Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 41

53The seven years of plenty that came to pass in Egypt came to an end.   נגוַתִּכְלֶ֕ינָה שֶׁ֖בַע שְׁנֵ֣י הַשָּׂבָ֑ע אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
54The seven years of famine then began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but throughout Egypt there was bread.   נדוַתְּחִלֶּ֜ינָה שֶׁ֣בַע שְׁנֵ֤י הָֽרָעָב֙ לָב֔וֹא כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר אָמַ֣ר יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיְהִ֤י רָעָב֙ בְּכָל־הָ֣אֲרָצ֔וֹת וּבְכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם הָ֥יָה לָֽחֶם:
55When all the inhabitants of Egypt were starving, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread, so Pharaoh announced to all Egypt, “Go to Joseph, and do whatever he tells you to.”   נהוַתִּרְעַב֙ כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּצְעַ֥ק הָעָ֛ם אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֖ה לַלָּ֑חֶם וַיֹּ֨אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֤ה לְכָל־מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ לְכ֣וּ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף אֲשֶׁר־יֹאמַ֥ר לָכֶ֖ם תַּֽעֲשֽׂוּ:
וַתִּרְעַב כָּל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם - All Egypt were starving - because the grain that they had stored up had rotted, all except for Joseph’s.   וַתִּרְעַב כָּל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם.  שֶׁהִרְקִיבָה תְבוּאָתָם שֶׁאָצְרוּ חוּץ מִשֶּׁל יוֹסֵף:
אֲשֶׁר־יֹאמַר לָכֶם תַּֽעֲשֽׂוּ - Do whatever he tells you to. Pharaoh gave them this order because Joseph had told them to be circumcised; and when they came to Pharaoh and told him, “This is what he is telling us to do; otherwise he will not give us grain,” Pharaoh asked them, “Why did you yourselves not store up grain? Did Joseph not publicly announce that years of famine were coming?” They answered him, “We collected a large amount, but it has rotted.” He said to them, “If so, ‘do whatever he tells you to’; he has evidently decreed upon the grain and it has rotted, so there is no point in commanding him to give you grain, for what if he decrees upon us that we die as a result of my attempting to compel him!”   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!
56When the famine affected all the wealthy people of the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses containing grain and sold it to the Egyptians. Meanwhile, the famine in Egypt continued to intensify.   נווְהָֽרָעָ֣ב הָיָ֔ה עַ֖ל כָּל־פְּנֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּפְתַּ֨ח יוֹסֵ֜ף אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר בָּהֶם֙ וַיִּשְׁבֹּ֣ר לְמִצְרַ֔יִם וַיֶּֽחֱזַ֥ק הָֽרָעָ֖ב בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
עַל כָּל־פְּנֵי הָאָרֶץ - (lit.) Upon the entire face of the land. Who are “the face of the land”? The wealthy people.   עַל כָּל־פְּנֵי הָאָרֶץ.  מִי הֵם פְּנֵי הָאָרֶץ אֵלּוּ הָעֲשִׁירִים:
אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר בָּהֶם - (lit.) All that had in them - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: דִּי בְהוֹן עִבּוּרָאall the storehouses that had grain in them.”   אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר בָּהֶם.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ דִּי בְהוֹן עִיבוּרָא:
וַיִּשְׁבֹּר לְמִצְרַיִם - The verb שבר can mean both buying and selling. Here it is used in the sense of selling, whereas in:שִׁבְרוּ us a little food” 1 it means buying. Do not however think that it is used only in reference to grain, for also in reference to wine and milk we find “and go, acquire (שִׁבְרוּ), even without money or a price, wine and milk.” 2   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):
57People from the entire region came to Egypt, to Joseph, to buy produce, for the famine had grown severe in the entire region.   נזוְכָל־הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ בָּ֣אוּ מִצְרַ֔יְמָה לִשְׁבֹּ֖ר אֶל־יוֹסֵ֑ף כִּֽי־חָזַ֥ק הָֽרָעָ֖ב בְּכָל־הָאָֽרֶץ:
וְכָל־הָאָרֶץ בָּאוּ מִצְרַיְמָה אֶל־יוֹסֵף לִשְׁבֹּר - The entire region came to Egypt. To understand the meaning of the text, transpose the next words from the order they are written in the verse, i.e., אֶל יוֹסֵף לִשְׁבֹּר “To Joseph, to buy produce” for if you would explain it in the order it is written (לִשְׁבֹּר אֶל יוֹסֵף), it should have then said: לִשְׁבֹּר מִן יוֹסֵף “to buy from Joseph.”   וְכָל־הָאָרֶץ בָּאוּ מִצְרַיְמָה אֶל־יוֹסֵף לִשְׁבֹּר.  , אֶל יוֹסֵף לִשְׁבֹּר. וְאִם תִּדְרְשֵׁהוּ כְסִדְרוֹ, הָיָה צָרִיךְ לִכְתֹּב: לִשְׁבֹּר מִן יוֹסֵף:

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 42

1Jacob heard that there was produce in Egypt. Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you pretend that we have enough provisions?”   אוַיַּ֣רְא יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב כִּ֥י יֶשׁ־שֶׁ֖בֶר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹב֙ לְבָנָ֔יו לָ֖מָּה תִּתְרָאֽוּ:
וַיַּרְא יַֽעֲקֹב כִּי יֶשׁ־שֶׁבֶר בְּמִצְרָיִם - (lit.) Jacob saw that there was produce in Egypt. How did he see? Surely he did not see but heard, as it says: “Look, I have heard….” 3 What, then, is meant by: “Jacob saw”? He saw in a holy vision that he still had hope (שֶׂבֶר) in Egypt, but it was not an actual prophecy that would disclose to him outright that this referred to Joseph.   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:
לָמָּה תִּתְרָאֽוּ - means “Why do you pretend before the Ishmaelites and the descendants of Esau that you have plenty to eat for the duration of the famine?” for at that time they still had some grain. But I maintain that the straightforward meaning is: לָמָּה תִּתְרָאוּ – “Why should everyone look at you and wonder at you that you do not seek food for yourselves before what you have is not used up?” From others I have heard that תִּתְרָאוּ is an expression of leanness “Why should you become lean through hunger?” A similar use of the verb is “and he who sustains others (וּמַרְוֶה) will also be sustained (יוֹרֶא).” 4   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):
2He then said, “Look, I have heard that there is produce in Egypt. Go down there and buy us produce from there, so that we may live and not die.”   בוַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּ֣ה שָׁמַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֥י יֶשׁ־שֶׁ֖בֶר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם רְדוּ־שָׁ֨מָּה֙ וְשִׁבְרוּ־לָ֣נוּ מִשָּׁ֔ם וְנִֽחְיֶ֖ה וְלֹ֥א נָמֽוּת:
רְדוּ־שָׁמָּה - Go down there. He used the term רְדוּ and did not say: לְכוּ “go.” This is an allusion to the 210 years that they were enslaved to Egypt, 210 being the numerical value of רְדוּ.   רְדוּ־שָׁמָּה.  וְלֹא אָמַר לְכוּ, רֶמֶז לְמָאתַיִם וְעֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּ לְמִצְרַיִם כְּמִנְיַן רד"ו:
3Joseph’s brothers thus went down to Egypt as 10 individuals to buy grain from Egypt.   גוַיֵּֽרְד֥וּ אֲחֵֽי־יוֹסֵ֖ף עֲשָׂרָ֑ה לִשְׁבֹּ֥ר בָּ֖ר מִמִּצְרָֽיִם:
וַיֵּֽרְדוּ אֲחֵֽי־יוֹסֵף - Joseph’s brothers [thus] went down. Scripture does not write here “Jacob’s sons.” It thus teaches us that they regretted having sold him, and had resolved to act in a brotherly way toward him and to redeem him at whatever price might be named to them.   וַיֵּֽרְדוּ אֲחֵֽי־יוֹסֵף.  וְלֹא כָתַב בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ מִתְחָרְטִים בִּמְכִירָתוֹ וְנָתְנוּ לִבָּם לְהִתְנַהֵג עִמּוֹ בְּאַחְוָה וְלִפְדּוֹתוֹ בְּכָל מָמוֹן שֶׁיִּפְסְקוּ עֲלֵיהֶם:
עֲשָׂרָה - Ten. What does this come to teach us? Is it not written, “But Jacob did not send along Joseph’s brother Benjamin”? 5 The answer is that regarding their brotherly relationship they were divided into ten individuals, because the love and hatred of all of them towards Joseph was not equal. But with regard to buying grain they were all equal. Bereshit Rabbah. 6   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 Jacob did not send along Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his other brothers, for he said, “Lest some disaster befall him.”   דוְאֶת־בִּנְיָמִין֙ אֲחִ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף לֹֽא־שָׁלַ֥ח יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב אֶת־אֶחָ֑יו כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר פֶּן־יִקְרָאֶ֖נּוּ אָסֽוֹן:
פֶּן־יִקְרָאֶנּוּ אָסֽוֹן - Lest some disaster befall him. And at home no disaster could happen to him?! Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov said: From here we learn that Satan prosecutes at potentially dangerous occasions.   פֶּן־יִקְרָאֶנּוּ אָסֽוֹן.  וּבַבַּיִת לֹא יִקְרָאֶנּוּ? אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב, מִכָּאן שֶׁהַשָּׂטָן מְקַטְרֵג בִּשְׁעַת הַסַּכָּנָה (בראשית רבה):
5The sons of Israel came to buy produce among those who had come to buy produce, for the famine had extended to Canaan.   הוַיָּבֹ֨אוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִשְׁבֹּ֖ר בְּת֣וֹךְ הַבָּאִ֑ים כִּֽי־הָיָ֥ה הָֽרָעָ֖ב בְּאֶ֥רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן:
בְּתוֹךְ הַבָּאִים - Among those who had come. They concealed themselves so they would not be recognized, since their father had instructed them that they not all show themselves at the same entrance but that each one enter by a different entrance. This was so that an evil eye not befall them, for they were all handsome and all mighty.   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:
כִּֽי הָיָה הָֽרָעָב - For the famine had extended. The word “for” here refers to “those who had come”: they came “for the famine had extended to Canaan,” and therefore many caravans came from there to procure grain in Egypt.   כִּי הָיָה הָרָעָב.  מוּסָב עַל "הַבָּאִים“, "כִּי הָיָה הָרָעָב בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן“, וְהָיוּ בָּאִים הַרְבֵּה שַׁיָּרֹות מִשָּׁם:
6Joseph, as viceroy of the land, was the one who sold produce to all the people of the region, and Joseph’s brothers came and prostrated themselves before him with their faces to the ground.   ווְיוֹסֵ֗ף ה֚וּא הַשַּׁלִּ֣יט עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ ה֥וּא הַמַּשְׁבִּ֖יר לְכָל־עַ֣ם הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיָּבֹ֨אוּ֙ אֲחֵ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־ל֥וֹ אַפַּ֖יִם אָֽרְצָה:
וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־לוֹ אַפַּיִם - means that they prostrated themselves upon their faces. Similarly, every mention of הִשְׁתַּחֲוָאָה “prostration” refers to extending one’s hands and legs.   וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־לוֹ אַפַּיִם.  נִשְׁתַּטְּחוּ לוֹ עַל פְּנֵיהֶם, וְכֵן כָּל הִשְׁתַּחֲוָאָה פִּשּׁוּט יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם הוּא:
7Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted like a stranger toward them and spoke to them harshly. He asked them, “Where are you from?” They replied, “From Canaan, to buy food.”   זוַיַּ֥רְא יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־אֶחָ֖יו וַיַּכִּרֵ֑ם וַיִּתְנַכֵּ֨ר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם וַיְדַבֵּ֧ר אִתָּ֣ם קָשׁ֗וֹת וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ מֵאַ֣יִן בָּאתֶ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ כְּנַ֖עַן לִשְׁבָּר־אֹֽכֶל:
וַיִּתְנַכֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם - means: he acted like a stranger to them - with words, by speaking to them harshly.   וַיִּתְנַכֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם.  נַעֲשָׂה לָהֶם כְּנָכְרִי בִּדְבָרִים לְדַבֵּר קָשׁוֹת:
8Joseph recognized his brothers but they did not recognize him.   חוַיַּכֵּ֥ר יוֹסֵ֖ף אֶת־אֶחָ֑יו וְהֵ֖ם לֹ֥א הִכִּרֻֽהוּ:
וַיַּכֵּר יוֹסֵף וגו' - Joseph recognized [his brothers] - because when he left them they were fully bearded.   וַיַּכֵּר יוֹסֵף וגו'.  לְפִי שֶׁהִנִּיחָם חֲתוּמֵי זָקָן:
וְהֵם לֹא הִכִּרֻֽהוּ - But they did not recognize him - for when he left them he was without a beard and now he was fully bearded. And the aggadic explanation is: “Joseph recognized his brothers” – now, when they were in his power, he acknowledged that they were his brothers and pitied them, though “they had not recognized him” as such by treating him in a brotherly manner when he fell into their hands.   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:
9Joseph recalled the dreams that he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see where the land is vulnerable.”   טוַיִּזְכֹּ֣ר יוֹסֵ֔ף אֵ֚ת הַֽחֲלֹמ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָלַ֖ם לָהֶ֑ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ מְרַגְּלִ֣ים אַתֶּ֔ם לִרְא֛וֹת אֶת־עֶרְוַ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ בָּאתֶֽם:
אֲשֶׁר חָלַם לָהֶם - He had dreamed (lit.) to them - i.e., about them, and he realized that they had been fulfilled, for his brothers had indeed prostrated themselves to him.   אֲשֶׁר חָלַם לָהֶם.  עֲלֵיהֶם; וְיָדַע שֶׁנִּתְקַיְּמוּ שֶׁהֲרֵי הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ:
עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ - means “The land’s exposed points” from where it can easily be conquered. Of similar meaning is: “he has uncovered (הֶעֱרָה) her fountain”; 7 and: “naked and exposed (וְעֶרְיָה).” 8 Likewise, every term עֶרְוָה in Scripture means “exposure.” Onkelos translates it as: בִּדְקָא דְאַרְעָא “the defective part of the land,” as in: “the damage (בֶּדֶק) of the House” 9i.e., the defect of the house, but he was not particular to explain it according to the literal wording 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:
10They said to him, “No, my lord! We, your servants, have come just to buy food.   יוַיֹּֽאמְר֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו לֹ֣א אֲדֹנִ֑י וַֽעֲבָדֶ֥יךָ בָּ֖אוּ לִשְׁבָּר־אֹֽכֶל:
לֹא אֲדֹנִי - No, my lord - do not say so, for rather “your servants have come to buy food.”   לֹא אֲדֹנִי.  לֹא תֹאמַר כֵּן, שֶׁהֲרֵי עֲבָדֶיךָ בָּאוּ לִשְׁבָּר אֹכֶל:
11We are all the sons of the same man. We are truthful men; your servants have never been spies!”   יאכֻּלָּ֕נוּ בְּנֵ֥י אִֽישׁ־אֶחָ֖ד נָ֑חְנוּ כֵּנִ֣ים אֲנַ֔חְנוּ לֹֽא־הָי֥וּ עֲבָדֶ֖יךָ מְרַגְּלִֽים:
כֻּלָּנוּ בְּנֵי אִֽישׁ־אֶחָד נָחְנוּ - We are all the sons of one man. They had a spark of the Divine Spirit of prophecy and included him with them, for he, too, was the son of their father.   כֻּלָּנוּ בְּנֵי אִֽישׁ־אֶחָד נָחְנוּ.  נִצְנְצָה בָהֶם רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּכְלָלוּהוּ עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁאַף הוּא בֶּן אֲבִיהֶם:
כֵּנִים - means “truthful,” as in: “You have spoken rightly (כֵּן)”; 10 and: “Tzelofchad’s daughters speak correctly (כֵּן)”; 11 and: “and his fury, his untrue (לֹא כֵן) illusion.” 12   כֵּנִים.  אֲמִתִּיִּים, כְּמוֹ כֵּן דִּבַּרְתָּ (שמות י'), כֵּן בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד דֹּבְרֹת (במדבר כ"ז), וְעֶבְרָתוֹ לֹא כֵן בַּדָּיו (ישעיהו ט"ז):
12He said to them, “No! You have come to see where the land is vulnerable!”   יבוַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֑ם לֹ֕א כִּֽי־עֶרְוַ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ בָּאתֶ֥ם לִרְאֽוֹת:
כִּֽי־עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ בָּאתֶם לִרְאֽוֹת - You have come to see where the land is vulnerable - for you entered through 10 different gates of the city. Why did you not all enter through one gate?   כִּֽי־עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ בָּאתֶם לִרְאֽוֹת.  שֶׁהֲרֵי נִכְנַסְתֶּם בְּי' שַׁעֲרֵי הָעִיר, לָמָּה לֹא נִכְנַסְתֶּם בְּשַׁעַר א'? (בראשית רבה):
13They answered, “We, your servants, were 12 brothers, the sons of one man who is in Canaan. The youngest is today with our father, and the other one has gone missing.”   יגוַיֹּֽאמְר֗וּ שְׁנֵ֣ים עָשָׂר֩ עֲבָדֶ֨יךָ אַחִ֧ים | אֲנַ֛חְנוּ בְּנֵ֥י אִֽישׁ־אֶחָ֖ד בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וְהִנֵּ֨ה הַקָּטֹ֤ן אֶת־אָבִ֨ינוּ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם וְהָֽאֶחָ֖ד אֵינֶֽנּוּ:
וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר עֲבָדֶיךָ וגו' - They answered, “We, your servants, were 12…”. and because of that missing one we dispersed through the city to look for him.   וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר עֲבָדֶיךָ וגו'.  וּבִשְׁבִיל אוֹתוֹ א' שֶׁאֵינֶנּוּ נִתְפַּזַּרְנוּ בָעִיר לְבַקְּשׁוֹ:
14Joseph said to them, “It is as I told you: you are spies.   ידוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֖ם יוֹסֵ֑ף ה֗וּא אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבַּ֧רְתִּי אֲלֵכֶ֛ם לֵאמֹ֖ר מְרַגְּלִ֥ים אַתֶּֽם:
הוּא אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי - i.e., “that which I told you (אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי)” that you are spies – “that is (הוּא)” really what is true and correct. This is according to its straightforward meaning. But its Midrashic explanation is: He asked them, “And if you find him, and his captors demand of you a large sum of money, would you redeem him?” They answered him, “Yes.” He then asked them, “And if they said to you that they would not return him for any ransom, what would you do?” They answered him, “We came for that purpose – to kill or to be killed!” To this he said to them: הוּא אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֲלֵכֶם “This is exactly as I told you before: you have come to kill the people of this city. I have divined by my goblet that two of you destroyed the great city of Shechem!”   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:
15By this you will be put to the test: I swear to you by the life of Pharaoh that you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.   טובְּזֹ֖את תִּבָּחֵ֑נוּ חֵ֤י פַרְעֹה֙ אִם־תֵּֽצְא֣וּ מִזֶּ֔ה כִּ֧י אִם־בְּב֛וֹא אֲחִיכֶ֥ם הַקָּטֹ֖ן הֵֽנָּה:
חֵי פַרְעֹה - By the life of Pharaoh - means “If Pharaoh lives.” When he would swear falsely, he would swear by the life of Pharaoh.   חֵי פַרְעֹה.  אִם יִחְיֶה פַּרְעֹה. כְּשֶׁהָיָה נִשְׁבָּע לַשֶּׁקֶר, הָיָה נִשְׁבָּע בְּחַיֵּי פַרְעֹה:
אִם־תֵּֽצְאוּ מִזֶּה - You will not leave this - i.e., this place.   אִם־תֵּֽצְאוּ מִזֶּה.  מִן הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה:
16Send one of you to bring me your youngest brother, while the rest of you remain imprisoned here, so that the veracity of your words may be put to the test. If he does not bring him, then by the life of Pharaoh, you are indeed spies!”   טזשִׁלְח֨וּ מִכֶּ֣ם אֶחָד֘ וְיִקַּ֣ח אֶת־אֲחִיכֶם֒ וְאַתֶּם֙ הֵאָ֣סְר֔וּ וְיִבָּֽחֲנוּ֙ דִּבְרֵיכֶ֔ם הַֽאֱמֶ֖ת אִתְּכֶ֑ם וְאִם־לֹ֕א חֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה כִּ֥י מְרַגְּלִ֖ים אַתֶּֽם:
הַֽאֱמֶת אִתְּכֶם - literally means “whether truth is with you.” Therefore the ה is vocalized with a patach (הַ), rather than a kamatz (הָ), because it is similar to an expression of a question – whereas “if you do not bring him, then by the life of Pharaoh, you are indeed spies!”   הַֽאֱמֶת אִתְּכֶם.  אִם אֱמֶת אִתְּכֶם, לְפִיכָךְ הֵ"א נָקוּד פַּתָּח, שֶׁהוּא כְמוֹ בִלְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ ואם לא תְבִיאוּהוּ, חי פרעה, כי מרגלים אתם:
17He then held them all in custody for three days.   יזוַיֶּֽאֱסֹ֥ף אֹתָ֛ם אֶל־מִשְׁמָ֖ר שְׁל֥שֶׁת יָמִֽים:
מִשְׁמָר - Custody - i.e., in the prison-house.   מִשְׁמָר.  בֵּית הָאֲסוּרִים:
18On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do as follows, and you will live. I am a God-fearing person.   יחוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֤ם יוֹסֵף֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י זֹ֥את עֲשׂ֖וּ וִֽחְי֑וּ אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים אֲנִ֥י יָרֵֽא: