Saadia's Tafsir on Bereshit 45 (Parashat Vayigash)

Bereshit 45:1

וְלֹא-יָכֹל יוֹסֵף לְהִתְאַפֵּק לְכֹל הַנִּצָּבִים עָלָיו וַיִּקְרָא הוֹצִיאוּ כָל-אִישׁ מֵעָלָי וְלֹא-עָמַד אִישׁ אִתּוֹ בְּהִתְוַדַּע יוֹסֵף אֶל-אֶחָיו

. . . . .

And Joseph could not restrain himself, because of the many standing before him; and he called: 'Let every man go out from my presence.' And no man stood with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.

Bereshit 45:2

וַיִּתֵּן אֶת-קֹלוֹ בִּבְכִי וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ מִצְרַיִם וַיִּשְׁמַע בֵּית פַּרְעֹה

. .

And he raised his voice in weeping; and the Egyptians heard, and Pharaoh's house heard.

Bereshit 45:3

וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹסֵף אֶל-אֶחָיו אֲנִי יוֹסֵף הַעוֹד אָבִי חָי וְלֹא-יָכְלוּ אֶחָיו לַעֲנוֹת אֹתוֹ כִּי נִבְהֲלוּ מִפָּנָיו

. . .

Then Joseph said to his brothers: 'I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?' But they could not answer him — for they were dismayed before him.

Bereshit 45:4

וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹסֵף אֶל-אֶחָיו גְּשׁוּ-נָא אֵלַי וַיִּגָּשׁוּ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲנִי יוֹסֵף אֲחִיכֶם אֲשֶׁר-מְכַרְתֶּם אֹתִי מִצְרָיְמָה

. . . .

Until he said to them: 'Come near to me' — and they came near. And he said: 'I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.

Bereshit 45:5

וְעַתָּה אַל-תֵּעָצְבוּ וְאַל-יִחַר בְּעֵינֵיכֶם כִּי-מְכַרְתֶּם אֹתִי הֵנָּה כִּי לְמִחְיָה שְׁלָחַנִי אֱלֹהִים לִפְנֵיכֶם

. . .

And now — do not grieve, and let it not be hard upon you, that you sold me here; for God has sent me before you for sustenance.

Bereshit 45:6

כִּי-זֶה שְׁנָתַיִם הָרָעָב בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ וְעוֹד חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים אֲשֶׁר אֵין-חָרִישׁ וְקָצִיר

. . .

For these two years the famine has been in the land; and there are yet five years, in which there shall be neither sowing nor harvest.

Bereshit 45:7

וַיִּשְׁלָחֵנִי אֱלֹהִים לִפְנֵיכֶם לָשׂוּם לָכֶם שְׁאֵרִית בָּאָרֶץ וּלְהַחֲיוֹת לָכֶם לִפְלֵיטָה גְּדֹלָה

. . . . ]]

And God has sent me before you, to make for you a remainder in the earth, and to keep alive for you a great deliverance.

Bereshit 45:8

וְעַתָּה לֹא-אַתֶּם שְׁלַחְתֶּם אֹתִי הֵנָּה כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים וַיְשִׂימֵנִי לְאָב לְפַרְעֹה וּלְאָדוֹן לְכָל-בֵּיתוֹ וּמֹשֵׁל בְּכָל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם

. . . . .

And now — it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a master to Pharaoh, and a lord over all his house, and a ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Bereshit 45:9

מַהֲרוּ וַעֲלוּ אֶל-אָבִי וַאֲמַרְתֶּם אֵלָיו כֹּה אָמַר בִּנְךָ יוֹסֵף שָׂמַנִי אֱלֹהִים לְאָדוֹן לְכָל-מִצְרָיִם רְדָה אֵלַי אַל-תַּעֲמֹד

. . . . .

Hasten and go up to my father, and say to him: "Thus said your son Joseph: God has made me a lord over all the Egyptians; come down to me, do not delay.

Bereshit 45:10

וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בְאֶרֶץ-גֹּשֶׁן וְהָיִיתָ קָרוֹב אֵלַי--אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ וּבְנֵי בָנֶיךָ וְצֹאנְךָ וּבְקָרְךָ וְכָל-אֲשֶׁר-לָךְ

. . . .

And dwell in the land of al-Sadir (Goshen); and you shall be near me — you and your sons and your sons' sons, and your sheep and your cattle and all that you have.

Bereshit 45:11

וְכִלְכַּלְתִּי אֹתְךָ שָׁם כִּי-עוֹד חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים רָעָב פֶּן-תִּוָּרֵשׁ אַתָּה וּבֵיתְךָ וְכָל-אֲשֶׁר-לָךְ

. . .

And I shall sustain you there — for there remain five years of famine — lest you be brought to want, you and your household and all that you have."

Bereshit 45:12

וְהִנֵּה עֵינֵיכֶם רֹאוֹת וְעֵינֵי אָחִי בִנְיָמִין כִּי-פִי הַמְדַבֵּר אֲלֵיכֶם

.

And behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks to you.

Bereshit 45:13

וְהִגַּדְתֶּם לְאָבִי אֶת-כָּל-כְּבוֹדִי בְּמִצְרַיִם וְאֵת כָּל-אֲשֶׁר רְאִיתֶם וּמִהַרְתֶּם וְהוֹרַדְתֶּם אֶת-אָבִי הֵנָּה

. . . .

And tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and hasten, and bring him down here.'

Bereshit 45:14

וַיִּפֹּל עַל-צַוְּארֵי בִנְיָמִן-אָחִיו וַיֵּבְךְּ וּבִנְיָמִן--בָּכָה עַל-צַוָּארָיו

. .

And he fell upon the neck of Benjamin his brother, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

Bereshit 45:15

וַיְנַשֵּׁק לְכָל-אֶחָיו וַיֵּבְךְּ עֲלֵהֶם וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן דִּבְּרוּ אֶחָיו אִתּוֹ

.

And he kissed all his brothers, and wept upon them; and after that his brothers spoke with him.

Bereshit 45:16

וְהַקֹּל נִשְׁמַע בֵּית פַּרְעֹה לֵאמֹר בָּאוּ אֲחֵי יוֹסֵף וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינֵי פַרְעֹה וּבְעֵינֵי עֲבָדָיו

. . . .

And the voice was raised — to Pharaoh, saying: 'Joseph's brothers have come.' And it pleased Pharaoh, and his officers.

Bereshit 45:17

וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה אֶל-יוֹסֵף אֱמֹר אֶל-אַחֶיךָ זֹאת עֲשׂוּ טַעֲנוּ אֶת-בְּעִירְכֶם וּלְכוּ-בֹאוּ אַרְצָה כְּנָעַן

. . .

And Pharaoh said to Joseph: 'Say to your brothers: do this — load your animals, and go, return to the land of Canaan.

Bereshit 45:18

וּקְחוּ אֶת-אֲבִיכֶם וְאֶת-בָּתֵּיכֶם וּבֹאוּ אֵלָי וְאֶתְּנָה לָכֶם אֶת-טוּב אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וְאִכְלוּ אֶת-חֵלֶב הָאָרֶץ

. . .

And bring your father and your households, and come to me; I shall give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the choicest of what is in it.

Bereshit 45:19

וְאַתָּה צֻוֵּיתָה זֹאת עֲשׂוּ קְחוּ-לָכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם עֲגָלוֹת לְטַפְּכֶם וְלִנְשֵׁיכֶם וּנְשָׂאתֶם אֶת-אֲבִיכֶם וּבָאתֶם

. . .

And you are commanded to say to them: do this — take for yourselves from the land of Egypt wagons for your little ones and your wives, and bring your father, and come.

Bereshit 45:20

וְעֵינְכֶם אַל-תָּחֹס עַל-כְּלֵיכֶם כִּי-טוּב כָּל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לָכֶם הוּא

. .

And let your eyes not spare your vessels — for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.'

Bereshit 45:21

וַיַּעֲשׂוּ-כֵן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶם יוֹסֵף עֲגָלוֹת עַל-פִּי פַרְעֹה וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶם צֵדָה לַדָּרֶךְ

. .

And the children of Israel did so. And Joseph gave them wagons, by Pharaoh's command; and he gave them provisions for the way.

Bereshit 45:22

לְכֻלָּם נָתַן לָאִישׁ חֲלִפוֹת שְׂמָלֹת וּלְבִנְיָמִן נָתַן שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת כֶּסֶף וְחָמֵשׁ חֲלִפֹת שְׂמָלֹת

. .

And to each man he gave a robe; and to Benjamin he gave three hundred drachma, and five robes.

Bereshit 45:23

וּלְאָבִיו שָׁלַח כְּזֹאת עֲשָׂרָה חֲמֹרִים נֹשְׂאִים מִטּוּב מִצְרָיִם וְעֶשֶׂר אֲתֹנֹת נֹשְׂאֹת בָּר וָלֶחֶם וּמָזוֹן לְאָבִיו--לַדָּרֶךְ

. . . . .

And to his father he sent ten donkeys laden with the best of Egypt, and ten she-asses laden with grain and food and provisions for his father for the way.

Bereshit 45:24

וַיְשַׁלַּח אֶת-אֶחָיו וַיֵּלֵכוּ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם אַל-תִּרְגְּזוּ בַּדָּרֶךְ

. .

And he sent his brothers away, and they went; and he said to them: 'Do not be agitated on the way.'

Bereshit 45:25

וַיַּעֲלוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן אֶל-יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם

. .

And they went up from Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan, to Jacob their father.

Bereshit 45:26

וַיַּגִּדוּ לוֹ לֵאמֹר עוֹד יוֹסֵף חַי וְכִי-הוּא מֹשֵׁל בְּכָל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם וַיָּפָג לִבּוֹ כִּי לֹא-הֶאֱמִין לָהֶם

. . . .

And they told him, and said to him: 'Joseph is still alive — and he is a ruler over all the land of Egypt.' And his heart wavered — for he did not trust them.

Bereshit 45:27

וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֵלָיו אֵת כָּל-דִּבְרֵי יוֹסֵף אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֲלֵהֶם וַיַּרְא אֶת-הָעֲגָלוֹת אֲשֶׁר-שָׁלַח יוֹסֵף לָשֵׂאת אֹתוֹ וַתְּחִי רוּחַ יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם

. . . .

And they spoke with him all the words of Joseph which he had spoken to them; and he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him; and the spirit of Jacob their father was revived.

Bereshit 45:28

וַיֹּאמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל רַב עוֹד-יוֹסֵף בְּנִי חָי אֵלְכָה וְאֶרְאֶנּוּ בְּטֶרֶם אָמוּת

. .

And Israel said: 'Enough — Joseph my son is still alive. I shall go and see him before I die.'