Rabbi Jannai said: The sale of Joseph was not atoned by the tribes until they died, as it is said, "And the Lord of hosts revealed Himself in mine ears, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die" (Isa. 22:14). Owing to the sale (of Joseph) a famine came into the land of Israel for seven years, and the brethren of Joseph "went down to buy corn" (Gen. 42:3) in Egypt. And they found Joseph (still) living, and they absolved themselves of the ban; and Jacob heard about Joseph that he was living, and his soul and his spirit revived.
Did their father Jacob's spirit die, so that it had to be revived? But, owing to the ban, the Holy Spirit had departed from him, and when they had removed the ban the Holy Spirit rested on him as at first; that || is what is written, "The spirit of Jacob their father revived" (Gen. 45:27).