Rashi on TanakhGenesis 44

My goblet. [גְבִיעַ] is a tall goblet, which is called maderne in O.F.

It would be degrading for your servants. It is a profane thing for us [חָלִילָה is] an expression of something shameful. Onkelos, however, translates it: “May your servants be spared,” [I.e.,] may God spare us from doing such a thing. This often appears in the Talmud as חַס וְשָׁלוֹם —Heaven forfend.

Behold the money that we found. This is one of the ten a fortiori inferences that are found in Scripture, which are all listed in Bereishis Rabbah.

Your words are now also correct. This, too, would be only just. Truly, it should be as you say that you are all responsible in this matter—when there are ten persons and a stolen item is found in the possession of one of them—they are all implicated. But, I will deal with you not according to the strict letter of the law. Only he with whom it was found shall be my slave.

Beginning with the oldest. So that they not be aware that he knew where it was.

Each man loaded his donkey. They were very strong and did not need to help each other to load up.

And they returned to the city. It was actually a metropolis and, yet, it is referred to as “the city”—a plain, ordinary city! But, [this is so] because in their eyes it was considered only a medium-sized city of only ten men as far as engaging them in war.

He was still there. For he was waiting for them.

Do you not know that … is an expert diviner? Did you not know that a man as distinguished as I would know how to divine and to deduce through knowledge, reason and deduction that you stole the goblet?

God has found. We know that we have done no wrong, but it has come from God to bring this upon us. The Creditor has found an opportunity to collect his debt.

How can we justify ourselves. [נִצְטַדָק is] a form of the word צֶדֶק —justice. Similarly, any word whose first root letter is a צ' and comes to convey the הִתְפַעֵל —reflexive conjugation, a ט' replaces the letter ת'. It is not placed ahead of the first root-letter but, rather, between the first two root-letters. For example: נִצְטַדָק —from the root: צדק, וַיִּצְטַבַּע —Let it be wet from the root: צבע, וַיִּצְטַיָּרוּ —They acted as if they were ambassadors from the same root as צִיר אֱמוּנִים —a faithful ambassador. הִצְטַיַּדְנוּ —We took along provisions, from the same root as צֵדָה לַדֶּרֶךְ —provisions for the way. A word whose first root-letter is a ס' or ש' when it is expressed in הִתְפַעֵל —reflexive form, then the ת' separates the first two root-letters. For example: וְיִסְתַּבֵּל הֶחָגָב —“The grasshopper will drag itself,” from the root סבל —to carry a load. מִשְׂתַּכַּל הֲוֵית בְּקַרְנַיָּא —“I observed the horns” from the root סכל —to observe, וְיִשְׁתַּמֵּר חֻקּוֹת עָמְרִי —“The laws of Omri are kept” from the root שמר —to keep, וְסָר מֵרָע מִשְׁתּוֹלֵל —“One who keeps from evil is considered insane” from the same root as: “He leads away advisors as if they be fools,” מִסְתּוֹלֵל בְּעַמִּי —“You trample my people.” from the same root as: דֶּרֶךְ לֹא סְלוּלָה —“An untrodden path.”

He approached … in my master’s ears. [Meaning:] may my words penetrate your ears.

And do not be angry. From this you may infer that he spoke harshly to him.

For you are equal to Pharaoh. [Meaning:] you are as esteemed in my eyes as a king. This is the plain meaning. But, its Midrashic explanation is: “Ultimately you will be stricken with leprosy on his account as the Pharaoh was stricken on account of my grandmother Sarah for detaining her for only one night.” Another explanation [for: “You are equal to Pharaoh.”] Just as Pharaoh issues decrees without carrying them out, and makes promises without fulfilling them, you, too, do the same. Is this, then, what you meant by “setting your eyes” when you said that you would “set your eyes on him?” Another explanation for “You are equal to Pharaoh;” If you will provoke me I will kill you and your master.

My master asked his servants. From the start you encountered us with subterfuge. Why did you need to ask all these questions? Were we seeking [to marry] your daughter, or were you seeking [to marry] our sister? Nevertheless, “We said to my master”—we withheld nothing from you.

His brother is dead. It was because of fear that he uttered an untruth. He thought, “If I tell him that he is alive, he will say, ‘Bring him to me.’”

Alone of his mother. [I.e.,] from that mother he has no other brother.

For if he left his father he would die. If he will leave his father then we are concerned that he may die en route for his mother, too, died while en route.

And misfortune befall him. For the Satan attempts to do harm during a time of danger.

You will bring my white head down, etc. As long as he is beside me I find comfort through him [for the loss] of his mother and his brother. And if he dies, it will seem to me as if all three died the same day.

When he sees that the lad is not [with us], he will die. [I.e.,] his father [will die] from grief.

For your servant became surety for the lad. If you should ask why I involve myself in this fray more than my other brothers? [the reason is that] that they are all out [of this matter] whereas, I have tied myself [to it] with a strong bond by accepting to be an outcast in both worlds.

Let your servant remain, etc. I am superior to him for all purposes—in strength, in waging war and for service.