Rashi on TanakhGenesis 50

To embalm his father. [Embalming] involves using aromatic spices.

They completed—for him. They completed the days of his embalming until forty days were completed for him.

The Egyptians wept for him, seventy days. Forty days of the embalming period and thirty [additional days] for mourning. [They mourned him] because a blessing had come to them on account of him. I.e., The famine ended and the waters of the Nile became plentiful.

That I have acquired. According to its simple meaning it is the same as: “If a man shall [יִכְרֶה] dig.” There is a Midrashic explanation that fits the meaning as if it had said אֲשֶׁר קָנִיתִי —that I acquired. For R. Akiva said: “When I travelled to the cities on the sea-shore [I noted that] they referred to “selling” as כִּירָה. Another Midrashic explanation [of כָּרִיתִי] is that it is related to כְּרִי דָגוּר —a piled heap. For Yaakov had taken all the silver and gold that he had brought from Lavan’s house and made a piled heap of it and said to Eisov: “Take this for your share of the Cave.”

Just as he made you swear. “But, had it not been for the oath I would not allow you [to do this.]” But, he was afraid to say: “Break your oath,” so that he [Yoseif] might not respond: “If so, then, I will break the oath that I swore to you not to reveal about the Hebrew Language—that I know it in addition to the seventy languages but of which you have no knowledge—as is related in Maseches Sotah.

The threshing place of Atad. [So called because] it was surrounded with hedges of thorns [אֲטָדִין]. Our Sages explained [that it was so called] because of an incident that occured when all the kings of Canaan and princes of Yishmael came to wage war [against the Sons of Yaakov]. When they saw Yoseif’s crown hanging from Yaakov’s casket, they all rose and hung their crowns from it surrounding it with crowns like a threshing floor that is surrounded by a hedge of thorns.

As he commanded them. What was it that he commanded them?

His sons carried him. [Only his sons] and not his grandsons. For he commanded them as follows: “Let no Egyptian carry my bier nor any of your sons for they are [born] from Canannite women, but only you [shall carry it].” He assigned to them positions [around the bier;] three on the eastern side and likewise on all four sides. And according to the same order [of their positions] when their camps travelled under their banners, were they also positioned here. “Leivi shall not carry for he is destined to carry the Ark, and Yoseif shall not carry for he is a king. Let Menasheh and Ephraim take their place. This is [the reference when it is said:] “Each person by his banner according to the sign,” [meaning:] by the sign that their father gave them when carrying his bier.

He and his brothers and all those who went with him. Here, upon their return, Scripture places the brothers ahead of the Egyptians who went with him; whereas when they first went [to Canaan] the Egyptians are placed ahead of the brothers. As it is said: “And with him went up all Pharaoh’s servants, etc.,” and afterwards: “And all Yoseif’s household and his brothers.” But, this is because when they [the Egyptians] saw the honor that the kings of Canaan bestowed [on Yaakov] when they hung their crowns on Yaakov’s bier, they [the Egyptians] acted with respect [towards the brothers].

Yoseif’s brothers saw that their father was dead. What is the meaning of וַיִּרְאוּ —they saw? They realized his death through Yoseif’s conduct. For they would often dine at Yoseif’s table and he would warmly receive them out of respect to his father. But, once Yaakov died he no longer received them warmly.

Perhaps he still bears a grudge against us. [Here לוּ means:] lest he still bears a grudge against us. The word לוּ takes on different meanings: sometimes לוּ is used as a wish and “oh, that!” As in: “Oh, that it might be as you say!” [or:] “Oh, that you might listen to me!” [or:] “Oh, that we had been content!” and “Oh, that we might have died.” Sometimes לוּ is used to mean “if” or “perhaps,” as in: “If they were wise,” [or:] “If you obey my commandments,” and “If I would receive into my hands.” Sometimes לוּ is used to mean “lest” [as in our verse:] “Lest he still bears a grudge against us,” but there is no other example of this [usage] in Scripture. [Here] it has the meaning of אוּלַי —perhaps, as in: “Perhaps the woman will not come back with me” where אוּלַי has the meaning “lest.” Sometimes אוּלַי denotes a wish. For example: “Oh, that God might look upon my eye,” [or:] “Oh, that God might be with me,” where it [אוּלַי] has the same meaning as [לוּ in:] “Would that it might be as you say.” Sometimes אוּלַי has the meaning of “if” [as in:] “If there be fifty righteous people.”

They sent a command to Yoseif. This is the same [form] as וַיְצַוֵּם אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל [which means:] He charged Moshe and Aharon to be messengers to the Bnei Yisrael. So too, here, they charged the one they sent to be the messenger to Yoseif to tell him thus. Who was it that they charged [to be the messengers]? The sons of Bilhah who were accustomed to be with him, as it is said: “And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah.”

Your father issued a command. They altered the facts for the sake of peace, for Yaakov had never commanded any such thing, Yoseif not being suspect in his eyes.

Please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your fathers. Though your father may have died his God is still alive and they are His servants.

His brothers also went. In addition to sending the messengers.

For am I in the place of Elohim. “Am I in His place?”—incredulously. “If I had intended to do you harm would I have succeeded? Did not all of you intend to harm me? But, God intended it to be for good. Then how could I alone do you harm?

And spoke to their hearts. [עַל־לִבָּם means] convincing words: “Before you came down here they maligned me that I am a slave and through you it became known that I am a free man and were I to kill you what would people say? ‘He saw a group of fine young men and he prided himself with them by claiming “They are my brothers” and, in then end, he killed them.’ Is there a brother who would kill his brothers?” Another explanation [of his convincing argument]: Ten lights cannot extinguish one light, etc.

On Yoseif’s knees. As Onkelos explains it: He raise them between his knees.