## Sforno on Genesis Chapter 44

###### Sforno on Genesis 44:1:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:1:1)

**וְשִׂים כֶּסֶף אִישׁ בְּפִי אַמְתַּחְתּוֹ.** בִּידִיעָתָם שֶׁתֹּאמַר לָהֶם שֶׁחָפַצְתִּי לְשַׁלֵּם לָהֶם טוֹבָה תְּמוּרַת הַצַּעַר שֶׁצִּעַרְתִּים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ושים כסף איש בפי אמתחתו, and inform them about it, so that they will realise that I am trying to compensate them for the anguish to which I have subjected them.


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:2:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:2:1)

**תָּשִׂים בְּפִי אַמְתַּחַת הַקָּטֹן.** לִרְאוֹת אֵיךְ יִמְסְרוּ עַצְמָם עָלָיו כְּדֵי לְהַצִּילוֹ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
תשים בפי אמתחת הקטן, in order to test how the brothers would react to Binyamin becoming involved as the victim of a potentially life-threatening accusation, and what the brothers would do in order to save him.


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:5:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:5:1)

**הֲלֹא זֶה אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁתֶּה אֲדֹנִי בּוֹ.** הָיָה דְּבָרוֹ עִמָּהֶם כְּחוֹשֵׁב שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כֻּלָּם יוֹדְעִים הַדָּבָר.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
הלא זה אשר ישתה אדוני בו?, He spoke to them as if they all knew that the goblet in question was Joseph’s special goblet.


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:7:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:7:1)

**לָמָּה יְדַבֵּר אֲדֹנִי כַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה?** כְּמוֹ חוֹשֵׁד אֶת כֻּלָּנוּ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
למה ידבר אדוני כדברים האלה?, as if he were suspecting all of us?


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:10:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:10:1)

**גַּם עַתָּה כְדִבְרֵיכֶם כֵּן הוּא.** אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעַתָּה בָּזֶה הָעִנְיָן כֵּן הוּא הַדִּין כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֲמַרְתֶּם, בִּהְיוֹת הַגָּבִיעַ גְּבִיעַ הַשַּׁלִּיט אֲשֶׁר שִׁלֵּם לָכֶם טוֹבָה לְהָשִׁיב כַּסְפְּכֶם אִישׁ אֶל שַׂקּוֹ, מִכָּל מָקוֹם הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִמָּצֵא אִתּוֹ הוּא יִהְיֶה לִּי עֶבֶד וְלֹא כֻּלְּכֶם, וְגַם הוּא לֹא יָמוּת כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מִן הַדִּין.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
גם עתה כדבריכם כן הוא. Even though now, in this instance the argument you cite is logical, correct, but in this special circumstance, the goblet in question belonging to the king, a man who has treated you well by giving back all your money in your sacks, the fact is that האיש אש אתו ימצא הגביע הוא יהיה לי עבד, and not all of you. Even this individual will not be sentenced to death as would be required if we applied the law in all its strictness.


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:10:2
[Sforno on Genesis 44:10:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:10:2)

**וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ נְקִיִּים.** מֵעַבְדוּת וּמִכָּל עֹנֶשׁ אַחֵר:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ואתם תהיו נקיים. You will both be free from becoming slaves or any other form of punishment.


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:15:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:15:1)

**מָה הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַזֶּה.** שֶׁהָיָה בּוֹ רֶשַׁע עִם סִכְלוּת, שֶׁהָיָה לָכֶם לַחְשׁוֹב שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲלֶה זֶה בְּיֶדְכֶם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**What is this deed.** It was not only wicked but foolish as well, because I am an expert diviner.


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:16:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:16:1)

**מַה נֹּאמַר לַאדֹנִי.** לְהָשִׁיב עַל דְּבָרֶיךָ כְּשֶׁאָמַרְתָּ **מָה הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַזֶּה**, כִּי אָמְנָם?

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**What shall we say.** What can we say in response?


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:16:2
[Sforno on Genesis 44:16:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:16:2)

**מַה נְּדַבֵּר.** לְהַכְחִישׁ שֶׁלֹּא עָשִׂינוּ זֹאת אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַדִּין עִמָּנוּ?

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
מה נדבר? What can we possibly say in justification? How could we prove that we did not do what you accuse us of?


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:16:3
[Sforno on Genesis 44:16:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:16:3)

**וּמַה נִּצְטַדָּק.** לְהוֹכִיחַ בְּמִישׁוֹר שֶׁהָיָה הַכֹּל תַּחְבּוּלָה לְהִתְעוֹלֵל?

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**How can we justify ourselves.** How can we prove that we have been framed?


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:16:4
[Sforno on Genesis 44:16:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:16:4)

**הָאֱלֹהִים מָצָא אֶת עֲוֺן עֲבָדֶיךָ.** לֹא בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה אָנוּ נֶעֱנָשִׁים, שֶׁלֹּא חָטָאנוּ בָּזֶה כְּלָל, אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל עָוֹן שֶׁעָשִׂינוּ לְיָמִים רִאשׁוֹנִים רָצָה הָאֵל לְהַעֲנִישֵׁנוּ לְהִפָּרַע מִמֶּנּוּ עַל יָדְךָ, עַל דֶּרֶךְ "מֵרְשָׁעִים יֵצֵא רֶשַׁע" (שמואל א כד:יד), כְּמַאֲמַר לוּלְיָנוּס וּפַפּוּס (איכה רבתי) בְּאָמְרָם: "אָנוּ הַרְבֵּה נִתְחַיַּבְנוּ מִיתָה לַמָּקוֹם, אֶלָּא הַרְבֵּה שְׁלוּחִים לַמָּקוֹם, נְמֵרִים וַאֲרָיוֹת שֶׁפּוֹגְעִים בָּנוּ, וְלֹא נִפְרָע מִמֶּנּוּ אֶלָּא עַל יָדְךָ שֶׁעָתִיד לִתְבּוֹעַ דָּמֵנוּ מִיָּדְךָ".

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**God has found the iniquity.** Hashem is punishing us not for this deed, of which we are innocent, but for a much earlier crime


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:17:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:17:1)

**חָלִילָה לִּי מֵעֲשׂוֹת זֹאת.** שֶׁאֶהְיֶה אֲנִי הַשָּׁלִיחַ לְהִפָּרַע מִכֶּם מֵעֲוֹנוֹתֵיכֶם הַקּוֹדְמִים, כְּעִנְיַן "מֵרְשָׁעִים יֵצֵא רֶשַׁע" (שמואל א כד:יד), וְיָדִי לֹא תִהְיֶה בָּךְ. לֹא אֶקַּח לְעֶבֶד וְלֹא אַעֲנִישׁ זוּלָתִי הַחוֹטֵא אֵלַי עַתָּה בָּזֶה הַחֵטְא בִּלְבַד. חסלת פרשת מקץ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**It would be degrading for me.** I do not wish to be the instrument of chastisement for your earlier crimes because Hashem uses the wicked for that purpose; see *I Shemuel* 24:14.


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:18:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:18:1)

**וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלָיו... יְדַבֶּר נָא עַבְדְּךָ דָבָר.** מֵאַחַר שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ **חָלִילָה לִּי מֵעֲשׂוֹת זֹאת**, שֶׁלֹּא תַחְפֹּץ שֶׁתִּהְיֶה תַּקָּלָה עַל יָדְךָ אֲפִלּוּ לְחַיָּבִים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויגש אליו. ידבר נא עבדך דבר. After you yourself have said (verse 17) that you do not want to do anything which would pervert justice,


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:18:2
[Sforno on Genesis 44:18:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:18:2)

**יְדַבֶּר נָא עַבְדְּךָ.** לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ הַתַּקָּלָה שֶׁתֵּאָרַע עַל יָדְךָ אִם תַּעֲשֶׂה זֶה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ידבר נא עבדך, let me explain to you what unfairness and perversion of justice would result from the course of action you plan.


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:18:3
[Sforno on Genesis 44:18:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:18:3)

**וְאַל יִחַר אַפְּךָ.** בְּאָמְרִי אֵלֶיךָ שֶׁאַתָּה גָּרַמְתָּ זֹאת הַתַּקָּלָה עַל כָּרְחֵנוּ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ואל יחר אפך, and do not become angry when I tell you that you will be guilty of this perversion of justice unwittingly.


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:18:4
[Sforno on Genesis 44:18:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:18:4)

**כִּי כָמוֹךָ כְּפַרְעֹה.** כִּי מַה שֶׁאַטִּיחַ דְּבָרִים כְּנֶגְדְּךָ לֹא יִהְיֶה מִהְיוֹתִי בִּלְתִּי מַחְשִׁיב אוֹתְךָ, כִּי אָמְנָם אַתָּה חָשׁוּב בְּעֵינֵי כְּמוֹ פַּרְעֹה שֶׁהוּא הַמֶּלֶךְ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
כי כמוך כפרעה, the fact that I address my words to you is not to be considered personally, as I address them to you in your capacity of representing Pharaoh himself.


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:20:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:20:1)

**וְאָבִיו אֲהֵבוֹ.** יוֹתֵר מִכֻּלָּנוּ, וְלָכֵן לֹא הִנִּיחוֹ בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה לָבוֹא עִמָּנוּ, וְזֹאת הָיְתָה הַסִּבָּה שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה עִמָּנוּ אָז, לֹא שֶׁשְּׁלַחְנוּהוּ לְרַגֵּל כַּאֲשֶׁר חָשַׁבְתָּ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ואביו אהבו, more than he loves all (any) of us combined. Therefore he did not allow him to come to Egypt the first time we came here in order to buy food for our families. The reason was not that we came on a spying mission, as you appear to have thought


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:21:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:21:1)

**וְאָשִׂימָה עֵינִי עָלָיו.** וְאֵין צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּדְאַג אָבִיו לְשָׁלְחוֹ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ואשימה עיני עליו. There was therefore no reason why his father should be concerned that he would not be allowed to return home.


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:22:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:22:1)

**לֹא יוּכַל הַנַּעַר לַעֲזֹב אֶת אָבִיו.** כִּי מֵאָז שֶׁיַּעֲזֹב אֶת גַּעֲגוּעֵי אָבִיו וְהַסְבָּרַת פָּנָיו יִתְעַצֵּב וְנָפַל לְמִשְׁכָּב וְאָז יָמוּת:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
לא יוכל הנער לעזוב את אביו, from the moment he will have left his father, he will pine for his father and become sick or die. Furthermore,


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:22:2
[Sforno on Genesis 44:22:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:22:2)

**וְעָזַב אֶת אָבִיו וָמֵת.** וְעִם זֶה אָבִיו יָמוּת בְּלִי סָפֵק:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ועזב את אביו ומת, also his father will die without question if the lad leaves him.


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:23:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:23:1)

**אִם לֹא יֵרֵד.** אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁשָּׁמַעְתָּ טַעֲנוֹתֵינוּ הָאֲמִתִּיּוֹת, גָּזַרְתָּ עָלֵינוּ בְּרָצוֹן פָּשׁוּט וּבִקְנָס שֶׁנְּבִיאֵהוּ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אם לא ירד, even though you have heard our true arguments against our bringing him here, you insisted as a form of punishment that we bring him with us on penalty of not getting food.


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:24:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:24:1)

**וַנַּגֶּד לוֹ אֵת דִּבְרֵי אֲדֹנִי.** וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא שָׁמַע לְשַׁלְּחוֹ אָז.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ונגד לו את דברי אדוני, even after haring that you insisted that we bring him here, our father still refused to let him go with us


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:25:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:25:1)

**שׁוּבוּ שִׁבְרוּ לָנוּ.** וּבְהֶכְרֵחַ הָרָעָב הִכְרַחְנוּהוּ לְשַׁלְּחוֹ, וּבְכָל זֹאת הֵעִיד בָּנוּ שֶׁאוּלַי לֹא נְבִיאֵהוּ אֵלָיו וְנִהְיֶה סִבַּת מִיתָתוֹ בְּיָגוֹן:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
שובו שברו לנו; due to the severity of the famine we forced our father to send the lad. In spite of the duress he was under he warned us that if we would not bring him back this would be the death of him and he would go to his grave in deep sorrow


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:30:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:30:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:30:1)

**וְעַתָּה כְּבוֹאִי וְהוֹרִידוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ.** מֵאַחַר שֶׁהֵעִיד בָּנוּ הֵנָּה, כַּאֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה כֵּן לֹא יְיוּחַס זֶה אֶל הַמִּקְרֶה, אֲבָל רָאוּי שֶׁיְּיוּחַס לָנוּ שֶׁעָשִׂינוּ זֹאת הַתַּקָּלָה בְּיָדַיִם, כְּעִנְיַן "בְּטֶרֶם תָּבוֹא הִשְׁמַעְתִּיךָ פֶּן תֹּאמַר עָצְבִּי עָשָׂם" (ישעיהו מח:ה).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ועתה כבואי....והורידו עבדיך, after he had warned us, if anything were to happen to him it would no longer be considered an accident but we would be given the blame having been warned not to take him along. A similar consideration is mentioned in Isaiah 48,5 under the heading of בטרם תבא השמעתיך פן תאמר עצבי עשם, “therefore I told you long beforehand, announced things before they happened, that you might not say: “my idol caused them.”


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:32:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:32:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:32:1)

**כִּי עַבְדְּךָ עָרַב.** וְהַטַּעַם שֶׁיָּמוּת בִּרְאוֹתוֹ כִּי אֵין הַנַּעַר מִבִּלְתִּי שֶׁיִּשְׁאַל מַה הָיָה לוֹ, הוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁעַבְדְּךָ עָרֵב, וּמֵאַחַר שֶׁלֹּא אֲבִיאֶנּוּ יַחְשֹׁב שֶׁאָבַד בְּלִי סָפֵק, וְשֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל זֶה לֹא יָכֹלְתִּי לְקַיֵּם נִדְרִי.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
כי עבדך ערב, the reason why he would die as soon as the lad did not return without even asking what happened to him is because I have guaranteed the safe return of the lad. As soon as he would notice that that I did not bring him back, he would automatically assume that something fatal had happened to him, and that I had been unable to make good on my vow on account of that.


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:33:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:33:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:33:1)

**וְעַתָּה יֵשֶׁב נָא עַבְדְּךָ תַּחַת הַנַּעַר.** לְפִיכָךְ אֲנִי מְבַקֵּשׁ לִהְיוֹת עֶבֶד תַּחְתָּיו, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא אֶחְטָא לְאָבִי כָּל הַיָּמִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁקִּבַּלְתִּי עָלַי:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ועתה ישב נא עבדך תחת הנער, therefore I beg you to let me be the slave in lieu of the lad so that I will not have to remain a sinner against my father for the rest of my life.


###### Sforno on Genesis 44:34:1
[Sforno on Genesis 44:34:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/44:34:1)

**כִּי אֵיךְ אֶעֱלֶה.** אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁחָשַׁבְתִּי שֶׁיִּצְטַעֵר עָלַי, טוֹב לִי שֶׁלֹּא אֶרְאֶנּוּ בְּאוֹתוֹ הַצַּעַר:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
כי איך אעלה, even though I know he will be pained by my failing to return it is better for me not to have to watch him in his anguish