“Midianite men, merchants, passed, and they pulled and lifted Joseph from the pit; they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty silver pieces, and they brought Joseph to Egypt” (Genesis 37:28). “Midianite [midyanim] men, merchants, passed” – their contentiousness [hadayyanim] passed.56Joseph’s brothers regretted what they had done. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Baitus in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon: It is written: “Why do you lead us astray, Lord, from Your ways?” (Isaiah 63:17) – when You wished, You placed in their heart to love, and when You wished, You placed in their heart to hate.
The Holy One blessed be He said: You sold Rachel’s son for twenty maot, which are five sela’im. That is why each and every one of you will separate as the value of his son five sela’im of the Tyrian maneh.57This is a reference to the mitzva of redeeming firstborn sons (see Maharzu). Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: The Holy One blessed be He said to the tribes: You sold Rachel’s son for twenty silver pieces.
Consequently, each and every one of you received a beka per person.58Each one of the brothers involved in the sale received a beka, which equals half a shekel. That is what is written: “One beka per head, one half-shekel” (Exodus 38:26).59The head tax mentioned in the verse was set at the same price that each of the brothers had received for the sale of Joseph (Maharzu).