= Genesis 43 Discussion
* Please see [[nbp2:license|License]] for Copyright notice and Licensing information.

== Genesis 43
1 And the famine was brutal.

2 And it shortly came to pass, when they had eaten up all the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, "Go again, buy us a little food."

3 And Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man did solemnly warn us, saying, 'You shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.'

4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food;

5 but if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.'"

6 And Israel said, "Why did you cause so much trouble by telling him you had a brother?"

7 And they said, "The man asked questions about us and our family, saying, Is your father still alive? Don't you have another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words; how could we know that he would ask us to bring our brother down?"

8 And Judah said unto Israel his father, "Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.

9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt you require him; if I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then [a]let me bear the blame for ever;

10 for if we had not waited so long we could have already been back with more grain."

11 And their father Israel said unto them, "If it be so now, do this: take of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry gifts for the man; a little balm, and a little honey, spicery and myrrh, [b]nuts, and almonds;

12 and take double money in your hand; and the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks carry again in your hand, in case it was an oversight;

=== Jacob suffereth Benjamin to depart with his children.
13 take your brother, and go again to see the man;

=== Simeon is delivered out of prison.
14 and [c]God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release your brother and Benjamin. And if I lose another child, then I lose another child."

15 And the brothers took the presents, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Bring the men into the house, and prepare meat, and make ready; for the men shall dine with me at noon."

17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the brothers to Joseph’s house.

18 And the brothers were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, "Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may [d]seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our animals."

19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke unto him at the door of the house,

20 and said, "Oh, my lord, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

21 and then when we came to camp, we opened our sacks, and saw every man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; therefore we have brought it again in our hand.

22 And other money we have also brought down in our hand to buy food; we don't know who put our money in our sacks."

23 And he said, "Peace be to you, fear not; your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them."

24 And the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their animals food for the day.

25 And they made ready the present against Joseph’s coming at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.

26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the presents they had into the house, and bowed down deeply before him.

27 And he asked them how they were doing, and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"

28 And they said, "Your servant our father is well, he is still alive." And they bowed the head, and made obeisance.

29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother’s son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke earlier?" And he said, "God be gracious unto you, my son."

=== Joseph goeth aside and weepeth.
30 And Joseph made haste; for his heart yearned over his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.

31 And he washed his face, and came out; and he restrained himself, and said, "Set on bread."

32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, that ate with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

33 And they sat before him, the first-born according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one with another.

34 And [e]he took and sent meals to them from his own store: but Benjamin’s meals were five times as many as anyone else's. And they ate, and drank, and [f]were merry with him.

== Notes
[9] Hebrew I shall have sinned against thee for ever.

[11] That is, pistachio nuts.

[14] Hebrew El Shaddai.

[18] Hebrew roll himself upon us.

[33] This is one of my favorite passages in the Torah.

[34] Or, messes were taken

[34] Hebrew drank largely.

== Rashi
Selected commentary.

=== [2]
h.כאשר כלו לאכל WHEN THEY HAD EATEN UP — Judah said to them: Leave the old man alone until the house will run short of bread (Midrash Tanchuma, Miketz 8).

h.כאשר כלו WHEN THEY HAD FINISHED [EATING THE GRAIN] — The Targum renders it by כד שציאו which means “when they finished” in the sense of making an end of doing an action. He who has the reading in the Targum כד ספיקו “when they had enough” is in error. The words (24:22) כאשר כלו הגמלים לשתות “when the camels had finished drinking” are rightly rendered in the Targum כד ספיקו which means “when they had drunk sufficient for their needs”, for that was the end of their drinking. Here, however, this phrase “when they had finished eating” refers to the time when the food came to an end, and we should render it in the Targum by כד שציאו when they had finished (which means finishing in the sense of nothing being left over). 

=== [3] solemnly protest
h.העד העד [THE MAN] DID SOLEMNLY PROTEST UNTO US — The Hebrew is an expression signifying warning and it is derived from the root עוד to bear witness, because a warning is, as a rule, given in the presence of witnesses. Other examples are (Jeremiah 11:7) “I earnestly forewarned (העדותי) your fathers”, and (Exodus [19]:21) “Go, warn (העד) the people.

h.“לא תראו מני בלתי אחיכם אתכם means YE SHALL NOT SEE ME IF YOUR BROTHER BE NOT WITH YOU — Onkelos renders it by אלהין כד אחוכון עמכון ,“except when your brother is with you” adding the word כד when, to which there is no corresponding word in the Hebrew text. He gave the explanation of the word (בלתי) correctly, but he was not particular to translate according to the exact expression used in the text. 

=== [7]
h.לנו ולמולדתנו CONCERNING OURSELVES AND CONCERNING OUR KINDRED — concerning our families. A Midrashic comment based upon the meaning of מולדת, “birth” — He asked of us concerning the circumstances of our birth — is: he could even tell us of what kind of wood our cradles were made (Genesis Rabbah 91:10).

h.ונגד לו AND WE TOLD HIM that we had a father and a brother.

h.על פי הדברים האלה ACCORDING TO THE TENOR OF THESE WORDS — we were forced to tell him according to the tenor of the questions he put to us.

h.כי יאמר THAT HE WOULD SAY — The word כי is used here in the sense of אשר “that”. The word כי may be used in the sense of אם and אם may be used in the sense of אשר; therefore this (i.e. אשר) is one of the four meanings in which כי, according to the Rabbis, is used, viz., אם (Rosh Hashanah 3a), for the word כי here has the same meaning as אם, as in (24:33) עד אם דברתי דברי “until that I have spoken my words” (where אם is the same as כי or אשר).

=== [8]
h.ונחיה THAT WE MAY LIVE — (literally, and we shall live). The spirit of prophecy was enkindled within him. He said: owing to this journey your spirit will live again, which indeed happened, as it is said, (Genesis 45:27) “And the spirit of Jacob, their father, revived”.

h.ולא נמות AND THAT WE MAY NOT DIE of hunger. As for Benjamin it is doubtful whether he will be seized or whether he will not be seized, but as for us, we shall certainly all die of hunger if we do not go. It is better that you should let go what is doubtful and snatch at what is certain (Genesis Rabbah 91:6). 

=== [9]
h.והצגתיו לפניך AND SET HIM BEFORE THEE — for I will not bring him back to you dead but alive.

h.וחטאתי לך כל הימים THEN SHALL I HAVE SINNED AGAINST THEE ALL THE DAYS — also in the world to come (Genesis Rabbah 91:10). 

=== [10]
h.לולא התמהמהנו EXCEPT WE HAD LINGERED — through you, we would have already come back with Simeon and you would not have had this anxiety all these days. 

=== [11]
h.אפוא NOW — This is really a redundant word used in Hebrew for stylistic purposes. If it be so that I am compelled to do this — that I must send him with you — I must endeavour to seek where (אי) there is here (פה) some measure and plan to propose to you and therefore, I say: “Do this”.

h.מזמרת הארץ OF THE CHOICE PRODUCTS OF THE LAND — This is rendered in the Targum by “Take of that which is praised in the land” — that about which people sing its praise (מזמרים) when it comes into existence (Genesis Rabbah 91:11).

h.נכאת is WAX (Genesis Rabbah 91:11; cf. 37:25).

h.בטנים PISTACHIO-NUTS — I do not know what these are. but in the definitions given in the Dictionary of R. Machir I have read that they are Pistachios; I think that they are peaches. 

=== [12]
h.וכסף משנה AND DOUBLE MONEY — twice as much as at first.

h.קחו בידכם TAKE IN YOUR HAND to buy food: perhaps the market-price has risen (Genesis Rabbah 91:11).

h.אולי משגה הוא PERADVENTURE IT WAS AN OVERSIGHT — perhaps the man in charge of the house forgot it inadvertently). 

=== [14]
h.ואל שדי AND GOD ALMIGHTY — Now you lack nothing except prayer, and therefore I pray for you (Genesis Rabbah 91:11).

h.אל שדי God שֶׁ-דַּי who gives plenteous mercy and in whose hand is sufficient power to give — may He give you mercy. This is the real meaning of the words. A Midrashic explanation is: He who said to the Universe, “Enough!”, may He say “Enough!” to my troubles. I have had no rest since my youth — trouble through Laban, trouble through Esau, the trouble of Rachel, the trouble of Dinah, the trouble of Joseph, the trouble of Simeon, the trouble of Benjamin (Genesis Rabbah 92:1).

h.ושלח לכם means AND MAY HE RELEASE UNTO YOU, as the Targum renders it — may He release him from his bonds. It has the same meaning as (Exodus 21:26) “He shall let him go, יְשַׁלְּחֶנוּ (Piel) free”. It would not have been correct to translate it in the Targum by “and may he send to you your other brother”, because, as a matter of fact, they were going there where he was.

h.את אחיכם YOUR BROTHER — This refers to Simeon.

h.אחר THE OTHER ONE — The spirit of prophecy was diffused upon him so that he included Joseph also (Genesis Rabbah 92:3).

h.ואני AND AS FOR ME — until you return I shall feel myself bereaved of my children being in constant suspense.

h.כאשר שכלתי means EVEN AS I AM BEREAVED of Joseph and of Simeon

h.שכלתי I SHALL BE BEREAVED of Benjamin.

=== [15]
h.ואת בנימין [AND THEY TOOK DOUBLE MONEY] AND BENJAMIN — We render this in the Targum by ודברו ית בנימן “and they led Benjamin away”, because the same expression cannot be used in Aramaic for taking money and for taking a person. In the case of a thing that can be taken in the hand the Targum uses ונסיב “and he carried” for the Hebrew verb לקח, whilst in the case of a person who is taken by persuasion (literally, by leading him with words) the Targum uses ודבר and he led away. 

=== [16]
h.וטבח טבח והכן AND SLAUGHTER THE BEASTS AND MAKE READY — The Hebrew is the same as ולטבח טבח ולהכין (infinitives) “and to slaughter… and to prepare”. The word וּטְבֹחַ is not an imperative, for this should be וּטְבַח (as from שָׁלַח the imperative is שְׁלַח).

h.בצהרים AT NOON — This word is rendered in the Targum by בשירותא which in Aramaic denotes the first meal during the day ; in old French disner. It occurs frequently in the Talmud: (Taanit 11a, lib) “He threw the dog שירותיה his meal; (Berakhot 39b) “he cut bread for the whole of שירותא his meal.” But wherever צהרים means noon it is translated in the Targum by טיהרא.

=== [18]
h.וייראו האנשים  AND THE MEN WERE AFRAID — The word ויראו is written with two yods and its translation in the Targum is ודחילו and they were afraid.

h.כי הובאו בית יוסף BECAUSE THEY WERE BROUGHT INTO JOSEPH S HOUSE, and it was not usual for other people who came to buy corn to stay overnight in Joseph’s house but in the inns of the city. וייראו AND THEY WERE AFRAID, because this could be only for the purpose of putting them in prison.

h.אנחנו מובאים WE HAVE BEEN BROUGHT inside this house.

h.להתגלל means THAT THERE MAY BE ROLLED UPON US an accusation regarding the money AND THAT THIS MAY FALL UPON US. And according to Onkelos who rendered ולהתנפל עלינו by ולאסתקפא עלנא, it signifies seeking an occasion — just as we render in the Targum the words (Deuteronomy 12:17) עלילת דברים, which mean a pretext, by תסקופי מלין “intrigues” — but he did not translate it literally. The word ולהתגלל which he translated by לאתרברבא “to play the lord over us” he takes as connected in meaning with (Ecclesiastes 12:6) “the bowl of (גלת) gold”, and (Nahum 2:8) “And Huzzab the queen (גלתה) is carried away”, where these words from the root גלל denote symbolically royal rank.

=== [20]
h.בי אדני O, MY LORD — The word בי is an expression of entreaty (בעיא) and supplication. In Aramaic we have בייא בייא “woe, woe!” (Yoma 69b).

h.ירד ירדנו WE CAME INDEED DOWN — This is a “come down” (degradation) for us. We have been accustomed to give food to others and now we are dependent upon you (Genesis Rabbah 92:4). 

=== [23]
h.אלהיכם YOUR GOD — your God because of your own merits: and if your own merits do not suffice, then ואלהי אביכם THE GOD OF YOUR FATHER — because of your father’s merits HE HAS GIVEN YOU A TREASURE (Genesis Rabbah 92:4). 

=== [24]
h.ויבא האיש AND THE MAN BROUGHT [THE MEN] — There is here a mention of bringing in after bringing in has been mentioned in Genesis 5:17, because then they hustled him outside so that they spoke to him at the door of the house (cf. Genesis 5:18 and Genesis 5:19 where they said אנחנו מובאים “we are being brought”), but as soon as he said to them “Peace be with you” they followed and went after him, into the house (Genesis Rabbah 92:4).

=== [25]
h.ויכינו means AND THEY MADE READY — they laid it out ornately in fine vessels.

=== [26]
h.הביתה [THEY BROUGHT THE PRESENT] INTO THE HOUSE — from the outer hall into the reception hall.

=== [28]
h.ויקדו וישתחו AND THEY BOWED THE HEAD AND PROSTRATED THEMSELVES — in recognition of his enquiry regarding their welfare. The root קדד denotes bowing the head: the verb שחה in the Hiphil denotes prostration upon the ground (Megillah 22b). 

=== [29]
h.אלהים יחנך בני GOD BE GRACIOUS UNTO THEE, MY SON — With regard of the other sons of Jacob we have heard the expression “grace” used — viz., (33:5) “[The children] whom God hath graciously given (חנן) to thy servant”. But Benjamin had not then been born and therefore was not included amongst the children of whom Jacob used this term; on this account Joseph used the term “grace” in blessing him (Genesis Rabbah 92:5). 

=== [30]
h.כי נכמרו רחמיו FOR HIS COMPASSION WAS EXCITED — He asked him, “Have you a brother of the same mother as yourself?” — He replied, “I had a brother but I know not where he is”. — “Have you sons?” He replied, “I have ten”. Joseph asked him, “And what are their names?” Benjamin replied, “Bela, Becher etc.” (cf. 46:21). Joseph then enquired, “What are the ideas underlying these names?” He replied, “They all have some reference to my brother and the troubles that have befallen him. I called them Bela (בלע) because he disappeared (נבלע) amongst alien nations; Becher (בכר) because he was the firstborn (בכור) of his mother; Ashbel (אשבאל) because God sent him into captivity (שבאו אל), Gera (גרא) because he had to live (גר) in a foreign country; Naaman (נעמן) because he was exceedingly pleasant (נעים); Ahi (אחי) and Rosh (ראש) because he was my brother (אח) and my superior (ראש) ; Muppim (מופים) because he learned from the mouth (מפי) of my father; Huppim (חופים) because he did not witness my marriage (חופה —marriage canopy) and I did not witness his marriage; and Ard (ארד) because he went down (ירד) amongst the nations” — just as it related in Treatise Sotah 36b. When he heard all this immediately his affection was enkindled.

h.נכמרו means WAS ENKINDLED, BECAME HOT — In Mishnaic Hebrew we have (Bava Metzia 74a) “upon (כומר) a mass of heated olives”; in Aramaic (Pesachim 58a) “because of the (מכמר) drying up (through heat of the weather) of the meat”. And in Biblical Hebrew we have (Lamentations 5:10) “Our skin is hot (נכמרו) as though by an oven” — i.e. it became hot and full of wrinkles “because of the burning heat of the famine”, for it is the nature of any skin to wrinkle and shrink together when it becomes hot. 

=== [31]
h.ויתאפק AND HE REFRAINED HIMSELF — He made a strong effort. The root in this sense occurs in (Job 41:7) אפיקי “the strong parts of the shields”. Similar also is (Job 12:21) “And He looseth the belt of the (אפיקים) strong”. 

=== [32]
h.כי תועבה היא FOR THAT IS AN ABOMINATION — it is a hateful thing to the Egyptians to eat together with the Hebrews. Onkelos states a reason for this. 

=== [33]
h.הבכור כבכרתו THE FIRST-BORN ACCORDING TO HIS BIRTHRIGHT — He struck the goblet and called aloud: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulon, sons of one mother, take your seats at the table in this order which is the order in which you were born — and similarly in the case of them all. When he reached Benjamin’s name he said, “This one has no mother and I have no mother — let him sit beside me” (Genesis Rabbah 92:5).

=== [34]
h.משאת means PORTIONS OF FOOD.

h.חמש ידות FIVE TIMES — His own portion that was due to him alike with his brothers and additional portions given to him by Joseph, Asenath, Manasseh and Ephraim (Genesis Rabbah 92.5).

h.וישכרו עמו AND THEY DRANK WITH HIM — but from the day they sold him they had not drunk wine nor had he drunk wine. That day, however, they drank wine (Genesis Rabbah 92:5).