Midrasch zu Bereschit 50:14
וַיָּ֨שָׁב יוֹסֵ֤ף מִצְרַ֙יְמָה֙ ה֣וּא וְאֶחָ֔יו וְכָל־הָעֹלִ֥ים אִתּ֖וֹ לִקְבֹּ֣ר אֶת־אָבִ֑יו אַחֲרֵ֖י קָבְר֥וֹ אֶת־אָבִֽיו׃
Nachdem Joseph seinen Vater begraben hatte, kehrte er nach Ägypten zurück, er und seine Brüder und alle, die mit ihm hinaufgezogen waren, um seinen Vater zu begraben.
Bereishit Rabbah
(8) "And Joseph returned to Egypt" (Genesis 50:14) [...they said, "What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrong that we did him?" (Genesis 50:15)] - Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Yitzchak [disagreed on the interpretation]: Rabbi Levi said: "He did not invite them to dine [with him]" Rabbi Tanchuma said: "He intended nothing other than for the sake of Heaven [by his actions] in that [he thought] 'in the past, father seated me above Judah and he is [to be the ancestor of] a king and above Reuvein who is the firstborn. And now, is it not reasonable that I should sit above them?' But they did not say such, but rather "What if Joseph still bears a grudge (Genesis 50:14)" -- Rabbi Yitzchak said "He went and peered into that pit [while in Canaan to bury their father]." 'And they commanded to Joseph saying, "Your father commanded..."' (Genesis 50:16)" It was taught: Rabban Shimon Gamliel says, "Peace is great, as even the tribes [i.e. brothers] spoke invented words in order to bring peace between Joseph and the tribes. This is what is written (in Genesis 50:16), 'And they commanded to Joseph saying... [Your father commanded before his death]'. And where did he command? We do not find that he commanded!" "Such you shall say to Joseph..." (Genesis 50:17) He said: "Thus my brothers suspect me." "And his brothers also went" (Genesis 50:18) They said to him: "You wanted one [i.e. Benjamin] to be yours for a slave - here, all of us are yours for slaves!"
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy