“And we shall live and not die.” Wherever such a double expression appears, it is interpreted as referring to the World to Come, as Rashi explained in Parshat V’Zot HaBeracha (Deuteronomy 33:6) Let Reuben live in this world and not die in the World to Come, and as explained above in Parshat Noah (6:15) on the verse I shall not die but live. Therefore, this double expression here also requires explanation. What seems most likely to me is that Judah said this in reference to both his father Jacob and himself. For Jacob had been told that if none of his sons were to die during his lifetime, he would not see the face of Gehenna (see Tanchuma Vayigash 9). Through sending Benjamin, it would be revealed that Joseph was alive, and then Jacob would live in this world, as it is written (45:27) and the spirit of Jacob their father was revived, and he would not die in the World to Come, as it is written (46:30) I shall die this time — one time and not twice. The spirit of God spoke through Judah when he said we shall live in this world and not die in the World to Come, referring both to you [Jacob] for the reason explained, and also to ourselves. His intention regarding himself was because he had taken upon himself [the oath] if I do not bring him back to you, I will have sinned against my father for all days — meaning in the World to Come. Therefore, he said he was certain he would bring him back, saying Send the youth with me and let us arise and go, and we shall live in this world despite the ravages of famine, for the years of famine will not harm us, and we shall not die in the World to Come due to the ban he had accepted upon himself, for he said I am certain I will bring him back to you. And when he said we, including all the brothers with him, it was because if Joseph were dead and Jacob would see the face of Gehenna, then all the brothers who had brought Jacob to this state would not be assured of being saved from seeing the face of Gehenna, for one who causes a stumbling block deserves to stumble over it himself.

And regarding what he said “also our children,” this is because it is written He who withholds grain, the nation will curse him (Proverbs 11:26). Our Sages explained (Sanhedrin 91b) that even fetuses in their mothers’ wombs curse him, for the word “nation” [le’om] only refers to fetuses, as it is said and one nation [le’om] shall be stronger than the other nation (Genesis 25:23). Although they interpreted (ibid. 91b) withholds grain as referring to one who withholds Torah teachings from a student, nevertheless, the verse does not depart from its simple meaning and speaks of actual grain, for when one withholds produce, women become hungry and this harms the fetuses in their wombs, and certainly their children, for they say to their mothers where is grain and wine? Therefore, Judah said also our children will live in this world, and not die in the World to Come. For if you withhold grain from them, they will curse you and become deserving of death in the World to Come, like one who curses his father, since grandchildren are considered like children (Yevamot 62b). And even though they are minors and not subject to punishment, nevertheless, the sin requires some cleansing to remove the blemish and rust from the soul. According to the simple interpretation, he said also we because a person’s own life takes precedence over his father’s life, and his father’s life takes precedence over the children’s lives. Therefore, he ordered it in this way: also we, also you, also our children.

“And he sent portions from before him, etc.” The brothers assumed that he was giving them gifts and honoring them in order to appease them for having falsely suspected them of being spies. And Benjamin’s portion was increased because through this suspicion, they had needlessly brought him into danger during the journey. However, the truth is that there is a hint here to the future, as Rashi explains later (45:14) regarding and he fell upon Benjamin’s neck and wept — that he wept over the Temple that would be built in his portion and was destined to be destroyed. According to this interpretation, we can say that this is why Benjamin’s portion was increased five-fold [yadot] — as a hint to future generations that the Temple would be built in his portion, and it would contain five things in greater measure, namely: the Divine Presence, the Ark, the Urim and Thummim, prophecy, and heavenly fire — all of which were missing in the Second Temple. A hint to this matter: five times yad equals numerically 70 [represented by the letter ayin], alluding to the Temple being the “eye [ayin] of the earth,” where the 70 members of the Sanhedrin sat, and where 70 bulls were offered corresponding to the 70 nations. Regarding this, he said God be gracious to you, my son, because the Temple possesses an aspect of grace, as it is written And he shall bring forth the headstone with shoutings of “Grace, grace unto it” (Zechariah 4:7).