What is the significance of the fact that Yosef remembered the dreams that he dreamt about his brothers?
Rashi: He realized that his dreams had come true. 1
Ramban: He realized that his dreams had not yet come true, since only ten brothers bowed down to him and not eleven. 2
Oznayim la'Torah: Initially he thought that becoming viceroy of Egypt was the fulfillment of his dreams concerning himself (his bundle arose) and his brothers' bundles' bowing was 'the straw in the grain' (idle matters found in every normal dream) that would not come true. But now that ten of his brothers had prostrated themselves before him, he realized that his dreams were prophecies and would be fulfilled in their entirety, so he planned to lure Binyamin down to Egypt, and ultimately, his father and Bilhah, 3 to complete his dreams' fulfillment.
Malbim: There were three parts to his dream. (a) He will overpower them by force - his bundle arose (above theirs); this was fulfilled. (b) Their bundles will willingly bow to his - this was not totally fulfilled, for Binyamin was not here. (c) Also his father and his father's wives will bow to him. Now he planned to get Binyamin, his father and the household to come.
Ha'amek Davar: He did not treat them harshly for vengeance; but rather, to fulfill his [second] dream.
I.e. this was [partial] fulfillment, even though not everyone bowed now, unlike Ramban (refer to 42:9:1:2 -PF). Chizkuni (to Bereishis 48:31) says that when Yaakov [alone] later bowed to Yosef, this fulfilled the second dream.
We do not find that he asked whether their father's wife is alive! Perhaps he was sure that she is alive; in order to fulfill the second dream. He asked about their father amidst concern for his pain, and to gauge what he can bear for the sake of Yosef's efforts to fulfill the dreams (refer to 42:9:2:1, 42:9:151:2, and 42:9:151:3*). (PF)
Why did Yosef accuse his brothers of being spies?
Ramban 1 : He devised a scheme whereby they would bring Binyamin down, and all eleven brothers would bow down before him, thereby fulfilling his first dream.
Seforno: In his dream, his sheaf stood and remained standing. Consequently, he wanted them all to come to him, to reveal himself to them (for them to witness the continuation of the situation) in fulfillment of the dream.
Ohr ha'Chayim: He dreamed about them truthfully; and they said that it was false, that he merely wants to aggrandize himself over them. He said that they are [lying] spies, to atone for them.
Ha'amek Davar: He saw his first dream fulfilled (refer to 42:3:2:7), and now sought to fulfill his second dream.
On what did Yosef base this accusation?
Rashi (on to 42:12); Ramban #3 (to 42:11): If, as they claimed, they were brothers, why did each one enter the city via a different gate? 1
Ramban #1: They were ten strong good-looking, smartly-dressed men, who gave the impression of being important dignitaries. It is not common for such important people to travel personally to purchase food, rather they would send their servants.
Ramban #2: Until now, no emissaries had come from Kena'an to purchase grain, and his brothers came together with the first group. 2 That is why he asked them where they came from, 3 thereby giving him an excuse to accuse them of being spies.
Seforno: On the fact that all ten came together to purchase. 4
Rashbam: The fact that they were ten tall (strong) men who always kept together, 5 unlike groups who came from other places.
Malbim (to 42:7), Oznayim la'Torah: He accused them of being spies because they volunteered information that he had not asked for when, in 42:7, they added "Lishbor Ochel" - as is the way of spies who answer anticipated questions to put their questioners off.
Malbim: There are two kinds of spies. (a) When a nation or Shevet wants to acquire more territory, first they send spies to see the attributes of another land - e.g. is it fertile..., like the spies that Moshe sent. (b) After deciding that they want to capture it, they send spies to see Ervas ha'Aretz, i.e. the weakest parts that are easiest to capture - like the spies that Yehoshua sent. This is why you came to the capital! 6
Rashi (to 42:13): To which they replied that they were looking for a missing brother. Yosef 'did not believe them' however, and insisted that they came to spy out the land (42:14).
As intimated in 42:5.
In 42:7.
When two or three would have sufficed.
How does coming to the capital show this intent? Everyone who wanted to buy grain needed to come there! (PF)
Why did Yosef not immediately divulge his identity, like he did the second time?
Ramban: Because he wanted to first see the fulfillment of his first dream (which did not feature his parents). 1 If he were to reveal himself now, he knew that his father would come to see him immediately. 2
Otherwise, delaying informing his father would have been extremely sinful, even if he did so in order to attain atonement for his brothers (Ramban). Interestingly, he considered the fulfillment of his dreams his responsibility even over above alleviating his father's pain - and that in spite of having been taken to task for taking similar action following the dreams of the butler and the baker (Refer to 40:23:2).
Bearing in mind the close proximity of Kena'an to Egypt, why in all the twenty-two years - until the brothers came - did he decline to inform his father of his whereabouts and that he was still alive?
Ramban: For the same reason that he declined to divulge his identity the first time his brothers arrived in Egypt (Refer to 42:9:4:1). It was obvious that the dreams would not be fulfilled in Eretz Kena'an, and it was only in Egypt that they would materialize, in the manner that was currently unfolding. (Refer to 42:9:151:3*.)
Riva (42:7): When the brothers sold Yosef, they made him swear 1 that he will not reveal 2 [that he is alive].
Moshav Zekenim (to 45:1, citing R. Shimshon) #1: Had he done so, his brothers would have fled to different places amidst shame.
Da'as Zekenim (42:1): When he was a slave or in jail, it would have pained his father. When he was king, he thought that his father would not believe it, like initially he did not believe when his brothers said that he is alive. 3 Or, his brothers might flee out of fear, which would pain his father.
Ohr ha'Chayim (to 45:26): Before Hashem took him out of jail, he was not able to tell his father. And even if you will say that he could have, he was concerned for his life. His brothers would find out, and they would make all efforts to eliminate him, lest they be embarrassed from their father. Also, perhaps their father would curse all of them and cause their death! After he left jail and became viceroy, that concern departed, but he was concerned for the brothers' honor. It is better to cast oneself into a furnace than to shame someone (Bava Metzia 59a). He did not want to shame them in front of Yaakov, Yitzchak and all Yaakov's seed. He suffered leaving his father in pain, rather than shame them. Also, even after he rose to power, he was concerned for their hatred; they will take counsel to kill him. A Midrash (Tanchuma Vayigash 5) says that they sought to kill him, and Gavriel scattered them. Even though they descended to Egypt to redeem him (Bereishis Rabah 91:7), that would be different. If they would redeem him, he would recognize their brotherhood. If not, [they would assume that] he will bear enmity forever, and not forget what they did to him; they would kill him first. We find that even after they came to him during the famine, he did not want to reveal himself immediately to them or his father, for he was still in danger. He was wise, and first gave to them to eat and drink, and gave to them [their] money and showed that his heart is complete with them. It was revealed that the matter was from Hashem, and he bears no hatred. This also removed shame from their father; they will say that Hashem decreed so, like Ohr ha'Chayim explains below (refer to 45:8:151:1). And even so, Hashem needed to send an angel to save him from them (Tanchuma Vayigash 5)! Yosef did not know [that an angel would save him]. Or even if he knew, he did not tell his father beforehand, for we do not rely on miracles (Pesachim 64b).
One who swears to murderers or extortionists may annul it in his heart (Nedarim 28a)! Perhaps Yosef, who was afraid for his life, did not think to annul at the time, or he held like (or was stringent for the opinion of) Beis Shamai, who forbid. (PF)
Moshav Zekenim (to Bereishis 45:1), Rosh (to Bereishis 45:1): They forced him to be part of the Cherem not to reveal. Since a Minyan made the Cherem, all of them were needed to be Mevatel it. If one hears a Cherem and is silent, he accepts it on himself.
Many explain that Yosef acted in order to fulfill his dreams. Why did he not demand that also Yaakov and his wife come, to fulfill his second dream?
Ramban: Indeed, after the first dream was fulfilled, he revealed himself and told his father to come, and the second dream would be fulfilled. 1
Moshav Zekenim: Yosef thought that if he keeps Binyamin, Yaakov will need to come, for Yaakov's soul is tied to Binyamin's.
Malbim: Yosef was planning to get also Yaakov and his household to come. 2
We do not find that Yaakov bowed with the brothers, only by himself, when he asked Yosef to bury him in Eretz Yisrael! Perhaps being dependent on Yosef for food was like bowing to him. However, why did he not reveal himself immediately after the first dream was fulfilled? (PF)
Why did Yosef not try to fulfill the second dream, e.g. offer to release Binyamin if Yaakov will come? Perhaps he was worried lest Yaakov die if Binyamin does not return with them, or lest Yehudah lose his world to come if he does not fulfill his promise. (PF)
