Midrash su Genesi 50:15

Another interpretation (of Exod. 1:1): NOW THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. This text is related (to Ps. 147:3–4): WHO HEALS THE BROKEN HEARTED…. HE RECKONS THE NUMBER OF THE STARS; HE GIVES THEM ALL NAMES. When Jacob died, what is written (in Gen. 50:15)? WHEN JOSEPH'S BROTHERS SAW THAT THEIR FATHER WAS DEAD. What did they see? They saw that, as long as Jacob was alive, Joseph dined with them, and they would eat at his table. Then, when Jacob was dead, they did not eat at his table. Thus it is stated: WHEN JOSEPH'S BROTHERS SAW THAT THEIR FATHER WAS DEAD, they said: There is evil hidden in Joseph's heart; (ibid., end:) AND HE WILL SURELY REPAY US FOR ALL THE EVIL WHICH WE RENDERED HIM.⁸Cf. Gen. R. 100:8. (Vs. 16:) SO THEY SENT A MESSAGE UNTO JOSEPH, SAYING. To whom did they entrust the message? To Bilhah.⁹Cf. Rashi, on Gen. 50:16, according to whom Bilhah’s children were the messengers. Thus it is stated (in vs. 17): SO SHALL YOU SAY TO JOSEPH: PLEASE FORGIVE, PRAY (anna), <THE TRANSGRESSION AND GUILT OF YOUR BROTHERS>…. R. Abbin said: The Holy One said: You used this word anna. A high priest is going to enter the Holy of Holies and utter a synegoria¹⁰The Greek word denotes a verbal defense. for your children with this expression: Anna haShem (Pray, O Eternal One).¹¹On the Day of Atonement the high priest used these words to begin his confession over his own bullock (Yoma 3:8; 4:2). (Ibid., cont.:) AND NOW, PLEASE FORGIVE THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE SERVANTS OF THE GOD OF YOUR FATHER. "The transgression of your servants" is not written here but THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE SERVANTS OF THE GOD OF YOUR FATHER. Although your father is dead, know that his God is alive. (Ibid., cont.:) AND JOSEPH WEPT AS THEY SPOKE TO HIM. Joseph said: Thus have my brothers distrusted me. (Gen. 50:21:) SO HE COMFORTED THEM AND SPOKE TO THEM KINDLY ('al lev) of things which depend upon the heart ('al lev). He said to them: Before you came down to Egypt, the people were opposed to me, saying: He is a slave.¹²Gen. R. 100:8; PRK 16:5. Now you have been brought down and have made it known that I am the child of free < parents >. So should I kill you? They would say: Is there a person who would kill his brothers? Ergo (in Gen. 50:21): SO HE COMFORTED THEM.

(Lev. 7:11:) “This is the law of the sacrifice for peace offerings.” You find that all of the [other] sacrifices that they would bring, they would bring for sins. In the case of the guilt offerings, they would sacrifice them for sins, as stated (in Ezra 10:19), “And they gave their word (literally, their hand) that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, [they gave] a ram of the flock for their guilt.” Now the sin offering [took place] for the unintentional sin, as stated (in Numb. 15:25), “and their sin offering before the Lord for their unintentional sin.” A burnt offering took place for a thought of the heart. Thus it is stated (in Job 1:5), “and rising early in the morning, he would offer burnt offerings, one for each of them, for Job said, ‘Perhaps my children have sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts.’” But when the thank offering took place, it took place on account of their gratitude. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “This is the dearest to Me of all the offerings.” David said (in Ps. 50:23), “Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors Me (ykbdnni).” It does not say ykbdni but ykbdnni, [spelled with n] two times, [once] for this world and [once] for the world to come.²⁰Lev. R. 9:2; Rashi on Sanh. 43b. R. Judah said, “Whoever answers amen in this world merits answering amen in the world to come. Where is it shown? (In Ps. 41:14), ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting (literally: from the world and unto the world); amen and amen.’ What is the meaning of ‘amen and amen?’ Amen in this world and amen in the world to come.” Ergo (in Ps. 50:23), “Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors Me.” R. Aqiva said, “Whoever speaks songs [of praise] in this world merits speaking songs [of praise] in the world to come, as stated (Exodus 15:1), ‘Then Moshe sang (literally, will sing).’ It does not say, ‘Then he sang,’ but rather, ‘Then he will sing.’ Ergo, whoever speaks songs [of praise] in this world merits speaking songs [of praise] in the world to come.” Therefore, it is stated, (in Ps. 50:23), “Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors Me.” (Lev. 7:11:) “This is the law of the sacrifice for peace offerings.” Peace offerings are great because they make peace between Israel and their Father in heaven. Eleazar Haqappar says, “Peace is great, because even though Israel worships idols but [still] forms one fellowship (havurah), strict justice does not harm them.²¹Numb. R. 11:17; cf. Gen. R. 38:6 It is so stated (in Hos. 4:17), ‘Ephraim is associated (havur) with idols. Let him be.’” R. Levi says, “Peace is great, because there is no conclusion to the priestly blessing other than peace, as stated (in Numb. 6:26), ‘and grant you peace.’” R. Simeon ben Gamaliel said, “Peace is great, because the Holy One, blessed be He, has written things in the Torah that did not happen, which are there only because of peace.²²yPe’ah 1:1 (16a); see Gen. R. 48:18; 100:8; Lev. R. 9:9; Deut. R. 5:5; Yev. 65b. They are the following: When Jacob had died (Gen. 50:15), ‘And Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, and they said, “Perhaps Joseph begrudges us.”’ What did they do?²³Above, Exod. 1:2. They went to Bilhah and said to her, ‘Go in unto Joseph and say to him (in Gen. 50:16), “Before he died, your father gave a command saying, ‘So shall you say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers.”’”’ Now Jacob never commanded any of these things at all; yet they said this thing on their own.” Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel said, “See how much ink was spilled, how many pens²⁴Gk.: kalamoi. were broken, how many skins were prepared, and how many children were whipped in order to learn something which did not happen which is in the Torah. See how great is the power of peace!” And so you find in the case of Sarah, when the ministering angels came to Abraham and said to him (in Gen. 18:14), ‘At the set time I will return unto you, at the time that life is due.’ At that time (according to Gen. 18:12), ‘Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “… and my husband is an old man.”’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham (in vs. 13), ‘[But] why did Sarah laugh, saying, “Is it true that I also shall bear [a child] when I am old?”’²⁵Thus for the sake of peace the Holy One hid from Abraham the fact that Sarah had called him an old man. Now why all this? For the sake of peace.” Also in the world to come, when the Holy One, blessed be He, returns the diaspora to Jerusalem, He shall return them in peace. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 122:6), “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, may those who love you have serenity.” And so it says (in Is. 66:12), “Behold, I will extend peace unto her like a river.”

When Jacob had died, (Gen. 50:15:) AND JOSEPH'S BROTHERS SAW THAT THEIR FATHER WAS DEAD…, what did they do?³⁵Above, Exod. 1:2. They went to Bilhah and said to her: Go in unto Joseph and say to him (in Gen. 50:16): BEFORE HE DIED YOUR FATHER GAVE A COMMAND SAYING.³⁶The command was for Joseph to forgive his brothers and so make peace. Now Jacob never commanded any of these things at all; yet they said this thing on their own. Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel said: See how much ink was spilled, how many pens³⁷Gk.: kalamoi. were broken, {how many children were whipped,} how many skins were {destroyed} [prepared], [and how many children were whipped], in order to learn something which was not in the Torah. See how great is the power of peace!
And so you find in the case of Sarah, when the ministering angels came to Abraham and said to him (in Gen. 18:14): AT THE SET TIME I WILL RETURN UNTO YOU, AT THE TIME THAT LIFE IS DUE, AND SARAH SHALL HAVE A SON, at that time (according to Gen. 18:12) SARAH LAUGHED TO HERSELF, SAYING:… [AND MY HUSBAND IS AN OLD MAN]. The Holy One said to Abraham (in vs. 13): [But] WHY DID SARAH LAUGH, SAYING: IS IT TRUE THAT I ALSO SHALL BEAR < A CHILD > WHEN I AM OLD?³⁸Thus for the sake of peace the Holy One hid from Abraham the fact that Sarah had called him an old man. Now why all this? For the sake of peace.

And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, etc. (Gen. 50:15). What did they see that frightened them? As they were returning from the burial of their father, they saw their brother go to the pit into which they had hurled him, in order to bless it. He blessed the pit with the benediction “Blessed be the place where He performed a miracle for me,” just as any man is required to pronounce a blessing at the place where a miracle had been performed in his behalf. When they beheld this they cried out: Now that our father is dead, Joseph will hate us and will fully requite us for all the evil which we did unto him. And they sent a message unto Joseph, saying: Thy father did command … “So shall ye say unto Joseph: Forgive” (Gen. 50:15–16). We have searched the entire Scripture and are unable to find any place where Jacob uttered this remark. This statement is introduced to teach us the importance of peace. The Holy One, blessed be He, wrote these words in the Torah for the sake of peace alone.

When you approach a town to attack it, [you shall offer it terms of peace]: See how great is the power of peace; as the Holy One, blessed be He, said to open with peace even to the enemies. So did our Rabbis teach, "We inquire about the welfare of the gentiles for the sake of the ways of peace." R. Eliezer HaKappar beRabbi said, "The power of peace is great; as at the time that Israel makes itself one group, the trait of strict judgement does not reach them, even [if there is] idolatry among them, as it is stated (Hosea 4:17), 'Ephraim is addicted to images; let him be.' But at the time that they are divided, the trait of strict judgement reaches them, as it is stated (Hosea 10:2), "Their heart has been divided, now they will be guilty." Rabbi Yehoshua of Sakhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi, "See how great is the power of peace, as Scripture [added] two or three words because of peace and these are them: When our father Yaakov departed, the [brothers] were afraid, as it is stated (Genesis 50:15-17), 'When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us, etc.?" So they sent this message to Joseph, "Before his death your father commanded saying, 'So shall you say to Joseph, "Forgive, I urge you, etc."'"' But we do not find that our father Yaakov commanded these words. Rather they said them on their own." Our Sages, may their memory be blessed, said, "How many quills are broken, and how much ink is spilled to write these things that were not. And because of what? Because of peace." As even [with] our mother Sarah, the Holy One, blessed be He, dictated something about her that never was, for the sake of peace. As it is stated (Genesis 18:12), "And Sarah laughed to herself (bekirbah), saying." She observed her innards (bekeraveah) and said, "These innards are to carry a fetus, these shriveled breasts are to draw milk? And even if I am [to do] this, is Avraham not old, as it is stated (Genesis 18:12), 'and my lord is old.'" But when the Holy One, blessed be He, came to rebuke her, he [only] said to Avraham (Genesis 18:13), "Why did Sarah laugh, [saying, 'Shall I in truth bear a child, old as I am]?'" And why so? So that he should not hate her and there be hatred between Avraham and Sarah.

(8) "And Joseph returned to Egypt" (Genesis 50:14) [...they said, "What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrong that we did him?" (Genesis 50:15)] - Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Yitzchak [disagreed on the interpretation]: Rabbi Levi said: "He did not invite them to dine [with him]" Rabbi Tanchuma said: "He intended nothing other than for the sake of Heaven [by his actions] in that [he thought] 'in the past, father seated me above Judah and he is [to be the ancestor of] a king and above Reuvein who is the firstborn. And now, is it not reasonable that I should sit above them?' But they did not say such, but rather "What if Joseph still bears a grudge (Genesis 50:14)" -- Rabbi Yitzchak said "He went and peered into that pit [while in Canaan to bury their father]." 'And they commanded to Joseph saying, "Your father commanded..."' (Genesis 50:16)" It was taught: Rabban Shimon Gamliel says, "Peace is great, as even the tribes [i.e. brothers] spoke invented words in order to bring peace between Joseph and the tribes. This is what is written (in Genesis 50:16), 'And they commanded to Joseph saying... [Your father commanded before his death]'. And where did he command? We do not find that he commanded!" "Such you shall say to Joseph..." (Genesis 50:17) He said: "Thus my brothers suspect me." "And his brothers also went" (Genesis 50:18) They said to him: "You wanted one [i.e. Benjamin] to be yours for a slave - here, all of us are yours for slaves!"