Comentários de Citação sobre Gênesis 42:13

Together in their inheritance, etc. I.e., only if they are “together in their inheritance,” meaning, that one inherits the other if one of them dies. This includes paternal brothers, but excludes maternal brothers who do not inherit one another. For all paternal relatives inherit a person, and not his maternal brothers. You might ask, why learn this from “together”? Why not derive it from a gezeira shava by comparing “brothers” here to “brothers” by the sons of Yaakov? It is written here “brothers,” and it is written there (Bereishis 42:13), “Your servants are twelve brothers, the son of one man, etc.” Just as there [“brothers” are] paternal, so here too “brothers” are] paternal! The answer is that since we find that even relatives are called “brothers” as it is written (ibid 13:8), “For we are kinsmen (אנשים אחים, lit. “people who are brothers”), you may have thought that even relatives are obligated to perform a levirate marriage, and as we find with Boaz. Therefore it is written “together,” together in their inheritance, etc. The Gemora in chapter 2 of Yevamos (17b) gives a different answer, see there. Re”m cites it, see there.

Maternally. A vav is lacking, [and it means as if it said] ובן אמך (or your mother’s son). It is not correct to say that only a brother from the same father and mother is intended. For we find the term “brother,” indicates even a paternal brother, as in (Bereishis 42:13), “Your servants are twelve brothers,” and (below 25:5), “If brothers reside together.” Rather, the verse must be understood as if it said, “or.” [“Your mother’s son,” is written] because one’s paternal brother is more beloved to him than his maternal brother.

THY SERVANTS HAVE NOT BEEN SPIES. The meaning of this expression is: “We have been trustworthy in all our affairs from our youth on. Your servants have not been spies from then till now.” Similarly, We have not been spies,¹⁴³Further in Verse 31. means: “We have never been spies.”
Now our Rabbis have been aroused by the matter we have discussed,¹⁴⁴Namely, what did the brothers do to justify Joseph’s accusation that they were spies? and they have expounded¹⁴⁵Bereshith Rabbah 91:6. that they entered the city by ten different gates in the manner of spies, and it was for this reason that he accused them. Now this is plausible; however, Scripture does not mention it! Moreover, at the very outset, the brothers said to him in defense of themselves, We are all one man’s sons, and [if, as the Midrash has it, the basis of his accusation was that they entered by ten different gates], this itself indicates their guilt.¹⁴⁶Since brothers as a rule stay together, the fact that they did not enter by the same gate indicates that they are spies.
Now it is possible to say in explanation of the Midrash that Joseph originally said to them, “you entered by ten gates, and now you are all gathering in one place and conspiring together. This is nothing other than the behavior of spies.” Thereupon they said to him, “It is because we are brothers that we are gathered together.” But he said, “Not so, but you have come to find out the condition of the land.¹⁴⁷Verse 12 here. If you were brothers you should have entered by one gate, just as you are now together.” Then they told him that one of them is gone,¹⁴⁸Verse 13 here. and that they had gone in search of him, [which was why they entered by different gates]. Scripture, however, does not care to prolong the discussion of the motivation of their arguments.