Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 46

28He had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph, to make advance preparations in Goshen. They then arrived in Goshen.   כחוְאֶת־יְהוּדָ֞ה שָׁלַ֤ח לְפָנָיו֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף לְהוֹרֹ֥ת לְפָנָ֖יו גּ֑שְׁנָה וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אַ֥רְצָה גּֽשֶׁן:
לְהוֹרֹת לְפָנָיו - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: לְפַנָּאָה קֳדָמוֹהִי to prepare a place for him and to show (לְהוֹרֹת) how to settle there.   לְהוֹרֹת לְפָנָיו.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לְפַנּוֹת לוֹ מָקוֹם, וּלְהוֹרוֹת הֵיאַךְ יִתְיַשֵּׁב בָּהּ:
לְפָנָיו - means “prior to his arrival there.” And the aggadic explanation is: לְהוֹרֹת לְפָנָיו means to establish a house of study from which instruction (הוֹרָאָה) would emanate.   לְפָנָיו.  קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּגִּיַע לְשָׁם. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה לְהוֹרוֹת לְפָנָיו – לְתַקֵּן לוֹ בֵּית תַּלְמוּד שֶׁמִּשָּׁם תֵּצֵא הוֹרָאָה:
29Joseph harnessed his chariot and went up to Goshen to welcome his father Israel. He presented himself to his father, embraced him around his neck, and wept on his neck for a long while.   כטוַיֶּאְסֹ֤ר יוֹסֵף֙ מֶרְכַּבְתּ֔וֹ וַיַּ֛עַל לִקְרַאת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל אָבִ֖יו גּ֑שְׁנָה וַיֵּרָ֣א אֵלָ֗יו וַיִּפֹּל֙ עַל־צַוָּארָ֔יו וַיֵּ֥בְךְּ עַל־צַוָּארָ֖יו עֽוֹד:
וַיֶּאְסֹר יוֹסֵף מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ - Joseph harnessed his chariot. He himself harnessed the horses to the chariot, in order to act with alacrity in honor of his father.   וַיֶּאְסֹר יוֹסֵף מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ.  הוּא עַצְמוֹ אָסַר אֶת הַסּוּסִים לַמֶּרְכָּבָה לְהִזְדָּרֵז לִכְבוֹד אָבִיו:
וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו - He presented himself to him - i.e., Joseph presented himself to his father.   וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו.  יוֹסֵף נִרְאָה אֶל אָבִיו:
וַיֵּבְךְּ עַל־צַוָּארָיו עֽוֹד - And wept (lit.) again on his neck. עוֹד signifies weeping abundantly. Similarly, we find “For God does not place on a man עוֹד,” 1 meaning excessiveness – i.e., He does not accuse him in excess of his sins. Here, too, he wept greatly and abundantly, more than the usual. Jacob, however, did not fall on Joseph’s neck, nor did he kiss him. Our rabbis said that this is because he was reciting the Shema.   וַיֵּבְךְּ עַל־צַוָּארָיו עֽוֹד.  לְשׁוֹן הַרְבּוֹת בְּכִיָּה, וְכֵן כִּי לֹא עַל אִישׁ יָשִׂים עוֹד (איוב ל"ד), לְשׁוֹן רִבּוּי הוּא – אֵינוֹ שָׂם עָלָיו עֲלִילוֹת נוֹסָפוֹת עַל חֲטָאָיו; אַף כָּאן הִרְבָּה וְהוֹסִיף בִּבְכִי יוֹתֵר עַל הָרָגִיל; אֲבָל יַעֲקֹב לֹא נָפַל עַל צַוְּארֵי יוֹסֵף וְלֹא נְשָׁקוֹ, וְאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁהָיָה קוֹרֵא אֶת שְׁמַע:
30Then Israel said to Joseph, “Now I can die content, having seen your face and having seen that you are still alive.”   לוַיֹּ֧אמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶל־יוֹסֵ֖ף אָמ֣וּתָה הַפָּ֑עַם אַֽחֲרֵי֙ רְאוֹתִ֣י אֶת־פָּנֶ֔יךָ כִּ֥י עֽוֹדְךָ֖ חָֽי:
אָמוּתָה הַפָּעַם - (lit.) This time I can die. The straightforward meaning is as Onkelos translates it: אִלּוּ אֲנָא מָאִית זִמְנָא הָדָא מְנַחֵם אֲנָא “If I were to die at this time, I would find comfort.But its Midrashic explanation is: “I thought I would die twice, in this world and in the World to Come, because the Divine Presence left me and I thought that the Holy One, blessed be He, would demand punishment for your death from me. Now that you are still alive, I will only die once, in this world.”   אָמוּתָה הַפָּעַם.  פְּשׁוּטוֹ כְתַרְגּוּמוֹ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ סָבוּר הָיִיתִי לָמוּת שְׁתֵּי מִיתוֹת, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְלָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנִּסְתַּלְּקָה מִמֶּנִּי שְׁכִינָה, וְהָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁיִּתְבָּעֵנִי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִיתָתְךָ, עַכְשָׁו שֶׁעוֹדְךָ חַי, לֹא אָמוּת אֶלָּא פַעַם אַחַת:
31Joseph then said to his brothers and to his father’s entire household, “I will go up to the palace and tell Pharaoh that you have arrived. I will say to him, ‘My brothers and all my father’s household who were in Canaan have come to me.   לאוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יוֹסֵ֤ף אֶל־אֶחָיו֙ וְאֶל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֔יו אֶֽעֱלֶ֖ה וְאַגִּ֣ידָה לְפַרְעֹ֑ה וְאֹֽמְרָ֣ה אֵלָ֔יו אַחַ֧י וּבֵֽית־אָבִ֛י אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּאֶֽרֶץ־כְּנַ֖עַן בָּ֥אוּ אֵלָֽי:
וְאֹֽמְרָה אֵלָיו אַחַי וגו' - I will say to him, “my brothers…”. and I will say to him further, “These men are shepherds….” 2   וְאֹֽמְרָה אֵלָיו אַחַי וגו'.  וְעוֹד אֹמַר לוֹ, והאנשים רועי צאן וגו':
32These men are shepherds, for they have always owned livestock, and they have brought along their flocks, their herds, and all their possessions.’   לבוְהָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙ רֹ֣עֵי צֹ֔אן כִּֽי־אַנְשֵׁ֥י מִקְנֶ֖ה הָי֑וּ וְצֹאנָ֧ם וּבְקָרָ֛ם וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָהֶ֖ם הֵבִֽיאוּ:
33Now, when Pharaoh summons you and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’   לגוְהָיָ֕ה כִּֽי־יִקְרָ֥א לָכֶ֖ם פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְאָמַ֖ר מַה־מַּֽעֲשֵׂיכֶֽם:
34you should answer, ‘Your servants have been livestock dealers from our youth up until now, both we and our father and forefathers, and we know no other trade,’ so that you will be able to settle in Goshen, for all shepherds are abhorrent to the Egyptians.”   לדוַֽאֲמַרְתֶּ֗ם אַנְשֵׁ֨י מִקְנֶ֜ה הָי֤וּ עֲבָדֶ֨יךָ֙ מִנְּעוּרֵ֣ינוּ וְעַד־עַ֔תָּה גַּם־אֲנַ֖חְנוּ גַּם־אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ בַּֽעֲב֗וּר תֵּֽשְׁבוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ גּ֔שֶׁן כִּי־תֽוֹעֲבַ֥ת מִצְרַ֖יִם כָּל־רֹ֥עֵה צֹֽאן:
בַּֽעֲבוּר תֵּֽשְׁבוּ בְּאֶרֶץ גּשֶׁן - So that you will be able to settle in Goshen - which you need, since it is a land of pasture; so if you tell him that you are not skilled in any other work, he will keep you away from him and settle you there.   בַּֽעֲבוּר תֵּֽשְׁבוּ בְּאֶרֶץ גּשֶׁן.  וְהִיא צְרִיכָה לָכֶם שֶׁהִיא אֶרֶץ מִרְעֶה, וּכְשֶׁתֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ שֶׁאֵין אַתֶּם בְּקִיאִין בִּמְלָאכָה אַחֶרֶת, יַרְחִיקְכֶם מֵעָלָיו וְיוֹשִׁיבְכֶם שָׁם:
כִּי־תֽוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כָּל־רועה צֹֽאן - For all shepherds are abhorrent to the Egyptians - because sheep are considered by them as deities.   כִּי־תֽוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כָּל־רועה צֹֽאן.  לְפִי שֶׁהֵם לָהֶם אֱלֹהוּת:

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 47

1Joseph then came and told Pharaoh as follows: “My father and my brothers have come from Canaan, together with their flocks and their herds and all their possessions, and they are now in Goshen.”   אוַיָּבֹ֣א יוֹסֵף֘ וַיַּגֵּ֣ד לְפַרְעֹה֒ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אָבִ֨י וְאַחַ֜י וְצֹאנָ֤ם וּבְקָרָם֙ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָהֶ֔ם בָּ֖אוּ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וְהִנָּ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ גּֽשֶׁן:
2He selected from among his brothers five men and introduced them to Pharaoh.   בוּמִקְצֵ֣ה אֶחָ֔יו לָקַ֖ח חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֑ים וַיַּצִּגֵ֖ם לִפְנֵ֥י פַרְעֹֽה:
וּמִקְצֵה אֶחָיו - From among his brothers - i.e., from those of lesser strength, who would not appear strong, for if Pharaoh would view them as strong he would make them his warriors. And these were the weaker brothers: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, and Benjamin – those whose names Moses did not repeat when he blessed them – but the names of the stronger ones he repeated: “And this blessing he gave to Judah and said, ‘God, hearken to the voice of Judah’”; 3 “Of Gad he said, ‘Blessed be He who expands Gad’s territory’”; 4 “Of Naphtali he said, ‘Naphtali’”; 5 “Of Dan he said, ‘Dan’”; 6 and similarly with Zebulun 7 and with Asher. 8 This is the version of Bereshit Rabbah, 9 which is the aggadah of the Land of Israel. But in our Babylonian Talmud we find that those whose names Moses repeated – they were the weaker ones and them he brought before Pharaoh; and Judah, whose name was repeated, was not repeated because of weakness but for a specific reason, as is stated in Bava Kama. 10 In the Baraita of Sifrei on Vezot HaBerachah, 11 we have the same version as our Talmud.   וּמִקְצֵה אֶחָיו.  מִן הַפְּחוּתִים שֶׁבָּהֶם לִגְבוּרָה, שֶׁאֵין נִרְאִים גִּבּוֹרִים, שֶׁאִם יִרְאֶה אוֹתָם גִּבּוֹרִים יַעֲשֶׂה אוֹתָם אַנְשֵׁי מִלְחַמְתּוֹ, וְאֵלֶּה הֵם: רְאוּבֵן, שִׁמְעוֹן, לֵוִי, יִשָּׂשכָר וּבִנְיָמִין – אוֹתָן שֶׁלֹּא כָּפַל מֹשֶׁה שְׁמוֹתָם כְּשֶׁבֵּרְכָן; אֲבָל שְׁמוֹת הַגִּבּוֹרִים כָּפַל וְזֹאת לִיהוּדָה שְׁמַע ה' קוֹל יְהוּדָה; וּלְגָד אָמַר בָּרוּךְ מַרְחִיב גָּד; וּלְנַפְתָּלִי אָמַר נַפְתָּלִי, וּלְדָן אָמַר דָּן, וְכֵן לִזְבוּלוּן, וְכֵן לְאָשֵׁר; זֶהוּ לְשׁוֹן בּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה, שֶׁהִיא אַגָּדַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֲבָל בְּתַלְמוּד בַּבְלִית שֶׁלָּנוּ (בבא קמא צ"ב) מָצִינוּ, שֶׁאוֹתָן שֶׁכָּפַל מֹשֶׁה שְׁמוֹתָן הֵם הַחַלָּשִׁים, וְאוֹתָן הֵבִיא לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה, וִיהוּדָה שֶׁהֻכְפַּל שְׁמוֹ לֹא הֻכְפַּל מִשּׁוּם חַלָּשׁוּת, אֶלָּא טַעַם יֵשׁ בַּדָּבָר, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּבָּבָא קַמָּא וּבְבָרַיְתָא דְּסִפְרֵי שָׁנִינוּ בָהּ בִּוְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה, כְּמוֹ תַּלְמוּד שֶׁלָּנוּ:
3Pharaoh asked Joseph’s brothers, “What is your occupation?” They replied to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we and our fathers.”   גוַיֹּ֧אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֛ה אֶל־אֶחָ֖יו מַה־מַּֽעֲשֵׂיכֶ֑ם וַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֗ה רֹעֵ֥ה צֹאן֙ עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ גַּם־אֲנַ֖חְנוּ גַּם־אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ:
4They further said to Pharaoh, “We have come to sojourn in the land, because there is no grazing for your servants’ flocks in Canaan, since the famine is severe in Canaan. So now, please, let your servants settle in Goshen.”   דוַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֗ה לָג֣וּר בָּאָ֘רֶץ֘ בָּ֒אנוּ֒ כִּי־אֵ֣ין מִרְעֶ֗ה לַצֹּאן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לַֽעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ כִּֽי־כָבֵ֥ד הָֽרָעָ֖ב בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וְעַתָּ֛ה יֵֽשְׁבוּ־נָ֥א עֲבָדֶ֖יךָ בְּאֶ֥רֶץ גּֽשֶׁן:
5Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Now that your father and your brothers have come to you,   הוַיֹּ֣אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֔ה אֶל־יוֹסֵ֖ף לֵאמֹ֑ר אָבִ֥יךָ וְאַחֶ֖יךָ בָּ֥אוּ אֵלֶֽיךָ:
6all Egypt is at your disposal. Settle your father and your brothers in the choicest part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know that there are men among them who are capable shepherds, you must appoint them as stewards over my livestock.”   ואֶ֤רֶץ מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ לְפָנֶ֣יךָ הִ֔וא בְּמֵיטַ֣ב הָאָ֔רֶץ הוֹשֵׁ֥ב אֶת־אָבִ֖יךָ וְאֶת־אַחֶ֑יךָ יֵֽשְׁבוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ גּ֔שֶׁן וְאִם־יָדַ֗עְתָּ וְיֶשׁ־בָּם֙ אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֔יִל וְשַׂמְתָּ֛ם שָׂרֵ֥י מִקְנֶ֖ה עַל־אֲשֶׁר־לִֽי:
אַנְשֵׁי־חַיִל - Capable - i.e., proficient in their craft of tending sheep.   אַנְשֵׁי־חַיִל.  בְּקִיאִין בְּאֻמָּנוּתָן לִרְעוֹת צֹאן:
עַל־אֲשֶׁר־לִֽי - Over (lit.) what is mine - i.e., over my flocks.   עַל־אֲשֶׁר־לִֽי.  עַל צֹאן שֶׁלִּי:
7Joseph then brought his father Jacob and introduced him to Pharaoh, and Jacob greeted Pharaoh.   זוַיָּבֵ֤א יוֹסֵף֙ אֶת־יַֽעֲקֹ֣ב אָבִ֔יו וַיַּֽעֲמִדֵ֖הוּ לִפְנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב אֶת־פַּרְעֹֽה:
וַיְבָרֶךְ יַֽעֲקֹב - Jacob (lit.) blessed. This refers to greeting, as is the manner of all who occasionally appear before kings; “saluer” in Old French.   וַיְבָרֶךְ יַֽעֲקֹב.  הִיא שְׁאִילַת שָׁלוֹם כְּדֶרֶךְ כָּל הַנִּרְאִים לִפְנֵי הַמְּלָכִים לִפְרָקִים, שלו"איר בְּלַעַז:
8Pharaoh asked Jacob, “How many are the years of your life?”   חוַיֹּ֥אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֶל־יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב כַּמָּ֕ה יְמֵ֖י שְׁנֵ֥י חַיֶּיֽךָ:
9Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my sojourning have been 130. The years of my life have been few and hard, and have not equaled the happiness of the years of my forefathers’ lifetimes in the days of their sojourning.”   טוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹב֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה יְמֵי֙ שְׁנֵ֣י מְגוּרַ֔י שְׁלשִׁ֥ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָ֑ה מְעַ֣ט וְרָעִ֗ים הָיוּ֙ יְמֵי֙ שְׁנֵ֣י חַיַּ֔י וְלֹ֣א הִשִּׂ֗יגוּ אֶת־יְמֵי֙ שְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּי֣ אֲבֹתַ֔י בִּימֵ֖י מְגֽוּרֵיהֶֽם:
שְׁנֵי מְגוּרַי  - means “the years of my sojourning” - i.e., all my life I have been a sojourner in the land.   שְׁנֵי מְגוּרַי.  יְמֵי גֵרוּתִי; כָּל יָמַי הָיִיתִי גֵּר בָּאָרֶץ:
וְלֹא הִשִּׂיגוּ - And have not equaled - in regards to goodness.   וְלֹא הִשִּׂיגוּ.  בְּטוֹבָה:
10With that, Jacob blessed Pharaoh. He took leave of Pharaoh and left Pharaoh’s presence.   יוַיְבָ֥רֶךְ יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וַיֵּצֵ֖א מִלִּפְנֵ֥י פַרְעֹֽה:
וַיְבָרֶךְ יַֽעֲקֹב - Jacob blessed - in the manner of all who leave the presence of princes: they bless them and take permission to leave. And what blessing did he give him? That the Nile rise at his approach, since Egypt is not irrigated by rainwater, but the Nile overflows and irrigates it; and from the blessing of Jacob onwards Pharaoh would come to the Nile and it would rise towards him and irrigate the land. Tanchuma. 12   וַיְבָרֶךְ יַֽעֲקֹב.  כְּדֶרֶךְ כָּל הַנִּפְטָרִים מִלִּפְנֵי שָׂרִים מְבָרְכִים אוֹתָם וְנוֹטְלִים רְשׁוּת, וּמַה בְּרָכָה בֵּרְכוֹ? שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה נִילוּס לְרַגְלָיו, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין מִצְרַיִם שׁוֹתָה מֵי גְשָׁמִים אֶלָּא נִילוּס עוֹלֶה וּמַשְׁקֶה, וּמִבִּרְכָתוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב וָאֵילָךְ הָיָה פַרְעֹה בָא אֶל נִילוּס וְהוּא עוֹלֶה לִקְרָאתוֹ וּמַשְׁקֶה אֶת הָאָרֶץ (תַּנְחוּמָא):