Musar su Genesi 42:11

The brothers had described themselves as כלנו בני איש אחד, "We are all the sons of one man" (42, 11). The word אחד, which is not really necessary, is the reference to Joseph. It is significant that the brothers did not say 13 ,42) ,אנחנו) for "we are," but only נחנו. The letter א is missing in the word "we." Later on, however, they acknowledged the significance of Joseph as also being a substitute for the "one" represented by their father Jacob, when they described themselves as שנים עשר עבדיך אחים אנחנו בני איש אחד. In elaborating on the word אחד later on in the same verse, the brothers refer to Joseph as האחד איננו, the "disappearance of the one." Rashi already comments that the brothers explained the fact they had dispersed throughout the country, -an uncharacteristic behaviour if indeed they were brothers,- was all because of the "one" whom they tried to locate. Rashi also says that the inclusion of the "one" in their statement :"we are all (including you) the sons of one man," was said with "Holy Spirit," though they were not aware of it at the time.

When Joseph claimed that the brothers had come to view ערות הארץ, "the land in its nakedness" (42,9), he chose words which reflected the attitude of the spies hundreds of years later when they wanted to appoint a leader to bring them back to Egypt (Numbers 14,4). Yehudah answered Joseph that he was the spokesman of the brothers, and that Levi was second in line to him because he wore (or would wear) the "crown" of the Priesthood. He added: "Your servants have never been spies," pointing out that Caleb of the tribe of Yehudah who had been sent out as a spy, had played a faultless role in that episode. Since Moses had not seen fit to send a member of the tribe of Levi on that mission, Levi too could not be faulted for lack of love for the land of Canaan. When Yehudah stated "your servants, [meaning myself as the wearer of the "crown" of Royalty and Levi as the wearer of the "crown" of Priesthood Ed.] have not been spies" (in the past tense), he alluded to the fact that at a later date when Joshua would send out spies a member of the tribe of Levi would be included, namely Pinchas.