Genesis Rabbah 92

¹“And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, and he will send with you your other brother and Benjamin; and me, as I am bereaved, I am bereaved” (Genesis 43:14). “And may God Almighty grant you mercy” – Rabbi Pinḥas in the name of Rabbi Ḥanin of Tzippori began: “Happy is the man whom You chastise, Lord” (Psalms 94:12). And if he resents it – “You instruct him from Your Torah” (Psalms 94:12). What is written regarding Abraham? “[Go for yourself from your land…to the land that I will show you.] And I will bless you and I will make your name great” (Genesis 12:1–2) – when he departed, he encountered famine and he did not object and did not protest. You, too, if suffering has befallen you, do not object and do not accuse. Rabbi Alexandri said to him: You have no man without suffering. Happy is the man whom suffering befalls through the Torah, ). as it is stated: “You instruct him from Your Torah.” Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: All suffering that befalls a person and causes him to be idle from Torah matters, is suffering of rebuke, but suffering that befalls a person and does not cause him to be idle from Torah matters, is suffering of love, as it is written: “For whom the Lord loves, He rebukes” (Proverbs 3:12). Rabbi Ḥama saw a certain blind person sitting and toiling in Torah. He said to him: ‘Greetings, free man.’ He said to [Rabbi Ḥama]: ‘From where did you hear that this man is the son of slaves?’ He said to him: ‘No, [that was not my intention,] but rather that you are a free man in the World to Come.’ Rabbi Yudan said: It is written: “If he shall dislodge the tooth of his slave or the tooth of his maidservant, he shall send him to freedom” (Exodus 21:27) – if due to these, which are not the person’s entire body, but rather, one of his limbs, the Torah said: “He shall send him to freedom,” one for whom suffering afflicts his entire body, all the more so. Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Hoshaya: “Happy is the man whom You chastise, Lord” is not written here, but rather, “whom You chastise, Lord [ Yah ]” – one who is sentenced before the judge screams and is aggrieved, and says: ‘ Ya , ya – enough [ dai ], enough!’ So, Jacob said: ‘He who is destined to say enough [ dai ] to suffering, let Him say enough to my suffering,’ as it is stated: “And may God Almighty [ Shadai ] grant you mercy before the man….” ²“For this, let every pious man pray [at the time of searching]” (Psalms 32:6) – Zavdi ben Levi, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, and Rabbi Yosei bar Patron, the three of them recited [some of] the following verses when they died. One of them recited: “For this, let every pious man pray”; “for our heart rejoices in Him” (Psalms 33:21). Another said: “You prepare a table before me” (Psalms 23:5); “But let all who put their trust in You rejoice…” (Psalms 5:12). Another said: “For one day in Your courtyard is better” (Psalms 84:11); “for Your kindness is better than life” (Psalms 63:4). Some say: “How great is your goodness” (Psalms 31:20). Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Hoshaya: The Holy One blessed be He, , took the legs of our patriarch Jacob and stood them on the sea and said to him: ‘See the miracles that I am performing with your descendants.’ That is what is written: “When Israel departed from Egypt” (Psalms 114:1) – Israel the elder. Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rav Aḥa: He stood the feet of the patriarchs, too, on the sea. That is what is written: “He performed wonders before their fathers” (Psalms 78:12). “At the time of searching [ le’et metzo ]” (Psalms 32:6) – at the time of completion [ mitzui ] of the day; at the time of completion of the judgment; at the time of completion of the soul; at the time of completion of the accounting. When our forefather Jacob saw that the accounting had been completed, ; cf. Etz Yosef ). he began to pour forth supplications; “And may God Almighty grant you mercy…” ³Rabbi Yashya ben Levi interpreted the verse regarding the exiles: “And may God Almighty grant you mercy” – “He caused them to be pitied” (Psalms 106:46). “Before the man” – the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “The Lord is a Man of war, the Lord is His name” (Exodus 15:3). “And he will send with you your…brother” – these are the Ten Tribes. “Other…and Benjamin” – this is the tribe of Judah and Benjamin. “And me, as I am bereaved” – in the first destruction, “I am bereaved” – in the second destruction. “And me, as I am bereaved” – in the first and second destructions; I will not be bereaved again. Another matter, “and may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man” – this is the ruler. “And he will send with you your…brother” – this is Joseph; “other” – this is Simeon; “and Benjamin” – in its plain sense. “And me, as I am bereaved” regarding Joseph, [and] “I am bereaved,” regarding Simeon, I will not be bereaved again. ⁴“The men took that gift, and they took in their hand double the silver, and Benjamin, and they arose, and they went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph” (Genesis 43:15). “Joseph saw Benjamin with them, and he said to the one in charge of his house: Bring the men to the house and slaughter and prepare, as the men shall dine with me at noon” (Genesis 43:16). “The men took…Joseph saw…with them…and prepare [ vehakhen ]” – prepare is for nothing other than Shabbat, just as it says: “It will be on the sixth day, they shall prepare…” (Exodus 16:5). This is to say that Joseph observed the Shabbat before it was given. “The man did as Joseph said, and the man brought the men to Joseph's house” (Genesis 43:17). “The men were afraid when they were brought to Joseph's house; they said: We have been brought on the matter of the silver that was restored before to our sacks, to falsely accuse us, and attack us, and take us as slaves, and our donkeys” (Genesis 43:18). “They approached the man in charge of Joseph's house, and they spoke to him at the entrance of the house” (Genesis 43:19). “The man did…The men were afraid…They approached the man” – it teaches that he was pushing them inside, and they were pushing him outside. “They said: Please my lord, we initially descended to acquire food” (Genesis 43:20). “We…descended” – it is a descent for us. In our land, we would support others, now we need your support. “He said: Peace be with you, fear not; your God, and the God of your father, gave you hidden treasure in your sacks; your silver came to me. And he took Simeon out to them” (Genesis 43:23). “He said: Peace be with you, fear not” – whether it is due to your merit or due to the merit of your fathers. “Your God…gave you hidden treasure…” – in any case, “your silver came to me.” “He took Simeon out to them” – Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: He rendered him like a cruse of oil when he incarcerated him, ; see Bereshit Rabba 91:8). as it is written: “And incarcerated him before their eyes” (Genesis 42:24). “They prepared…Joseph came…” (Genesis 43:25–26). ⁵“He asked them regarding their wellbeing, and he said: Is all well with your father? Is the elder whom you mentioned still alive?” (Genesis 43:27). “They said: All is well with your servant, with our father, he is still alive; they bowed, and they prostrated themselves” (Genesis 43:28). “He asked them regarding their wellbeing…They said: All is well…” – Rabbi Ḥiyya Rabba saw a certain Babylonian: He said to him: ‘How is Father?’ He said to him: ‘Your mother inquired after you.’ He said to him: ‘I said this to you and you said that to me?’ He said to him: ‘One asks about the living, and one does not ask about the dead.’ So, “is all well with your father?” – this is Jacob; “the elder that you mentioned” – this is Isaac. “They said: All is well with your servant, with our father.” “He lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and he said: Is this your youngest brother whom you mentioned to me? He said: God be gracious to you, my son” (Genesis 43:29). “He lifted his eyes, and saw…” – Rabbi Binyamin said: Because we have heard grace [mentioned] regarding the eleven tribes, but did not hear grace regarding the tribe of Benjamin. Where did we hear it? We heard it here: “God be gracious to you, my son.” “Joseph hurried, because his mercy was aroused toward his brother and he sought to weep; he entered the chamber, and wept there” (Genesis 43:30). “They sat before him, the firstborn according to his seniority, and the younger according to his youth, and the men wondered to one another” (Genesis 43:33). “Joseph hurried…They sat before him…” – he took the goblet and created the false impression that he was smelling the goblet. He said: ‘Judah, who is king, sits at the head. Reuben who is the firstborn, will sit alongside him,’ and likewise regarding them all. He said: ‘I have no mother and Benjamin has no mother, when his mother bore him, she died. Therefore, let him come and place his head alongside mine.’ That is why, “the men wondered…” “He gave gifts from before him, and Benjamin's gift was five times greater than the gifts of all of them. They drank, and became inebriated with him” (Genesis 43:34). “He gave gifts from before him…” – Joseph gave him, Asenat gave him, Manasseh gave him, Ephraim gave him, and [he received] his portion with his brothers. That is what is written: “Benjamin's gift was five times greater than the gifts of all of them.” “They drank, and became inebriated with him” – with him, they drank, but other than with him, they did not drink, as Rabbi Levi said: All twenty-two years that he did not see them, he did not taste the taste of wine. They, too, did not taste the taste of wine until they saw him. That is what is written: “They drank, and became inebriated with him” – with him, they drank, but other than with him, they did not drink. ⁶“He commanded the one in charge of his house, saying: Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they are able to carry, and place each man's silver at the opening of his sack” (Genesis 44:1). “And place my goblet, the silver goblet, at the opening of the sack of the youngest, and the silver of his purchase of the grain. He did in accordance with the statement that Joseph had spoken” (Genesis 44:2). “Morning broke, and the men were dispatched, they and their donkeys” (Genesis 44:3). “He commanded the one in charge of his house…Morning broke...” Rabbi Levi said: There was an incident in the South regarding a certain innkeeper, who would rise and don his garments at night and he would say to those who were there: ‘Arise and go on your way, as I will arrange a caravan to accompany you.’ They would go out, robbers would meet them and plunder them, and they would come and divide [the spoils] with him. One time, Rabbi Meir went and was received there. [The innkeeper] arose and donned his garments and he said to him: ‘Arise and go on your way, as I will arrange a caravan to accompany you.’ He said to him: ‘I have a brother, and I am sitting and waiting for him.’ He said to him: ‘Where is he?’ He said to him: ‘In the synagogue.’ He said to him: ‘What is his name? I will go and call him.’ He said to him: ‘Ki tov.’ That entire night, that innkeeper shouted at the entrance of the synagogue: ‘Ki tov, Ki tov,’ but no one answered him. In the morning, Rabbi Meir rose and bridled his donkey in order to depart. The innkeeper said to him: ‘Where is that brother of whom you spoke?’ He said to him: ‘He has arrived: “God saw the light, that it was good [ ki tov ]”’ (Genesis 1:4). ⁷“Behold, silver that we found in the opening of our sacks, we returned to you from the land of Canaan; how would we steal from the house of your lord silver or gold?” (Genesis 44:8). “Behold, silver…” – Rabbi Yishmael taught: This is one of the ten a fortiori inferences that are written in the Torah: “Behold, silver…we returned to you,” all the more so, “how would we steal?” “Behold, the children of Israel did not heed me” (Exodus 6:12), and all the more so, “how will Pharaoh heed me?” (Exodus 6:12). “The Lord said to Moses: And if her father spit in her face, would she not be ashamed seven days?” (Numbers 12:14), all the more so, for [a rebuke from] the Divine Presence, [she should be ashamed] fourteen days. “Behold, while I am still alive with you today, you have been defiant” (Deuteronomy 31:27), all the more so, “so too, after my death” (Deuteronomy 31:27). “For you ran against those on foot and they exhausted you” (Jeremiah 12:5), all the more so, “how will you compete with horses?” (Jeremiah 12:5). “In a land of peace where you are secure” (Jeremiah 12:5), [you are overcome], all the more so, “how will you fare in the thickets of the Jordan?” (Jeremiah 12:5). “Behold, here in Judah we are afraid” (I Samuel 23:3), “all the more so, if we go to Ke'ila” (I Samuel 23:3). “Behold, restitution will be made to the righteous on earth, all the more so the wicked and the sinner” (Proverbs 11:31). “The king said to Queen Esther: In Shushan the citadel [the Jews have killed and eliminated five hundred men]” (Esther 9:12), all the more so, “what must they have done in the rest of the king’s provinces?” (Esther 9:12). “Behold, when it was whole it could not be used for labor, all the more so when fire has consumed it and it is charred” (Ezekiel 15:5). ⁸“He said: Now too, it shall be in accordance with your words; the one with whom it shall be found will be a slave to me, and you shall be exonerated” (Genesis 44:10). “He said: Now too, it shall be in accordance with your words” – ten people, one of whom is implicated in theft, are they not all incarcerated? But I will not do so. “The one with whom it shall be found will be a slave to me.” “He searched, he began with the eldest, and with the youngest he concluded; the goblet was found in Benjamin's sack” (Genesis 44:12). “He searched, he began with the eldest and with the youngest he concluded” – why did he do so? It was so they would not say that he knew where it had been placed. “The goblet was found in Benjamin's sack” – once the goblet was found, they said to him: ‘What [have you done,] thief who is son of a thief?’ He said to them: ‘Is the man [who sold] Joseph here? Are there goats here? Can brothers who sold their brother [accuse me in this manner]? Astounding!’ “They rent their garments, and each man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city” (Genesis 44:13). “They rent their garments…” – Rabbi Pinḥas in the name of Rabbi Hoshaya: The tribes caused their father to rend, that is why, they, too, were afflicted. “Each man loaded his donkey…” – each of them would take his burden with one hand and place it on his donkey. “They returned to the city…” – Rabbi Abahu said: It was a metropolis, and it says: “To the city”? Rather, it teaches that it was no more significant in their eyes than a city of ten people. ). ⁹“Judah said: What shall we say to my lord, what shall we speak, and how shall we justify ourselves? God has revealed the iniquity of your servants; behold, we are my lord's slaves, both we, and he in whose possession the goblet was found” (Genesis 44:16). “Judah said: What shall we say to my lord?” – regarding the first silver; “what shall we speak?” – regarding the second silver; “how shall we justify ourselves?” – regarding the goblet. ). “What shall we say to my lord?” – regarding the act of Tamar; “what shall we speak?” – regarding Bilha; “how shall we justify ourselves?” – regarding Dina. , citing Yad Yosef ). “What shall we say?” to Father in the land of Canaan – regarding Joseph; “what shall we speak?” – regarding Simeon; “how shall we justify ourselves?” – regarding Benjamin. If we say to You that we sinned: It is revealed and known before You that we did not sin. If we say that we did not sin, “God has revealed [ matza ] the iniquity of your servants” (Genesis 44:16) – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The creditor has found the opportunity to collect on his promissory note. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Like one who draws everything [ mematze ] from the barrel and leaves it with its dregs. “He said: Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the goblet was found, he shall be my slave and you, go up in peace to your father” (Genesis 44:17). “He said: Far be it from me…” – Rav Huna in the name of Rabbi Aḥa – he shook out his purple robe. ). “The man in whose hand the goblet was found, he shall be my slave and you, go up in peace to your father” – they said to him: ‘This is peace that has been completely emptied of meaning.’ But the Divine Spirit was shouting: ‘[There will be] “Great peace for those who love Your Torah”’ (Psalms 119:165).