Rashi on TanakhGenesis 43

When they had finished eating. Yehudah had told them, “Wait for the old man, until all the bread of the house has been consumed.”

When they had finished. [The correct version of Onkelos for כַּאֲשֶׁר כִּלּוּ is] כַּד שֵׁצִיאוּ. The version of the Targum which renders it כַּד סַפִּיקוּ is mistaken. “When the camels had ended drinking” is translated by Onkelos as כַּד סַפִּיקוּ —meaning that they had drunk their fill, for that was the end of their drinking. But, here, “when they had finished eating,” means when the food was entirely consumed, which is translated כַּד שֵׁצִיאוּ.

Warned repeatedly. [הָעֵד הֵעִיד are] terms meaning warning because usually a warning is given before witnesses [עֵדִים] Similarly; “I have forewarned your fathers,” [or:] “Go down and warn the nation.”

You had better not see my face unless your brother is with you. [I.e.,] “You will not see me without your brother with you.” Onkelos translates it: “Rather, when your brother will be with you.” He, thus, explained the thing so that it fits, but was not meticulous to translate it literally.

About ourselves and about our family. [וּלְמוֹלַדְתֵּינוּ means] concerning our families. The Midrashic explanation [of וּלְמוֹלַדְתֵּינוּ] is: “Even the type of wood [used for] our childhood cradles he revealed to us.”

We told him. That we have a father and a brother.

According to his words. According to the questions that he asked—we were forced to answer.

That he would say. [כִּי יֹאמַר means] that he would say. כִּי is used here as meaning אִם and אִם is sometimes used as אֲשֶׁר —that. Hence, this is a use [of כִּי] for one of its four meanings, [in this case it being used] as אִם. For the word כִּי, here is as the word אִם as in: “Until that I have spoken my words.”

Let us live. He had a spark of Divine prophecy: “As a result of this journey your spirit will come alive,” as it is said: “[Then] the spirit of their father Yaakov was revived.”

And not die. Of hunger. Concerning Binyamin, it is doubtful whether he will be seized or will not be seized. Whereas, we [will certainly] die of hunger if we do not go. Better that you release that which is doubtful and take hold of that which is certain.

And set him before you. [I.e.,] “that I will not bring him back to you dead but alive.”

I will have sinned to you for all time. In the World-to-Come.

If we had not hesitated. Because of you, we would already have returned with Shimon and you would not have had to suffer all these days.

Here. [אֵיפוֹא is] a redundant word used as a stylistic improvement in Hebrew. “If I am compelled to do this to send him with you I must seek and ask. אַיֵה —where is פֹה — here a solution and a plan to propose to you, and, therefore, I say: “This is what you must do.”

Of the best fruits of the land. [מִזִמְרַת הָאָרֶץ] is translated [by Onkelos:] “Of that which is praised in the land,” [i.e.,] that of which everyone sings [its praises] when it comes into the world.

Gum. [נְכֹאת is] wax.

Pistachios. I did not know what they [בָּטְנִים] are, but, in the alphabetized dictionary of R. Machir I saw [it defined as] pistachios and it seems to me that they are peaches.

Double the money. Twice as much as the first time.

Take in your hands. To buy food. Perhaps the price has risen.

Perhaps it was an oversight. Perhaps the house overseer mistakenly forgot it.

May the Almighty, Shaddai. Now you are lacking nothing except prayer, I, hereby, pray for you.

Almighty Shaddai. Whose mercy is שֶׁדַי sufficient and Who has it in His power to give. May He be merciful to you. That is the plain meaning [of שַׁדַי]. The Midrashic explanation is: He Who said to His universe, “Enough!” may He say to my troubles, “Enough!” for I have had no rest from my youth, [suffering] the trouble of Lavan, the trouble of Eisov, the trouble of Rochel, the trouble of Deenah, the trouble of Yoseif, the trouble of Shimon, [and] the trouble of Binyomin.

That he may release to you. [וְשִׁלַח לָכֶם means] that he may release to you, as Onkelos translates it—may he release him from his imprisonment. Its meaning is similar to: “He shall be released to freedom.” It would not fit to translate it as meaning: “Let him send [him to you]” for they were going there, to where he was.

Your brother. Referring to Shimon.

The other. He was inspired by the Divine Spirit to include Yoseif [as well].

And I. Until your return, I will possibly be bereft of children.

If I have been bereft. Of Yoseif and Shimon.

I will be bereft. Of Binyomin.

And [they took] Binyamin. Onkelos translates it וּדְבָרוּ יָת בִּנְיָמִין —they took Binyomin because the taking of money is not the same as the taking of a person in Aramaic. Something that is actually taken in the hand is translated as וּנְסִיב, whereas, something taken by persuasion [i.e., led away] is translated as וּדְבַר [from דִיבּוּר -±speaking].

Slaughter an animal and prepare it. [וּטְבוֹחַ and וְהָכֵן are infinitives] the same as: and to slaughter an animal and to prepare. טְבוֹחַ is not an imperative for then it should have said וּטְבַח .

At noon. In this instance Onkelos translates [בַּצָּהֳרַיִם as] בְּשֵׁירוּתָא which, in Aramaic, means the first meal, disner in O.F. [breakfast]. There are many examples of this in the Talmud: [as in:] “He threw the dog his meal,” [or:] “He cut bread for the entire meal.” But the usual translation of צָהֳרַיִם is טִיהֲרָא noon.

The men were afraid. וַיִירְאוּ is spelled with two יו"דין [yuds] and Onkelos, therefore, translates it: “They were afraid.”

Because they had been brought to Yoseif’s House. And it was unusual for others who came to buy grain to stay overnight at Yoseif’s house but, rather, at the inns of the city. They were, therefore, afraid that this was solely for the purpose of imprisoning them.

Are we being brought. Into this house.

That he may turn [on us]. That there should be turned upon us an accusation regarding the money and that [this accusation] come down on us. According to Onkelos who translates [וּלְהִתְנַפֵּל עָלֵינוּ] as וּלְאִסְתַּקָפָא עֲלָנָא, it means to libel, just as עֲלִילֹת דְבָרִים is translated: תַּסְקוּפֵי מִלִּין —libelous words, and Onkelos does not translate [וּלְהִתְנַפֵּל עָלֵינוּ] literally. The word לְהִתְגֹלֵל, which he translates as לְאִתְרַבְרְבָא comes from גֻּלַּת הַזָּהָב —“The bowl of gold,” [or from:] “And Chuzav, the queen [גֻּלְּתָה] is taken away,” [the root word גלל] meaning royalty.

Please, my master. בִּי is an expression of pleading and supplication In Aramaic it is equivalent to בִּיָיא בִּיָיא [woe, woe].

We came down. This is considered a “come down” [decline] for us. We had been accustomed to feed others, and now we are dependent on you.

Your God. [Meaning:] in your own merit. And if your own merit is insufficient, [then]. The God of your fathers. [Meaning:] in the merit of your fathers “He has given you a hidden gift.”

The man brought. [There is mentioned] a bringing after a bringing. This was because they were shoving him outside to where they spoke to him at the door of the house. Once he said to them, “Peace be with you,” they followed after him [into the house].

They prepared. [וַיָּכִינוּ means:] they prepared. They adorned it in beautiful vessels.

In the house. [I.e.,] from the vestibule into the reception hall.

They bowed their heads and prostrated themselves. In response to the inquiry about their welfare. קִידָה refers to the bowing of the head. הִשְׁתַּחֲוָאָה refers to prostration upon the ground.

Elohim be gracious to you my son. Regarding the other brothers we have heard “grace” used “Whom God has graciously granted your servant.” [However,] Binyomin had not yet been born, therefore, Yoseif blessed him with grace.

Because his compassion was aroused. He [Yoseif] asked him, “Have you a brother from the same mother?” “I had a brother,” he answered, “but, I do not know where he is.” “Have you any children?” “I have ten sons,” he answered. “What are their names?” he asked. “Bela, Becher, etc.” he answered. He asked, “What is the idea behind these names?” “They all relate to my brother,” he answered, “and the troubles that have befallen him: בֶּלַע —because he [Yoseif] was swallowed up [נִבְלַע] amongst the alien nations; בֶּכֶר —because he was my mother’s firstborn [בְּכוֹר]; אַשְׁבְּאֵל —because God sent him into captivity [שָׁבְאוֹ אֵל]; גֵּרָא —because he had to live in a foreign land [גֵר] and נַעֲמָן —because he was extremely pleasant [נָעִים]; אָחִי וָרֹאשׁ —because he was my brother and my elder; מֻפִּים —because he learned from the mouth [מִפִּי] of my father; and חֻפִּים —because he did not see my marriage [חוּפָּה] and I did not see his marriage; and אָרְדְּ —because he went down [יָרַד] amongst alien nations,” as is related in Maseches Sotah. Immediately, [Yoseif’s] compassion was aroused.

Was aroused. [נִכְמְרוּ means] became heated. In Mishnaic Hebrew we find: “On a pile of heated [כּוֹמֶר] olives.” In Aramaic we find “The dehydration [מִכְמַר] of meat.” In Scripture we find: “Our skin has become hot [נִכְמָרוּ] as if by an oven” [i.e.,] it became heated and very wrinkled “Because of the burning of the famine,” for it is the nature of skin to wrinkle and shrivel when it is heated.

He composed himself. [וַיִתְאַפַּק means] he strengthened himself. It has the same meaning as: אֲפִיקֵי מָגִינִים —“The strong parts of the shields,” [אֲפִיקֵי meaning:] strength. Similarly: “He loosens the belt of the strong [אֲפִיקִים].”

Because it was loathsome. It is a hateful thing for the Egyptians to eat together with the Hebrews. Onkelos gives a reason for this.

The first born according to his birthright. He struck the goblet and announced, “Reuvein, Shimon, Leivi, Yehudah, Yissachar and Zevulen who are children of the same mother, be seated in this order which is the order in which you were born.” So he did with all of them. Once he came to Binyomin, he said, “This one has no mother and I have no mother—let him sit beside me.”

Portions. [מַשְׂאֹת means] portions.

Five times as much. Consisting of his portion as one of the brothers, as well as the portions of Yoseif, Osnas, Menasheh and Ephraim.

They became intoxicated with him. From the day that they sold him they had not drunk wine, nor did he drink wine, but on that day they drank.