Commentary for Exodus 1:5

ויוסף היה במצרים lit., AND JOSEPH WAS IN EGYPT — But were not he and his sons included in the seventy? What, then, is this statement intended to tell us? Do we not know that he was in Egypt? But its purpose is to inform you of Joseph’s righteousness: this is the same Joseph who tended his father’s sheep; this is the same Joseph who was in Egypt and became king there, and yet he remained steadfast in his righteousness, and the change from a humble position to exalted rank in Egypt caused no deterioration in his character (cf. Sifrei האזינו; Exodus Rabbah 1:7).

ויהי כל נפש…ויוסף היה במצרים. And the total number of persons…plus Joseph who was in Egypt already." Why does the Torah introduce this paragraph with the word ויהי which always introduces a painful experience? If the Torah refers to the exile, this was not the place to mention this seeing that the negative aspects of the exile did not commence till over 90 years later. Furthermore, why does the Torah have to tell us again that Joseph was already in Egypt?

But, were not he and his sons included in the seventy? And if so, Yoseif’s name should have been included with those of seventy. In other words, it should have come before the sum total of Yaakov’s descendants.

V. 5. Vom Hause Jaakows, im Gegensatz zu Esaws, wie die Weisen bemerken, heißt es immer: נפש, nicht נפשות, weil in allen Gliedern des Hauses Jaakows nur ein Geist, die einheitliche Seele eines Prinzips waltet.

'ויהי כל נפש וגו, “the total number of people, etc;” the number seventy includes Joseph who had already been in Egypt. When you accept this explanation, you do not need to consider Yocheved as having been conceived in the land of Canaan and having been born at the crossing point into Egypt. (Attributed to Rabbi Shlomoh ben Parchon) This is also the reason why their number is repeated here although the Torah had given details already when it described Yaakov’s departure for Egypt in Genesis chapter 46. The purpose of repeating it here is to demonstrate the phenomenal increase in the numbers of Hebrews beginning with their arrival there. Forty male Hebrews who had arrived there increased to over 600000 in the space of 210 years. (Sh’mot Rabbah 1,7)

ירך יעקב, “Yaakov’s loins,” it is good manners to describe the sexual organ not directly, but by reference to an organ located close to it instead. (Ibn Ezra) We find this also in the oral Torah when the Mishnah in Megillah 13 writes that the principal organ that a woman is jealous of in her rival is the ירך; the author avoids naming the vagina. On other occasions, the word: רגלים is used as a substitute for the vagina. Compare Samuel II 19,25 ולא עשה רגליו, translated as “he had not pared his toe nails,” which is not really what the prophet had in mind.

Would we not know ourselves that he was in Egypt? We might suggest an answer [to Rashi’s original question]: It was necessary to write that Yoseif was in Egypt [and therefore mentioned him separately]. However, [as Rashi here points out,] another question would arise: “Would we not know . . .?” The Re”m writes at length where he could have been brief, saying Rashi holds that ויוסף (“Yoseif who was”) relates to what was written above, telling us that with Yoseif there were seventy souls. And it is so stated in Shemos Rabbah (1:7). Thus Rashi asks: “But, were not he and his sons included . . .?” So why then is Yoseif mentioned alone, [without his sons]? It is understandable regarding the other tribes because they all are covered by the phrase “ איש וביתו (Each man with his household),” but this phrase does not relate to Yoseif. Therefore, just as Yoseif is mentioned, so too his sons should have been mentioned. Alternatively, we might suggest that [Rashi does not hold that] “Yoseif who was” relates to what was written above. And “Yoseif and his sons” do not need to be mentioned, since all of them were already included in the count of seventy souls. Rather, “Yoseif who was” tells us that Yoseif was in Egypt. On this Rashi questions: Then what does [Scripture] intend to teach us? (Nachalas Yaakov)

Perhaps we have here an oblique reference to the comment in Sotah 36 that it had been planned originally that Joseph would become the founding father of twelve tribes and that it was only due to the attempts of Potiphar's wife that he forfeited this opportunity as per Genesis 49,24. We know already that but for that unfortunate circumstance Joseph himself would have founded twelve tribes. The Torah expresses regret over that missed opportunity and that as a result the number of Israelites who descended to Egypt were only 70. Had Joseph become the founding father by fathering twelve tribes in the land of Canaan, many more Israelites would have been the basis of what was to become the Jewish nation. The Torah streses ויוסף היה, "and Joseph was already in Egypt," i.e. prematurely, before he could complete the task assigned to him as founder of the nation.

יוצאי ירך יעקב, “Yaakov’s descendants;” he himself was not included in the count.

The same Yoseif who tended his father’s sheep. That is to say: since Yoseif was so lowly and humble, perhaps he sinned, since poverty induces a person to sin. Or since Yoseif was a king, perhaps he sinned as a result of his high status. But since this count (of B’nei Yisrael) is after their deaths, it tells here of Yoseif’s righteousness. For our Rabbis of blessed memory say (Avos 2 :4): “Do not trust yourself [that you will not sin,] until the day of your death.”

Perhaps the Torah wants to put Joseph and family on a par with the other members of Jacob's family who descended to Egypt at the invitation of Pharaoh and Joseph by phrasing it thus: כל נפש…ויוסף היה במצרים, "all the persons …including Joseph who happened to be in Egypt already at that time." They were all righteous though some had been born in Egypt, etc. The Torah uses the word נפש for persons in the singular to show that they all formed a single spiritual unit. This is a tremendous compliment for Joseph whose life-experience was so totally different from that of his brothers and who had been mistreated by them. The Torah testified that Joseph was in no way less of an Israelite or part of the common heritage than his brothers who had remained in the land of Canaan all these years. If anything, Joseph was the prime example that given the proper strength of character, one could maintain one's spiritual integrity even after having lived in Egypt for many years and having occupied a position of power and prominence in that society. I have already mentioned this aspect of Joseph when I explained why Jacob was willing to die happy the moment he had made visual contact with Joseph in Genesis 46,30.

שבעים נפש, “seventy persons.” This verse was written primarily to tell of G-d’s miracles, to remind the reader that whereas only 70 persons of Yaakov’s family migrated to Egypt, after 210 years over 600000 male adults between the ages of 20 and 60 left Egypt, presumably at least two and a half million people in all.

ויוסף היה במצרים, “and Joseph had already been in Egypt. Concerning the Hebrews that came with Yaakov, the expression used by the Torah is “הבאים מצרימה,” (verse 1) whereas concerning Joseph, although he had already been there for years, he was included in the “family”: moving to Egypt.