Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 43

16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the overseer of his household, “Bring the men into the house and have animals slaughtered and their meat prepared, for these men will dine with me at the first meal of the day.”   טזוַיַּ֨רְא יוֹסֵ֣ף אִתָּם֘ אֶת־בִּנְיָמִין֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לַֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־בֵּית֔וֹ הָבֵ֥א אֶת־הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖ים הַבָּ֑יְתָה וּטְבֹ֤חַ טֶ֨בַח֙ וְהָכֵ֔ן כִּ֥י אִתִּ֛י יֹֽאכְל֥וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖ים בַּצָּֽהֳרָֽיִם:
וּטְבֹחַ טֶבַח וְהָכֵן - And have animals slaughtered and prepared. This is the equivalent of וְלִטְבֹּחַ טֶבַח וּלְהָכִין “and to have animals slaughtered and prepared,” i.e., an infinitive form. טְבֹחַ is not an imperative (“and slaughter”), for then it should have said וּטְבַח.   וּטְבֹחַ טֶבַח וְהָכֵן.  כְּמוֹ וְלִטְבֹּחַ טֶבַח וּלְהָכִין, וְאֵין טְבֹחַ לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר וּטְבַח:
בַּצָּֽהֳרָֽיִם - This is translated by Onkelos as בְּשֵׁירוּתָא, which is the Aramaic term for the first meal, “disner” in Old French. There are many examples of this word in the Talmud: “He threw the dog its meal (שֵׁירוּתֵהּ)”; 1 “He cut bread for the entire meal (שֵׁירוּתָא).” 2 However, all other instances of צָהֳרַיִם are translated as טִיהֲרָא “midday.”   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:
17The man did as Joseph said, and the man escorted the people into Joseph’s house.   יזוַיַּ֣עַשׂ הָאִ֔ישׁ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר אָמַ֣ר יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיָּבֵ֥א הָאִ֛ישׁ אֶת־הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖ים בֵּ֥יתָה יוֹסֵֽף:
18The men were fearful because they had been brought into Joseph’s house. They said, “It is on account of the money that was returned to our packs the first time that we are being brought here, so that we may be falsely accused, attacked, and seized as slaves, along with our donkeys.”   יחוַיִּֽירְא֣וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֗ים כִּ֣י הֽוּבְאוּ֘ בֵּ֣ית יוֹסֵף֒ וַיֹּֽאמְר֗וּ עַל־דְּבַ֤ר הַכֶּ֨סֶף֙ הַשָּׁ֤ב בְּאַמְתְּחֹתֵ֨ינוּ֙ בַּתְּחִלָּ֔ה אֲנַ֖חְנוּ מֽוּבָאִ֑ים לְהִתְגֹּלֵ֤ל עָלֵ֨ינוּ֙ וּלְהִתְנַפֵּ֣ל עָלֵ֔ינוּ וְלָקַ֧חַת אֹתָ֛נוּ לַֽעֲבָדִ֖ים וְאֶת־חֲמֹרֵֽינוּ:
וַיִּֽירְאוּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁים - It is written with two י’s and therefore Onkelos translates it as וּדְחִילוּ – “The men were afraid.”   וַיִּֽירְאוּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁים.  כָּתוּב הוּא בִּשְׁנֵי יוֹדִ"ין, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ וּדְחִילוּ:
כִּי הֽוּבְאוּ בֵּית יוֹסֵף - Because they had been brought into Joseph’s house - and it was not usual for other people who came to buy food to lodge in Joseph’s house, but in the inns of the city, so “they were fearful” that this was only in order to take them into confinement.   כִּי הֽוּבְאוּ בֵּית יוֹסֵף.  וְאֵין דֶּרֶךְ שְׁאָר הַבָּאִים לִשְׁבֹּר בָּר לָלוּן בְּבֵית יוֹסֵף, כִּי אִם בְּפֻנְדְּקָאוֹת שֶׁבָּעִיר וַיִּֽירְאוּ שֶׁאֵין זֶה אֶלָּא לְאָסְפָם אֶל מִשְׁמָר:
אֲנַחְנוּ מֽוּבָאִים - We are being brought - into this house.   אֲנַחְנוּ מֽוּבָאִים.  אֶל תּוֹךְ הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה:
לְהִתְגֹּלֵל - means “in order that the accusation regarding the money be transferred upon us, and that it bear down on us.” Onkelos, who translates וּלְהִתְנַפֵּל עָלֵינוּ as וּלְאִסְתַּקָּפָא עֲלָנָא, is explaining it as meaning “to accuse (לְהִתְעוֹלֵל),” just as עֲלִילֹת דְּבָרִים 3 translates as תַּסְקוֹפֵי מִלִּין “a verbal accusation”; but he did not translate it according to the literal meaning of the verse. לְהִתְגֹּלֵל, which Onkelos translates as לְאִתְרַבְרָבָא “to lord it over us,” is thus of similar meaning to “the golden fountainhead (גֻּלַּת),” 4 and “and the queen-consort (וְהֻצַּב גֻּלְּתָה) was removed,” 5 which denote 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:
19They approached the overseer of Joseph’s household and spoke to him at the entrance of the house   יטוַיִּגְּשׁוּ֙ אֶל־הָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־בֵּ֣ית יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיְדַבְּר֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו פֶּ֥תַח הַבָּֽיִת:
20as follows: “If you please, sir, we originally came down to buy food.   כוַיֹּֽאמְר֖וּ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִ֑י יָרֹ֥ד יָרַ֛דְנוּ בַּתְּחִלָּ֖ה לִשְׁבָּר־אֹֽכֶל:
בִּי אֲדֹנִי - The word בִּי is an expression of beseeching (בַּעְיָא) and imploring. In Aramaic we have: בִּיָּיא בִּיָּיא “woe! woe!” 6   בִּי אֲדֹנִי.  לְשׁוֹן בַּעְיָא וְתַחֲנוּנִים הוּא, בְלָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי בַּיָּא בַּיָּא (יבמות צ"ז, סנהדרין ס"ד):
יָרֹד יָרַדְנוּ - We came down. This is a low status for us. We regularly provided for others, but now we have need of you.   יָרֹד יָרַדְנוּ.  יְרִידָה הִיא לָנוּ, רְגִילִים הָיִינוּ לְפַרְנֵס אֲחֵרִים, עַכְשָׁו אָנוּ צְרִיכִים לְךָ (בראשית רבה):
21Then, when we arrived at the inn and opened our packs, we saw that each man’s money was at the opening of his pack, our own money, in its exact weight. We have brought it back with us.   כאוַיְהִ֞י כִּי־בָ֣אנוּ אֶל־הַמָּל֗וֹן וַנִּפְתְּחָה֙ אֶת־אַמְתְּחֹתֵ֔ינוּ וְהִנֵּ֤ה כֶֽסֶף־אִישׁ֙ בְּפִ֣י אַמְתַּחְתּ֔וֹ כַּסְפֵּ֖נוּ בְּמִשְׁקָל֑וֹ וַנָּ֥שֶׁב אֹת֖וֹ בְּיָדֵֽנוּ:
22We have also brought down additional money with which to buy food. We do not know who replaced the money into our packs.”   כבוְכֶ֧סֶף אַחֵ֛ר הוֹרַ֥דְנוּ בְיָדֵ֖נוּ לִשְׁבָּר־אֹ֑כֶל לֹ֣א יָדַ֔עְנוּ מִי־שָׂ֥ם כַּסְפֵּ֖נוּ בְּאַמְתְּחֹתֵֽינוּ:
23He replied, “All is well with you; do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has placed a hidden treasure for you in your packs. Your money reached me.” With that, 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:
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - Your God - i.e., in your own merit, and if your merit is not enough – “and the God of your father,” i.e., in your father’s merit, “He has placed a hidden treasure for you.”   אֱלֹהֵיכֶם.  בִּזְכוּתְכֶם, וְאִם אֵין זְכוּתְכֶם כְּדַאי, ואלהי אביכם, בִּזְכוּת אֲבִיכֶם נתן לכם מטמון:
24So the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he provided fodder for their donkeys.   כדוַיָּבֵ֥א הָאִ֛ישׁ אֶת־הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖ים בֵּ֣יתָה יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיִּתֶּן־מַ֨יִם֙ וַיִּרְחֲצ֣וּ רַגְלֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּתֵּ֥ן מִסְפּ֖וֹא לַֽחֲמֹֽרֵיהֶֽם:
וַיָּבֵא הָאִישׁ - The man brought. Here there was a further act of bringing them into Joseph’s house, after the previous act of bringing. This was because they were pushing the man toward the outside until they spoke to him at the entrance of the house, but once he told them, “all is well with you,” they allowed themselves to enter after him.   וַיָּבֵא הָאִישׁ.  הֲבָאָה אַחַר הֲבָאָה, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ דוֹחֲפִים אוֹתוֹ לַחוּץ עַד שֶׁדִּבְּרוּ אֵלָיו פֶּתַח הַבַּיִת; וּמִשֶּׁאָמַר לָהֶם שָׁלוֹם לָכֶם, נִמְשְׁכוּ וּבָאוּ אַחֲרָיו:
25They readied their gift for when Joseph would come for the first meal of the day, for they heard that they would be dining there.   כהוַיָּכִ֨ינוּ֙ אֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֔ה עַד־בּ֥וֹא יוֹסֵ֖ף בַּצָּֽהֳרָ֑יִם כִּ֣י שָֽׁמְע֔וּ כִּי־שָׁ֖ם יֹ֥אכְלוּ לָֽחֶם:
וַיָּכִינוּ - means “They prepared,” i.e., they laid it out ornately in fine vessels.   וַיָּכִינוּ.  הִזְמִינוּ, עִטְּרוּהָ בְּכֵלִים נָאִים:
26When Joseph arrived home, they presented him with the gift they had brought into the inner chamber, and they prostrated themselves on the ground before him.   כווַיָּבֹ֤א יוֹסֵף֙ הַבַּ֔יְתָה וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ ל֛וֹ אֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֥ה אֲשֶׁר־בְּיָדָ֖ם הַבָּ֑יְתָה וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־ל֖וֹ אָֽרְצָה:
הַבַּיְתָה - (lit.) Into the house - i.e., from the hallway into the main chamber.   הַבַּיְתָה.  מִפְּרוֹזְדּוֹר לִטְרַקְלִין:
27He inquired as to their welfare and asked, “How is your aged father of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”   כזוַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל לָהֶם֙ לְשָׁל֔וֹם וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֲשָׁל֛וֹם אֲבִיכֶ֥ם הַזָּקֵ֖ן אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲמַרְתֶּ֑ם הַֽעוֹדֶ֖נּוּ חָֽי:
28They replied, “Your servant, our father, is well; he is still alive.” They bowed their heads and prostrated themselves again.   כחוַיֹּֽאמְר֗וּ שָׁל֛וֹם לְעַבְדְּךָ֥ לְאָבִ֖ינוּ עוֹדֶ֣נּוּ חָ֑י וַיִּקְּד֖וּ וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲוֽוּ כתיב וישתחו:
וַיִּקְּדוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲוֽוּ - They bowed their heads and prostrated themselves - again in response to the inquiry about their welfare. קִדָּה is bowing the head, while הִשְׁתַּחֲוָאָה is prostrating oneself on the ground.   וַיִּקְּדוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲוֽוּ.  עַל שְׁאִלַת שָׁלוֹם קִידָה – כְּפִיפַת קָדְקֹד; הִשְׁתַּחֲוָאָה – מִשְׁתַּטֵּחַ לָאָרֶץ:
29Joseph raised his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and he said, “Is this your youngest brother of whom you spoke to me?” And then he said, addressing Benjamin, “May God be kind to you, my son.”   כטוַיִּשָּׂ֣א עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּ֞רְא אֶת־בִּנְיָמִ֣ין אָחִיו֘ בֶּן־אִמּוֹ֒ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֲזֶה֙ אֲחִיכֶ֣ם הַקָּטֹ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם אֵלָ֑י וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אֱלֹהִ֥ים יָחְנְךָ֖ בְּנִֽי:
אֱלֹהִים יָחְנְךָ בְּנִֽי - May God be kind to you, my son. He used this special term of blessing (יָחְנְךָ) because regarding the other tribes we have already heard the expression “kindness” – “the children whom God has been kind enough to grant (חָנַן) your servant” 7 – but Benjamin was not yet then born. Therefore Joseph blessed him now with “kindness.”   אֱלֹהִים יָחְנְךָ בְּנִֽי.  בִּשְׁאָר שְׁבָטִים שָׁמַעְנוּ חֲנִינָה אֲשֶׁר חָנַן אֱלֹהִים אֶת עַבְדֶּךָ (בראשית ל"ג), וּבִנְיָמִין עֲדַיִן לֹא נוֹלַד, לְכָךְ בֵּרְכוֹ יוֹסֵף בַּחֲנִינָה: