“He sent Judah before him to Joseph, to guide him to Goshen, and they came to the land of Goshen” (Genesis 46:28). “He sent Judah before him to Joseph.” It is written: “Wolf and lamb will graze as one, and a lion, like cattle, will eat straw” (Isaiah 65:25). Come and see that everything that the Holy One blessed be He has struck in this world, He will heal in the future.
The blind will be healed, as it is stated: “Then the eyes of the blind will be opened” (Isaiah 35:5). The lame will be healed, as it is stated: “Then the lame will leap like a deer and the tongue of the dumb will sing” (Isaiah 35:6). Just as a person departs, so he returns.1A person will return to life at the resurrection of the dead, as he was when he died. If he departs blind he returns blind; [if he was] deaf, he returns deaf; [if he was] mute, he returns mute.
Just as he goes [to the grave] clothed, so he returns clothed. From whom do you derive it? It is from Samuel, who was seen by Saul.2This is not meant literally, as it was the woman conjurer who saw Samuel, while Saul himself did not see him (see I Samuel 28:11–14; Vayikra Rabba 26:7). The meaning is that Saul initiated the incident in which Samuel was seen by the conjurer.
What did [Saul] say to the woman? “What is his appearance? She said: An old man…and he is clad in a robe” (I Samuel 28:14), as so he was clad, as it is stated: “His mother made him a small robe” (I Samuel 2:19). Why is it that just as a person departs, so he returns?
It is so [people] do not say: ‘When they were alive He did not heal them; did the Holy One blessed be He heal them when they were dead and then bring them back? It seems that these are not they, but others.’ The Holy One blessed be He says: ‘If so, let these stand as they departed, and then I will heal them.’ Why? “[So that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He;] before Me no god was formed” (Isaiah 43:10), so I will heal them.
The beasts will also be cured, as it is stated: “Wolf and lamb will graze as one” (Isaiah 65:25). All will be healed, but the one who brought harm upon all will not be healed, but rather, “and a serpent, dust will be its food” (Isaiah 65:25). Why? Because he took the creations down to the dust.
Another matter, “wolf and lamb.” “Wolf” – this is Benjamin.3See Genesis 49:27. “And lamb” – these are the tribes, as it is stated: “Israel are scattered sheep” (Jeremiah 50:17). “Will graze as one” – when?
It was when Benjamin descended with them, and Jacob was saying to them: “My son will not descend with you” (Genesis 42:38). When the time arrived and he descended with them, they placed him between them and were guarding him. Likewise, regarding Joseph, it says: “He lifted his eyes, and saw Benjamin” (Genesis 43:29).4He was able to see him only after lifting his eyes because the brothers surrounded him.
“A lion” – this is Judah; “Judah is a lion cub” (Genesis 49:9). “Like cattle” – this is Joseph; “A firstborn bull is his majesty” (Deuteronomy 33:17). They were found eating together – “they sat before him…he gave gifts” (Genesis 43:33–34). That is, “and a lion, like cattle, will eat straw” (Isaiah 65:25). That is why “he sent Judah before him.”5This was a demonstration that Judah and Joseph were now at peace.