Rashi on TanakhGenesis 47

From among his brothers. From the least strong among them, who do not [even] appear strong, for if he [Pharaoh] would find them strong he might induct them into his military. These [weaker ones] were: Reuvain, Shimon, Leivi, Yissachar and Binyomin, those whose names Moshe did not repeat when he blessed them. But, the names of the strong ones he repeated: “And this is for Yehudah—hear, God, the voice of Yehudah.” “And about Gad he said, ‘Blessed be He that extends Gad.’” “And about Naphtali he said, ‘Naphtali.’” “And about Dan he said, ‘Dan.’” And so, too, concerning Zevulun. And so, too, concerning Asher. The above is quoted from Bereishis Rabbah which is the Aggadah of the Land of Israel. But, in our Babylonian Talmud we find that those whose names Moshe repeated were the weak ones and those were the ones he [Yoseif] brought before Pharaoh. And the fact that Yehudah’s name is repeated± - it is not repeated due to his being weak—but there is a reason for this as is mentioned in Bava Kamma. In the Berayso of the Sifrei we have the version—in [the portion of] V’zos Haberachah—that is the same as our Talmud [in Bava Kamma.]

Capable men. That are experts in their occupation of tending sheep.

Over my [herds]. Over my sheep.

And Yaakov blessed. This was a greeting, as is customary for all who periodically appear before kings, saluder [to greet] in O.F.

The years of the temporary residence. [שְׁנֵי מְגוּרַי means:] the years of my being a stranger. [I.e.,] all my life I have been a stranger in the land.

I have not attained. Insofar as happiness is concerned.

Yaakov blessed. As is customary for those who take leave of royalty, they bless them and take their leave. What blessing did he give him? That the Nile rise as he approached it. [This blessing was welcome to Pharaoh] because the Land of Egypt is not watered by rainfall, but, rather, by the Nile rising and irrigating. From the time that Yaakov blessed him, Pharaoh would come to the Nile and it would rise toward him and, thereby, irrigate the land.

Ramseis. It was part of the Land of Goshen.

According to the children. [Meaning:] according to the needs of all the members of the household.

There was no bread in all the land. [Scripture now] returns to the beginning of the account, to the beginning of the famine years.

They were worn out. [וַתֵּלַהּ is] similar to וַתִּלְאֶה —meaning exhaustion as Onkelos translates it. Similar to this is: “As an exhausted person [כְּמִתְלַהְלֵהַּ] who shoots firebrands.”

Through the purchases they made. [Meaning:] they gave him the money.

Is no. As Onkelos translates it: שְׁלִים “is ended.”

He tended them. [וַיְנַהֲלֵם is] similar to וַיְנַהֲגֵם —He led them. Similar to this is: “There is no one to lead her,” [or:] “He leads me beside tranquil waters.”

The second year— Of the famine years.

For the money is used up, etc. [Meaning:] that the money and livestock are used up and everything has come into my master’s hand.

Except our bodies. The same as: if not for our bodies.

Give us seed-grain. To sow in the ground. Although Yoseif had said, “And for another five years there will be no plowing nor harvest,” [nevertheless,] as soon as Yaakov came to Egypt blessing followed in his wake, and they began to sow and the famine ended. We learned this in the Tosefta of Sotah.

Not become desolate. לֹא תֵשָׁם means let it not become desolate. [Onkelos translates it] לָא תְבוּר from the term שְׂדֵה בּוּר —a barren field—one which is not plowed.

The land became Pharaoh’s [property]. [Meaning:] it had been bought for him.

He transferred the people. Yoseif [transferred them] from city to city as a reminder that they no longer had a share in the land, and settled those of one city in another. Scripture had no need to write this, but only to let you know Yoseif’s praiseworthiness. For his intent was to remove shame from his brothers, so that the people not call them exiles.

From one end of the border of Egypt, etc. He did this to all the cities that were in the kingdom of Egypt, from one end of the border to the other.

The priests. [הַכֹּהֲנִים means] the priests. Whenever the word כֹּהֵן is used it refers to a servant of a deity, except those that refer to high rank as in כֹּהֵן מִדְיָן —“The chief of Midian,” or כֹּהֵן אוֹן —“The chief of On.”

The priests had an allotment. [Meaning:] an allotted portion of bread per day.

Here. [הֵא is] the same as הִנֵּה —behold, as in: “I, too, behold, [הֵא] will avenge your way upon your head.”

For seed for your fields. For each year [not only the first year].

And for those of your households. I.e., as food for your man servants and maid servants that are in your homes.

For your little ones. [טַפְּכֶם means] young children.

May we find favor. That you may do for us as you have said.

And we will be slaves to Pharaoh. As regards to paying him this tax annually as a law which will not be repealed.

Yisrael lived in the Land of Egypt. And where [within the Land of Egypt]? In the Land of Goshen, which is part of the Land of Egypt.

They acquired property there. [וַיֵּאָחֲזוּ means] taking possession [by settling there].

Yaakov lived. Why is this portion [of the Torah] completely closed? This is because once our father Yaakov died the eyes and hearts of Israel were “closed” because of the hardships of the bondage for they [the Egyptians] began to subjugate them. An alternate explanation: Because he [Yaakov] wished to reveal the End and it was “closed” [concealed] from him. [This appears] in Bereishis Rabbah.

The days of Yisrael’s death drew near. Everyone of whom it is said that his “days drew near” did not attain the age of his fathers. (Yitzchok lived 180 years and Yaakov 147 years. Concerning Dovid, it states “drew near”; his father lived 400 years whereas he lived 70 years.)

And he called for his son Yoseif. The one who had it in his power to do.

Place your hand. And take an oath.

Kindly and truthfully. Kindness that is done with the dead is considered true kindness for one does not anticipate remuneration.

Please, do not bury me in Egypt. [Because] its soil will ultimately become lice (which will crawl beneath my body). Also, because the dead [who are buried] outside of Eretz Yisrael will be resurrected only by suffering the pain of rolling through underground tunnels. Also, so that the Egyptians not make a deity of me. From Bereishis Rabbah.

For I will lie with my fathers. This letter ו' [of וְשָׁכַבְתִּי] connects this with the beginning of the previous verse: “Place your hand under my thigh and make an oath to me. For, ultimately, I will lie with my fathers and you will carry me from Egypt.” One cannot say that וְשָׁכַבְתִּי עִם אֲבוֹתַי [means] put me to rest with my fathers in the cave, because it is written afterwards: “And carry me from Egypt and bury me in their grave.” Furthermore, we always find the term “lying with one’s fathers” referring to dying and not the burial, as in: “And Dovid lay with his fathers” and afterwards: “And he was buried in the City of Dovid.”

Yisrael prostrated himself. When it is the time of the fox, bow to him.

At the head of the bed. He turned toward the Divine Presence [the Shechinah]. It is from here that they [the Sages] derived that the Shechinah is above the headrest of a sick person. Another interpretation of עַל רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה: for his [conjugal] bed was perfect and none of the offspring was wicked. Witness the fact that Yoseif was a king who was also a captive among the heathens, yet, he was steadfast in his righteousness.