וַיִּקְרָ֥א יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם הַבְּכ֖וֹר מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה כִּֽי־נַשַּׁ֤נִי אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־כָּל־עֲמָלִ֔י וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽי׃
און יוֹסף האָט גערופֿן דעם נאָמען פֿון דעם בכָור מנַשֶה, װײַל: « גאָט האָט מיך געמאַכט פֿאַרגעסן מײַן גאַנצע מאַטערניש, און דאָס גאַנצע הױז פֿון מײַן פֿאָטער».
Shemot Rabbah
“Moses decided to dwell with the man, and he gave his daughter Tzipora to Moses” (Exodus 2:21).
“Moses decided [vayoel]” – Rabbi Yehuda says that he took an oath to him, as vayoel is nothing other than an expression of an oath, as it is stated: “Saul administered an oath [vayoel] to the people” (I Samuel 14:24). Why did he administer an oath to him? He said to him: ‘I know that Jacob your ancestor, when Lavan gave him his daughters, he took them and left without [Lavan’s] knowledge. Perhaps, if I give you my daughter you will do the same to me.’ Immediately, [Moses] took an oath to him, and [Yitro] gave him Tzipora.
Rabbi Neḥemya said: He accepted upon himself to stay the night with him, as vayoel is nothing other than an expression of staying the night, as it is stated: “Please agree [hoel] and stay the night” (Judges 19:6). Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said that he accepted upon himself to herd his flocks, as vayoel is nothing other than an expression of beginning. When he married his daughter, he began and accepted upon himself to herd his flocks.
“She bore a son and he named him Gershom because he said: I was a stranger [ger] in a foreign land” (Exodus 2:22).
“She bore a son and he named him Gershom.” It is the way of the righteous to name their sons after an event. In Joseph’s regard what does it say? “He named the firstborn Manasseh…and the second he named Ephraim”72Manasseh, “because God has made me forget [nashani] all my toil and all my father’s household.” Ephraim, “because God has made me fruitful [hifrani] in the land of my affliction.” (Genesis 41:51–52), in order to recall the miracles that the Holy One blessed be He performed on his behalf. Moses, too, named his son Gershom after the miracle that the Lord performed on his behalf; that he was a stranger in a foreign land, and the Holy One blessed be He brought him success there.
“Moses decided [vayoel]” – Rabbi Yehuda says that he took an oath to him, as vayoel is nothing other than an expression of an oath, as it is stated: “Saul administered an oath [vayoel] to the people” (I Samuel 14:24). Why did he administer an oath to him? He said to him: ‘I know that Jacob your ancestor, when Lavan gave him his daughters, he took them and left without [Lavan’s] knowledge. Perhaps, if I give you my daughter you will do the same to me.’ Immediately, [Moses] took an oath to him, and [Yitro] gave him Tzipora.
Rabbi Neḥemya said: He accepted upon himself to stay the night with him, as vayoel is nothing other than an expression of staying the night, as it is stated: “Please agree [hoel] and stay the night” (Judges 19:6). Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said that he accepted upon himself to herd his flocks, as vayoel is nothing other than an expression of beginning. When he married his daughter, he began and accepted upon himself to herd his flocks.
“She bore a son and he named him Gershom because he said: I was a stranger [ger] in a foreign land” (Exodus 2:22).
“She bore a son and he named him Gershom.” It is the way of the righteous to name their sons after an event. In Joseph’s regard what does it say? “He named the firstborn Manasseh…and the second he named Ephraim”72Manasseh, “because God has made me forget [nashani] all my toil and all my father’s household.” Ephraim, “because God has made me fruitful [hifrani] in the land of my affliction.” (Genesis 41:51–52), in order to recall the miracles that the Holy One blessed be He performed on his behalf. Moses, too, named his son Gershom after the miracle that the Lord performed on his behalf; that he was a stranger in a foreign land, and the Holy One blessed be He brought him success there.
Sefer HaYashar (midrash)
And the boys grew up and they followed his ways and his instructions. They did not turn neither to the right nor to the left from the path pointed out by their father. And the Lord was with them and they had understanding, and they were versed in all wisdom and all the affairs of the government. And all the princes of the king and the prominent inhabitants of Egypt praised those boys, and they grew up amidst the sons of the king. And the seven years of plenty that were throughout the land were at an end, and after them came seven years of famine as Joseph had spoken, and the famine was in all the earth. And when the people of Egypt saw that the famine had commenced throughout the land, they opened all their storehouses of corn, for the famine grew very powerful upon them. And they found all the food in their treasuries full of worms unfit for food. And the famine grew stronger in all the land, and the inhabitants of Egypt came and cried out before Pharaoh, for the famine was heavy upon them, and they said unto Pharaoh: Give food unto thy servants and let us not starve before thine eyes, we and our children. And Pharaoh answered them saying: And why are you crying unto me? Behold during the seven years of plenty Joseph hath commanded you to gather up corn for the years of famine, and wherefore have you not hearkened unto his voice. And the Egyptians answered unto the king: As thy soul liveth, oh our lord, whatsoever Joseph hath spoken thy servants hath done. For verily thy servants hath gathered up all the food of their fields, in the seven years of plenty and we hath placed it into our treasuries even to this day. And when the famine grew powerful upon thy servants we opened our treasuries, and behold all our food is full of worms unfit to eat. And when the king heard all that had befallen the inhabitants of Egypt, the king was exceedingly afraid and terrified on account of the famine, and the king answered unto the people saying: Since this has occurred unto you, go ye unto Joseph and do whatsoever he will say unto you. Do not disobey his words. And all the Egyptians went and came before Joseph and they said unto him: Give us food, and wherefore shall we die of hunger before thee, for behold we have gathered up our produce during the seven years as thou hast commanded, and we placed it into the store houses, and now such and such hath happened unto us. And when Joseph heard the words of the Egyptians and what had befallen them, Joseph opened the stores of his food and he sold it unto the Egyptians. And the famine was upon the face of the whole earth, in the other lands as well as in Egypt. And in Egypt alone was food for sale and all the inhabitants of Egypt came unto Joseph to buy their food, for the famine was powerful over them and all their produce had been spoilt. And Joseph sold it unto all the Egyptians day after day. And all the inhabitants of the land of Canaan, and the Philistines, and those on the other side of Jordan, and the sons of the east and of all the cities of the earth far and near heard that there was corn for sale in Egypt, and all of them came into Egypt to purchase for the famine was heavy upon them.
Bereshit Rabbah
“And to Shem, father of all the children of Ever, brother of Yefet the eldest, children were also born” (Genesis 10:21).
“And to Shem, father of all the children of Ever…[brother of Yefet the eldest]23This phrase could also be translated: the elder brother of Yefet.” – we do not know whether Shem is the eldest or Yefet is the eldest. From what is written: “These are the descendants of Shem. Shem was one hundred years old, and he begot Arpakhshad two years after the Flood” (Genesis 11:10),24Noah’s eldest son was born when he was five hundred year old (Genesis 5:32), and the Flood began when he was six hundred years old (Genesis 7:6), so Noah’s eldest son was one hundred years old when the Flood began. Shem, however, turned one hundred two years after the Flood. we see that Yefet was the eldest.
“Two sons were born to Ever; the name of the one was Peleg, as in his days the world was divided, and the name of his brother was Yoktan” (Genesis 10:25).
“Two sons were born to Ever; the name of the one was Peleg, as in his days the world was divided” – Rabbi Yosei says: The ancients, because they knew their ancestors [personally],25Since they lived very long lives, spanning many generations. would give names [to their children] on the basis of events [of their lives], but we, who do not know our ancestors,26Because they are already dead when our children are born. give names [to our children] after our ancestors. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: The ancients, because they utilized the divine spirit [of prophecy], would give names on the basis of events, but we, who do not utilize the divine spirit, give names after our ancestors. Rabbi Yosei ben Ḥalafta said: Ever was a great prophet, as he named [his son] on the basis of [future] events. That is what is written: “Two sons were born to Ever… [the name of the one was Peleg, as in his days the world was divided [niflega]].”27Ever named his son after the dispersion of the Tower of Babel, an event that would happen later in his life.
Why was he named Yoktan? It is because he minimized [maktin] himself28He acted humbly. and his affairs. What did he merit? He merited to produce thirteen families. If for the younger son who minimized his affairs it is so, for an older one who minimizes his affairs, all the more so.29If even the younger son is rewarded for acting humbly, all the more so if an older son does so. Similarly, “Israel extended his right hand, and laid it upon the head of Ephraim, who was the younger [hatza’ir]” (Genesis 48:14) – Rabbi Huna said: From the report of their births,30In Genesis 41:51–52. do we not know that he [Ephraim] was the younger? The explanation [for repeating the information here] is that he used to downplay [matz’ir] his affairs. What did he merit? He merited the birthright. If the younger one who downplayed his affairs merited the birthright, an older one who downplays his affairs, all the more so.
“And to Shem, father of all the children of Ever…[brother of Yefet the eldest]23This phrase could also be translated: the elder brother of Yefet.” – we do not know whether Shem is the eldest or Yefet is the eldest. From what is written: “These are the descendants of Shem. Shem was one hundred years old, and he begot Arpakhshad two years after the Flood” (Genesis 11:10),24Noah’s eldest son was born when he was five hundred year old (Genesis 5:32), and the Flood began when he was six hundred years old (Genesis 7:6), so Noah’s eldest son was one hundred years old when the Flood began. Shem, however, turned one hundred two years after the Flood. we see that Yefet was the eldest.
“Two sons were born to Ever; the name of the one was Peleg, as in his days the world was divided, and the name of his brother was Yoktan” (Genesis 10:25).
“Two sons were born to Ever; the name of the one was Peleg, as in his days the world was divided” – Rabbi Yosei says: The ancients, because they knew their ancestors [personally],25Since they lived very long lives, spanning many generations. would give names [to their children] on the basis of events [of their lives], but we, who do not know our ancestors,26Because they are already dead when our children are born. give names [to our children] after our ancestors. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: The ancients, because they utilized the divine spirit [of prophecy], would give names on the basis of events, but we, who do not utilize the divine spirit, give names after our ancestors. Rabbi Yosei ben Ḥalafta said: Ever was a great prophet, as he named [his son] on the basis of [future] events. That is what is written: “Two sons were born to Ever… [the name of the one was Peleg, as in his days the world was divided [niflega]].”27Ever named his son after the dispersion of the Tower of Babel, an event that would happen later in his life.
Why was he named Yoktan? It is because he minimized [maktin] himself28He acted humbly. and his affairs. What did he merit? He merited to produce thirteen families. If for the younger son who minimized his affairs it is so, for an older one who minimizes his affairs, all the more so.29If even the younger son is rewarded for acting humbly, all the more so if an older son does so. Similarly, “Israel extended his right hand, and laid it upon the head of Ephraim, who was the younger [hatza’ir]” (Genesis 48:14) – Rabbi Huna said: From the report of their births,30In Genesis 41:51–52. do we not know that he [Ephraim] was the younger? The explanation [for repeating the information here] is that he used to downplay [matz’ir] his affairs. What did he merit? He merited the birthright. If the younger one who downplayed his affairs merited the birthright, an older one who downplays his affairs, all the more so.