פירוש על בראשית 45:24

אל תרגזו בדרך BE NOT AGITATED BY THE WAY — Do not busy yourselves with Halachic discussions lest the road become unsteady for you (i.e. lest you lose your way). Another explanation is: Do not take very long steps and enter the town where you will stay over night while the sun is still shining (Taanit 10b). According to the plain sense of the verse, however, it must be explained thus: Because they felt ashamed he feared that they might quarrel on the way about his having been sold, arguing one with another. One would say: “It was through you he was sold”. Another: “It was you who made slanderous statements about him and caused us to hate him”.

DO NOT ‘TIRG’ZU’ BY THE WAY. Rogez is an expression of trembling and movement, and is usually applied when the trembling is a result of fear, as for example, a heart ‘ragaz’ (that is trembling);⁵⁷Deuteronomy 28:65. ‘V’ragzu’ (and they shall tremble), and be in anguish;⁵⁸Ibid., 2:25. And where I stand ‘ergaz’ (I tremble);⁵⁹Habakkuk 3:16. And drink thy water ‘b’ragzah’ (with trembling) and with anxiety.⁶⁰Ezekiel 12:18. Therefore, the correct interpretation of this verse is, in my opinion, that Joseph said to them, “Do not fear by the way,” and the purport thereof is that since they were carrying corn and bread and sustenance⁶¹Verse 23 here. and the best of Egypt in the days of the famine, they might fear lest robbers attack them while they travelled on their journey to Canaan, and the moreso when they return to Egypt with all their possessions, and thus they will not hasten the matter.⁶²See II Chronicles 24:15. Therefore he told them that they should go quickly and hurry to come there, as it is said, Hasten ye, and go up to my father,³⁸Verse 9 here. and they should have no fear at all on the way as his name is upon them. Since he is the ruler of the entire land of Egypt, and the lives of the peoples of those countries are in his hand, and all are fearful of his awe, they will travel and arrive in peace.

וישלח את אחיו, every expression denoting accompaniment (sending something along) is made clear by means of the dagesh, whereas when the word means merely “sending” it is in the “weak” construction without the dagesh. [The author speaks of the use of the root שלח, which may mean “to send,” or to “send with.” When it means the latter, this is noticeable through the dagesh in the letter ל. Ed.] In our verse it means the latter.