## Sforno on Genesis Chapter 45

###### Sforno on Genesis 45:1:1
[Sforno on Genesis 45:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:1:1)

**לְהִתְאַפֵּק לְכֹל הַנִּצָּבִים עָלָיו.** לְהִתְאַפֵּק הִתְאַפְּקוּת מַסְפִּיק לְבָרֵר עִסְקֵי כָּל הַנִּצָּבִים עָלָיו.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
להתאפק לכל הנצבים עליו, he did not have the patience at this stage to deal with the private concerns of all the people who were awaiting to receive an audience and were already lining up in that house.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:3:1
[Sforno on Genesis 45:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:3:1)

**הַעוֹד אָבִי חָי.** אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁלֹּא מֵת מִדַּאֲגָתוֹ עָלַי?

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
העוד אבי חי?, “how could he have survived so many years of worry over my fate?”


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:4:1
[Sforno on Genesis 45:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:4:1)

**גְּשׁוּ נָא אֵלַי.** שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁמְעוּ שׁוֹמְעֵי הַבְּכִי אֶת מְכִירָתוֹ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
גשו נא אלי, so that not all the people hearing me cry can see that it is I who is crying.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:4:2
[Sforno on Genesis 45:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:4:2)

**אֲשֶׁר מְכַרְתֶּם.** וּבָזֶה תֵּדְעוּ שֶׁאֲנִי יוֹסֵף בְּלִי סָפֵק, שֶׁלֹּא יָדַע אִישׁ בִּמְכִירָתִי וְשֶׁאֲנִי אֲחִיכֶם זוּלָתֵנוּ, כִּי הַקּוֹנִים לֹא יָדְעוּ שֶׁאֲנִי אֲחִיכֶם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אשר מכרתם, the one whom you have sold! By mentioning this episode you will realise that I can be none other than your brother Joseph, for who else knows about this? The people who bought me as a slave had no idea that I was the sellers’ brother.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:8:1
[Sforno on Genesis 45:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:8:1)

**וְעַתָּה לֹא אַתֶּם שְׁלַחְתֶּם.** הִנֵּה בִּרְאוֹתְכֶם תַּכְלִית אֱלֹהִי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מֻשָּׂג בְּזוּלַת אֵלֶּה הַסִּבּוֹת הַקּוֹדְמוֹת, אֵין סָפֵק שֶׁהַסִּבּוֹת הַקּוֹדְמוֹת הָיוּ גַּם כֵּן בִּרְצוֹן אֱלֹהִי לְסַבֵּב זֶה הַתַּכְלִית.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ועתה לא אתם שלחתם, now that you have seen G’d’s purpose a purpose that could not have been achieved without all the various stages preceding it, it is no more than reasonable to suppose that also the further distant causes which led up to all this were part of G’d’s plan.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:8:2
[Sforno on Genesis 45:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:8:2)

**לְאָב לְפַרְעֹה.** יוֹעֵץ לַמֶּלֶךְ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
לאב לפרעה, as an adviser to the king.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:8:3
[Sforno on Genesis 45:8:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:8:3)

**וּלְאָדוֹן לְכָל בֵּיתוֹ.** מְמוּנֶּה עַל הַבַּיִת.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ולאדון לכל ביתו, in charge of the entire palace.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:8:4
[Sforno on Genesis 45:8:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:8:4)

**וּמוֹשֵׁל בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.** לְהַנְהִיג עִנְיְנֵי הָעַמִּים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ומושל בכל ארץ מצרים, and absolute ruler in the whole land of Egypt concerning national and international affairs.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:9:1
[Sforno on Genesis 45:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:9:1)

**מַהֲרוּ.** שֶׁלֹּא יִצְטַעֵר יוֹתֵר.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
מהרו, so that he will not worry and agonise any longer.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:11:1
[Sforno on Genesis 45:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:11:1)

**פֶּן תִּוָּרֵשׁ.** לְחֶסְרוֹן מִרְעֵה הַצֹּאן, כְּאָמְרָם אַחַר כָּךְ "כִּי אֵין מִרְעֶה לַצֹּאן" (בראשית מז:ד).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
פן תורש, on account of the dearth of grazing land in the land of Canaan. (compare 47,4 “there is no grazing land for our flocks.”)


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:12:1
[Sforno on Genesis 45:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:12:1)

**וְעֵינֵי אָחִי בִנְיָמִין.** שֶׁלֹּא יָדַע בִּמְכִירָתִי.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ועיני אחי בנימין, who had been unaware that Joseph had been sold.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:12:2
[Sforno on Genesis 45:12:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:12:2)

**כִּי פִי הַמְדַבֵּר אֲלֵיכֶם.** בִּלְתִּי מֵלִיץ, וְהִנֵּה בִּמְכִירָתִי לֹא הָיָה אִישׁ מְדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹנֵנוּ זוּלָתֵנוּ, כִּי הַקּוֹנִים הָיוּ יִשְׁמְעֵאלִים וּמִדְיָנִים:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
כי פי המדבר אליכם, without the need of an interpreter. At the time when I had been sold, no one spoke our language except our family. The buyers were Ishmaelites and Midianites, each with their own language


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:13:1
[Sforno on Genesis 45:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:13:1)

**וּמִהַרְתֶּם וְהוֹרַדְתֶּם אֶת אָבִי הֵנָּה.** לְמַעַן יִשְׂמַח לִרְאוֹת.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ומהרתם והורדתם את אבי הנה, in order to afford him the joy to see all this with his own eyes.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:16:1
[Sforno on Genesis 45:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:16:1)

**וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינֵי פַרְעֹה.** שֶׁחָשַׁב שֶׁמִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ תִּהְיֶה הַשְׁגָּחַת יוֹסֵף עַל הָאָרֶץ לֹא כְּהַשְׁגָּחַת גֵּר מַנְהִיג, אֲבָל בְּהַשְׁגָּחַת אֶזְרָח. הוּשַׁב לָשֶׁבֶת בָּאָרֶץ הוּא וְזַרְעוֹ, וְלָזֶה יַשְׁגִּיחַ בְּכָל לֵב לְהֵיטִיב לָאָרֶץ וּלְיוֹשְׁבֶיהָ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**This was good in the eyes of Pharaoh.** He reasoned that if Yoseif’s family settled there he would have more of a stake in the country’s welfare and would perform his duties more diligently.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:17:1
[Sforno on Genesis 45:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:17:1)

**אֱמוֹר אֶל אַחֶיךָ זֹאת עֲשׂוּ.** שֶׁזֹּאת הִיא הַכַּוָּנָה שֶׁתַּעֲשׂוּ, שֶׁתִּקְחוּ **אֶת אֲבִיכֶם וְאֶת בָּתֵּיכֶם**:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אמור אל אחיך זאת עשו, this is what should be your purpose to take your father and your families, etc.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:19:1
[Sforno on Genesis 45:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:19:1)

**וְאַתָּה צֻוֵּיתָה.** וֶאֱמוֹר לָהֶם גַּם כֵּן שֶׁאַתָּה צִוִּיתָ עֲלֵיהֶם:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ואתה צויתה, tell them that you have actually been commanded to bring them here as residents.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:19:2
[Sforno on Genesis 45:19:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:19:2)

**זֹאת עֲשׂוּ.** וּלְהַשִּׂיג זֶה הַמְכֻוָּן שֶׁלֹּא יְמָאֵן אֲבִיכֶם מִבֹּא (בראשית מה:כז-כח).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
קחו לכם מארץ מצרים עגלות, when your father will see carriages all prepared to transport him and his family to Egypt he will have fewer excuses to object to the journey and the upheaval involved in the journey. We know that this was a powerful argument as Yaakov, when seeing the carriages is reported as saying: “I will go down and see my son.” (verse 27-28).


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:19:3
[Sforno on Genesis 45:19:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:19:3)

**קְחוּ לָכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם עֲגָלוֹת.** כִּי כְּשֶׁיִּרְאֶה הָעֲגָלוֹת מוּכָנוֹת שְׁלוּחוֹת מֵאִתָּנוּ, לֹא יִמְצָא כָּל כָּךְ מָקוֹם לִדְחוֹת וּלְמָאֵן. וְכֵן הָיָה אַחַר כָּךְ בְּאָמְרוֹ **וַיַּרְא אֶת הָעֲגָלוֹת אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַח יוֹסֵף לָשֵׂאת אוֹתוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵלְכָה וְאֶרְאֶנּוּ**:


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:20:1
[Sforno on Genesis 45:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:20:1)

**וְעֵינְכֶם אַל תָּחוֹס עַל כְּלֵיכֶם.** שֶׁלֹּא תְּאַחֲרוּ וְיִרְבֶּה הַנֶּזֶק בַּמִּקְנֶה בְּרֹב הָאִחוּר:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ועיניכם אל תחוס על כליכם, do not delay as the resulting damage to your livestock will become greater. the longer you delay.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:23:1
[Sforno on Genesis 45:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:23:1)

**וּלְאָבִיו שָׁלַח כְּזֹאת.** כְּמוֹ מַתְּנַת בִּנְיָמִין, וְעִם זֶה שָׁלַח עֲשָׂרָה חֲמוֹרִים וְעֶשֶׂר אֲתוֹנוֹת, כִּי בָּרַבִּים תִּהְיֶה הַוָּא"ו בַּסּוֹף כְּמוֹ יִשָּׂשכָר זְבוּלוּן וּבִנְיָמִין (שמות א:ב).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ולאביו שלח כזאת, similar to the gifts given to Binyamin. In addition he sent ten donkeys and ten she-asses. In the plural mode the letter ו indicating who else is included appears at the end [the last word in the sequence. Ed.} Examples of such constructions are: .Exodus 1,2 יששכר זבולון ובנימין.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:24:1
[Sforno on Genesis 45:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:24:1)

**וַיְשַׁלַּח אֶת אֶחָיו.** פְּטָרָן וְנָתַן לָהֶם רְשׁוּת, כְּמוֹ "שַׁלְּחֵנִי כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר" (בראשית לב:כז), "שַׁלְּחוּנִי וְאֵלְכָה לַאדֹנִי" (בראשית כד:נו).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וישלח את אחיו, he gave them permission to leave, as when the angel had said to Yaakov (after the wrestling match) שלחני כי עלה השחר, “let me go for dawn has risen.” (32,27) and שלחוני ואלכה לאדוני “let me go, that I may go back to my lord.” (24:56).


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:26:1
[Sforno on Genesis 45:26:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:26:1)

**וַיָּפָג לִבּוֹ.** נִתְעַלֵּף וְחָסְרָה קְצָת דְּפִיקַת לִבּוֹ וְרוּחוֹ מִמַּה שֶ'הָיָה קוֹדֶם, כַּמִּנְהַג בְּעִלּוּף מִדַּאֲגַת לִבּוֹ בְּהַזְכִּירָם אֶת יוֹסֵף.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויפג לבות, he passed out. His heart stopped beating briefly, something common when people have a fainting spell. This occurred at the moment Joseph’s name was mentioned by the brothers.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:26:2
[Sforno on Genesis 45:26:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:26:2)

**כִּי לֹא הֶאֱמִין לָהֶם.** לְפִיכָךְ **וַתְּחִי רוּחַ יַעֲקֹב**, וְלֹא אָבְדָה רוּחוֹ אַחַר כָּךְ כְּשֶׁהֶאֱמִין, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּקְרֶה בְּעֵת הַשִּׂמְחָה הַפִּתְאוֹמִית הַמֵּמִית בְּצֵאת הָרוּחַ הַחִיּוֹנִי אֶל הַחוּץ, כִּי אָמְנָם נִכְנְסָה לִפְנִים בְּעֵת הַדְּאָגָה הַקּוֹדֶמֶת כְּשֶׁלֹּא הֶאֱמִין.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
כי לא האמין להם. so that he had no chance to believe them. Therefore, ותחי רוח יעקב, once his spirit revived he never fainted again so that he was able to believe them. It had been the sudden joy that had been the cause of his fainting. Spirit has a habit of contracting when one suffers worry, etc., whereas it expands when one experiences joy, sometimes even beyond the boundaries of one’s body so that the body faints.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:27:1
[Sforno on Genesis 45:27:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:27:1)

**וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֵלָיו אֵת כָּל דִּבְרֵי יוֹסֵף.** שֶׁאָמַר **וְעוֹד חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים אֲשֶׁר אֵין חָרִישׁ וְקָצִיר**, כְּדֵי לְעָרֵב בַּדָּבָר הַבְּשׂוֹרָה אֵיזֶהוּ דְאָגָה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**They told him all the words.** They informed him that there would be another five years of famine in order that he would not faint from excessive joy.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:27:2
[Sforno on Genesis 45:27:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:27:2)

**וַתְּחִי רוּחַ יַעֲקֹב.** נִרְפָּא מִן הָעִלּוּף הַקּוֹדֵם בְּהַדְרָגַת הַשִּׂמְחָה עִם הַדְּאָגָה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ותחי רוח יעקב, he recovered from his fainting spell now that the joy had been tempered by a worrisome element.


###### Sforno on Genesis 45:28:1
[Sforno on Genesis 45:28:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/45:28:1)

**רַב אֵלְכָה וְאֶרְאֶנּוּ.** לֹא שֶׁאָגוּר שָׁם כִּדְבָרָיו.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
רב...אלכה ואראנה, I will go and see him, but will not remain there as he has said.