Hebrew Bible Study
Hebrew Bible Study

Midrash for Genesis 45:8

וְעַתָּ֗ה לֹֽא־אַתֶּ֞ם שְׁלַחְתֶּ֤ם אֹתִי֙ הֵ֔נָּה כִּ֖י הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיְשִׂימֵ֨נִֽי לְאָ֜ב לְפַרְעֹ֗ה וּלְאָדוֹן֙ לְכָל־בֵּית֔וֹ וּמֹשֵׁ֖ל בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God; and He hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Esther Rabbah

“The couriers went out urgently by the king’s command, and the order was issued in the Shushan citadel; the king and Haman sat to drink, and the city of Shushan was confounded” (Esther 3:15).
“The couriers went out urgently by the king’s command… the king and Haman sat to drink.” Rabbi Ḥanin said: Anyone who says that the All-Merciful is forbearing, his innards will be forborne. Rather, He withholds His anger, but [later] collects His due. He said to the tribes: ‘You sold your brother while eating and drinking. I will do the same to you;’23Joseph’s brothers “sat down to eat a meal” (Genesis 37:25) when they came up with the idea of selling Joseph into slavery. that is what is written: “And the king and Haman sat to drink.”
There was a certain man of Israel who went to the marketplace to purchase a litra of meat or a bunch of greens; a Persian choked him and said to him: ‘Tomorrow I will kill you and spend your money’; that is what is written: “And the city of Shushan was confounded.”
Rabbi Yissakhar of Kefar Mandi said: See how long it takes for the resolution [of the statement] of one who forgave, saying: “It was not you who sent me here, but rather God…” (Genesis 45:8).24Joseph to his brothers. The punishment for the sale of Joseph was in effect until the days of Mordekhai; for one who does not forgive, all the more so.
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