“If you are sincere, one of your brothers will be incarcerated in the place of your custody and you, go bring grain for the hunger of your houses” (Genesis 42:19). “And bring your youngest brother to me and your statements will be verified, and you will not die. They did so” (Genesis 42:20). “They said one to another: But we are guilty in our brother’s regard, that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he pleaded with us and we did not heed; that is why this anguish has befallen us” (Genesis 42:21).
“If you are sincere…and [bring] your youngest brother…They said one to another: But [aval] we are guilty” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: It is a southern dialect: Aval – truthfully. “That we saw the anguish of his soul, when he pleaded with us” – Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan bar She’ila: Is it possible that Joseph, at seventeen years old, would see his brothers selling him, and be silent?
Rather, it teaches that he prostrated himself before the feet of each and every one so that they would be filled with mercy for him, but they were not filled. “Reuben responded to them, saying: Did I not speak to you, saying: Do not sin against the child, and you did not heed? And, indeed, here is a reckoning for his blood” (Genesis 42:22). “Reuben responded to them, saying…” – did I not say this to you?
“Did I not speak to you, saying: Do not sin against the child,” but this is what you said: “Now let us go and kill him” (Genesis 37:20). “And, indeed [vegam], here is a reckoning for his blood” – his blood and the blood of the elder.51Instead of “his blood vedamo],” it says “indeed…his blood [vegam damo].” The word vegam comes to include the blood of his father. “They did not know that Joseph understood, as the interpreter was between them” (Genesis 42:23).
“They did not know that Joseph understood, as the interpreter” – this was Manasseh. “He turned from them and wept, and he returned to them; he spoke to them, and took Simeon from them, and incarcerated him before their eyes” (Genesis 42:24). “He turned from them” – Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: he incarcerated him before their eyes. When they departed, he fed him, gave him to drink, bathed him, and anointed him.