1)

When did Yosef ask them about their family?

1.

Ramban: Refer to 42:34:1:2, and the note there. 1

2.

Riva: We find that Yehudah said, "Adoni Sha'al Es Avadav Leimor ha'Yesh Lachem Av O Ach" (Bereishis 44:19).

3.

Oznayim la'Torah: In fact, he did not ask them, and Yehudah only said that he did because of Darkei Shalom.


1

Rashi too, seems to subscribe to this explanation. See however, above, Bereishis 42:13, where the Torah implies that they volunteered the information to refute Yosef's accusation that they were spies, as the commentaries there explain - Refer to 42:11:3:3; 42:11:4:3; and 42:12:1:2.

2)

Why did Yosef ask them about their family? If he asked only them, but not other buyers, they would sense [that it is Yosef]!

1.

Moshav Zekenim, citing R. Yehudah ha'Chasid: Yosef sold only through writing and witnesses. People wrote how many slaves they had. He sold to the poor cheaply, and to the rich for a great amount. This is why all everyone's money ran out together, 1 when they came to Yosef at the end of the second year. Also, who would feed the poor? When they told him that Binyamin has 10 sons, he said that they are spies, and buying food to resell it for profit. If their words were true, Binyamin himself would come!


1

It is astounding to say that this occurred without a miracle. Even if people feared to lie to Yosef (and say that they have no slaves, rather, infants or grandparents in the house), how could Yosef know, from the number of slaves, how much money they have?! (PF)

3)

Why does it say "Sha'ol Sha'al"?

1.

Ha'amek Davar: Even without answering amidst judgment in front of the viceroy, we would have told him. In addition to judging us harshly, he asked us amidst love, is your father alive? It was proper to answer truthfully, as long as we did not suspect guile. "Al Pi ha'Devarim ha'Eleh" - based on his words amidst love.

QUESTIONS ON RASHI

4)

Rashi writes: "'Lanu ul'Moladteinu' (lit. our birth) - ... According to the Midrash, 'he revealed to us even the wood that our cribs [were made of]!'" What is the basis for this interpretation?

1.

Gur Aryeh: The verse could have written that he inquired 'l'Mishpechoseinu' - i.e. [he inquired] as to our families. The expression "l'Moladteinu" implies our raising children, as in verse 50:23. 1


1

(See Rashi to that Pasuk.) It seems that Gur Aryeh understands that Yosef asked about the [newborns in the] cribs in his brothers' families. Our text in Rashi, "he revealed to us," seems to mean that Yosef pretended to use divination to reveal details of the brothers' own childhood; see Midrash Sechel Tov. (CS)

5)

Rashi writes: "'And we told him' - that we have a father and brother." Why does Rashi need to tell us this?

1.

Gur Aryeh: The verse ambiguously says "we told him," without specifying what it was that they told him.

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