Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Torah

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. 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 Rabbah 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, 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, and it is written, And He gave them compassion before their captors. That he may send away your brother — this alludes to the Ten Tribes exiled by the Assyrians. 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.” 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,. 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. 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. 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, meaning “I have already perished,). and if the king will slay me he will not add to my destruction.”

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? And every cloak rolled (‘m’golalah’) in blood. [Its meaning is] as a man who turns from side to side upon his fellow. 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. 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’). Similarly did Onkelos translate Wanton charges (‘aliloth d’varim’) as taskophei milin (intrigues). Jonathan too translated to’einah (pretext) as thuskapha. 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 Tarsian 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, that the Sages say: “What is the meaning of the verse, Extol Him that rideth upon the skies, the Eternal (‘bayah’) is His Name? There is no place whatever that does not have an officer in charge of its grievances. Agricus is in charge of grievances in his state; Agratus 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: “Judah said to Joseph, ‘You do baya (violence) against us. You had said to us thus: That I May set mine eyes upon him. Is this “casting an eye” upon him?’” And in the Parshath Vay’hi B’shalach, you find in Shmoth Rabbah: “Do I ever baya (wrong) any creature?” And in the Parshath Vayishma Yithro, we find in Shmoth Rabbah: “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 Thazria we find:. “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, 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, 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 pronouns (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; Upon me, my lord, upon me. Similar to this is the verse, That thou art against Me, against thy help, 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.”

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, 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 money 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; We have stores hidden (‘matmonim’) in the field. 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. 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.