Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 47

11Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them an estate in Egypt, in the choicest part of the land, in the Rameses region of Goshen, as Pharaoh had instructed.   יאוַיּוֹשֵׁ֣ב יוֹסֵף֘ אֶת־אָבִ֣יו וְאֶת־אֶחָיו֒ וַיִּתֵּ֨ן לָהֶ֤ם אֲחֻזָּה֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּמֵיטַ֥ב הָאָ֖רֶץ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ רַעְמְסֵ֑ס כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּ֥ה פַרְעֹֽה:
רַעְמְסֵס - Rameses. This is part of the land of Goshen.   רַעְמְסֵס.  מֵאֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן הִיא:
12Joseph provided bread for his father and his brothers and all his father’s household, providing them with bread according to the needs of their young children.   יבוַיְכַלְכֵּ֤ל יוֹסֵף֙ אֶת־אָבִ֣יו וְאֶת־אֶחָ֔יו וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יו לֶ֖חֶם לְפִ֥י הַטָּֽף:
לְפִי הַטָּֽף - (lit.) According to the young children - i.e., according to the requirements of all the members of their household, including their children.   לְפִי הַטָּֽף.  לְפִי הַצָּרִיךְ לְכָל בְּנֵי בֵיתָם:
13There was no bread in the entire region, since the famine was very severe. The people of Egypt and Canaan languished due to the famine.   יגוְלֶ֤חֶם אֵין֙ בְּכָל־הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּֽי־כָבֵ֥ד הָֽרָעָ֖ב מְאֹ֑ד וַתֵּ֜לַהּ אֶ֤רֶץ מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ וְאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן מִפְּנֵ֖י הָֽרָעָֽב:
וְלֶחֶם אֵין בְּכָל־הָאָרֶץ - There was no bread in the entire region. Here the Torah returns to the original subject – to the account of the beginning of the years of famine.   וְלֶחֶם אֵין בְּכָל־הָאָרֶץ.  חוֹזֵר לָעִנְיָן הָרִאשׁוֹן – לִתְחִלַּת שְׁנֵי הָרָעָב:
וַתֵּלַהּ - This is the same as וַתִּלְאֶה – an expression of tiredness, as Onkelos translates it: וְאִשְׁתַּלְהֵי. A similar word to it is “Like one wearing himself out (כְּמִתְלַהְלֵהַּ) throwing firebrands.” 1   וַתֵּלַהּ.  כְּמוֹ וַתִּלְאֶה, לְשׁוֹן עֲיֵפוּת, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ; וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ כְּמִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶה זִקִּים (משלי כ"ו):
14Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and in Canaan in payment for the produce they were buying, and Joseph brought the money to Pharaoh’s palace.   ידוַיְלַקֵּ֣ט יוֹסֵ֗ף אֶת־כָּל־הַכֶּ֨סֶף֙ הַנִּמְצָ֤א בְאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ וּבְאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן בַּשֶּׁ֖בֶר אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֣ם שֹֽׁבְרִ֑ים וַיָּבֵ֥א יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־הַכֶּ֖סֶף בֵּ֥יתָה פַרְעֹֽה:
בַּשֶּׁבֶר אֲשֶׁר־הֵם שֹֽׁבְרִים - For the produce they were buying - they gave him the money.   בַּשֶּׁבֶר אֲשֶׁר־הֵם שֹֽׁבְרִים.  נוֹתְנִין לוֹ אֶת הַכֶּסֶף:
15When the money from Egypt and Canaan was exhausted, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us bread! Why should we die before your very eyes just because the money has run out?”   טווַיִּתֹּ֣ם הַכֶּ֗סֶף מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֘יִם֘ וּמֵאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֒עַן֒ וַיָּבֹ֩אוּ֩ כָל־מִצְרַ֨יִם אֶל־יוֹסֵ֤ף לֵאמֹר֙ הָֽבָה־לָּ֣נוּ לֶ֔חֶם וְלָ֥מָּה נָמ֖וּת נֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֥י אָפֵ֖ס כָּֽסֶף:
אָפֵס - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: שְׁלִים “finished.”   אָפֵס.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ שְׁלִים:
16Joseph replied, “Bring your livestock, and I will give you bread in exchange for your livestock, if there is no more money.”   טזוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יוֹסֵף֙ הָב֣וּ מִקְנֵיכֶ֔ם וְאֶתְּנָ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם בְּמִקְנֵיכֶ֑ם אִם־אָפֵ֖ס כָּֽסֶף:
17So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for their horses, flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and donkeys. Thus he took care of them during that year with regard to bread, in exchange for all their livestock.   יזוַיָּבִ֣יאוּ אֶת־מִקְנֵיהֶם֘ אֶל־יוֹסֵף֒ וַיִּתֵּ֣ן לָהֶם֩ יוֹסֵ֨ף לֶ֜חֶם בַּסּוּסִ֗ים וּבְמִקְנֵ֥ה הַצֹּ֛אן וּבְמִקְנֵ֥ה הַבָּקָ֖ר וּבַֽחֲמֹרִ֑ים וַיְנַֽהֲלֵ֤ם בַּלֶּ֨חֶם֙ בְּכָל־מִקְנֵהֶ֔ם בַּשָּׁנָ֖ה הַהִֽוא:
וַיְנַֽהֲלֵם - Although this term usually means “leading,” here it is the same as וַיְנַהֲגֵם - “He guided them like a flock in the desert,” 2 which denotes taking care of all needs, not merely leading. Similar words are: “She has no one to guide (מְנַהֵל) her”; 3 and: “He guides me (יְנַהֲלֵנִי) over still water.” 4   וַיְנַֽהֲלֵם.  כְּמוֹ וַיְנַהֲגֵם, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ אֵין מְנַהֵל לָהּ (ישעיהו נ"א), עַל מֵי מְנֻחוֹת יְנַהֲלֵנִי (תהילים כ"ג):
18When that year came to an end, they came to him the following year and said to him, “We will not deny the truth to my lord: inasmuch as all our money and livestock are gone—since we gave them all to my lord last year—there is now nothing left for my lord as payment other than ourselves and our land.   יחוַתִּתֹּם֘ הַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַהִוא֒ וַיָּבֹ֨אוּ אֵלָ֜יו בַּשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשֵּׁנִ֗ית וַיֹּ֤אמְרוּ לוֹ֙ לֹֽא־נְכַחֵ֣ד מֵֽאֲדֹנִ֔י כִּ֚י אִם־תַּ֣ם הַכֶּ֔סֶף וּמִקְנֵ֥ה הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה אֶל־אֲדֹנִ֑י לֹ֤א נִשְׁאַר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י בִּלְתִּ֥י אִם־גְּוִיָּתֵ֖נוּ וְאַדְמָתֵֽנוּ:
בַּשָּׁנָה הַשֵּׁנִית - (lit.) In the second year - second of the years of famine.   בַּשָּׁנָה הַשֵּׁנִית.  לִשְׁנֵי הָרָעָב:
כִּי אִם־תַּם הַכֶּסֶף וגו' - means “but that the money and animal livestock have run out, everything having been transferred to my lord.”   כִּי אִם־תַּם הַכֶּסֶף וגו'.  כִּי אֲשֶׁר תַּם הַכֶּסֶף וְהַמִּקְנֶה וּבָא הַכֹּל אֶל יַד אֲדוֹנִי:
בִּלְתִּי אִם־גְּוִיָּתֵנוּ - is the same as אִם לֹא גְוִיָּתֵנוּ “if not our bodies.”   בִּלְתִּי אִם־גְּוִיָּתֵנוּ.  כְּמוֹ אִם לֹא גְּוִיָּתֵנוּ:
19Why should we perish before your very eyes, both we by starvation, and our land by becoming barren? Buy us and our land in exchange for bread, and we with our land will be serfs to Pharaoh. And give us seed so that we may live and not die, and so that the land not become barren.”   יטלָ֧מָּה נָמ֣וּת לְעֵינֶ֗יךָ גַּם־אֲנַ֨חְנוּ֙ גַּם־אַדְמָתֵ֔נוּ קְנֵֽה־אֹתָ֥נוּ וְאֶת־אַדְמָתֵ֖נוּ בַּלָּ֑חֶם וְנִֽהְיֶ֞ה אֲנַ֤חְנוּ וְאַדְמָתֵ֨נוּ֙ עֲבָדִ֣ים לְפַרְעֹ֔ה וְתֶן־זֶ֗רַע וְנִֽחְיֶה֙ וְלֹ֣א נָמ֔וּת וְהָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה לֹ֥א תֵשָֽׁם:
וְתֶן־זֶרַע - And give us seed - with which to sow the ground. Although Joseph had said, “and there are still five years to come in which there will be neither plowing nor reaping,” 5 once Jacob came to Egypt, blessing came through him, they began to sow, and the famine ended. So we have learned in Tosefta of Sotah. 6   וְתֶן־זֶרַע.  לִזְרֹעַ הָאֲדָמָה; וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמַר יוֹסֵף וְעוֹד חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים אֲשֶׁר אֵין חָרִישׁ וְקָצִיר, מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּא יַעֲקֹב לְמִצְרַיִם בָּאָה בְרָכָה לְרַגְלָיו וְהִתְחִיל לִזְרֹעַ, וְכָלָה הָרָעָב, וְכֵן שָׁנִינוּ בְּתוֹסֶפְתָּא דְּסוֹטָה:
לֹא תֵשָֽׁם - means “it shall not become desolate.” Onkelos translates it as לָא תְבוּר “it shall not be uncultivated,” a similar expression to שְׂדֵה בוּר “an uncultivated field” – i.e., one which is not plowed.   לֹא תֵשָֽׁם.  לֹא תְהֵא שְׁמָמָה; לָא תְבוּר – לְשׁוֹן שְׂדֵה בּוּר, שֶׁאֵינוֹ חָרוּשׁ:
20So Joseph acquired all Egypt for Pharaoh, for each of the Egyptians sold his field because the famine had become too severe for them, and the land thus became Pharaoh’s.   כוַיִּ֨קֶן יוֹסֵ֜ף אֶת־כָּל־אַדְמַ֤ת מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ לְפַרְעֹ֔ה כִּי־מָֽכְר֤וּ מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ אִ֣ישׁ שָׂדֵ֔הוּ כִּֽי־חָזַ֥ק עֲלֵהֶ֖ם הָרָעָ֑ב וַתְּהִ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ לְפַרְעֹֽה:
וַתְּהִי הָאָרֶץ לְפַרְעֹה - And the land became Pharaoh’s - i.e., it became his property.   וַתְּהִי הָאָרֶץ לְפַרְעֹה.  קְנוּיָה לוֹ:
21Joseph then transferred the Egyptian people from city to city, from one end of Egypt’s border to the other.   כאוְאֶ֨ת־הָעָ֔ם הֶֽעֱבִ֥יר אֹת֖וֹ לֶֽעָרִ֑ים מִקְצֵ֥ה גְבֽוּל־מִצְרַ֖יִם וְעַד־קָצֵֽהוּ:
וְאֶת־הָעָם הֶֽעֱבִיר - He transferred the people - i.e., Joseph moved them from city to city as a reminder that they no longer had a portion in the land, and he settled the people of one city in another. There was no need for Scripture to write this except to show you Joseph’s praise, for his intent was to remove disgrace from his brothers, that the Egyptians not call them exiles.   וְאֶת־הָעָם הֶֽעֱבִיר.  יוֹסֵף מֵעִיר לְעִיר לְזִכָּרוֹן, שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם עוֹד חֵלֶק בָּאָרֶץ, וְהוֹשִׁיב שֶׁל עִיר זוֹ בַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ, וְלֹא הֻצְרַךְ הַכָּתוּב לִכְתֹּב זֹאת אֶלָּא לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן לְהָסִיר חֶרְפָּה מֵעַל אֶחָיו, שֶׁלֹא יִהְיוּ קוֹרִין אוֹתָם גּוֹלִים (חולין ס'):
מִקְצֵה גְבֽוּל־מִצְרַיִם וגו' - From one end of Egypt’s border…. i.e., so he did with all the cities in Egypt’s kingdom, from one end of its territory to the other end of its territory.   מִקְצֵה גְבֽוּל־מִצְרַיִם וגו'.  כֵּן עָשָׂה לְכָל הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר בְּמַלְכוּת מִצְרַיִם, מִקְצֵה גְבוּלָהּ וְעַד קְצֵה גְבוּלָהּ:
22The only land he did not buy up was that of the priests, since the priests had a food allotment from Pharaoh, and they lived off the allotment that Pharaoh gave them; they therefore did not have to sell their land.   כברַ֛ק אַדְמַ֥ת הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֖ים לֹ֣א קָנָ֑ה כִּי֩ חֹ֨ק לַכֹּֽהֲנִ֜ים מֵאֵ֣ת פַּרְעֹ֗ה וְאָֽכְל֤וּ אֶת־חֻקָּם֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָתַ֤ן לָהֶם֙ פַּרְעֹ֔ה עַל־כֵּ֕ן לֹ֥א מָֽכְר֖וּ אֶת־אַדְמָתָֽם:
הַכֹּֽהֲנִים - means “the priests.” The term כֹּהֵן always denotes one who serves a deity, except for those instances that denote high rank, as in “ruler (כֹּהֵן) of Midian,” 7 and “lord (כֹּהֵן) of On.” 8   הַכֹּֽהֲנִים.  הַכּוּמָרִים, כָּל לְשׁוֹן כֹּהֵן מְשָׁרֵת לֶאֱלֹהוּת הוּא, חוּץ מֵאוֹתָן שֶׁהֵם לְשׁוֹן גְּדֻלָּה, כְּמוֹ כֹּהֵן מִדְיָן, כֹּהֵן אוֹן:
חֹק לַכֹּֽהֲנִים - The priests had a food allotment - i.e., an allowance of a certain quantity of bread per day.   חֹק לַכֹּֽהֲנִים.  חֹק כָּךְ וְכָךְ לֶחֶם לַיּוֹם:
23Joseph then said to the people, “Since today I have acquired you and your land for Pharaoh, here is seed grain for you so you can sow the ground.   כגוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יוֹסֵף֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם הֵן֩ קָנִ֨יתִי אֶתְכֶ֥ם הַיּ֛וֹם וְאֶת־אַדְמַתְכֶ֖ם לְפַרְעֹ֑ה הֵֽא־לָכֶ֣ם זֶ֔רַע וּזְרַעְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה:
הֵֽא־ - is the same as הִנֵּה “behold,” as in: “and I, too, behold (הֵא), have placed the result of your conduct on your own head.” 9   הֵֽא־.  כְּמוֹ הִנֵּה, כְּמוֹ וְגַם אֲנִי הֵא דַּרְכֵּךְ בְּרֹאשׁ נָתַתִּי (יחזקאל ט"ז):
24When harvest comes, you must give a fifth to Pharaoh. The remaining four parts will be yours, for seed grain for the fields, and for food for yourselves and for those in your households, and for feeding your young children.”   כדוְהָיָה֙ בַּתְּבוּאֹ֔ת וּנְתַתֶּ֥ם חֲמִישִׁ֖ית לְפַרְעֹ֑ה וְאַרְבַּ֣ע הַיָּדֹ֡ת יִֽהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶם֩ לְזֶ֨רַע הַשָּׂדֶ֧ה וּלְאָכְלְכֶ֛ם וְלַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּבָֽתֵּיכֶ֖ם וְלֶֽאֱכֹ֥ל לְטַפְּכֶֽם:
לְזֶרַע הַשָּׂדֶה - For seed grain for the fields - for sowing each year.   לְזֶרַע הַשָּׂדֶה.  שֶׁבְּכָל שָׁנָה:
וְלַֽאֲשֶׁר בְּבָֽתֵּיכֶם - And for those in your households - i.e., and for food for the bondmen and bondwomen who are in your household.   וְלַֽאֲשֶׁר בְּבָֽתֵּיכֶם.  וְלֶאֱכֹל הָעֲבָדִים וְהַשְּׁפָחוֹת אֲשֶׁר בְּבָתֵּיכֶם:
לְטַפְּכֶֽם - Your young children - i.e., your small children.   לְטַפְּכֶֽם.  בָּנִים קְטַנִּים:
25They said, “You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in my lord’s eyes, and let us be serfs to Pharaoh.”   כהוַיֹּֽאמְר֖וּ הֶֽחֱיִתָ֑נוּ נִמְצָא־חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י וְהָיִ֥ינוּ עֲבָדִ֖ים לְפַרְעֹֽה:
נִמְצָא־חֵן - Let us find favor - that you do for us that which you said you would.   נִמְצָא־חֵן.  לַעֲשׂוֹת לָנוּ זֹאת כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ:
וְהָיִינוּ עֲבָדִים לְפַרְעֹֽה - And let us be serfs to Pharaoh - by paying him this tax annually.   וְהָיִינוּ עֲבָדִים לְפַרְעֹֽה.  לְהַעֲלוֹת לוֹ הַמַּס הַזֶּה בְּכָל שָׁנָה:
26Joseph made it a permanent law regarding all the lands of Egypt, which until today was never changed, that one-fifth of its produce belong to Pharaoh. Only the lands of the priests did not belong to Pharaoh.   כווַיָּ֣שֶׂם אֹתָ֣הּ יוֹסֵ֡ף לְחֹק֩ עַד־הַיּ֨וֹם הַזֶּ֜ה עַל־אַדְמַ֥ת מִצְרַ֛יִם לְפַרְעֹ֖ה לַחֹ֑מֶשׁ רַ֞ק אַדְמַ֤ת הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ לְבַדָּ֔ם לֹ֥א הָֽיְתָ֖ה לְפַרְעֹֽה:
27Thus Israel settled in Egypt, in Goshen. They established residence there, were fruitful, and increased greatly.   כזוַיֵּ֧שֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ גּ֑שֶׁן וַיֵּאָֽחֲז֣וּ בָ֔הּ וַיִּפְר֥וּ וַיִּרְבּ֖וּ מְאֹֽד:
וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם - Israel settled in Egypt - and where? “In Goshen,” which is part of Egypt.   וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם.  וְהֵיכָן? בְּאֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן שֶׁהִיא מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם:
וַיֵּאָֽחֲזוּ בָהּ - They established residence there. An expression denoting ownership of property (אֲחֻזָּה). End of Parashat Vayigash   וַיֵּאָֽחֲזוּ בָהּ.  לְשׁוֹן אֲחֻזָּה):