Commentary for Genesis 44:12
וַיְחַפֵּ֕שׂ בַּגָּד֣וֹל הֵחֵ֔ל וּבַקָּטֹ֖ן כִּלָּ֑ה וַיִּמָּצֵא֙ הַגָּבִ֔יעַ בְּאַמְתַּ֖חַת בִּנְיָמִֽן׃
And he searched, beginning at the eldest, and leaving off at the youngest; and the goblet was found in Benjamin’s sack.
Rashi on Genesis
בגדול החל AT THE ELDEST HE BEGAN — so that they should not perceive that he knew where it was (Genesis Rabbah 92.8).
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Radak on Genesis
ויחפש, בגדול החל, in order that they should not suspect him of having planted the goblet in Binyamin’s sack, he made a show of starting to search the oldest, etc. He knew their respective rank in seniority from the way Joseph had seated them at the meal.
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Rabbeinu Bahya
בגדול החל, “he began by searching the sack of the oldest.” He did this in order that they should not realize the goblet had been a plant.
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