאמְר֗וּ שְׁנֵ֣ים עָשָׂר֩ עֲבָדֶ֨יךָ אַחִ֧ים | אֲנַ֛חְנוּ בְּנֵ֥י אִֽישׁ־אֶחָ֖ד בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וְהִנֵּ֨ה הַקָּטֹ֤ן אֶת־אָבִ֨ינוּ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם וְהָֽאֶחָ֖ד אֵינֶֽנּוּ:
And they said, “We, your servants…”: And for that one who is gone, we scattered in the city to seek him. — [from Tan. Buber, Mikeitz 17]   וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר עֲבָדֶיךָ וגו': וּבִשְׁבִיל אוֹתוֹ א' שֶׁאֵינֶנּוּ נִתְפַּזַּרְנוּ בָעִיר לְבַקְּשׁוֹ:
14And Joseph said to them, "This is just what I have spoken to you, saying, 'You are spies.'   ידוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֖ם יוֹסֵ֑ף ה֗וּא אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבַּ֧רְתִּי אֲלֵכֶ֛ם לֵאמֹ֖ר מְרַגְּלִ֥ים אַתֶּֽם:
This is just what I have spoken: The thing that I have spoken, namely, that you are spies, is true and correct. This is according to its simple interpretation. Its midrashic interpretation is, however: He said to them, “And if you find him (Joseph), and they (his owners) demand a large ransom from you, will you ransom him?” “Yes,” they replied. He said to them, “And if they say that they will not return him for any money, what will you do?” They said, “For this we have come, to kill or be killed.” He said to them, “That is [exactly] what I said to you; you have come to slay the people of the city. I divine with my cup that two of you destroyed the large city of Shechem.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 91:7, Tan. Mikeitz 8]   הוּא אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי: הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי שֶׁאַתֶּם מְרַגְּלִים, הוּא הָאֱמֶת וְהַנָּכוֹן, זֶהוּ לְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ אָמַר לָהֶם וְאִלּוּ מְצָאתֶם אוֹתוֹ וְיִפְסְקוּ עֲלֵיכֶם מָמוֹן הַרְבֵּה, תִּפְדּוּהוּ? אָמְרוּ לוֹ הֵן, אָמַר לָהֶם וְאִם יֹאמְרוּ לָכֶם שֶׁלֹּא יַחֲזִירוּהוּ בְשׁוּם מָמוֹן, מַה תַּעֲשׂוּ? אָמְרוּ לוֹ לְכָךְ בָּאנוּ, לַהֲרֹג אוֹ לֵהָרֵג, אָמַר לָהֶם הוּא אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶם, לַהֲרֹג בְּנֵי הָעִיר בָּאתֶם, מְנַחֵשׁ אֲנִי בְּגָבִיעַ שֶׁלִּי שֶׁשְּׁנַיִם מִכֶּם הֶחֱרִיבוּ כְּרַךְ גָּדוֹל שֶׁל שְׁכֶם:
15With this you shall be tested: By Pharaoh's life, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.   טובְּזֹ֖את תִּבָּחֵ֑נוּ חֵ֤י פַרְעֹה֙ אִם־תֵּֽצְא֣וּ מִזֶּ֔ה כִּ֧י אִם־בְּב֛וֹא אֲחִיכֶ֥ם הַקָּטֹ֖ן הֵֽנָּה:
By Pharaoh’s life: If Pharaoh will live. When he swore falsely, he swore by Pharaoh’s life. — [from Gen. Rabbah 91:7, Tan. Buber, Mikeitz 17]   חֵי פַרְעֹה: אִם יִחְיֶה פַּרְעֹה. כְּשֶׁהָיָה נִשְׁבָּע לַשֶּׁקֶר, הָיָה נִשְׁבָּע בְּחַיֵּי פַרְעֹה:
you shall not leave this place: Heb. מִזֶה, lit., from this, from this place. — [from Targum Onkelos]   אִם־תֵּֽצְאוּ מִזֶּה: מִן הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה:
16Send one of you and let him fetch your brother, and you will be imprisoned so that your words will be tested whether truth is with you, and if not, as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!"   טזשִׁלְח֨וּ מִכֶּ֣ם אֶחָד֘ וְיִקַּ֣ח אֶת־אֲחִיכֶם֒ וְאַתֶּם֙ הֵאָ֣סְר֔וּ וְיִבָּֽחֲנוּ֙ דִּבְרֵיכֶ֔ם הַֽאֱמֶ֖ת אִתְּכֶ֑ם וְאִם־לֹ֕א חֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה כִּ֥י מְרַגְּלִ֖ים אַתֶּֽם:
whether truth is with you: Heb. הַאמֶת, if the truth is with you. The “hey” is vowelized with a “pattach,” which is equivalent to an expression of wonderment. — [from Targum Onkelos]. And if you do not bring him, [I swear] by Pharaoh’s life, that you are spies.   הַֽאֱמֶת אִתְּכֶם: אִם אֱמֶת אִתְּכֶם, לְפִיכָךְ הֵ"א נָקוּד פַּתָּח, שֶׁהוּא כְמוֹ בִלְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ ואם לא תְבִיאוּהוּ, חי פרעה, כי מרגלים אתם:
17And he put them in prison for three days.   יזוַיֶּֽאֱסֹ֥ף אֹתָ֛ם אֶל־מִשְׁמָ֖ר שְׁל֥שֶׁת יָמִֽים:
prison: Heb. מִשְׁמָר, lit., watch, [meaning] the prison. — [from Targum Onkelos]   מִשְׁמָר: בֵּית הָאֲסוּרִים:
18On the third day, Joseph said to them: "Do this and live I fear God.   יחוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֤ם יוֹסֵף֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י זֹ֥את עֲשׂ֖וּ וִֽחְי֑וּ אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים אֲנִ֥י יָרֵֽא:

Fifth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 42

19If you are honest, your one brother will be confined in your prison, and you, go bring the grain for the hunger of your households.   יטאִם־כֵּנִ֣ים אַתֶּ֔ם אֲחִיכֶ֣ם אֶחָ֔ד יֵֽאָסֵ֖ר בְּבֵ֣ית מִשְׁמַרְכֶ֑ם וְאַתֶּם֙ לְכ֣וּ הָבִ֔יאוּ שֶׁ֖בֶר רַֽעֲב֥וֹן בָּֽתֵּיכֶֽם:
in your prison: In which you are now imprisoned.   בְּבֵית מִשְׁמַרְכֶם: שֶׁאַתֶּם אֲסוּרִים בּוֹ עַכְשָׁו:
and you, go bring: to your father’s house.   וְאַתֶּם לְכוּ הָבִיאוּ: לְבֵית אֲבִיכֶם:
the grain for the hunger of your households: What you have purchased for the hunger of the members of your households. — [from Targum Jonathan ben Uzziel].   שֶׁבֶר רַֽעֲבוֹן בָּֽתֵּיכֶֽם: מַה שֶּׁקְּנִיתֶם לְרַעֲבוֹן אַנְשֵׁי בָתֵּיכֶם:
20And bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified, and you will not die." And they did so.   כוְאֶת־אֲחִיכֶ֤ם הַקָּטֹן֙ תָּבִ֣יאוּ אֵלַ֔י וְיֵאָֽמְנ֥וּ דִבְרֵיכֶ֖ם וְלֹ֣א תָמ֑וּתוּ וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵֽן:
so that your words may be verified: Heb. וְיֵאָמְנוּ, let them be confirmed and fulfilled, like “Amen, amen (אָמֵן)” (Num. 5:22), and like “may Your word now be verified (יֵאָמֵן)” (I Kings 8:26).   וְיֵאָֽמְנוּ דִבְרֵיכֶם: יִתְאַמְּתוּ וְיִתְקַיְּמוּ; כְּמוֹ אָמֵן אָמֵן (במדבר ה'), וּכְמוֹ, יֵאָמֶן נָא דְּבָרְךָ (מלכים א ח'):
21And they said to one another, "Indeed, we are guilty for our brother, that we witnessed the distress of his soul when he begged us, and we did not listen. That is why this trouble has come upon us."   כאוַיֹּֽאמְר֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֗יו אֲבָל֘ אֲשֵׁמִ֣ים | אֲנַ֘חְנוּ֘ עַל־אָחִ֒ינוּ֒ אֲשֶׁ֨ר רָאִ֜ינוּ צָרַ֥ת נַפְשׁ֛וֹ בְּהִתְחַֽנְנ֥וֹ אֵלֵ֖ינוּ וְלֹ֣א שָׁמָ֑עְנוּ עַל־כֵּן֙ בָּ֣אָה אֵלֵ֔ינוּ הַצָּרָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת:
Indeed: Heb. אִבָל, as the Targum renders: בָּקוּשְׁטָא, in truth. I [also] saw in Genesis Rabbah (91:8): It is the language of the Southerners; אִבָל means בְּרַם, in truth.   אֲבָל: כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ בְּקוּשְׁטָא, וְרָאִיתִי בּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה לִישְׁנָא דְרוֹמָאָה הוּא אֲבָל – בְּרַם:
has come upon us: Heb. בָּאָה. Its accent is on the “beth,” because it is in the past tense, [meaning] that it has already come, and the Targum is אָתַת לָנָא [which is the past tense in Aramaic].   בָּאָה אֵלֵינוּ: טַעֲמוֹ בַּבֵּי"ת, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא בִּלְשׁוֹן עָבָר, שֶׁכְּבָר בָּאָה, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ אֲתַת לָנָא:
22And Reuben answered them, saying, "Didn't I tell you, saying, 'Do not sin against the lad,' but you did not listen? Behold, his blood, too, is being demanded!"   כבוַיַּ֩עַן֩ רְאוּבֵ֨ן אֹתָ֜ם לֵאמֹ֗ר הֲלוֹא֩ אָמַ֨רְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶ֧ם | לֵאמֹ֛ר אַל־תֶּֽחֶטְא֥וּ בַיֶּ֖לֶד וְלֹ֣א שְׁמַעְתֶּ֑ם וְגַם־דָּמ֖וֹ הִנֵּ֥ה נִדְרָֽשׁ:
his blood, too, is being demanded: The use of the word אֶת or the word גַם denotes inclusion. In this case it means “his blood and also the blood of his aged father.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 91:8]   וְגַם־דָּמוֹ: אֵתִין וְגַמִּין רִבּוּיִין – דָּמוֹ וְגַם דַּם הַזָּקֵן:
23They did not know that Joseph understood, for the interpreter was between them.   כגוְהֵם֙ לֹ֣א יָֽדְע֔וּ כִּ֥י שֹׁמֵ֖עַ יוֹסֵ֑ף כִּ֥י הַמֵּלִ֖יץ בֵּֽינֹתָֽם:
They did not know that Joseph understood: Heb. שֹׁמֵעַ, understood their language, and they were speaking in this manner in his presence. — [from Tanchuma Buber Vayigash 7]   וְהֵם לֹא יָֽדְעוּ כִּי שֹׁמֵעַ יוֹסֵף: מֵבִין לְשׁוֹנָם, וּבְפָנָיו הָיוּ מְדַבְּרִים כֵּן:
for the interpreter was between them: For whenever they spoke with him, the interpreter, who knew both Hebrew and Egyptian, was between them, and he would interpret their words for Joseph and Joseph’s words for them. Therefore, they thought that Joseph did not understand Hebrew. — [from Targum Onkelos]   כִּי הַמֵּלִיץ בֵּֽינֹתָֽם: כִּי כְּשֶׁהָיוּ מְדַבְּרִים עִמּוֹ הָיָה הַמֵּלִיץ בֵּינֵיהֶם הַיּוֹדֵעַ לָשׁוֹן עִבְרִי וְלָשׁוֹן מִצְרִי, וְהָיָה מֵלִיץ דִּבְרֵיהֶם לְיוֹסֵף וְדִבְרֵי יוֹסֵף לָהֶם, לְכָךְ הָיוּ סְבוּרִים שֶׁאֵין יוֹסֵף מַכִּיר בְּלָשׁוֹן עִבְרִי:
the interpreter: This was his son Manasseh. — [from Gen. Rabbah 91:8, Targum Jonathan, Targum Yerushalmi]   הַמֵּלִיץ: זֶה מְנַשֶּׁה:
24And he turned away from them and wept, then returned to them and spoke to them; and he took Simeon from among them and imprisoned him before their eyes.   כדוַיִּסֹּ֥ב מֵֽעֲלֵיהֶ֖ם וַיֵּ֑בְךְּ וַיָּ֤שָׁב אֲלֵהֶם֙ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם וַיִּקַּ֤ח מֵֽאִתָּם֙ אֶת־שִׁמְע֔וֹן וַיֶּֽאֱסֹ֥ר אֹת֖וֹ לְעֵֽינֵיהֶֽם:
And he turned away from them: Heb. וַיִסֹב. He distanced himself from them so that they would not see him weeping.   וַיִּסֹּב מֵֽעֲלֵיהֶם: נִתְרַחֵק מֵעֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁלֹּא יִרְאוּהוּ בּוֹכֶה:
and wept: Because he heard that they were remorseful. — [from Bereishith Rabbathi , p. 204]   וַיֵּבְךְּ: לְפִי שֶׁשָּׁמַע שֶׁהָיוּ מִתְחָרְטִין:
Simeon: He [was the one who] had cast him into the pit. It was he who said to Levi, “Behold, that dreamer is coming” (Gen. 37:19). Another explanation: Joseph intended to separate him from Levi, lest the two of them take counsel to assassinate him.   אֶת־שִׁמְעוֹן: הוּא הִשְׁלִיכוֹ לַבּוֹר, הוּא שֶׁאָמַר לְלֵוִי הִנֵּה בַּעַל הַחֲלֹמוֹת הַלָּזֶה בָּא (בראשית רבה). דָּבָר אַחֵר נִתְכַּוֵּן יוֹסֵף לְהַפְרִידוֹ מִלֵּוִי, שֶׁמָּא יִתְיָעֲצוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם לַהֲרֹג אוֹתוֹ:
and imprisoned him before their eyes: He imprisoned him only before their eyes, but as soon as they left, he released him and gave him food and drink. — [from Gen. Rabbah 91:8]   וַיֶּֽאֱסֹר אֹתוֹ לְעֵֽינֵיהֶֽם: לֹא אֲסָרוֹ אֶלָּא לְעֵינֵיהֶם, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁיָּצְאוּ הוֹצִיאוֹ וְהֶאֱכִילוֹ וְהִשְׁקָהוּ (בראשית רבה):
25And Joseph commanded, and they filled their vessels with grain, and [he commanded] to return their money into each one's sack, and to give them provisions for the journey, and he did so for them.   כהוַיְצַ֣ו יוֹסֵ֗ף וַיְמַלְא֣וּ אֶת־כְּלֵיהֶם֘ בָּר֒ וּלְהָשִׁ֤יב כַּסְפֵּיהֶם֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־שַׂקּ֔וֹ וְלָתֵ֥ת לָהֶ֛ם צֵדָ֖ה לַדָּ֑רֶךְ וַיַּ֥עַשׂ לָהֶ֖ם כֵּֽן:
26And they loaded their grain upon their donkeys, and they went away from there.   כווַיִּשְׂא֥וּ אֶת־שִׁבְרָ֖ם עַל־חֲמֹֽרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֵּֽלְכ֖וּ מִשָּֽׁם:
27The one opened his sack to give fodder to his donkey at the lodging place, and he saw his money there it was, in the mouth of his sack.   כזוַיִּפְתַּ֨ח הָֽאֶחָ֜ד אֶת־שַׂקּ֗וֹ לָתֵ֥ת מִסְפּ֛וֹא לַֽחֲמֹר֖וֹ בַּמָּל֑וֹן וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־כַּסְפּ֔וֹ וְהִנֵּה־ה֖וּא בְּפִ֥י אַמְתַּחְתּֽוֹ:
The one opened: That was Levi, who was left alone, without Simeon, his companion. — [from Gen. Rabbah]   וַיִּפְתַּח הָֽאֶחָד: הוּא לֵוִי, שֶׁנִּשְׁאַר יָחִיד מִשִּׁמְעוֹן בֶּן זוּגוֹ:
at the lodging place: Heb.בַּמָלוֹן. In the place where they lodged at night.   בַּמָּלוֹן: בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁלָּנוּ בַּלַּיְלָה:
his sack: Heb. אַמְתַּחְתּוֹ. That is a sack.   אַמְתַּחְתּֽוֹ: הוּא שַׂק:
28And he said to his brothers, "My money has been returned, and indeed, here it is in my sack! " Their hearts sank, and trembling, they turned to one another, saying, "What is this that God has done to us?"   כחוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֶל־אֶחָיו֙ הוּשַׁ֣ב כַּסְפִּ֔י וְגַ֖ם הִנֵּ֣ה בְאַמְתַּחְתִּ֑י וַיֵּצֵ֣א לִבָּ֗ם וַיֶּֽחֶרְד֞וּ אִ֤ישׁ אֶל־אָחִיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר מַה־זֹּ֛את עָשָׂ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים לָֽנוּ:
and indeed, here it is in my sack: The money is in it with the grain.   וְגַם הִנֵּה בְאַמְתַּחְתִּי: גַּם הַכֶּסֶף בּוֹ עִם הַתְּבוּאָה:
What is this that God has done to us: to bring us to this accusation, for it (the money) was not returned except to accuse us falsely.   מַה־זֹּאת עָשָׂה אֱלֹהִים לָֽנוּ: לַהֲבִיאֵנוּ לִידֵי עֲלִילָה זוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא הוּשַׁב אֶלָּא לְהִתְעוֹלֵל עָלֵינוּ:
29And they came to Jacob their father, to the land of Canaan, and they told him all that had befallen them, saying,   כטוַיָּבֹ֛אוּ אֶל־יַֽעֲקֹ֥ב אֲבִיהֶ֖ם אַ֣רְצָה כְּנָ֑עַן וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ ל֔וֹ אֵ֛ת כָּל־הַקֹּרֹ֥ת אֹתָ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר:
30"The man, the lord of the land, spoke to us harshly, and he accused us of spying on the land.   לדִּ֠בֶּ֠ר הָאִ֨ישׁ אֲדֹנֵ֥י הָאָ֛רֶץ אִתָּ֖נוּ קָשׁ֑וֹת וַיִּתֵּ֣ן אֹתָ֔נוּ כִּמְרַגְּלִ֖ים אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ:
31And we said to him, 'We are honest; we were never spies.   לאוַנֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו כֵּנִ֣ים אֲנָ֑חְנוּ לֹ֥א הָיִ֖ינוּ מְרַגְּלִֽים:
32We are twelve brothers, the sons of our father; one is gone, and today the youngest is with our father in the land of Canaan.'   לבשְׁנֵֽים־עָשָׂ֥ר אֲנַ֛חְנוּ אַחִ֖ים בְּנֵ֣י אָבִ֑ינוּ הָֽאֶחָ֣ד אֵינֶ֔נּוּ וְהַקָּטֹ֥ן הַיּ֛וֹם אֶת־אָבִ֖ינוּ בְּאֶ֥רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן:
33And the man, the lord of the land, said to us, 'With this I will know that you are honest; leave one of your brothers with me, and [what is needed for] the hunger of your households, take and go.   לגוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלֵ֗ינוּ הָאִישׁ֙ אֲדֹנֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ בְּזֹ֣את אֵדַ֔ע כִּ֥י כֵנִ֖ים אַתֶּ֑ם אֲחִיכֶ֤ם הָֽאֶחָד֙ הַנִּ֣יחוּ אִתִּ֔י וְאֶת־רַֽעֲב֥וֹן בָּֽתֵּיכֶ֖ם קְח֥וּ וָלֵֽכוּ:
34And bring your youngest brother to me, so that I will know that you are not spies, that you are honest; [then] I will give you your brother, and you may travel around in the land.' "   לדוְ֠הָבִ֠יאוּ אֶת־אֲחִיכֶ֣ם הַקָּטֹן֘ אֵלַי֒ וְאֵֽדְעָ֗ה כִּ֣י לֹ֤א מְרַגְּלִים֙ אַתֶּ֔ם כִּ֥י כֵנִ֖ים אַתֶּ֑ם אֶת־אֲחִיכֶם֙ אֶתֵּ֣ן לָכֶ֔ם וְאֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ תִּסְחָֽרוּ:
and you may travel around in the land: Heb. תִּסְחָרוּ, you may go around. Likewise, every expression of merchants (סוֹחִרִים) and commerce (סְחוֹרָה) is based on the fact that they (the merchants) travel around and look for merchandise.   וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ תִּסְחָֽרוּ: תְּסוֹבְבוּ; וְכָל לְשׁוֹן סוֹחֲרִים וּסְחוֹרָה עַל שֵׁם שֶׁמְּחַזְרִים וְסוֹבְבִים אַחַר הַפְּרַקְמַטְיָא:
35And it came to pass that they were emptying their sacks and behold! Each one's bundle of money was in his sack; they saw the bundles of their money, they and their father, and they became frightened.   להוַיְהִ֗י הֵ֚ם מְרִיקִ֣ים שַׂקֵּיהֶ֔ם וְהִנֵּה־אִ֥ישׁ צְרֽוֹר־כַּסְפּ֖וֹ בְּשַׂקּ֑וֹ וַיִּרְא֞וּ אֶת־צְרֹר֧וֹת כַּסְפֵּיהֶ֛ם הֵ֥מָּה וַֽאֲבִיהֶ֖ם וַיִּירָֽאוּ:
bundle of money: Heb. צְרוֹר כַּסְפּוֹ, his bundle of money. — [from Targum Jonathan ben Uzziel]   צְרֽוֹר־כַּסְפּוֹ: קֶשֶׁר כַּסְפּוֹ:
36And their father Jacob said to them, "You have bereaved me-Joseph is gone, and Simeon is gone, and you want to take Benjamin! All these troubles have come upon me."   לווַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ יַֽעֲקֹ֣ב אֲבִיהֶ֔ם אֹתִ֖י שִׁכַּלְתֶּ֑ם יוֹסֵ֤ף אֵינֶ֨נּוּ֙ וְשִׁמְע֣וֹן אֵינֶ֔נּוּ וְאֶת־בִּנְיָמִ֣ן תִּקָּ֔חוּ עָלַ֖י הָי֥וּ כֻלָּֽנָה:
You have bereaved me: [This] teaches [us] that he suspected them-perhaps they had killed him (Simeon) or sold him like Joseph. [Gen. Rabbah 91:9]   אֹתִי שִׁכַּלְתֶּם: מְלַמֵּד שֶׁחֲשָׁדָן שֶׁמָּא הֲרָגוּהוּ אוֹ מְכָרוּהוּ כְיוֹסֵף:
You have bereaved: Heb. שִׁכַּלְתֶּם Anyone who has lost his children is called שַׁכּוּל.   שִׁכַּלְתֶּם: כָּל מִי שֶׁבָּנָיו אֲבוּדִים קָרוּי שַׁכּוּל:
37And Reuben spoke to his father, saying, "You may put my two sons to death if I don't bring him (Benjamin) to you. Put him into my hand[s] and I will return him to you."   לזוַיֹּ֤אמֶר רְאוּבֵן֙ אֶל־אָבִ֣יו לֵאמֹ֔ר אֶת־שְׁנֵ֤י בָנַי֙ תָּמִ֔ית אִם־לֹ֥א אֲבִיאֶ֖נּוּ אֵלֶ֑יךָ תְּנָ֤ה אֹתוֹ֙ עַל־יָדִ֔י וַֽאֲנִ֖י אֲשִׁיבֶ֥נּוּ אֵלֶֽיךָ:
38But he (Jacob) said, "My son shall not go down with you, because his brother is dead, and he alone is left, and if misfortune befalls him on the way you are going, you will bring down my gray head in sorrow to the grave."   לחוַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֹֽא־יֵרֵ֥ד בְּנִ֖י עִמָּכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אָחִ֨יו מֵ֜ת וְה֧וּא לְבַדּ֣וֹ נִשְׁאָ֗ר וּקְרָאָ֤הוּ אָסוֹן֙ בַּדֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּֽלְכוּ־בָ֔הּ וְהֽוֹרַדְתֶּ֧ם אֶת־שֵֽׂיבָתִ֛י בְּיָג֖וֹן שְׁאֽוֹלָה:
My son shall not go down with you: He did not accept Reuben’s offer. He said, “This firstborn is a fool. He offers to kill his sons. Are they his sons and not my sons?” - [from Gen. Rabbah 91:9]   לֹֽא־יֵרֵד בְּנִי עִמָּכֶם: לֹא קִבֵּל דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל רְאוּבֵן, אָמַר בְּכוֹר שׁוֹטֶה הוּא זֶה, הוּא אוֹמֵר לְהָמִית בָּנָיו, וְכִי בָנָיו הֵם וְלֹא בָּנַי? (בראשית רבה):

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 43

1But the hunger was severe in the land.   אוְהָֽרָעָ֖ב כָּבֵ֥ד בָּאָֽרֶץ:
2And it came to pass, when they finished eating the grain that they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, "Go back [and] buy us a little food."   בוַיְהִ֗י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֤ר כִּלּוּ֙ לֶֽאֱכֹ֣ל אֶת־הַשֶּׁ֔בֶר אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֵבִ֖יאוּ מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם֙ אֲבִיהֶ֔ם שֻׁ֖בוּ שִׁבְרוּ־לָ֥נוּ מְעַט־אֹֽכֶל:
when they finished eating: Judah had said to them, “Wait for the old man until there is no more bread left in the house.” - [from Tanchuma Mikeitz 8, Gen. Rabbah 91:6]   כַּֽאֲשֶׁר כִּלּוּ לֶֽאֱכֹל: יְהוּדָה אָמַר לָהֶם הַמְתִּינוּ לַזָּקֵן עַד שֶׁתִּכְלֶה פַת מִן הַבַּיִת (בראשית רבה):
when they finished.: [Onkelos renders:] כַּד שֵׁצִיאוּ, when they stopped. The one who renders: כַּד סַפִּיקוּ is in error. “When the camels had finished drinking” (Gen. 24:22) is rendered: כַּד סַפִּיקוּ, which means “when they had drunk their fill,” [for] that was the end of their drinking. This instance of “when they had finished eating,” however, means “when the food was depleted,” and we render: כַּד שֵׁצִיאוּ   כַּֽאֲשֶׁר כִּלּוּ: 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:
3But Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man warned us repeatedly, saying, 'You shall not see my face if your brother is not with you.'   גוַיֹּ֧אמֶר אֵלָ֛יו יְהוּדָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר הָעֵ֣ד הֵעִד֩ בָּ֨נוּ הָאִ֤ישׁ לֵאמֹר֙ לֹֽא־תִרְא֣וּ פָנַ֔י בִּלְתִּ֖י אֲחִיכֶ֥ם אִתְּכֶֽם:
warned us repeatedly: Heb. הָעֵד הֵעִד, an expression of warning, since a warning is usually given in the presence of witnesses (עֵדִים). Similarly, “I warned (הַעִדֹתִי) your forefathers” (Jer. 11:7); “Go down, warn (הָעֵד) the people” (Exod. 19:21).   הָעֵד הֵעִד: לְשׁוֹן הַתְרָאָה שֶׁסְּתָם הַתְרָאָה מַתְרֶה בוֹ בִּפְנֵי עֵדִים, וְכֵן הַעִדֹתִי בַּאֲבוֹתֵיכֶם (ירמיהו י"א); רֵד הָעֵד בָּעָם (שמות י"ט):
'You shall not see my face if your brother is not with you.’: Heb. בִּלְתִּי, lit., without. You shall not see me without your brother [being] with you. Onkelos, however, renders: except when your brother is with you. He explained the verse according to its context, but he was not precise in translating it in accordance with the language of the verse.   לֹֽא־תִרְאוּ פָנַי בִּלְתִּי אֲחִיכֶם אִתְּכֶֽם: לֹא תִרְאוּנִי בְלֹא אֲחִיכֶם אִתְּכֶם; וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם אֶלָּהֵן כַּד אֲחוּכוֹן עִמְּכוֹן, יִשֵּׁב הַדָּבָר עַל אָפְנוֹ וְלֹא דִּקְדֵּק לְתַרְגֵּם אַחַר לְשׁוֹן הַמִּקְרָא:
4If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you.   דאִם־יֶשְׁךָ֛ מְשַׁלֵּ֥חַ אֶת־אָחִ֖ינוּ אִתָּ֑נוּ נֵֽרְדָ֕ה וְנִשְׁבְּרָ֥ה לְךָ֖ אֹֽכֶל:
5But if you do not send [him], we will not go down, because the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face if your brother is not with you.' "   הוְאִם־אֵֽינְךָ֥ מְשַׁלֵּ֖חַ לֹ֣א נֵרֵ֑ד כִּֽי־הָאִ֞ישׁ אָמַ֤ר אֵלֵ֨ינוּ֙ לֹֽא־תִרְא֣וּ פָנַ֔י בִּלְתִּ֖י אֲחִיכֶ֥ם אִתְּכֶֽם:
6And Israel said, "Why have you harmed me, by telling the man that you have another brother?"   ווַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לָמָ֥ה הֲרֵֽעֹתֶ֖ם לִ֑י לְהַגִּ֣יד לָאִ֔ישׁ הַע֥וֹד לָכֶ֖ם אָֽח:
7They said, "The man asked about us and about our family, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have a brother?' And we told him according to these words. Could we have known that he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?"   זוַיֹּֽאמְר֡וּ שָׁא֣וֹל שָֽׁאַל־הָ֠אִ֠ישׁ לָ֣נוּ וּלְמֽוֹלַדְתֵּ֜נוּ לֵאמֹ֗ר הַע֨וֹד אֲבִיכֶ֥ם חַי֙ הֲיֵ֣שׁ לָכֶ֣ם אָ֔ח וַנַּ֨גֶּד־ל֔וֹ עַל־פִּ֖י הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה הֲיָד֣וֹעַ נֵדַ֔ע כִּ֣י יֹאמַ֔ר הוֹרִ֖ידוּ אֶת־אֲחִיכֶֽם:
about us and about our family: Heb. וּלְמוֹלַדְתֵּנוּ, about our lineage (Targum Jonathan). Midrashically, [it is explained:] Even the matters (עִנְיָנֵי) of our cradles he revealed to us. — [from Gen. Rabbah 91:10]   לָנוּ וּלְמֽוֹלַדְתֵּנוּ: לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתֵנוּ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ אֲפִלּוּ עֲצֵי עֲרִיסוֹתֵנוּ גִּלָּה לָנוּ:
And we told him: that we have a father and a brother.   וַנַּגֶּד־לוֹ: שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָנוּ אָב וְאָח:
according to these words: According to his questions that he asked, we were compelled to answer.   עַל־פִּי הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה: עַל פִּי שְׁאֵלוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר שָׁאַל, הֻזְקַקְנוּ לְהַגִּיד:
that he would say: Heb. כִּי יֹאמַר. [This is equivalent to] אִשֶׁר יֹאמַר, that he would say. כִּי is used as an expression for אִם, and אִם is used as an expression for אִשֶׁר, that. Hence, this is one of its four usages, for this [כִּי] is like אִם, as “until (עַד אִם) I have spoken my words” (24:33). - [after targumim]   כִּי יֹאמַר: 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):
8And Judah said to Israel, his father, "Send the lad with me, and we will get up and go, and we will live and not die, both we and you and also our young children.   חוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוּדָ֜ה אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל אָבִ֗יו שִׁלְחָ֥ה הַנַּ֛עַר אִתִּ֖י וְנָק֣וּמָה וְנֵלֵ֑כָה וְנִֽחְיֶה֙ וְלֹ֣א נָמ֔וּת גַּם־אֲנַ֥חְנוּ גַם־אַתָּ֖ה גַּם־טַפֵּֽנוּ:
and we will live: The Holy Spirit flickered within him. Through this trip, your spirit will be revived, as it is said: “and the spirit of their father Jacob was revived” (Gen. 45:27).   וְנִֽחְיֶה: נִצְנְצָה בוֹ רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, עַל יְדֵי הֲלִיכָה זוֹ תְחִי רוּחֲךָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַתְּחִי רוּחַ יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם (בראשית מ"ה):
and not die: of hunger. As for Benjamin, we are not sure whether he will be seized or he will not be seized, but all of us will [certainly] die of hunger if we do not go. It would be better to leave the doubtful situation and seize the [situation that is] certain. — [from Tanchuma Mikeitz 8]   וְלֹא נָמוּת: בָּרָעָב; בִּנְיָמִין סָפֵק יִתָּפֵשׂ סָפֵק לֹא יִתָּפֵשׂ, וְאָנוּ כֻּלָּנוּ מֵתִים בָּרָעָב אִם לֹא נֵלֵךְ, מוּטָב שֶׁתַּנִּיחַ אֶת הַסָּפֵק וְתִתְפֹּשׂ אֶת הַוַּדַּאי:
9I will guarantee him; from my hand you can demand him. If I do not bring him to you and stand him up before you, I will have sinned against you forever.   טאָֽנֹכִי֙ אֶֽעֶרְבֶ֔נּוּ מִיָּדִ֖י תְּבַקְשֶׁ֑נּוּ אִם־לֹ֨א הֲבִֽיאֹתִ֤יו אֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ וְהִצַּגְתִּ֣יו לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְחָטָ֥אתִי לְךָ֖ כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים:
and stand him up before you: That I will not bring him to you dead, but alive.   וְהִצַּגְתִּיו לְפָנֶיךָ: שֶׁלֹּא אֲבִיאֶנּוּ אֵלֶיךָ מֵת, כִּי אִם חַי:
I will have sinned against you forever: For the world to come. - [from Gen. Rabbah 91:10]   וְחָטָאתִי לְךָ כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים: לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא:
10For had we not tarried, by now we would have already returned twice."   יכִּ֖י לוּלֵ֣א הִתְמַהְמָ֑הְנוּ כִּֽי־עַתָּ֥ה שַׁ֖בְנוּ זֶ֥ה פַֽעֲמָֽיִם:
had we not tarried: because of you, we would have [already] returned with Simeon, and you would not have suffered all these days.   לוּלֵא התמהמנו: עַל יָדְךָ, כְּבָר הָיִינוּ שָׁבִים עִם שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֹא נִצְטַעַרְתָּ כָּל הַיָּמִים הַלָּלוּ:
11So Israel, their father, said to them, "If so, then do this: take some of the choice products of the land in your vessels, and take down to the man as a gift, a little balm and a little honey, wax and lotus, pistachios and almonds.   יאוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל אֲבִיהֶ֗ם אִם־כֵּ֣ן | אֵפוֹא֘ זֹ֣את עֲשׂוּ֒ קְח֞וּ מִזִּמְרַ֤ת הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ בִּכְלֵיכֶ֔ם וְהוֹרִ֥ידוּ לָאִ֖ישׁ מִנְחָ֑ה מְעַ֤ט צֳרִי֙ וּמְעַ֣ט דְּבַ֔שׁ נְכֹ֣את וָלֹ֔ט בָּטְנִ֖ים וּשְׁקֵדִֽים:
then: Heb. אֵפוֹא. This is a redundant word, used for stylistic purposes in the Hebrew. If [it is] so, [that] I will be compelled to do [this]-that I will [have to] send him with you-I will have to search and seek where [is the place that we can say,] “Here is (אַיֵּה פֹה) a solution as well as advice to give you, and [therefore] I say, ‘Do this.’”   אֵפוֹא: 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:
some of the choice products of the land: Heb. מִזִמְּרַת הָאָרֶץ lit., from the song of the land. Targumim render: מִדִּמְשַׁבָּח בְּאַרְעָא, “from what is praised in the land,” about which everyone sings, [rejoicing] that it came into the world.   מִזִּמְרַת הָאָרֶץ: מִדִּמְשַׁבַּח בְּאַרְעָא – שֶׁהַכֹּל מְזַמְּרִים עָלָיו כְּשֶׁהוּא בָא לָעוֹלָם:
wax: Heb. נְכֹאת, wax. — [from Gen. Rabbah 91:11, Targum Onkelos] Cf. Rashi above on 37:25.   נְכֹאת: שַׁעֲוָה:
pistachios: Heb. בָּטְנִים I do not know what they are. In the alphabetized dictionary of Rabbi Machir, I saw [that they are] pistachios, but I believe that they are אִפַרְסְקִים (mentioned in the Mishnah, Kilayim 1:4, and the Talmud, Shabbath 45a).   בָּטְנִים: לֹא יָדַעְתִּי מַה הֵם, וּבְפֵרוּשֵׁי א"ב שֶׁל רַבִּי מָכִיר רָאִיתִי פשט"ציאס וְדוֹמֶה לִי שֶׁהֵם אֲפַרְסְקִין:
12And take double the money in your hand[s], and the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks you shall return in your hand[s], perhaps it was an error.   יבוְכֶ֥סֶף מִשְׁנֶ֖ה קְח֣וּ בְיֶדְכֶ֑ם וְאֶת־הַכֶּ֜סֶף הַמּוּשַׁ֨ב בְּפִ֤י אַמְתְּחֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ תָּשִׁ֣יבוּ בְיֶדְכֶ֔ם אוּלַ֥י מִשְׁגֶּ֖ה הֽוּא:
And…double the money: Twice as much as the first.   וְכֶסֶף מִשְׁנֶה: פִּי שְׁנַיִם כָּרִאשׁוֹן:
take…in your hand[s]: to purchase food, perhaps the price has risen.   קְחוּ בְיֶדְכֶם: לִשְׁבֹּר אֹכֶל, שֶׁמָּא הוּקַר הַשַּׁעַר:
perhaps it was an error: Perhaps the one appointed over the house inadvertently forgot it.   אוּלַי מִשְׁגֶּה הֽוּא: שֶׁמָּא הַמְמֻנֶּה עַל הַבַּיִת שְׁכָחוֹ שׁוֹגֵג:
13And take your brother, and get up, go back to the man.   יגוְאֶת־אֲחִיכֶ֖ם קָ֑חוּ וְק֖וּמוּ שׁ֥וּבוּ אֶל־הָאִֽישׁ:
14And may the Almighty God grant you compassion before the man, and he will release to you your other brother and Benjamin, and as for me as I am bereaved, I am bereaved."   ידוְאֵ֣ל שַׁדַּ֗י יִתֵּ֨ן לָכֶ֤ם רַֽחֲמִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הָאִ֔ישׁ וְשִׁלַּ֥ח לָכֶ֛ם אֶת־אֲחִיכֶ֥ם אַחֵ֖ר וְאֶת־בִּנְיָמִ֑ין וַֽאֲנִ֕י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁכֹ֖לְתִּי שָׁכָֽלְתִּי:
And may the Almighty God: From now on, you lack nothing but prayer. Behold I am praying for you. — [from Gen. Rabbah 91:11]   וְאֵל שַׁדַּי: מֵעַתָּה אֵינְכֶם חֲסֵרִים כְּלוּם אֶלָּא תְפִלָּה, הֲרֵינִי מִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיכֶם:
the Almighty God: Heb. א-ֵל שַׁדָּי, Whose grant of mercy is sufficient (שֶׁדַי), and Who has sufficient power to grant, May He grant you compassion. This is its simple meaning (Zohar, vol. 2, p. 257a). Its midrashic interpretation, however, is: May He Who said to His world, “Enough!” (שֶׁאָמַר דָּי) say to my troubles, “Enough!” for I have not enjoyed tranquility since my youth. [I endured] the trouble of Laban (who tricked me and pursued me with the desire of killing me), the trouble of Esau (who wanted to kill me), the trouble of Rachel (who died in childbirth), the trouble of Dinah (who was violated and kidnapped by Shechem), the trouble of Joseph (who disappeared), the trouble of Simeon (who is being detained by the ruler of Egypt), and the trouble of Benjamin (whom he demands that I send to him) (Tanchuma Mikeitz 10).   אל שַׁדַּי: 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:
and he will release to you: Heb. וְשִׁלַח. He will release to you, as the Targum renders, [meaning that] he will release him from his bonds, an expression similar to “he shall let him out to freedom (לַחָפְשִׁי יְשַׁלְחֶנוּ)” (Exod. 21:26). It is, however, inappropriate to translate it as an expression of sending away because they were going there to him.   וְשִׁלַּח לָכֶם: וְיִפְטַר לְכוֹן כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ – יִפְטְרֶנּוּ מֵאֱסוּרָיו, לְשׁוֹן לַחָפְשִׁי יְשַׁלְּחֶנּוּ (שמות כ"א), וְאֵינוֹ נוֹפֵל בַּתַּרְגּוּם לְשׁוֹן וַיִּשְׁלַח, שֶׁהֲרֵי לְשָׁם הֵם הוֹלְכִים אֶצְלוֹ:
your…brother: This is Simeon.   אֶת־אֲחִיכֶם: זֶה שִׁמְעוֹן:
other: The Holy Spirit [of prophecy] was cast into him to include Joseph. - [from Avoth d’Rabbi Nathan,]   אַחֵר: רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ נִזְרְקָה בוֹ, לְרַבּוֹת יוֹסֵף (בראשית רבה):
and as for me: Until you return, I will be bereaved out of doubt.   וַֽאֲנִי: עַד שׁוּבְכֶם אֶהְיֶה שַׁכּוּל מִסָּפֵק:
as I am bereaved: of Joseph and Simeon.   כַּֽאֲשֶׁר שָׁכֹלְתִּי: מִיּוֹסֵף וּמִשִּׁמְעוֹן:
I am bereaved: of Benjamin.   שָׁכֹלְתִּי: מִבִּנְיָמִין:
15So the men took this gift, and they took double the money in their hand[s] and Benjamin, and they got up and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.   טווַיִּקְח֤וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙ אֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את וּמִשְׁנֶה־כֶּ֛סֶף לָֽקְח֥וּ בְיָדָ֖ם וְאֶת־בִּנְיָמִ֑ן וַיָּקֻ֨מוּ֙ וַיֵּֽרְד֣וּ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיַּֽעַמְד֖וּ לִפְנֵ֥י יוֹסֵֽף:
and Benjamin: The Targum renders: וּדְבָרוּ יַת בִּנְיָמִן, and they led Benjamin away. [I.e., Onkelos was not satisfied with the verb נְסִיבוּ, they took, but added another verb, וּדְבָרוּ, and they led away. [That is] because [the expressions for] taking money and taking a person are not the same in Aramaic. Regarding a thing “taken in the hand,” we translate וּנְסִיב, but something taken by persuasion, we translate וּדְבָר.   וְאֶת־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:

Sixth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 43

16[When] Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the overseer of his house, "Bring the men into the house and [give orders] to slaughter an animal and to prepare, for the men will eat with me at lunch."   טזוַיַּ֨רְא יוֹסֵ֣ף אִתָּם֘ אֶת־בִּנְיָמִין֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לַֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־בֵּית֔וֹ הָבֵ֥א אֶת־הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖ים הַבָּ֑יְתָה וּטְבֹ֤חַ טֶ֨בַח֙ וְהָכֵ֔ן כִּ֥י אִתִּ֛י יֹֽאכְל֥וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖ים בַּצָּֽהֳרָֽיִם:
and [give orders] to slaughter an animal and to prepare: Heb. וּטְבֹח ַטֶבַח וְהָכֵן, like וְלִטְבֹּח ַטֶבַח וּלְהָכֵן, and טְבֹחַ is not the imperative, for [if so,] he would have said וּטְבַח   וּטְבֹחַ טֶבַח וְהָכֵן: כְּמוֹ וְלִטְבֹּחַ טֶבַח וּלְהָכִין, וְאֵין טְבֹחַ לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר וּטְבַח:
at lunch: Heb. בָּצָּהֲרָיִם This is translated [by the targumim] as בְּשֵׁירוּתָא, an Aramaic term denoting the first meal of the day. In Old French disner, lunch. There are many [examples of this word] in the Talmud: “he threw his meal (שֵׁירוּתֵיהּ) to a dog” (Ta’anith 11b); “he cut [the bread] for the entire meal (שֵׁירוּתָא)” (Ber. 39b), but every [other] translation of צָהֳרַיִם is טִהִרָא.   בַּצָּֽהֳרָֽיִם: 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:
17And the man did as Joseph had said, and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.   יזוַיַּ֣עַשׂ הָאִ֔ישׁ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר אָמַ֣ר יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיָּבֵ֥א הָאִ֛ישׁ אֶת־הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖ים בֵּ֥יתָה יוֹסֵֽף:
18Now the men were frightened because they had been brought into Joseph's house, and they said, "On account of the money that came back in our sacks at first, we are brought, to roll upon us and to fall upon us and to take us as slaves and our donkeys [as well]."   יחוַיִּֽירְא֣וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֗ים כִּ֣י הֽוּבְאוּ֘ בֵּ֣ית יוֹסֵף֒ וַיֹּֽאמְר֗וּ עַל־דְּבַ֤ר הַכֶּ֨סֶף֙ הַשָּׁ֤ב בְּאַמְתְּחֹתֵ֨ינוּ֙ בַּתְּחִלָּ֔ה אֲנַ֖חְנוּ מֽוּבָאִ֑ים לְהִתְגֹּלֵ֤ל עָלֵ֨ינוּ֙ וּלְהִתְנַפֵּ֣ל עָלֵ֔ינוּ וְלָקַ֧חַת אֹתָ֛נוּ לַֽעֲבָדִ֖ים וְאֶת־חֲמֹרֵֽינוּ:
Now the men were frightened: Heb. וַיִירְאוּ It is written with two “yuds,” and is translated וּדְחִילוּ, “were frightened.”   וַיִּֽירְאוּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁים: כָּתוּב הוּא בִּשְׁנֵי יוֹדִ"ין, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ וּדְחִילוּ:
because they had been brought into Joseph’s house: And it was not customary for others who came to purchase grain to lodge in Joseph’s house, but in the inns in the city. So they were frightened that this was [done] only [in order] to put them in prison.   כִּי הֽוּבְאוּ בֵּית יוֹסֵף: וְאֵין דֶּרֶךְ שְׁאָר הַבָּאִים לִשְׁבֹּר בָּר לָלוּן בְּבֵית יוֹסֵף, כִּי אִם בְּפֻנְדְּקָאוֹת שֶׁבָּעִיר וַיִּֽירְאוּ שֶׁאֵין זֶה אֶלָּא לְאָסְפָם אֶל מִשְׁמָר:
we are brought: into this house.   אֲנַחְנוּ מֽוּבָאִים: אֶל תּוֹךְ הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה:
to roll upon us: Heb. לְהִתְגֹלֵל עָלֵינוּ So that the fabricated accusation regarding the money will roll upon us and fall upon us, [“Rolling” denotes the plot, and “falling” the ultimate attack.] Onkelos, however, rendered וּלְהִתְנַפֵּל עָלֵינוּ as וּלְאִסְתְּקָפָא עִלָנָא, which is an expression denoting “fabricating false accusations,” just as the Targum renders עִלִילֹת דְּבָרִים as“and he makes a false accusation against her” (Deut. 22:14) [with the words] תַּסְקוּפֵי מִלִין He (Onkelos) does not translate it literally to conform to the language of the verse. But לְהִתְגֹלֵל, which he (Onkelos) renders לְאִתְרַבְרְבָא, “to aggrandize himself,” is an expression derived from “the golden bowl (גֻלַת)” (Eccl. 12:6); “And Huzzab the queen (גֻלְתָה) was carried away” (Nahum 2:8), which denotes royalty.   לְהִתְגֹּלֵל: 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:
19So they drew near the man who was over Joseph's house, and they spoke to him at the entrance of the house.   יטוַיִּגְּשׁוּ֙ אֶל־הָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־בֵּ֣ית יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיְדַבְּר֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו פֶּ֥תַח הַבָּֽיִת:
20And they said, "Please, my lord, we came down at first to purchase food.   כוַיֹּֽאמְר֖וּ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִ֑י יָרֹ֥ד יָרַ֛דְנוּ בַּתְּחִלָּ֖ה לִשְׁבָּר־אֹֽכֶל:
Please, my lord: Heb. בִּי, an expression of entreaty and supplication, in Aramaic: בָּיָיא בָּיָיא. Rashi bases this translation on Onkelos.   בִּי אֲדֹנִי: לְשׁוֹן בַּעְיָא וְתַחֲנוּנִים הוּא, בְלָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי בַּיָּא בַּיָּא (יבמות צ"ז, סנהדרין ס"ד):
we came down: Heb. יָרֹד יָרַדְנוּ. This is a degradation for us. We were accustomed to sustaining others, but now we must rely on you. — [from Gen. Rabbah 92:3]   יָרֹד יָרַדְנוּ: יְרִידָה הִיא לָנוּ, רְגִילִים הָיִינוּ לְפַרְנֵס אֲחֵרִים, עַכְשָׁו אָנוּ צְרִיכִים לְךָ (בראשית רבה):
21And it came to pass when we came to the lodging place that we opened our sacks, and behold! each man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; and we returned it in our hand[s].   כאוַיְהִ֞י כִּי־בָ֣אנוּ אֶל־הַמָּל֗וֹן וַנִּפְתְּחָה֙ אֶת־אַמְתְּחֹתֵ֔ינוּ וְהִנֵּ֤ה כֶֽסֶף־אִישׁ֙ בְּפִ֣י אַמְתַּחְתּ֔וֹ כַּסְפֵּ֖נוּ בְּמִשְׁקָל֑וֹ וַנָּ֥שֶׁב אֹת֖וֹ בְּיָדֵֽנוּ:
22And we brought down other money in our hand[s] to purchase food. We do not know who put our money into our sacks."   כבוְכֶ֧סֶף אַחֵ֛ר הוֹרַ֥דְנוּ בְיָדֵ֖נוּ לִשְׁבָּר־אֹ֑כֶל לֹ֣א יָדַ֔עְנוּ מִי־שָׂ֥ם כַּסְפֵּ֖נוּ בְּאַמְתְּחֹתֵֽינוּ:
23And he said, "Peace to you; fear not. Your God and the God of your father gave you a treasure in your sacks; your money came to me." And he brought Simeon out to them.   כגוַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ שָׁל֨וֹם לָכֶ֜ם אַל־תִּירָ֗אוּ אֱלֹ֨הֵיכֶ֜ם וֵֽאלֹהֵ֤י אֲבִיכֶם֙ נָתַ֨ן לָכֶ֤ם מַטְמוֹן֙ בְּאַמְתְּחֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם כַּסְפְּכֶ֖ם בָּ֣א אֵלָ֑י וַיּוֹצֵ֥א אֲלֵהֶ֖ם אֶת־שִׁמְעֽוֹן:
Your God: In your merit, and if your merit is insufficient, the God of your father, in the merit of your father, gave you a treasure. — [from Gen. Rabbah 92:4 according to Albeck’s edition, Lekach Tov, Sechel Tov]   אֱלֹהֵיכֶם: בִּזְכוּתְכֶם, וְאִם אֵין זְכוּתְכֶם כְּדַאי, ואלהי אביכם, בִּזְכוּת אֲבִיכֶם נתן לכם מטמון:
24Then the man brought the men (the brothers) into Joseph's house, and he gave [them] water, and they washed their feet, and he gave fodder to their donkeys.   כדוַיָּבֵ֥א הָאִ֛ישׁ אֶת־הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖ים בֵּ֣יתָה יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיִּתֶּן־מַ֨יִם֙ וַיִּרְחֲצ֣וּ רַגְלֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּתֵּ֥ן מִסְפּ֖וֹא לַֽחֲמֹֽרֵיהֶֽם:
Then the man brought: One bringing in after another bringing in [they were brought inside twice], because they (the brothers) pushed him (the man) outside until they spoke to him at the entrance of the house. As soon as he said to them, “Peace to you,” they followed and entered after him. — [from Gen. Rabbah 92:4]   וַיָּבֵא הָאִישׁ: הֲבָאָה אַחַר הֲבָאָה, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ דוֹחֲפִים אוֹתוֹ לַחוּץ עַד שֶׁדִּבְּרוּ אֵלָיו פֶּתַח הַבַּיִת; וּמִשֶּׁאָמַר לָהֶם שָׁלוֹם לָכֶם, נִמְשְׁכוּ וּבָאוּ אַחֲרָיו:
25And they prepared the gift until Joseph would come at lunchtime, for they heard that there they would eat bread.   כהוַיָּכִ֨ינוּ֙ אֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֔ה עַד־בּ֥וֹא יוֹסֵ֖ף בַּצָּֽהֳרָ֑יִם כִּ֣י שָֽׁמְע֔וּ כִּי־שָׁ֖ם יֹ֥אכְלוּ לָֽחֶם:
And they prepared: Heb. וַיָכִינוּ, they prepared. They adorned it with beautiful vessels. — [from Targum Onkelos]   וַיָּכִינוּ: הִזְמִינוּ, עִטְּרוּהָ בְּכֵלִים נָאִים:
26And Joseph came home, and they brought him the gift that was in their hand[s], into the house, and they prostrated themselves to him to the ground.   כווַיָּבֹ֤א יוֹסֵף֙ הַבַּ֔יְתָה וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ ל֛וֹ אֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֥ה אֲשֶׁר־בְּיָדָ֖ם הַבָּ֑יְתָה וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־ל֖וֹ אָֽרְצָה:
into the house: From the anteroom into the reception hall.   הַבַּיְתָה: מִפְּרוֹזְדּוֹר לִטְרַקְלִין:
27He inquired after their welfare, and he said to them, "Is your elderly father, whom you mentioned, well? Is he still alive?"   כזוַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל לָהֶם֙ לְשָׁל֔וֹם וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֲשָׁל֛וֹם אֲבִיכֶ֥ם הַזָּקֵ֖ן אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲמַרְתֶּ֑ם הַֽעוֹדֶ֖נּוּ חָֽי:
28And they said, "Your servant, our father, is well; he is still alive." And they bowed and prostrated themselves.   כחוַיֹּֽאמְר֗וּ שָׁל֛וֹם לְעַבְדְּךָ֥ לְאָבִ֖ינוּ עוֹדֶ֣נּוּ חָ֑י וַיִּקְּד֖וּ וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲוֽוּ כתיב וישתחו:
And they bowed and prostrated themselves: Because of the greeting [i.e. to acknowledge Joseph’s greeting]. Bowing (קִידָה) means inclining the head (קָדְקֹר). הִשְׁתַּחִוָאָה means prostrating oneself to the ground. — [from Ber. 34b]   וַיִּקְּדוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲוֽוּ: עַל שְׁאִלַת שָׁלוֹם קִידָה – כְּפִיפַת קָדְקֹד; הִשְׁתַּחֲוָאָה – מִשְׁתַּטֵּחַ לָאָרֶץ:
29And he lifted his eyes and saw Benjamin, his brother, the son of his mother, and he said, "Is this your little brother, whom you told me about?" And he said, "May God favor you, my son. "   כטוַיִּשָּׂ֣א עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּ֞רְא אֶת־בִּנְיָמִ֣ין אָחִיו֘ בֶּן־אִמּוֹ֒ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֲזֶה֙ אֲחִיכֶ֣ם הַקָּטֹ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם אֵלָ֑י וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אֱלֹהִ֥ים יָחְנְךָ֖ בְּנִֽי:
“May God favor you…”: In connection with the other tribes, we heard [them marked by] favor-“with whom God has favored your servant” (Gen. 33:5). Benjamin, however, had not yet been born. Therefore, Joseph blessed him with favor. — [from Gen. Rabbah 92:5]   אֱלֹהִים יָחְנְךָ בְּנִֽי: בִּשְׁאָר שְׁבָטִים שָׁמַעְנוּ חֲנִינָה אֲשֶׁר חָנַן אֱלֹהִים אֶת עַבְדֶּךָ (בראשית ל"ג), וּבִנְיָמִין עֲדַיִן לֹא נוֹלַד, לְכָךְ בֵּרְכוֹ יוֹסֵף בַּחֲנִינָה:

Seventh Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 43

30And Joseph hastened, for his mercy was stirred toward his brother, and he wanted to weep; so he went into the room and wept there.   לוַיְמַהֵ֣ר יוֹסֵ֗ף כִּֽי־נִכְמְר֤וּ רַֽחֲמָיו֙ אֶל־אָחִ֔יו וַיְבַקֵּ֖שׁ לִבְכּ֑וֹת וַיָּבֹ֥א הַחַ֖דְרָה וַיֵּ֥בְךְּ שָֽׁמָּה:
for his mercy was stirred: He (Joseph) asked him (Benjamin), “Have you a brother from your mother?” He replied, “I had a brother, but I do not know where he is.” “Have you any sons?” He replied, “I have ten.” He asked, “And what are their names?” He replied, “Bela and Becher, etc.” He asked, “What is the significance of these names?” He replied, “All of them are connected to my brother and the troubles that befell him. [My first son was named] Bela because he (my brother) was swallowed up (נִבְלַע) among the nations. [My second son was named] Becher because he (my brother) was the firstborn (בְּכוֹר) of my mother. [My third son was named] Ashbel because God put him (my brother) into captivity (שְׁבָאו ֹאֵל). [My fourth son was named] Gera because he (my brother) was a stranger (נִתְגַּיֵר) in a lodging place. And [my fifth son was named] Na’aman because he (my brother) was very pleasant [to look upon] (נָעִים). [My sixth and seventh sons were named] Ehi and Rosh because he was my brother (אָחִי), and he was my superior (רֹאשִׁי). [My eighth son was named] Muppim because he (my brother) learned from the mouth of (מִפִּי) my father. [My ninth son was named] Huppim because he (my brother) did not see my wedding (חוּפָּתִי), neither did I see his wedding (חוּפָּתוֹ). And [my tenth son was named] Ard because he (my brother) descended (יָרַד) among the nations.” This is as stated in Tractate Sotah (36b). Immediately, his (Joseph’s) mercy was stirred.   כִּֽי־נִכְמְרוּ רַֽחֲמָיו: 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:
was stirred: Heb. נִכְמְרוּ, was heated. In the language of the Mishnah, “on a heating (כֹּמֶר) vessel of olives” (Sotah 74a), and in Aramaic, “because of the heating (מִכְמַר) of the meat” (Pes. 58a), and in the Scriptures, “Our skin is parched (נִכְמָרוּ) because of the heat of hunger” (Lam. 5:10). So is the way of all skin; when it is heated, it shrivels and shrinks. — [from Lam. Rabbah 5:10].   נִכְמְרוּ: 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:
31And he washed his face and came out, and he restrained himself and said, "Serve the food."   לאוַיִּרְחַ֥ץ פָּנָ֖יו וַיֵּצֵ֑א וַיִּ֨תְאַפַּ֔ק וַיֹּ֖אמֶר שִׂ֥ימוּ לָֽחֶם:
and he restrained himself: Heb. וַיִתְאַפַּק, and he strengthened himself. וַיִתְאַפַּק is an expression of “the strong (אִפִיקֵי) shields” (Job 41:7), [meaning] strength, and similarly, “and loosens the belt of the strong (אִפִיקִים)” (ibid. 12:21).   וַיִּתְאַפַּק: נִתְאַמֵּץ; וְהוּא לְשׁוֹן אֲפִיקֵי מָגִנִּים (איוב מ"א), חֹזֶק, וְכֵן וּמְזִיחַ אֲפִיקִים רִפָּה (שם י"ב):
32And they set for him separately and for them separately, and for the Egyptians who ate with him separately, because the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, because it is an abomination to the Egyptians.   לבוַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ ל֛וֹ לְבַדּ֖וֹ וְלָהֶ֣ם לְבַדָּ֑ם וְלַמִּצְרִ֞ים הָאֹֽכְלִ֤ים אִתּוֹ֙ לְבַדָּ֔ם כִּי֩ לֹ֨א יֽוּכְל֜וּן הַמִּצְרִ֗ים לֶֽאֱכֹ֤ל אֶת־הָֽעִבְרִים֙ לֶ֔חֶם כִּי־תֽוֹעֵבָ֥ה הִ֖וא לְמִצְרָֽיִם:
because it is an abomination to the Egyptians: It is a hateful thing for the Egyptians to eat with the Hebrews, and Onkelos gave the reason for the matter.   כִּי תֽוֹעֵבָה הִוא: דָּבָר שָׂנְאוּי הוּא לַמִּצְרִים לֶאֱכֹל אֶת הָעִבְרִים, וְאֻנְקְלוֹס נָתַן טַעַם לַדָּבָר:
33They sat before him, the firstborn according to his age, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at each other in astonishment.   לגוַיֵּֽשְׁב֣וּ לְפָנָ֔יו הַבְּכֹר֙ כִּבְכֹ֣רָת֔וֹ וְהַצָּעִ֖יר כִּצְעִֽרָת֑וֹ וַיִּתְמְה֥וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖ים אִ֥ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵֽהוּ:
the firstborn according to his age: He knocked his goblet and announced, “Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, sons of one mother, sit in this order, which is the order of your births,” and so [did he order] all of them. When he reached Benjamin, he said, “This one has no mother, and I have no mother. Let him sit beside me.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 93:7]   הבכור כִּבְכֹרָתוֹ: 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:
34And he had portions brought to them from before him, and Benjamin's portion was five times as large as the portions of any of them, and they drank and became intoxicated with him.   לדוַיִּשָּׂ֨א מַשְׂאֹ֜ת מֵאֵ֣ת פָּנָיו֘ אֲלֵהֶם֒ וַתֵּ֜רֶב מַשְׂאַ֧ת בִּנְיָמִ֛ן מִמַּשְׂאֹ֥ת כֻּלָּ֖ם חָמֵ֣שׁ יָד֑וֹת וַיִּשְׁתּ֥וּ וַיִּשְׁכְּר֖וּ עִמּֽוֹ:
portions: Heb. מַשְׂאֹת, meaning portions. — [from Targum Onkelos]   מַשְׂאֹת: מָנוֹת:
five times as large: His portion with his brothers, Joseph’s portion, and those of Asenath, Manasseh, and Ephraim. — [from Gen. Rabbah 92:5, Targum Jonathan]   חָמֵשׁ יָדוֹת: חֶלְקוֹ עִם אֶחָיו, וּמַשְׂאַת יוֹסֵף וְאָסְנַת וּמְנַשֶּׁה וְאֶפְרַיִם:
and they drank and became intoxicated with him: Since the day that they had sold him, neither they nor he had drunk wine, but on that day they drank. — [from Gen. Rabbah 92:5]   וַיִּשְׁכְּרוּ עִמּֽוֹ: וּמִיּוֹם שֶׁמְּכָרוּהוּ לֹא שָׁתוּ יַיִן וְלֹא הוּא שָׁתָה יַיִן, וְאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם שָׁתוּ (בראשית רבה):

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 44

1Then he commanded the overseer of his house, saying, "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man's money into the mouth of his sack.   אוַיְצַ֞ו אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־בֵּיתוֹ֘ לֵאמֹר֒ מַלֵּ֞א אֶת־אַמְתְּחֹ֤ת הָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙ אֹ֔כֶל כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר יֽוּכְל֖וּן שְׂאֵ֑ת וְשִׂ֥ים כֶּֽסֶף־אִ֖ישׁ בְּפִ֥י אַמְתַּחְתּֽוֹ:
2And my goblet, the silver goblet, put into the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his purchase money." And he did according to Joseph's word, which he had spoken.   בוְאֶת־גְּבִיעִ֞י גְּבִ֣יעַ הַכֶּ֗סֶף תָּשִׂים֙ בְּפִי֙ אַמְתַּ֣חַת הַקָּטֹ֔ן וְאֵ֖ת כֶּ֣סֶף שִׁבְר֑וֹ וַיַּ֕עַשׂ כִּדְבַ֥ר יוֹסֵ֖ף אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֵּֽר:
goblet: Heb. גְבִיעַ, a tall cup, called maderine (a long, narrow goblet).   גְּבִיעִי: כּוֹס אָרֹךְ, וְקוֹרִין לוֹ מדיר"נש בְּלַעַז:
3The morning became light, and the men were sent [on their way] they and their donkeys.   גהַבֹּ֖קֶר א֑וֹר וְהָֽאֲנָשִׁ֣ים שֻׁלְּח֔וּ הֵ֖מָּה וַֽחֲמֹֽרֵיהֶֽם:
4They had exited the city, but had not gone far when Joseph said to the overseer of his house, "Get up, pursue the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid good with evil?   דהֵ֠ם יָֽצְא֣וּ אֶת־הָעִיר֘ לֹ֣א הִרְחִ֒יקוּ֒ וְיוֹסֵ֤ף אָמַר֙ לַֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־בֵּית֔וֹ ק֥וּם רְדֹ֖ף אַֽחֲרֵ֣י הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֑ים וְהִשַּׂגְתָּם֙ וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם לָ֛מָּה שִׁלַּמְתֶּ֥ם רָעָ֖ה תַּ֥חַת טוֹבָֽה:
5Is not this the one my master drinks from? Why, he even divines with it! You have done evil by the way you have acted.' "   ההֲל֣וֹא זֶ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁתֶּ֤ה אֲדֹנִי֙ בּ֔וֹ וְה֕וּא נַחֵ֥שׁ יְנַחֵ֖שׁ בּ֑וֹ הֲרֵֽעֹתֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עֲשִׂיתֶֽם:
6He overtook them, and he said these words to them.   ווַיַּשִּׂגֵ֑ם וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה:
7And they said to him, "Why should my master say such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do a thing like this!   זוַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו לָ֚מָּה יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲדֹנִ֔י כַּדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה חָלִ֨ילָה֙ לַֽעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ מֵֽעֲשׂ֖וֹת כַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה:
Far be it from your servants: Heb. חָלִילָה, it is profane for us (חוּלִין), an expression of disgrace. The Targum renders: חַס לְעַבְד‏ָ, may your servants be spared, [i.e.,] may the Holy One, blessed be He, spare us from doing this. [May He never allow us to do such a thing!] There are many such expressions in the Talmud: חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, God forbid.   חָלִילָה לַֽעֲבָדֶיךָ: חֻלִּין הוּא לָנוּ, לְשׁוֹן גְּנַאי, וְתַרְגוּם חַס לְעַבְדָּיךְ – חַס מֵאֵת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יְהִי עָלֵינוּ מֵעֲשׂוֹת זֹאת, וְהַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בַּתַּלְמוּד "חַס וְשָׁלוֹם":
8Behold, the money we found in the mouth of our sacks we returned to you from the land of Canaan; so how could we steal from your master's house silver or gold?   חהֵ֣ן כֶּ֗סֶף אֲשֶׁ֤ר מָצָ֨אנוּ֙ בְּפִ֣י אַמְתְּחֹתֵ֔ינוּ הֱשִׁיבֹ֥נוּ אֵלֶ֖יךָ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וְאֵ֗יךְ נִגְנֹב֙ מִבֵּ֣ית אֲדֹנֶ֔יךָ כֶּ֖סֶף א֥וֹ זָהָֽב:
Behold, the money, etc.: This is one of the ten a fortiori conclusions (deductions from minor to major) mentioned in the Torah, and they are all enumerated in Gen. Rabbah (92:7). 10.   הֵן כֶּסֶף אֲשֶׁר מָצָאנוּ: זֶה אֶחָד מֵעֲשָׂרָה קַל וָחֹמֶר הָאֲמוּרִים בַּתּוֹרָה, וְכֻלָּן מְנוּיִין בּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה:
9Whichever one of your servants with whom it is found shall die, and also we will be slaves to my master."   טאֲשֶׁ֨ר יִמָּצֵ֥א אִתּ֛וֹ מֵֽעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ וָמֵ֑ת וְגַם־אֲנַ֕חְנוּ נִֽהְיֶ֥ה לַֽאדֹנִ֖י לַֽעֲבָדִֽים:
10And he said, "Now indeed, so it is as you have spoken. [But] the one with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be cleared."   יוַיֹּ֕אמֶר גַּם־עַתָּ֥ה כְדִבְרֵיכֶ֖ם כֶּן־ה֑וּא אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִמָּצֵ֤א אִתּוֹ֙ יִֽהְיֶה־לִּ֣י עָ֔בֶד וְאַתֶּ֖ם תִּֽהְי֥וּ נְקִיִּֽם:
And he said, “Now indeed…”: Indeed, according to the law, it is as you have spoken, that you are all liable in this matter. I.e., [if there are] ten people, [and] in the possession of one a stolen article is found, they are all imprisoned. I will not treat you according to the strict letter of the law, however. [Instead, only] “the one with whom it (the goblet) is found shall be my slave.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 92:7]   גַּם־עַתָּה כְדִבְרֵיכֶם: אַף זוֹ מִן הַדִּין אֱמֶת כְּדִבְרֵיכֶם כֵּן הוּא, שֶׁכֻּלְּכֶם חַיָּבִין בַּדָּבָר – י' שֶׁנִּמְצֵאת גְּנֵבָה בְּיַד א' מֵהֶם כֻּלָּם נִתְפָּשִׂים, אֲבָל אֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה לָכֶם לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין, אֲשֶׁר יִמָּצֵא אִתּוֹ יִהְיֶה לִּי עָבֶד:
11So they hastened, and each one lowered his sack to the ground, and each one opened his sack.   יאוַיְמַֽהֲר֗וּ וַיּוֹרִ֛דוּ אִ֥ישׁ אֶת־אַמְתַּחְתּ֖וֹ אָ֑רְצָה וַיִּפְתְּח֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ אַמְתַּחְתּֽוֹ:
12He searched; he started with the eldest and finished with the youngest, and the goblet was found in Benjamin's sack.   יבוַיְחַפֵּ֕שׂ בַּגָּד֣וֹל הֵחֵ֔ל וּבַקָּטֹ֖ן כִּלָּ֑ה וַיִּמָּצֵא֙ הַגָּבִ֔יעַ בְּאַמְתַּ֖חַת בִּנְיָמִֽן:
he started with the eldest: so that they would not detect that he knew where it was. — [from Gen. Rabbah 92:8]   בַּגָּדוֹל הֵחֵל: שֶׁלֹּא יַרְגִּישׁוּ שֶׁהָיָה יוֹדֵעַ הֵיכָן הוּא:
13So they rent their garments, and each one loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.   יגוַיִּקְרְע֖וּ שִׂמְלֹתָ֑ם וַיַּֽעֲמֹס֙ אִ֣ישׁ עַל־חֲמֹר֔וֹ וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ הָעִֽירָה:
and each one loaded his donkey: They were very strong men, and they did not have to assist each other to load [the donkeys]. — [from Midrash Tanchuma, Mikeitz 10]   וַיַּֽעֲמֹס אִישׁ עַל־חֲמֹרוֹ: בַּעֲלֵי זְרוֹעַ הָיוּ, וְלֹא הֻצְרְכוּ לְסַיֵּעַ זֶה אֶת זֶה לִטְעֹן:
and they returned to the city: It was [in fact] a [major] metropolis. So why does the Torah say,“to the city,” meaning a city of any size? Because it was of no more importance to them (the brothers) than an average-sized city (village) of ten people as regards [to fighting a] war. — [from Gen. Rabbah 92:8]   וישובו הָעִֽירָה: מֶטְרוֹפּוֹלִין הָיְתָה, וְהוּא אוֹמֵר הָעִירָה, הָעִיר כָּל שֶׁהוּא אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה חֲשׁוּבָה בְעֵינֵיהֶם אֶלָּא כְעִיר בֵּינוֹנִית שֶׁל י' בְּנֵי אָדָם לְעִנְיַן הַמִּלְחָמָה:
14And Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, and he was still there, and they fell before him upon the ground.   ידוַיָּבֹ֨א יְהוּדָ֤ה וְאֶחָיו֙ בֵּ֣יתָה יוֹסֵ֔ף וְה֖וּא עוֹדֶ֣נּוּ שָׁ֑ם וַיִּפְּל֥וּ לְפָנָ֖יו אָֽרְצָה:
and he was still there: for he was waiting for them. — [from Midrash Tanchuma, Mikeitz 10]   עוֹדֶנּוּ שָׁם: שֶׁהָיָה מַמְתִּין לָהֶם:
15And Joseph said to them, "What is this deed that you have committed? Don't you know that a person like me practices divination?"   טווַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ יוֹסֵ֔ף מָֽה־הַמַּֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֲשִׂיתֶ֑ם הֲל֣וֹא יְדַעְתֶּ֔ם כִּֽי־נַחֵ֧שׁ יְנַחֵ֛שׁ אִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּמֹֽנִי:
Don’t you know that a person like me practices divination?: Don’t you know that a person as esteemed as I knows how to test and ascertain through knowledge, reason, and discernment that you stole the goblet?- [from Targum Onkelos]   הלא יְדַעְתֶּם כִּֽי־נַחֵשׁ יְנַחֵשׁ וגו': הֲלֹא יְדַעְתֶּם כִּי אִישׁ חָשׁוּב כָּמוֹנִי יוֹדֵעַ לְנַחֵשׁ וְלָדַעַת מִדַּעַת וּמִסְּבָרָא וּבִינָה, כִּי אַתֶּם גְּנַבְתֶּם הַגָּבִיעַ:
16And Judah said, "What shall we say to my master? What shall we speak, and how shall we exonerate ourselves? God has found your servants' iniquity, behold, we are my lord's servants, both we and the one in whose possession the goblet has been found."   טזוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוּדָ֗ה מַה־נֹּאמַר֙ לַֽאדֹנִ֔י מַה־נְּדַבֵּ֖ר וּמַה־נִּצְטַדָּ֑ק הָֽאֱלֹהִ֗ים מָצָא֙ אֶת־עֲוֹ֣ן עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ הִנֶּנּ֤וּ עֲבָדִים֙ לַֽאדֹנִ֔י גַּם־אֲנַ֕חְנוּ גַּ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־נִמְצָ֥א הַגָּבִ֖יעַ בְּיָדֽוֹ:
God has found: We know that we have not sinned, but this has come from the Omnipresent to bring this upon us. The Creditor has found a place to collect His debt. — [from Gen. Rabbah 92:9]   הָֽאֱלֹהִים מָצָא: יוֹדְעִים אָנוּ שֶׁלֹּא סָרַחְנוּ, אֲבָל מֵאֵת הַמָּקוֹם נִהְיְתָה לְהָבִיא לָנוּ זֹאת, מָצָא בַּעַל חוֹב מָקוֹם לִגְבּוֹת שְׁטַר חוֹבוֹ:
and how shall we exonerate ourselves: Heb. נִצְטַדָּק, an expression of justice (צֶדֶק). Similarly, every word whose radical begins with a “zaddi,” and is to be used in the form of “hithpa’el” or “nithpa’el” (the reflexive voice), a “teth” is substituted for the “tav” [of the “hithpa’el”] and it is not placed before the first letter of the radical but in the middle of the radical letters. E.g., “shall we exonerate ourselves (נִצְטַדָּק),” from the root צדק, justice; “was drenched (יִצְטַבַּע)” (Dan. 4:30), from the root צבע, to drench; “and disguised as ambassadors (וַיִצְטַיָרוּ)” (Josh. 9:4), from the root of“a faithful emissary (צִיר)” (Prov. 13:17); “we took…for our provision (הִצְטַיַדְנוּ)” (Josh. 9:12) from the root of “provisions (צֵידָה) for the way” (Gen. 42:25). [In cont-rast, in the case of] a word whose radical begins with a “sammech” or “sin,” when it is used in the “hith-pa’el,” [it is] a “tav” [that] separates the letters of the radical, e.g., “and the grasshopper will drag itself along (וְיִסְתַּבֵּל)” (Eccl. 12:5), from the root kcx; “I looked (מִסְתַּכֵּל) at these horns” (Dan. 7: 8), from the root סכל “And the statutes of Omri shall be observed (וְיִשְׁתַּמֵר)” (Micah 6:16), from the root שׁמר “and he who turns away from evil is considered mad (מִשְׁתּוֹלֵל)” (Isa. 59: 15), from the root of “He leads counselors away with madness (שׁוֹלָל)” (Job 12:17); “tread (מִסְתּוֹלֵל) upon My people” (Exod. 9:17), from the root of “a way that is not trodden (סְלוּלָה)” (Jer. 18:15).   מַה־נִּצְטַדָּק: לְשׁוֹן צֶדֶק, וְכֵן כָּל תֵּבָה שֶׁתְּחִלַּת יְסוֹדָהּ צָדִ"י וְהִיא בָּאָה לְדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן מִתְפָּעֵל אוֹ נִתְפָּעֵל, נוֹתֵן טֵי"ת בִּמְקוֹם תָּי"ו, וְאֵינוֹ נוֹתְנָהּ לִפְנֵי אוֹת רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁל יְסוֹד הַתֵּבָה אֶלָּא בְאֶמְצַע אוֹתִיּוֹת הָעִקָּר, כְּגוֹן נִצְטַדָּק מִגִּזְרַת צדק, וְיִצְטַבַּע מִגִּזְרַת צבע, וַיִּצְטַיָּרוּ מִגִּזְרַת וְצִיר אֱמוּנִים, הִצְטַיַּדְנוּ מִגִּזְרַת צֵדָה לַדֶּרֶךְ. וְתֵבָה שֶׁתְּחִלָּתָהּ סָמֶ"ךְ אוֹ שִׁי"ן, כְּשֶׁהִיא מִתְפָּעֶלֶת, הַתָּי"ו מַפְרֶדֶת אֶת אוֹתִיּוֹת הָעִקָּר, כְּגוֹן וְיִסְתַּבֵּל הֶחָגָב (קהלת י"ב), מִגִּזְרַת סבל; מִשְׂתַּכַּל הֲוֵית בְּקַרְנַיָּא (דניאל ז'), וְיִשְׁתַּמֵּר חֻקּוֹת עָמְרִי (מיכה ו') מִגִּזְרַת שמר; וְסָר מֵרָע מִשְׁתּוֹלֵל (ישעיהו נ"ט), מִגִּזְרַת מוֹלִיךְ יוֹעֲצִים שׁוֹלָל (איוב י"ב), מִסְתּוֹלֵל בְּעַמִּי (שמות ט"ו), מִגִּזְרַת דֶּרֶךְ לֹא סְלוּלָה (ירמיהו י"ח):
17But he said, "Far be it from me to do this! The man in whose possession the goblet was found he shall be my slave, but as for you go up in peace to your father."   יזוַיֹּ֕אמֶר חָלִ֣ילָה לִּ֔י מֵֽעֲשׂ֖וֹת זֹ֑את הָאִ֡ישׁ אֲשֶׁר֩ נִמְצָ֨א הַגָּבִ֜יעַ בְּיָד֗וֹ ה֚וּא יִֽהְיֶה־לִּ֣י עָ֔בֶד וְאַתֶּ֕ם עֲל֥וּ לְשָׁל֖וֹם אֶל־אֲבִיכֶֽם:

Maftir Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 44

14And Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, and he was still there, and they fell before him upon the ground.   ידוַיָּבֹ֨א יְהוּדָ֤ה וְאֶחָיו֙ בֵּ֣יתָה יוֹסֵ֔ף וְה֖וּא עוֹדֶ֣נּוּ שָׁ֑ם וַיִּפְּל֥וּ לְפָנָ֖יו אָֽרְצָה:
and he was still there: for he was waiting for them. — [from Midrash Tanchuma, Mikeitz 10]   עוֹדֶנּוּ שָׁם: שֶׁהָיָה מַמְתִּין לָהֶם:
15And Joseph said to them, "What is this deed that you have committed? Don't you know that a person like me practices divination?"   טווַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ יוֹסֵ֔ף מָֽה־הַמַּֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֲשִׂיתֶ֑ם הֲל֣וֹא יְדַעְתֶּ֔ם כִּֽי־נַחֵ֧שׁ יְנַחֵ֛שׁ אִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּמֹֽנִי:
Don’t you know that a person like me practices divination?: Don’t you know that a person as esteemed as I knows how to test and ascertain through knowledge, reason, and discernment that you stole the goblet?- [from Targum Onkelos]   הלא יְדַעְתֶּם כִּֽי־נַחֵשׁ יְנַחֵשׁ וגו': הֲלֹא יְדַעְתֶּם כִּי אִישׁ חָשׁוּב כָּמוֹנִי יוֹדֵעַ לְנַחֵשׁ וְלָדַעַת מִדַּעַת וּמִסְּבָרָא וּבִינָה, כִּי אַתֶּם גְּנַבְתֶּם הַגָּבִיעַ:
16And Judah said, "What shall we say to my master? What shall we speak, and how shall we exonerate ourselves? God has found your servants' iniquity, behold, we are my lord's servants, both we and the one in whose possession the goblet has been found."   טזוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוּדָ֗ה מַה־נֹּאמַר֙ לַֽאדֹנִ֔י מַה־נְּדַבֵּ֖ר וּמַה־נִּצְטַדָּ֑ק הָֽאֱלֹהִ֗ים מָצָא֙ אֶת־עֲוֹ֣ן עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ הִנֶּנּ֤וּ עֲבָדִים֙ לַֽאדֹנִ֔י גַּם־אֲנַ֕חְנוּ גַּ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־נִמְצָ֥א הַגָּבִ֖יעַ בְּיָדֽוֹ:
God has found: We know that we have not sinned, but this has come from the Omnipresent to bring this upon us. The Creditor has found a place to collect His debt. — [from Gen. Rabbah 92:9]   הָֽאֱלֹהִים מָצָא: יוֹדְעִים אָנוּ שֶׁלֹּא סָרַחְנוּ, אֲבָל מֵאֵת הַמָּקוֹם נִהְיְתָה לְהָבִיא לָנוּ זֹאת, מָצָא בַּעַל חוֹב מָקוֹם לִגְבּוֹת שְׁטַר חוֹבוֹ:
and how shall we exonerate ourselves: Heb. נִצְטַדָּק, an expression of justice (צֶדֶק). Similarly, every word whose radical begins with a “zaddi,” and is to be used in the form of “hithpa’el” or “nithpa’el” (the reflexive voice), a “teth” is substituted for the “tav” [of the “hithpa’el”] and it is not placed before the first letter of the radical but in the middle of the radical letters. E.g., “shall we exonerate ourselves (נִצְטַדָּק),” from the root צדק, justice; “was drenched (יִצְטַבַּע)” (Dan. 4:30), from the root צבע, to drench; “and disguised as ambassadors (וַיִצְטַיָרוּ)” (Josh. 9:4), from the root of“a faithful emissary (צִיר)” (Prov. 13:17); “we took…for our provision (הִצְטַיַדְנוּ)” (Josh. 9:12) from the root of “provisions (צֵידָה) for the way” (Gen. 42:25). [In cont-rast, in the case of] a word whose radical begins with a “sammech” or “sin,” when it is used in the “hith-pa’el,” [it is] a “tav” [that] separates the letters of the radical, e.g., “and the grasshopper will drag itself along (וְיִסְתַּבֵּל)” (Eccl. 12:5), from the root kcx; “I looked (מִסְתַּכֵּל) at these horns” (Dan. 7: 8), from the root סכל “And the statutes of Omri shall be observed (וְיִשְׁתַּמֵר)” (Micah 6:16), from the root שׁמר “and he who turns away from evil is considered mad (מִשְׁתּוֹלֵל)” (Isa. 59: 15), from the root of “He leads counselors away with madness (שׁוֹלָל)” (Job 12:17); “tread (מִסְתּוֹלֵל) upon My people” (Exod. 9:17), from the root of “a way that is not trodden (סְלוּלָה)” (Jer. 18:15).   מַה־נִּצְטַדָּק: לְשׁוֹן צֶדֶק, וְכֵן כָּל תֵּבָה שֶׁתְּחִלַּת יְסוֹדָהּ צָדִ"י וְהִיא בָּאָה לְדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן מִתְפָּעֵל אוֹ נִתְפָּעֵל, נוֹתֵן טֵי"ת בִּמְקוֹם תָּי"ו, וְאֵינוֹ נוֹתְנָהּ לִפְנֵי אוֹת רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁל יְסוֹד הַתֵּבָה אֶלָּא בְאֶמְצַע אוֹתִיּוֹת הָעִקָּר, כְּגוֹן נִצְטַדָּק מִגִּזְרַת צדק, וְיִצְטַבַּע מִגִּזְרַת צבע, וַיִּצְטַיָּרוּ מִגִּזְרַת וְצִיר אֱמוּנִים, הִצְטַיַּדְנוּ מִגִּזְרַת צֵדָה לַדֶּרֶךְ. וְתֵבָה שֶׁתְּחִלָּתָהּ סָמֶ"ךְ אוֹ שִׁי"ן, כְּשֶׁהִיא מִתְפָּעֶלֶת, הַתָּי"ו מַפְרֶדֶת אֶת אוֹתִיּוֹת הָעִקָּר, כְּגוֹן וְיִסְתַּבֵּל הֶחָגָב (קהלת י"ב), מִגִּזְרַת סבל; מִשְׂתַּכַּל הֲוֵית בְּקַרְנַיָּא (דניאל ז'), וְיִשְׁתַּמֵּר חֻקּוֹת עָמְרִי (מיכה ו') מִגִּזְרַת שמר; וְסָר מֵרָע מִשְׁתּוֹלֵל (ישעיהו נ"ט), מִגִּזְרַת מוֹלִיךְ יוֹעֲצִים שׁוֹלָל (איוב י"ב), מִסְתּוֹלֵל בְּעַמִּי (שמות ט"ו), מִגִּזְרַת דֶּרֶךְ לֹא סְלוּלָה (ירמיהו י"ח):
17But he said, "Far be it from me to do this! The man in whose possession the goblet was found he shall be my slave, but as for you go up in peace to your father."   יזוַיֹּ֕אמֶר חָלִ֣ילָה לִּ֔י מֵֽעֲשׂ֖וֹת זֹ֑את הָאִ֡ישׁ אֲשֶׁר֩ נִמְצָ֨א הַגָּבִ֜יעַ בְּיָד֗וֹ ה֚וּא יִֽהְיֶה־לִּ֣י עָ֔בֶד וְאַתֶּ֕ם עֲל֥וּ לְשָׁל֖וֹם אֶל־אֲבִיכֶֽם:

Haftarah

Melachim I (I Kings) Chapter 3

15And Solomon awoke, and behold (it was) a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.   טווַיִּקַ֥ץ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה וְהִנֵּ֣ה חֲל֑וֹם וַיָּב֨וֹא יְרוּשָׁלַ֜םִ וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֣ד | לִפְנֵ֣י | אֲר֣וֹן בְּרִית־אֲדֹנָ֗י וַיַּ֚עַל עֹלוֹת֙ וַיַּ֣עַשׂ שְׁלָמִ֔ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּ֖ה לְכָל־עֲבָדָֽיו:
And Solomon awoke, and behold it was a dream: and behold he understood that his dream was true. He would hear a bird chirp and understand its language, a dog would bark and he would understand its language.   וַיִּקַץ שְׁלֹמֹה וְהִנֵּה חֲלוֹם: וְהִנֵּה הֵבִין שֶׁחֲלוֹמוֹ אֱמֶת, שׁוֹמֵעַ עוֹף מְצַפְצֵף וּמֵבִין לְשׁוֹנוֹ, כֶּלֶב נוֹבֵחַ וּמֵבִין לְשׁוֹנוֹ.
And he came to Jerusalem… and made a feast for all his servants: out of the gladness of his heart since he understood that his dream was true.   וַיַּעַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּה: מִשִּׂמְחַת לִבּוֹ, שֶׁהֵבִין שֶׁחֲלוֹמוֹ אֱמֶת.
16Then came two women, harlots, to the king, and stood before him.   טזאָ֣ז תָּבֹ֗אנָה שְׁתַּ֛יִם נָשִׁ֥ים זֹנ֖וֹת אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖דְנָה לְפָנָֽיו:
17And the one woman said, "Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I gave birth to a child with her in the house.   יזוַתֹּ֜אמֶר הָאִשָּׁ֚ה הָֽאַחַת֙ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י אֲנִי֙ וְהָאִשָּׁ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את יֹשְׁבֹ֖ת בְּבַ֣יִת אֶחָ֑ד וָאֵלֵ֥ד עִמָּ֖הּ בַּבָּֽיִת:
18And it came to pass the third day after I had given birth, that this woman gave birth also; and we (were) together, (there was) no stranger with us in the house, besides us two in the house.   יחוַיְהִ֞י בַּיּ֚וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי֙ לְלִדְתִּ֔י וַתֵּ֖לֶד גַּם־הָאִשָּׁ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ יַחְדָּ֗ו אֵֽין־זָ֚ר אִתָּ֙נוּ֙ בַּבַּ֔יִת זוּלָתִ֥י שְׁתַּֽיִם־אֲנַ֖חְנוּ בַּבָּֽיִת:
19And this woman's son died at night; because she had lain on him.   יטוַיָּ֛מָת בֶּן־הָאִשָּׁ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לָ֑יְלָה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁכְבָ֖ה עָלָֽיו:
20And she arose in the middle of the night and took my son from beside me, while your handmaid slept, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead son in my bosom.   כוַתָּקָם֩ בְּת֨וֹךְ הַלַּ֜יְלָה וַתִּקַּ֧ח אֶת־בְּנִ֣י מֵֽאֶצְלִ֗י וַאֲמָֽתְךָ֙ יְשֵׁנָ֔ה וַתַּשְׁכִּיבֵה֖וּ בְּחֵיקָ֑הּ וְאֶת־בְּנָ֥הּ הַמֵּ֖ת הִשְׁכִּ֥יבָה בְחֵיקִֽי:
21And I rose in the morning to nurse my son, and behold he was dead, but I looked closely at him in the morning, and behold, it was not my son whom I had borne."   כאוָאָקֻ֥ם בַּבֹּ֛קֶר לְהֵינִ֥יק אֶת־בְּנִ֖י וְהִנֵּה־מֵ֑ת וָאֶתְבּוֹנֵ֚ן אֵלָיו֙ בַּבֹּ֔קֶר וְהִנֵּ֛ה לֹֽא־הָיָ֥ה בְנִ֖י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָלָֽדְתִּי:
But when I looked closely at him: I gave my complete attention to scrutinize him.   וָאֶתְבּוֹנֵן אֵלָיו: נָתַתִּי לֵב לְהִסְתַּכֵּל בּוֹ.
22And the other woman said, "Not so, the living (is) my son, and the dead (is) your son," and this one said, "Not so, the dead (is) your son, and the living (is) my son." Thus they spoke before the king.   כבוַתֹּאמֶר֩ הָאִשָּׁ֨ה הָאַחֶ֜רֶת לֹ֣א כִ֗י בְּנִ֚י הַחַי֙ וּבְנֵ֣ךְ הַמֵּ֔ת וְזֹ֚את אֹמֶ֙רֶת֙ לֹ֣א כִ֔י בְּנֵ֥ךְ הַמֵּ֖ת וּבְנִ֣י הֶחָ֑י וַתְּדַבֵּ֖רְנָה לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ:
23And the king said, "This one says, 'This (is) my son that lives, and your son (is) the dead, and the other says, 'Not so, your son (is) the dead, and my son (is) the living.' "   כגוַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ זֹ֣את אֹמֶ֔רֶת זֶה־בְּנִ֥י הַחַ֖י וּבְנֵ֣ךְ הַמֵּ֑ת וְזֹ֚את אֹמֶ֙רֶת֙ לֹ֣א כִ֔י בְּנֵ֥ךְ הַמֵּ֖ת וּבְנִ֥י הֶחָֽי:
24And the king said, "Fetch me a sword." And they brought a sword before the king.   כדוַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ קְח֣וּ לִי־חָ֑רֶב וַיָּבִ֥אוּ הַחֶ֖רֶב לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ:
25And the king said, "Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.   כהוַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ גִּזְר֛וּ אֶת־הַיֶּ֥לֶד הַחַ֖י לִשְׁנָ֑יִם וּתְנ֚וּ אֶֽת־הַחֲצִי֙ לְאַחַ֔ת וְאֶֽת־הַחֲצִ֖י לְאֶחָֽת:
26And the woman whose son (was) the live one, said to the king, for her compassion was aroused for her son, and she said, "O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means slay him." But the other said, "Let it be neither mine nor yours, divide (it)."   כווַתֹּ֣אמֶר הָאִשָּׁה֩ אֲשֶׁר־בְּנָ֨הּ הַחַ֜י אֶל־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ כִּֽי־נִכְמְר֣וּ רַחֲמֶיהָ֘ עַל־בְּנָהּ֒ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר | בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִ֗י תְּנוּ־לָהּ֙ אֶת־הַיָּל֣וּד הַחַ֔י וְהָמֵ֖ת אַל־תְּמִיתֻ֑הוּ וְזֹ֣את אֹמֶ֗רֶת גַּם־לִ֥י גַם־לָ֛ךְ לֹ֥א יִהְיֶ֖ה גְּזֹֽרוּ:
27And the king answered and said, "Give her the living child, and by no means slay him: she (is) his mother."   כזוַיַּ֨עַן הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר תְּנוּ־לָהּ֙ אֶת־הַיָּל֣וּד הַחַ֔י וְהָמֵ֖ת לֹ֣א תְמִיתֻ֑הוּ הִ֖יא אִמּֽוֹ:
She is its mother: a divine voice which appeared and said ‘She is its mother.’   הִיא אִמּוֹ: בַּת קוֹל הוֹפִיעָה וְאָמְרָה: הִיא אִמּוֹ.
28And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king; for they saw that the wisdom of God (was) in him to do judgment.   כחוַיִּשְׁמְע֣וּ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּט֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁפַ֣ט הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיִּֽרְא֖וּ מִפְּנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כִּ֣י רָא֔וּ כִּֽי־חָכְמַ֧ת אֱלֹהִ֛ים בְּקִרְבּ֖וֹ לַעֲשֹ֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט:

Melachim I (I Kings) Chapter 4

1And King Solomon was king over all Israel.   אוַֽיְהִי֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה מֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
Was king over all Israel: For when they saw his wisdom they all rejoiced in his kingdom.   מֶלֶךְ עַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל: מִשֶּׁרָאוּ בְּחָכְמָתוֹ, שָׂמְחוּ כֻּלָּם בְּמַלְכוּתוֹ.
Select a portion:
English translation © Judaica Press, all rights reserved.
The text on this page contains sacred literature. Please do not deface or discard.