| 1And Israel and all that was his set out and came to Beer sheba, and he slaughtered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. |
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אוַיִּסַּ֤ע יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֖א בְּאֵ֣רָה שָּׁ֑בַע וַיִּזְבַּ֣ח זְבָחִ֔ים לֵֽאלֹהֵ֖י אָבִ֥יו יִצְחָֽק: |
| to Beer-sheba: Heb. בְּאֵרָה שָׁבַע, like לִבְאֵר שָׁבַע, to Beer-sheba. The “hey” at the end of the word takes the place of the “lammed” at its beginning. [From Yeb. 13b] |
|
בְּאֵרָה שָּׁבַע:
כְּמוֹ לִבְאֵר שֶׁבַע; הֵ"א בְּסוֹף תֵּבָה בִּמְקוֹם לָמֶ"ד בִּתְּחִלָּתָהּ:
|
| to the God of his father Isaac: One is required to honor his father more than he is required to honor his grandfather. Therefore, the sacrifices are associated with Isaac and not with Abraham. [From Gen. Rabbah 94:5] |
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לֵֽאלֹהֵי אָבִיו יִצְחָֽק:
חַיָּב אָדָם בִּכְבוֹד אָבִיו יוֹתֵר מִבִּכְבוֹד זְקֵנוֹ, לְפִיכָךְ תָּלָה בְּיִצְחָק וְלֹא בְאַבְרָהָם:
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| 2And God said to Israel in visions of the night, and He said, "Jacob, Jacob!" And he said, "Here I am." |
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בוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֤ים | לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֙ל בְּמַרְאֹ֣ת הַלַּ֔יְלָה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹ֣ב | יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי: |
| “Jacob, Jacob!”: An expression of affection. [From Sifra, Vayikra 1, Toseftas Ber. 1:15] [The repetition of his name is an expression of affection.] |
|
יַֽעֲקֹב יַֽעֲקֹב:
לְשׁוֹן חִבָּה:
|
| 3And He said, "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid of going down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. |
|
גוַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָֽנֹכִ֥י הָאֵ֖ל אֱלֹהֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ אַל־תִּירָא֙ מֵֽרְדָ֣ה מִצְרַ֔יְמָה כִּֽי־לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל אֲשִֽׂימְךָ֥ שָֽׁם: |
| Do not be afraid of going down to Egypt: [God encouraged him] because he was troubled at being compelled to leave the Holy Land. |
|
אַל־תִּירָא מֵֽרְדָה מִצְרַיְמָה:
לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה מֵצֵר עַל שֶׁנִּזְקָק לָצֵאת לְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ:
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| 4I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up, and Joseph will place his hand on your eyes. |
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דאָֽנֹכִ֗י אֵרֵ֤ד עִמְּךָ֙ מִצְרַ֔יְמָה וְאָֽנֹכִ֖י אַֽעַלְךָ֣ גַם־עָלֹ֑ה וְיוֹסֵ֕ף יָשִׁ֥ית יָד֖וֹ עַל־עֵינֶֽיךָ: |
| and I will also bring you up: He promised him (Jacob) that he would be interred in the [Holy] Land. — [from Yerushalmi Sotah 1:10] |
|
וְאָֽנֹכִי אַֽעַלְךָ:
הִבְטִיחוֹ לִהְיוֹת נִקְבָּר בָּאָרֶץ:
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| 5And Jacob arose from Beer sheba, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob and their young children and their wives, in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him. |
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הוַיָּ֥קָם יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב מִבְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיִּשְׂא֨וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־יַֽעֲקֹ֣ב אֲבִיהֶ֗ם וְאֶת־טַפָּם֙ וְאֶת־נְשֵׁיהֶ֔ם בָּֽעֲגָל֕וֹת אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח פַּרְעֹ֖ה לָשֵׂ֥את אֹתֽוֹ: |
| 6And they took their livestock and their possessions that they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they came to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him. |
|
ווַיִּקְח֣וּ אֶת־מִקְנֵיהֶ֗ם וְאֶת־רְכוּשָׁם֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר רָֽכְשׁוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ מִצְרָ֑יְמָה יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב וְכָל־זַרְע֥וֹ אִתּֽוֹ: |
| that they had acquired in the land of Canaan: But of what he had acquired in Padan-Aram he gave everything to Esau [in payment] for his share in the Cave of Machpelah. He said, “Possessions [acquired] outside the Land (of Israel) are inappropriate for me.” This is the meaning of“which I acquired for myself with heaps (כָּרִיתִי)” (Gen. 50:5). He placed before him stacks of gold and silver like a heap [of grain] (כְּרִי) and said to him,“Take these.” [from Tanchuma Buber, Vayishlach 11] |
|
אֲשֶׁר רָֽכְשׁוּ בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן:
אֲבָל מַה שֶּׁרָכַשׁ בְּפַדַּן אֲרָם נָתַן הַכֹּל לְעֵשָׂו בִּשְׁבִיל חֶלְקוֹ בִּמְעָרַת הַמַּכְפֵּלָה; אָמַר נִכְסֵי חוּצָה לָאָרֶץ אֵינָן כְּדַאי לִי, וְזֶהוּ אֲשֶׁר כָּרִיתִי לִי, הֶעֱמִיד לוֹ צִבּוּרִין שֶׁל זָהָב וָכֶסֶף כְּמִין כְּרִי וְאָמַר לוֹ טֹל אֶת אֵלּוּ:
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| 7His sons and his sons' sons with him, his daughters and his sons' daughters and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt. |
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זבָּנָ֞יו וּבְנֵ֤י בָנָיו֙ אִתּ֔וֹ בְּנֹתָ֛יו וּבְנ֥וֹת בָּנָ֖יו וְכָל־זַרְע֑וֹ הֵבִ֥יא אִתּ֖וֹ מִצְרָֽיְמָה: |
| his sons’ daughters: Serah the daughter of Asher and Jochebed the daughter of Levi. |
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וּבְנוֹת בָּנָיו:
סֶרַח בַּת אָשֵׁר וְיוֹכֶבֶד בַּת לֵוִי:
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| 8And these are the names of the children of Israel who were coming to Egypt: Jacob and his sons Jacob's firstborn was Reuben. |
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חוְאֵ֨לֶּה שְׁמ֧וֹת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הַבָּאִ֥ים מִצְרַ֖יְמָה יַֽעֲקֹ֣ב וּבָנָ֑יו בְּכֹ֥ר יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב רְאוּבֵֽן: |
| who were coming to Egypt: Heb. הַבָּאִים. Relative to that time [when they were migrating to Egypt, the text] calls them “coming” [in the present tense], and [therefore] there is no reason to wonder why it is not written: “who came” (אֲשֶׁר בָּאוּ). |
|
הַבָּאִים מִצְרַיְמָה:
עַל שֵׁם הַשָּׁעָה קוֹרֵא לָהֶם הַכָּתוּב בָּאִים, וְאֵין לִתְמֹהַּ עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹא כָתַב אֲשֶׁר בָּאוּ:
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| 9And the sons of Reuben were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. |
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טוּבְנֵ֖י רְאוּבֵ֑ן חֲנ֥וֹךְ וּפַלּ֖וּא וְחֶצְרֹ֥ן וְכַרְמִֽי: |
| 10And the sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, and Zohar, and Saul the son of the Canaanitess. |
|
יוּבְנֵ֣י שִׁמְע֗וֹן יְמוּאֵ֧ל וְיָמִ֛ין וְאֹ֖הַד וְיָכִ֣ין וְצֹ֑חַר וְשָׁא֖וּל בֶּן־הַכְּנַֽעֲנִֽית: |
| the son of the Canaanitess: The son of Dinah, who had been possessed by a Canaanite. When they killed Shechem, Dinah did not want to leave until Simeon swore to her that he would marry her - [Gen. Rabbah (80:11)]. |
|
בֶּן־הַכְּנַֽעֲנִֽית:
בֶּן דִּינָה שֶׁנִּבְעֲלָה לִכְנַעֲנִי; כְשֶׁהָרְגוּ אֶת שְׁכֶם לֹא הָיְתָה דִּינָה רוֹצָה לָצֵאת עַד שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּע לָהּ שִׁמְעוֹן שֶׁיִּשָּׂאֶנָּה (בראשית רבה):
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| 11And the sons of Levi were Gershon, Kehath, and Merari. |
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יאוּבְנֵ֖י לֵוִ֑י גֵּֽרְשׁ֕וֹן קְהָ֖ת וּמְרָרִֽי: |
| 12And the sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. Now Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan; and the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. |
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יבוּבְנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה עֵ֧ר וְאוֹנָ֛ן וְשֵׁלָ֖ה וָפֶ֣רֶץ וָזָ֑רַח וַיָּ֨מָת עֵ֤ר וְאוֹנָן֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ בְנֵי־פֶ֖רֶץ חֶצְרֹ֥ן וְחָמֽוּל: |
| 13And the sons of Issachar were Tola, Puvvah, Iob, and Shimron. |
|
יגוּבְנֵ֖י יִשָּׂשכָ֑ר תּוֹלָ֥ע וּפֻוָּ֖ה וְי֥וֹב וְשִׁמְרֹֽן: |
| 14And the sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. |
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ידוּבְנֵ֖י זְבֻל֑וּן סֶ֥רֶד וְאֵל֖וֹן וְיַחְלְאֵֽל: |
| 15These are the sons of Leah, that she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram, and Dinah his daughter. All the souls of his sons and daughters were thirty three. |
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טואֵ֣לֶּה | בְּנֵ֣י לֵאָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָֽלְדָ֤ה לְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ בְּפַדַּ֣ן אֲרָ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת דִּינָ֣ה בִתּ֑וֹ כָּל־נֶ֧פֶשׁ בָּנָ֛יו וּבְנוֹתָ֖יו שְׁלשִׁ֥ים וְשָׁלֽשׁ: |
| These are the sons of Leah …and Dinah his daughter: The males are attributed to Leah and the females to Jacob, to teach you that if the woman emits seed first, she gives birth to a male, but if the male emits seed first, she (the woman) gives birth to a female. [From Niddah 31a] |
|
אֵלֶּה בְּנֵי לֵאָה וְאֵת דִּינָה בִתּוֹ:
הַזְּכָרִים תָּלָה בְלֵאָה וְהַנְּקֵבוֹת תָּלָה בְיַעֲקֹב, לְלַמֶּדְךָ, אִשָּׁה מַזְרַעַת תְּחִלָּה יוֹלֶדֶת זָכָר, אִישׁ מַזְרִיעַ תְּחִלָּה יוֹלֶדֶת נְקֵבָה:
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| thirty-three: But if you count them individually, you find only thirty-two. This [missing one] is Jochebed, who was born between the walls when they entered the city, as it is said: “whom she bore to Levi in Egypt” (Num. 26:59). Her birth was in Egypt, but her conception was not in Egypt. [From Num. Rabbah 13:20] |
|
שְׁלשִׁים וְשָׁלֽשׁ:
וּבִפְרָטָן אִי אַתָּה מוֹצֵא אֶלָּא שְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁנַיִם, אֶלָּא זוֹ יוֹכֶבֶד שֶׁנּוֹלְדָה בֵין הַחוֹמוֹת בִּכְנִיסָתָן לָעִיר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה אֹתָהּ לְלֵוִי בְּמִצְרָיִם – לֵדָתָהּ בְּמִצְרַיִם וְאֵין הוֹרָתָהּ בְּמִצְרַיִם:
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| 16And the sons of Gad were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. |
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טזוּבְנֵ֣י גָ֔ד צִפְי֥וֹן וְחַגִּ֖י שׁוּנִ֣י וְאֶצְבֹּ֑ן עֵרִ֥י וַֽאֲרוֹדִ֖י וְאַרְאֵלִֽי: |
| 17And the sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Briah, and Serah, their sister; and the sons of Briah were Heber and Malkiel. |
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יזוּבְנֵ֣י אָשֵׁ֗ר יִמְנָ֧ה וְיִשְׁוָ֛ה וְיִשְׁוִ֥י וּבְרִיעָ֖ה וְשֶׂ֣רַח אֲחֹתָ֑ם וּבְנֵ֣י בְרִיעָ֔ה חֶ֖בֶר וּמַלְכִּיאֵֽל: |
| 18These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah, and she bore these to Jacob, sixteen souls. |
|
יחאֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י זִלְפָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לָבָ֖ן לְלֵאָ֣ה בִתּ֑וֹ וַתֵּ֤לֶד אֶת־אֵ֨לֶּה֙ לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב שֵׁ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה נָֽפֶשׁ: |
| 19The sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife, were Joseph and Benjamin. |
|
יטבְּנֵ֤י רָחֵל֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב יוֹסֵ֖ף וּבִנְיָמִֽן: |
| The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife: Concerning none of them does it say [Jacob’s] “wife,” but [the meaning is] that she was the mainstay of the household. [From Gen. Rabbah 73:2] Cf. Gen 31:33. |
|
בְּנֵי רָחֵל אֵשֶׁת יַֽעֲקֹב:
וּבְכֻלָּן לֹא נֶאֱמַר בָּהֶן אֵשֶׁת, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיְתָה עִקָּרוֹ שֶׁל בַּיִת:
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| 20And to Joseph were born in the land of Egypt, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the governor of On, bore to him: Manasseh and Ephraim. |
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כוַיִּוָּלֵ֣ד לְיוֹסֵף֘ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֒יִם֒ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָֽלְדָה־לּוֹ֙ אָֽסְנַ֔ת בַּת־פּ֥וֹטִי פֶ֖רַע כֹּהֵ֣ן אֹ֑ן אֶת־מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה וְאֶת־אֶפְרָֽיִם: |
| 21And the sons of Benjamin were Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Na'aman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. |
|
כאוּבְנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֗ן בֶּ֤לַע וָבֶ֨כֶר֙ וְאַשְׁבֵּ֔ל גֵּרָ֥א וְנַֽעֲמָ֖ן אֵחִ֣י וָרֹ֑אשׁ מֻפִּ֥ים וְחֻפִּ֖ים וָאָֽרְדְּ: |
| 22These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen. |
|
כבאֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י רָחֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֻלַּ֖ד לְיַֽעֲקֹ֑ב כָּל־נֶ֖פֶשׁ אַרְבָּעָ֥ה עָשָֽׂר: |
| 23And the sons of Dan: Hushim. |
|
כגוּבְנֵי־דָ֖ן חֻשִֽׁים: |
| 24And the sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. |
|
כדוּבְנֵ֖י נַפְתָּלִ֑י יַחְצְאֵ֥ל וְגוּנִ֖י וְיֵ֥צֶר וְשִׁלֵּֽם: |
| 25These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel, and she bore these to Jacob, all the souls were seven. |
|
כהאֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י בִלְהָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לָבָ֖ן לְרָחֵ֣ל בִּתּ֑וֹ וַתֵּ֧לֶד אֶת־אֵ֛לֶּה לְיַֽעֲקֹ֖ב כָּל־נֶ֥פֶשׁ שִׁבְעָֽה: |
| 26All the souls coming to Egypt with Jacob, those descended from him, excluding the wives of Jacob's sons, all the souls were sixty six. |
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כוכָּל־הַ֠נֶּ֠פֶשׁ הַבָּאָ֨ה לְיַֽעֲקֹ֤ב מִצְרַ֨יְמָה֙ יֹֽצְאֵ֣י יְרֵכ֔וֹ מִלְּבַ֖ד נְשֵׁ֣י בְנֵי־יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב כָּל־נֶ֖פֶשׁ שִׁשִּׁ֥ים וָשֵֽׁשׁ: |
| All the souls coming…with Jacob: Who left the land of Canaan to come to Egypt. Now this [word] הַבָּאָה is not the past tense but the present tense, similar to “In the evening she would come (בָאָה)” (Esther 2:14), and like “and behold, his daughter Rachel is coming (בָּאָה) with the sheep” (Gen. 29:6). Therefore, its accent is below (i.e., at the end of the word), on the “aleph,” because when they left to come from the land of Canaan, they were only 66 [excluding Jochebed, Joseph, and his two sons]. The second [instance of הַבָּאָה, however,] “all the souls of the house of Jacob who came (הַבָּאָה) to Egypt were seventy,” is in the past tense; therefore, its accent is above (i.e., on an earlier syllable), on the “beth,” because when they came there they were seventy, for there they found Joseph and his two sons, and Jochebed was added to them between the walls. According to the one who says that twin sisters were born with [each of the progenitors of] the tribes (37: 35), we must say that they died before their descent to Egypt, for they were not counted here. I found in Leviticus Rabbah (4:6): Esau had six souls [in his family], and the text calls them נַפְשׁוֹת בֵּיתוֹ,“the souls of his household” (Gen. 36:6) in the plural, because they worshipped many gods [in his family, each his or her own deity]. Jacob had seventy (souls), but the text calls them נֶפֶשׁ [in the singular] because they [all] worshiped one God. |
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כָּל־הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַבָּאָה לְיַֽעֲקֹב:
שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מֵאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לָבֹא לְמִצְרַיִם; וְאֵין "הַבָּאָה" זוֹ לְשׁוֹן עָבָר אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן הוֹוֶה, כְּמוֹ בָּעֶרֶב הִיא בָאָה (אסתר ב' ד'), וּכְמוֹ וְהִנֵּה רָחֵל בִּתּוֹ בָּאָה עִם הַצֹּאן (בראשית כ"ט), לְפִיכָךְ טַעְמוֹ לְמַטָּה בָּאָלֶ"ף, לְפִי שֶׁכְּשֶׁיָּצְאוּ לָבֹא מֵאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לֹא הָיוּ אֶלָּא שִׁשִּׁים וָשֵׁשׁ, וְהַשֵּׁנִי, כָּל הַנֶּפֶשׁ לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב הַבָּאָה מִצְרַיְמָה שִׁבְעִים – הוּא לְשׁוֹן עָבָר, לְפִיכָךְ טַעְמוֹ לְמַעְלָה בַּבֵּי"ת, לְפִי שֶׁמִּשֶּׁבָּאוּ שָׁם הָיוּ שִׁבְעִים, שֶׁמָּצְאוּ שָׁם יוֹסֵף וּשְׁנֵי בָנָיו, וְנִתּוֹסְפָה לָהֶם יוֹכֶבֶד בֵּין הַחוֹמוֹת. וּלְדִבְרֵי הָאוֹמֵר תְּאוֹמוֹת נוֹלְדוּ עִם הַשְּׁבָטִים, צְרִיכִים אָנוּ לוֹמַר שֶׁמֵּתוּ לִפְנֵי יְרִידָתָן לְמִצְרַיִם, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא נִמְנוּ כָאן; מָצָאתִי בְּוַיִּקְרָא רַבָּה, עֵשָׂו שֵׁשׁ נְפָשׁוֹת הָיוּ לוֹ, וְהַכָּתוּב קוֹרֵא אוֹתָן נַפְשׁוֹת בֵּיתוֹ, לְשׁוֹן רַבִּים, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹבְדִין לֶאֱלֹהוּת הַרְבֵּה; יַעֲקֹב שִׁבְעִים הָיוּ לוֹ, וְהַכָּתוּב קוֹרֵא אוֹתָן נֶפֶשׁ, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה עוֹבְדִים לְאֵל אֶחָד:
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| 27And Joseph's sons, who were born to him in Egypt, two souls; all the souls of the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy. |
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כזוּבְנֵ֥י יוֹסֵ֛ף אֲשֶׁר־יֻלַּד־ל֥וֹ בְמִצְרַ֖יִם נֶ֣פֶשׁ שְׁנָ֑יִם כָּל־הַנֶּ֧פֶשׁ לְבֵֽית־יַֽעֲקֹ֛ב הַבָּ֥אָה מִצְרַ֖יְמָה שִׁבְעִֽים: |
| 28He sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph, to direct him to Goshen, and they came to the land of Goshen. |
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כחוְאֶת־יְהוּדָ֞ה שָׁלַ֤ח לְפָנָיו֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף לְהוֹרֹ֥ת לְפָנָ֖יו גּ֑שְׁנָה וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אַ֥רְצָה גּֽשֶׁן: |
| to direct him: Heb. לְהוֹרֹת לְפָנָיו, as the Targum renders (לְפַנָאָה קֳדָמוֹהִי), to clear a place for him and to show him how to settle in it. |
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לְהוֹרֹת לְפָנָיו:
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לְפַנּוֹת לוֹ מָקוֹם, וּלְהוֹרוֹת הֵיאַךְ יִתְיַשֵּׁב בָּהּ:
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| him: [Lit., ahead of him.] Before he would arrive there. The Aggadic interpretation of [לְהוֹרֹת] is [that there should be teaching]: to establish for him a house of study, from which teaching would emanate. [From Tanchuma Vayigash 11] |
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לְפָנָיו:
קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּגִּיַע לְשָׁם. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה לְהוֹרוֹת לְפָנָיו – לְתַקֵּן לוֹ בֵּית תַּלְמוּד שֶׁמִּשָּׁם תֵּצֵא הוֹרָאָה:
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| 29And Joseph harnessed his chariot, and he went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and he appeared to him, and he fell on his neck, and he wept on his neck for a long time. |
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כטוַיֶּאְסֹ֤ר יוֹסֵף֙ מֶרְכַּבְתּ֔וֹ וַיַּ֛עַל לִקְרַאת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל אָבִ֖יו גּ֑שְׁנָה וַיֵּרָ֣א אֵלָ֗יו וַיִּפֹּל֙ עַל־צַוָּארָ֔יו וַיֵּ֥בְךְּ עַל־צַוָּארָ֖יו עֽוֹד: |
| And Joseph harnessed his chariot: He personally harnessed the horses to the chariot to hasten to honor his father. [From Mechilta, Beshallach section 1] |
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וַיֶּאְסֹר יוֹסֵף מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ:
הוּא עַצְמוֹ אָסַר אֶת הַסּוּסִים לַמֶּרְכָּבָה לְהִזְדָּרֵז לִכְבוֹד אָבִיו:
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| and he appeared to him: Joseph presented himself to his father. |
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וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו:
יוֹסֵף נִרְאָה אֶל אָבִיו:
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| and he wept on his neck for a long time: Heb. עוֹד וַיֵבךְּ, an expression of profuse weeping, and likewise, “For He will not place additional [guilt] on a man” (Job 34:23), an expression of profusion. He (God) does not place upon him additional accusations over [and above] his sins. Here too he wept greatly and continuously, more than was usual. Jacob, however, neither fell on Joseph’s neck nor kissed him. Our Sages said that he was reciting the Shema. [From Derech Eretz Zuta 1:10, ed. Hager, p. 62; quoted in Bereishith Zuta; Yichusei Tannaim va’Amoraim, p. 180, Teshuvoth Hageonim, ch. 45] |
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וַיֵּבְךְּ עַל־צַוָּארָיו עֽוֹד:
לְשׁוֹן הַרְבּוֹת בְּכִיָּה, וְכֵן כִּי לֹא עַל אִישׁ יָשִׂים עוֹד (איוב ל"ד), לְשׁוֹן רִבּוּי הוּא – אֵינוֹ שָׂם עָלָיו עֲלִילוֹת נוֹסָפוֹת עַל חֲטָאָיו; אַף כָּאן הִרְבָּה וְהוֹסִיף בִּבְכִי יוֹתֵר עַל הָרָגִיל; אֲבָל יַעֲקֹב לֹא נָפַל עַל צַוְּארֵי יוֹסֵף וְלֹא נְשָׁקוֹ, וְאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁהָיָה קוֹרֵא אֶת שְׁמַע:
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| 30And Israel said to Joseph, "I will die this time, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive." |
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לוַיֹּ֧אמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶל־יוֹסֵ֖ף אָמ֣וּתָה הַפָּ֑עַם אַֽחֲרֵי֙ רְאוֹתִ֣י אֶת־פָּנֶ֔יךָ כִּ֥י עֽוֹדְךָ֖ חָֽי: |
| I will die this time: Its simple meaning is as the Targum renders. [If I should die this time, I would be consoled.] Its midrashic interpretation is, however: I thought that I would die two deaths, in this world and in the next world, because the Shechinah had left me, and I thought that the Holy One, blessed be He, would hold me responsible for your death. Now that you are still alive, I will die but once. [From Tanchuma Vayigash 9] |
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אָמוּתָה הַפָּעַם:
פְּשׁוּטוֹ כְתַרְגּוּמוֹ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ סָבוּר הָיִיתִי לָמוּת שְׁתֵּי מִיתוֹת, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְלָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנִּסְתַּלְּקָה מִמֶּנִּי שְׁכִינָה, וְהָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁיִּתְבָּעֵנִי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִיתָתְךָ, עַכְשָׁו שֶׁעוֹדְךָ חַי, לֹא אָמוּת אֶלָּא פַעַם אַחַת:
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| 31Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, "I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and I will say to him, 'My brothers and my father's household who were in the land of Canaan have come to me. |
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לאוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יוֹסֵ֤ף אֶל־אֶחָיו֙ וְאֶל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֔יו אֶֽעֱלֶ֖ה וְאַגִּ֣ידָה לְפַרְעֹ֑ה וְאֹֽמְרָ֣ה אֵלָ֔יו אַחַ֧י וּבֵֽית־אָבִ֛י אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּאֶֽרֶץ־כְּנַ֖עַן בָּ֥אוּ אֵלָֽי: |
| and I will say to him: ‘My brothers, etc.’-and I will further say to him, ‘The men are shepherds, etc.’ |
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וְאֹֽמְרָה אֵלָיו אַחַי וגו':
וְעוֹד אֹמַר לוֹ, והאנשים רועי צאן וגו':
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| 32The men are shepherds, for they were [always] owners of livestock, and their flocks and their cattle and all they have they have brought.' |
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לבוְהָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙ רֹ֣עֵי צֹ֔אן כִּֽי־אַנְשֵׁ֥י מִקְנֶ֖ה הָי֑וּ וְצֹאנָ֧ם וּבְקָרָ֛ם וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָהֶ֖ם הֵבִֽיאוּ: |
| 33And if it comes to pass that Pharaoh calls you and asks, 'What is your occupation?' |
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לגוְהָיָ֕ה כִּֽי־יִקְרָ֥א לָכֶ֖ם פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְאָמַ֖ר מַה־מַּֽעֲשֵׂיכֶֽם: |
| 34You shall say, 'Your servants have been owners of livestock from our youth until now, both we and our ancestors,' so that you may dwell in the land of Goshen, because all shepherds are abhorrent to the Egyptians." |
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לדוַֽאֲמַרְתֶּ֗ם אַנְשֵׁ֨י מִקְנֶ֜ה הָי֤וּ עֲבָדֶ֨יךָ֙ מִנְּעוּרֵ֣ינוּ וְעַד־עַ֔תָּה גַּם־אֲנַ֖חְנוּ גַּם־אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ בַּֽעֲב֗וּר תֵּֽשְׁבוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ גּ֔שֶׁן כִּי־תֽוֹעֲבַ֥ת מִצְרַ֖יִם כָּל־רֹ֥עֵה צֹֽאן: |
| so that you may dwell in the land of Goshen: which you need, for it is a land of pasture, and when you tell him that you are not skilled at any other work, he will send you away from him and settle you there. |
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בַּֽעֲבוּר תֵּֽשְׁבוּ בְּאֶרֶץ גּשֶׁן:
וְהִיא צְרִיכָה לָכֶם שֶׁהִיא אֶרֶץ מִרְעֶה, וּכְשֶׁתֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ שֶׁאֵין אַתֶּם בְּקִיאִין בִּמְלָאכָה אַחֶרֶת, יַרְחִיקְכֶם מֵעָלָיו וְיוֹשִׁיבְכֶם שָׁם:
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| are abhorrent to the Egyptians: Because they (the sheep) are their gods. |
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כִּי־תֽוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כָּל־רועה צֹֽאן:
לְפִי שֶׁהֵם לָהֶם אֱלֹהוּת:
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