Midras Kejadian 42:21: Bamidbar Rabbah & Bereshit Rabbah

“On the fourth day, prince of the children of Reuben, Elitzur son of Shedeur” (Numbers 7:30).
“On the fourth day, prince of the children of Reuben…” – once the banner of Judah⁷⁰See Numbers 2:1–9. finished, the prince of Reuben began presenting his offering, because he was the firstborn, and he presented the offering regarding his tribe of Reuben.
“His offering was one silver dish, its weight one hundred and thirty; one silver basin of seventy shekels, in the sacred shekel; both of them full of high quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering” (Numbers 7:31).
“One gold ladle, ten shekels, full of incense” (Numbers 7:32).
“His offering was one silver dish [ke’arat]” (Numbers 7:31), do not read it as ke’arat, but rather, as akeret; this is Reuben, who played the main [ikar] role in the rescue [of Joseph]. It was he who first initiated the rescue. That is what is written: “Reuben heard and rescued him from their hand” (Genesis 37:21). Alternatively, that he uprooted [akar] the thought of his brothers, who wanted to kill him, just as it says: “Now let us go and kill him…” (Genesis 37:20). “Silver,” in the sense of: “The tongue of the righteous is choice silver” (Proverbs 10:20). ”Its weight one hundred and thirty,” this is because the first three letters of the first three words that he said to them, their numerical value totals one hundred and thirty. “Let us not smite him mortally [lo nakenu nafesh]” (Genesis 37:21); take lamed from lo, nun from nakenu, and nun from nafesh; that is one hundred and thirty.⁷¹Lamed is thirty and nun is fifty, so 30 + 50 + 50 = 130.
“One silver basin [mizrak],” (Numbers 7:31), corresponding to the counsel he gave them that they should cast [sheyizreku] him into the pit, just as it says: “Reuben said to them: Do not shed blood; cast him into [this] pit…” (Genesis 37:22). “Silver,” in the sense of: “The tongue of the righteous is choice silver” (Proverbs 10:20). “Of seventy shekels, in the sacred shekel” (Numbers 7:31), corresponding to the secret [sod] that was in his heart to save him [Joseph]. The numerical value of sod is seventy.⁷²Samekh is sixty, vav is 6 and dalet is 4 = 70. “Both of them full of high quality flour…” (Numbers 7:31), as what he said to them: “Let us not smite him mortally” and “cast him,” he intended only to rescue him, as in both matters,⁷³His statement not to kill Joseph, and his proposal to throw Joseph into the pit. rescue is written: Initially, it is written: “Reuben heard and rescued him from their hand” (Genesis 37:21), and ultimately, it is written: “In order to rescue him from their hand” (Genesis 37:22). “One gold ladle [kaf], ten shekels…” (Numbers 7:32), kaf,⁷⁴Kaf also means palm or hand. corresponding to what he said to his brothers: “Do not lay a hand on him” (Genesis 37:22). “Gold…ten shekels,” because he saved himself by admonishing them, and he saved nine brothers from bloodshed. That is why “gold” is written, as there is one type of gold that resembles blood, and that is parvayim gold. “Full of incense” (Numbers 7:32), although it happened to the tribes that Joseph’s sale befell them, you presume that this act would not have befallen them unless they had been wicked in performing other acts. No, but rather they were full-fledged righteous men, and no sin had ever befallen them other than this one: That is what is written: “They said one to another: But we are guilty [regarding our brother]” (Genesis 42:21). They were engaged in self-reflection as to why their detention in Egypt befell them, but found only this. From their disgrace, the verse relates their praise, that they had only this iniquity alone attributable to them. And because Joseph’s sale was fortuitous for him, as it led him to rule, and it was fortuitous for his brothers and his father’s entire household, as he provided them with food during the famine years, that is why he was sold by them, because merit is engendered by means of the meritorious. That is “full of incense.”
Another matter, “full of incense,” as, at that time, Reuben was a penitent, donning sackcloth, fasting, and praying before the Holy One blessed be He, that He grant him atonement for the iniquity of the act with Bilha.⁷⁵See Genesis 35:22. Prayer is likened to incense, just as it says: “Let my prayer stand as incense before You…” (Psalms 141:2). That is, “full of incense.”
“One young bull, one ram, one lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering” (Numbers 7:33).
“One goat as a sin offering” (Numbers 7:34).
“And for the peace offering, two cattle, five rams, five goats, five sheep in their first year. This was the offering of Elitzur son of Shedeur” (Numbers 7:35).
“One young bull…” (Numbers 7:33), these are the offerings that he sacrificed, corresponding to the penitence in which he was engaged when Joseph was sold. Penitence is likened to all the offerings of a sinner, as it is written: “Offerings to God are a broken spirit” (Psalms 51:19). Just as the sinner brings a burnt offering and a sin offering for his sin, that is why he brought here a burnt offering and a sin offering, corresponding to them. And because the burnt offering is more cherished⁷⁶By the Holy One blessed be He. than the sin offering, that is why he sacrificed a burnt offering from all the species with the exception of the goat, as we do not find the goat as a burnt offering throughout the Torah.
“One goat as a sin offering” (Numbers 7:34), this is to atone for the act with Bilha. “And for the peace offering, two cattle” (Numbers 7:35), because he was [going to be] excluded from being enumerated with his brothers because of the act with Bilha, as it is written: “Reuben went and lay with Bilha, his father's concubine, and Israel heard” (Genesis 35:22), the matter was interrupted,⁷⁷Genesis 35:22 is written in the Torah with an empty space in the middle of the verse following the phrase "and Israel heard," before the continuation “the sons of Jacob were twelve.” as it placed the end of the portion there, alluding that he was banished. This is why that portion is an open portion, as even though he was banished, the arms of the Holy One blessed be He are open to receive penitents. Because he sought to perform two good deeds, Joseph’s rescue and repentance, he was restored to be part of them, and was included in their tally. That is what is written: “The sons of Jacob were twelve” (Genesis 35:22). Due to these two acts that Reuben performed, Moses found an opportunity to pray on behalf of Reuben so that he would not be excluded from his brothers. That is what is written: “May Reuben live [and not die, and may his people be counted]” (Deuteronomy 33:6). “May Reuben live,” because he gave life to Joseph; “and not die,” due to the act of Bilha, because he repented; “and may his people be counted,” may his descendants be included in the tally of the other tribes in every sense. That is why it is stated: “And for the peace offering, two cattle [bakar]” (Numbers 7:35), corresponding to the two good deeds that he sought out [shebiker], Joseph’s rescue and the repentance, he was restored and was enumerated with his brothers.
“Five rams, five goats, five sheep in their first year” (Numbers 7:35), why three species? It is corresponding to the three times Reuben is mentioned in the portion of Joseph’s rescue and corresponding to the three “vayomer” that are written there.⁷⁸Genesis 37:21, 22, 30. Why were there five of each? They correspond to the five words through which Reuben was drawn near. That is what is written: “The sons of Jacob were twelve.”⁷⁹There are five words in the Hebrew phrase.
“This was the offering of Elitzur…” (Numbers 7:35), when the Holy One blessed be He saw that he presented his offering in this order, He began lauding his offering; “this was the offering…”

“If you are sincere, one of your brothers will be incarcerated in the place of your custody and you, go bring grain for the hunger of your houses” (Genesis 42:19).
“And bring your youngest brother to me and your statements will be verified, and you will not die. They did so” (Genesis 42:20).
“They said one to another: But we are guilty in our brother’s regard, that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he pleaded with us and we did not heed; that is why this anguish has befallen us” (Genesis 42:21).
“If you are sincere…and [bring] your youngest brother…They said one to another: But [aval] we are guilty” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: It is a southern dialect: Aval – truthfully. “That we saw the anguish of his soul, when he pleaded with us” – Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan bar She’ila: Is it possible that Joseph, at seventeen years old, would see his brothers selling him, and be silent? Rather, it teaches that he prostrated himself before the feet of each and every one so that they would be filled with mercy for him, but they were not filled.
“Reuben responded to them, saying: Did I not speak to you, saying: Do not sin against the child, and you did not heed? And, indeed, here is a reckoning for his blood” (Genesis 42:22).
“Reuben responded to them, saying…” – did I not say this to you? “Did I not speak to you, saying: Do not sin against the child,” but this is what you said: “Now let us go and kill him” (Genesis 37:20).
“And, indeed [vegam], here is a reckoning for his blood” – his blood and the blood of the elder.⁵¹Instead of “his blood vedamo],” it says “indeed…his blood [vegam damo].” The word vegam comes to include the blood of his father.
“They did not know that Joseph understood, as the interpreter was between them” (Genesis 42:23).
“They did not know that Joseph understood, as the interpreter” – this was Manasseh.
“He turned from them and wept, and he returned to them; he spoke to them, and took Simeon from them, and incarcerated him before their eyes” (Genesis 42:24).
“He turned from them” – Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: he incarcerated him before their eyes. When they departed, he fed him, gave him to drink, bathed him, and anointed him.

“Joseph commanded to fill their vessels with grain, and to restore each man's silver to his sack, and to give them provisions for the way, and he did so to them” (Genesis 42:25).
“They loaded their grain onto their donkeys, and went from there” (Genesis 42:26).
“One of them opened his sack to give feed to his donkey at the inn. He saw his silver; behold, it was in the opening of his sack” (Genesis 42:27).
“He said to his brothers: My silver was returned and, behold, it is in my sack. Their hearts sank, and they trembled one with another, saying: What is this that God has done to us?” (Genesis 42:28).
“Joseph commanded to fill…They loaded their grain onto their donkeys…One of them opened…Each one said to his brother.”⁵²The last citation is a paraphrase of Genesis 42:28. When Rabbi Simon bar Zevida died, Rabbi Ela entered and began [his eulogy] for him: “But wisdom, where will it be found? …It is vanished from the eyes of all living… The deep says: It is not…” (Job 28:12, 21, 14). There are four matters that are essential for the world’s needs, and all of them have replacements. These are: “For there is a source of silver and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the dust, and copper is smelted from rock” (Job 28:1–2). But when a Torah scholar dies, we cannot find a replacement for him. Rabbi Levi said: When the tribes found something,⁵³Whey they found the silver that had been returned to the sack. it is written: “Their hearts sank”; we who lost Rabbi Simon, all the more so.
“They came to their father Jacob, to the land of Canaan, and they told him all that had befallen them, saying” (Genesis 42:29).
“They came to their father Jacob…[and they told him all that had befallen [hakorot] them]” – it teaches that the matters weighed heavily upon them like beams [kekorot].⁵⁴Like the beams of an olive-press that weigh heavily upon the olives.
“The man, lord of the land, spoke harshly with us, and accused us as spies of the land” (Genesis 42:30).
“It was as they were emptying their sacks, and, behold, each man's packet of silver was in his sack. They and their father saw their bags of silver, and they were afraid” (Genesis 42:35).
“The man, lord of the land, spoke… It was as they were emptying their sacks…” – it teaches that their father suspected them.⁵⁵When Jacob saw the silver, he suspected them of stealing it, and therefore also suspected them of wrongdoing regarding the disappearance of Joseph and Simeon, as the following verse suggests.
“Jacob their father said to them: You have bereaved me: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and Benjamin you will take; all of these have come upon me” (Genesis 42:36).
“Jacob their father said to them… [all of these have come upon me]” – Joseph is already not [with us], and Simeon is not, but it is incumbent “upon me” to produce twelve tribes.
“Reuben said to his father, saying: Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you; place him in my charge, and I will return him to you” (Genesis 42:37).
“Reuben said to his father…” – Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] says: This is a firstborn imbecile. Are your sons not my sons? I wonder.
“He said: My son will not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and only he remains, and disaster will befall him on the path on which you will go; you will cause my old age to descend in sorrow to the grave” (Genesis 42:38).
“He said: My son will not go down with you…” – Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Marinos, both of them said in the name of Abba Nehorai: When a person would say a worthy statement before Rabbi Tarfon, he would say: “A knob and a flower [kaftor vaferaḥ].”⁵⁶These were parts of the ornamentation of the candelabrum and referring to them indicates that the statement was pleasing. But when he would say nonsense, he would say: “My son will not go down with you.”⁵⁷Just as Jacob refused to agree to Reuben’s suggestion, Rabbi Tarfon was indicating his refusal to agree with the statement that had been made.
“On the path on which you will go; [you will cause my old age to descend in sorrow to the grave]” – but not in the house?⁵⁸Was it only on the path that disaster could befall Benjamin? From here it is derived that the accuser accuses only in a time of danger.