THAT HE MAY SEND AWAY YOUR OTHER BROTHER, AND BENJAMIN. In line with the literal interpretation of Scripture, it would seem that Simeon was not a favorite of his father because of the Shechem affair.¹⁷⁷ This was why he did not say, “My son Simeon, and Benjamin,” as he would not mention him by name, and as he left him in Egypt for a long time. Indeed, had there been food in his house, he would not yet have sent Benjamin, and he would have left him [Simeon] in Egypt. Now Rashi wrote, “The other one: the spirit of prophecy was enkindled within Jacob so as to include Joseph.” In Bereshith Rabbah¹⁷⁸ they also said: “That he may send away your brother: this refers to Joseph. The other one: this refers to Simeon.” This is correct, for at the moment of prayer, Jacob directed his heart to pray in a general manner for the other one [Joseph] also, for perhaps he is still alive. There in Bereshith Rabbah,¹⁷⁸ the Rabbis expounded on the verse in yet another way, saying, “Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi interpreted the verse as alluding to the exiles: And G-d Almighty give you compassion before the man — this is a reference to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, The Eternal is a man of war,¹⁷⁹ and it is written, And He gave them compassion before their captors.¹⁸⁰ That he may send away your brother — this alludes to the Ten Tribes exiled by the Assyrians.¹⁸¹ The other one, and Benjamin — this refers to the exile of Judah and Benjamin. And as for me, bereaved by the First Destruction [brought about by the Babylonians], I am bereaved by the Second Destruction [caused by the Romans], but no more will I be bereaved.”¹⁸² This is the language of the Rabbis, may their memory be blessed. The intent of this text is to suggest that Jacob’s going down to Egypt alludes to our present exile at the hand of Edom, as I will explain,¹⁸³. and the prophet [Jacob] saw this matter at its very inception, and so he prayed about it in a general way, which was applicable to the moment as well as to the future.¹⁸⁴ This verse, according to their interpretation, contains a great mystic thought. Jacob was saying: “And G-d Almighty, by the Divine attribute of justice, give you the compassion that is before Him,” meaning that “He should direct you upward from the Divine attribute of justice to that of compassion.” The student versed in the mystic teachings of the Torah will understand.

footnotes: ¹⁷⁷ Above, 34:25-30. ¹⁷⁸ 92:3. ¹⁷⁸ 92:3. ¹⁷⁹ Exodus 15:3. ¹⁸⁰ Psalms 106:46. ¹⁸¹ II Kings 17:6. ¹⁸² Following the redemption from the Roman exile, there will no longer be a destruction. See Ramban’s work, Sefer Hage’ulah (Book of Redemption) in my Kitvei Haramban, Vol. I, where he expounds this theme at great length. ¹⁸³ See the beginning of Seder Vayechi ¹⁸⁴ See Ramban above, 12:6.

AND AS FOR ME, AS I AM BEREAVED, I AM BEREAVED. “And as for me, until you return I shall be bereaved because of doubt. As I am bereaved of Joseph and Simeon, I am bereaved of Benjamin.” These are the words of Rashi. The correct interpretation is that Jacob is saying that “you can no longer add to my bereavement as I am already bereaved.” He thus consoled himself about everything that came upon him by his great suffering for Joseph. In a similar sense is the verse, And as I perish, I perish,¹⁸⁵ meaning “I have already perished,¹⁸⁶). and if the king will slay me he will not add to my destruction.”

footnotes: ¹⁸⁵ Esther 4:16. ¹⁸⁶ By being separated from my people. (Abraham ibn Ezra, ibid

THAT HE MAY DEVISE SOME PRETEXT (‘L’HITHGOLEIL’) AGAINST US. The word l’hithgoleil is of the same root as: *And Amasa lay wallowing (‘mithgoleil’) in blood?*¹⁸⁷ And every cloak rolled (‘m’golalah’) in blood.¹⁸⁸ [Its meaning is] as a man who turns from side to side upon his fellow.

footnotes: ¹⁸⁷ II Samuel 20:12. ¹⁸⁸ Isaiah 9:4.

AND TO FALL UPON US. I.e., as a man who intentionally throws his full stature upon his fellow. Now Onkelos translated l’hithgoleil as meaning “to play the lord over us,” meaning that he will elevate himself above us, as the sea raises its waves.¹⁸⁹ Onkelos rendered the expression, and to fall upon us, as le’istakapha, meaning “to accuse us of things which did not occur,” since things which did not occur are expressed by the Hebrew word nopheil (falling), just as it says, Not one thing failed (‘naphal’).¹⁹⁰ Similarly did Onkelos translate *Wanton charges (‘aliloth d’varim’)*¹⁹¹ as taskophei milin (intrigues). Jonathan too translated to’einah¹⁹² (pretext) as thuskapha.

footnotes: ¹⁸⁹ See Ezekiel 26:3. ¹⁹⁰ Joshua 23:14. ¹⁹¹ Deuteronomy 22:14. ¹⁹² Judges 14:4.

AND TO TAKE US FOR SERVANTS, AND OUR ASSES. The reason why they mention their asses in the verse is that they would feel apprehensive about them, saying, “Now they will also take our asses with their sacks, and we will not be able to send grain to our families, and thus they will all perish of famine.”

‘BI ADONI’ (O, MY LORD). The word bi is an expression of entreaty and supplication. In Aramaic, we have bai bai. Thus the language of Rashi. Now it is a very strange thing to associate the Hebrew word bi with a word from the Tarsian¹⁹³ here in a derogatory sense to emphasize the difficulty of associating a word of the sacred Hebrew language with a “Tarsian” root. language, which is unlike it, for the word bai is all one root; it cannot be changed, nor can you obtain the form of the word bi from this Aramaic root. Moreover, this word bai does not connote entreaty and supplication, as the Rabbi [Rashi] states. Rather it is an expression of distress and affliction over a tragedy and mishap, similar to the word avoi in the Sacred Language. This is well known in the Arabic language, where the poets customarily use it in their elegies, always with a patach under the beth: bai. In the Greek language the word is bia — the beth having a shva — and is used to express distress and grief. Thus you find in Bereshith Rabbah, Seder Bereshith,¹⁹⁴ that the Sages say: “What is the meaning of the verse, *Extol Him that rideth upon the skies, the Eternal (‘bayah’) is His Name?*¹⁹⁵ There is no place whatever that does not have an officer in charge of its grievances. Agricus¹⁹⁶ is in charge of grievances in his state; Agratus¹⁹⁶ is in charge of grievances in his state. In the same way, who is in charge of the grievances (baya) in His world? [It is] the Holy One, blessed be He.” That is to say, every place has someone in charge of hearing complaints of distress and injustice, and the Holy One, blessed be He, is in charge of the cries of the oppressed, who cry, baya. Again, before us in the Midrash Bereshith Rabbah of the Parshath (section of) *Vayigash Eilav:*¹⁹⁷ “Judah said to Joseph, ‘You do baya (violence)¹⁹⁸ against us. You had said to us thus: That I May set mine eyes upon him.¹⁹⁹ Is this “casting an eye” upon him?’” And in the Parshath Vay’hi B’shalach,²⁰⁰ you find in Shmoth Rabbah:²⁰¹ “Do I ever baya (wrong) any creature?” And in the Parshath Vayishma Yithro,²⁰² we find in Shmoth Rabbah:²⁰³ “Once a man has been appointed and he has put on the mantle of leadership, all communal burdens are upon him. If he sees a man doing baya against his fellow, or committing some transgression, and he fails to protest it, he is punished on account thereof.” And in the Parshath Isha Ki Thazria²⁰⁴ we find:²⁰⁵. “I raise a cry of violence (baya) against you.” And so also in many places. Now Onkelos, who translated Bi Adoni here as b’va’u riboni (O please, my lord), did not intend to suggest that the Hebrew word bi is a derivative of the Aramaic ba’u, but he merely translated it in accordance with its context, for the word bi is always found as an expression of supplication. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra says that bi adoni is a shortened form in the Sacred Language, and its meaning is as in the verse, Upon me, my lord, upon me be the iniquity,²⁰⁶ thus meaning, “do to me whatever you wish, but listen to me.” But if this interpretation of Ibn Ezra is correct, it should follow that a person should also be able to say in Hebrew, “‘bi’ my brother,” or “‘bi,’ listen to me.” And yet nowhere do we find the word bi except in conjunction with the word adoni (my lord), or with the Honored Name of G-d when it is written with the letters aleph, daleth,²⁰⁷ which is also an expression of lordship. It is for this reason that I say that the meaning of the word bi is “by myself”: “By my life! you are lord and ruler.” The two pronouns²⁰⁸ (by my self) and adoni (my lord). The use of the double first person pronoun when one would be sufficient is for the purpose of emphasis, and it is found in many places in Scripture, as Ramban proceeds to demonstrate. serve for the purpose of emphasis, just as: *But me, even me thy servant;*²⁰⁹ Upon me, my lord, upon me.²¹⁰ Similar to this is the verse, That thou art against Me, against thy help,²¹¹ appears twice: bi be’ezracha, when one would be sufficient: bi ezracha (in Me is thy help). The double beth is for emphasis. meaning “I serve as your help.”

footnotes: ¹⁹³ A dialect of Aramaic. Ramban probably uses the word Tarsi ¹⁹⁴ 12:10. ¹⁹⁵ Psalms 68:5. ¹⁹⁶ A type of public official. ¹⁹⁶ A type of public official. ¹⁹⁷ Further, 44:18. Bereshith Rabbah 93:5. ¹⁹⁸ You are treating us unjustly. ¹⁹⁹ Further 44:21. ²⁰⁰ Exodus 13:17. ²⁰¹ 2:8. ²⁰² Exodus 18:1. ²⁰³ 27:8. ²⁰⁴ Leviticus 12:2. ²⁰⁵ This Midrash is quoted in Aruch Hashalem, under the root baya ²⁰⁶ I Samuel 25:24. ²⁰⁷ Such as in Exodus 4:10. ²⁰⁸ Bi ²⁰⁹ I Kings 1:26. ²¹⁰ I Samuel 25:24. ²¹¹ Hosea 13:9. Here the letter beth

HE HATH GIVEN YOU A HIDDEN TREASURE (‘MATMON’) IN YOUR BAGS. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that Joseph told them that “it is possible that some one had a hidden treasure in his house which he forgot,²¹² and it fell to your lot for your money came to me.” Now these are but words of consolation, for how did it happen that each one of the brothers received the precise amount of money²¹³ which he paid for the grain! Rather, the correct interpretation is that all matter which is hidden is called matmon in Hebrew: *The lazy man hides (‘taman’) his hand in the dish;*²¹⁴ We have stores hidden (‘matmonim’) in the field.²¹⁵ Thus Joseph told them that it is customary for ass-drivers who buy grain that each one put his money in his sack, and the attendant in charge of the sales took the sacks from those who came and filled ten sacks with grain, and the money remained hidden under the grain. Then the attendant’s master came and commanded him to pour these ten bags into the vessels of Jacob’s sons as he wanted to send them away in a hurry or because he was not in charge of taking money.²¹⁶ Thus it happened that each one found his exact amount of money at the opening of the sack, as each one had brought the amount of money for a donkey’s load worth of bread. This constantly occurs in market-places and store-houses where sales take place in a great confusion of people.

footnotes: ²¹² It was inadvertently placed in the grain which was collected during the years of plenty, and it happened to be hidden in the grain purchased by Joseph’s brothers. ²¹³ Above, Verse 21. ²¹⁴ Proverbs 19:24. ²¹⁵ Jeremiah 41:8. ²¹⁶ The officer who commanded the sacks to be transferred to the brothers’ vessels in order to load them on the asses was not in charge of taking money from the buyers. Neither did he know that the attendant who was supposed to have received the money had not received it. Thus the mistake occurred.