Kommentar zu Bereschit 42:3

וירדו אחי יוסף AND JOSEPH S BRETHREN WENT DOWN — It does not call them “the sons of Jacob” (as in 5:5), thus suggesting that they regretted having sold him and that they had made up their mind to behave towards him in a brotherly manner and to redeem him at whatever price people might fix for them to pay (Midrash Tanchuma, Miketz 8).

וירדו אחי יוסף עשרה, the official selling grain in Egypt did not sell to more than one family per buyer. The reason for this restriction was intended to ensure that the buyers would not resell some or all of what they had bought, thus using what Joseph had stored as a source of enriching themselves.

אחי יוסף, Joseph's brothers. The reason they are described as Joseph's brothers instead of as Jacob's sons is that at that time they were determined to perform the brotherly act of redeeming him out of slavery.

וירדו אחי יוסף. The reason why the Torah describes them all of a sudden as “Joseph’s brothers” instead of as Yaakov’s sons, is that they went down to Egypt because of what had happened with Joseph so many years ago. The time had come for Joseph’s dream to be realised, and the Torah wants to alert the reader to this. In Bereshit Rabbah 91,2 the question is raised why there is a dividing tone sign, etnachta, under the word עשרה, as if the verse ended there. The answer given is that nine of the brothers only were concerned with finding Joseph and being good brothers, whereas the tenth, Shimon, joined them only in order to buy grain. [the basis of the Midrash is the number “ten” being mentioned. We all knew that only ten brothers went to Egypt, Yaakov not allowing Binyamin to join them. Hence, the Midrash reads additional meaning into the word “ten,” as well as into the tone sign under that word. Ed.]

עשרה TEN — What is the mention of this number intended to tell us? Is it not written (Genesis 42:4) “but Benjamin, Joseph’s brother did he not send” (and we therefore know that only ten brothers went to Egypt)? But it means to suggest that so far as their feeling of brotherhood towards Joseph was concerned they were divided into ten, because the love and hatred that all of them bore him were not alike, where as in regard to buying corn they were at one and united (Genesis Rabbah 91:2).

עשרה, ten. During famine, more than during any other time, people are extremely miserly and malevolent; they are apt to commit robbery and even murder to secure a piece of bread. This is why all the brothers went down to Egypt. If attacked, they could help one another. They also wanted to take Benjamin with them, but their father demurred. This is why the Torah makes a point of saying: "he did not send Benjamin." Had it not been for Jacob's concern that an accident would befall Benjamin he would have sent him along.

Besides, it appears that Joseph was selling a fixed amount of grain to each purchaser. He had two objectives in mind, an obvious one and a secret one. The obvious objective was to prevent speculating in grain if someone were to purchase an amount larger than for his own needs. Joseph's method was of benefit both to him and to the purchasers. By refusing to sell large quantities at one time, Joseph could take advantage of any rise in price when it occurred. The customers benefited by what he did since Joseph did not raise prices unreasonably. Joseph's secret objective was to force each of the brothers to make a trip to Egypt to provision himself as he only sold rations for one family at a time.