“Joseph returned to Egypt, he, and his brothers, and everyone who went up with him to bury his father, after he buried his father. Joseph's brothers saw that their father had died, and they said: Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and will repay us for all the evil that we did to him” (Genesis 50:14-15). “Joseph returned to Egypt…” Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Yitzḥak, said: It is because he did not invite them to the meal.52Joseph did not invite his brothers to dine with him as he had before Jacob’s death.
This led the brothers to think that he harbored enmity toward them and would want to take revenge against them. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: His intention was only for the sake of Heaven. He said: ‘In the past, father would seat me above Judah, who is king, and above Reuben, who is firstborn. Now, it is improper for me to sit above them.’
But that is not what they said, but rather: “Perhaps Joseph will hate us.” Rabbi Yitzḥak said: He went and peered into that pit.53While in Canaan to bury Jacob, Joseph peered into the pit that his brothers had thrown him into and from which he was removed and sold into slavery. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: His intention was only for the sake of Heaven.54He went to recite a blessing for having been saved from the snakes and scorpions that inhabited that pit (see Shabbat 22a; Bereshit Rabba 84:16).
But that is not what they said, but rather: “Perhaps Joseph will hate us.” “They instructed to tell Joseph, saying: Your father instructed before his death, saying, so say to Joseph: Please, forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin as they did evil to you. And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father. Joseph wept as they spoke to him” (Genesis 50:16–17).
“They instructed to tell Joseph, saying: Your father instructed…” It is taught: Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel says: Great is peace, as even the tribes spoke fabricated matters in order to impose peace between Joseph and the tribes. That is what is written: “They instructed to tell Joseph, saying…” Where did he instruct? We do not find that he instructed. “So say to Joseph…[Joseph wept as they spoke to him]” – he said: ‘This is how my brothers are suspicious of me?’
“His brothers too, went and fell before him and they said: Behold, we are your slaves” (Genesis 50:18). “His brothers too, went” – you wanted one of us as a slave, here all of us are your slaves.