Why, when Yosef saw Binyamin, did he decide to eat with his brothers?
Seforno: To see how they behaved towards Binyamin, and to test whether they would be jealous 1 when he gave Binyamin five times more than he gave them.
Oznayim la'Torah: It is because he saw Binyamin that he gave his brothers all the Kavod that the Torah now describes - including inviting them to eat with him.
What do we learn from "v'Hachen"?
Chulin 91a: Remove the Gid ha'Nasheh in front of them.
Targum Yonasan: Prepare cooked foods in front of them.
Ha'amek Davar: Prepare other delicacies for the meal, according to the king's ability.
What do we learn from "u'Tevo'ach Tevach"?
Chulin 85a: Just like this Shechitah permitted the meat, so Oso v'Es Beno (the Isur to slaughter an animal and its child on the same day) applies only to such a Shechitah. 1
Chulin 91a: Show to them the slaughtered neck of the animal. 2
Ha'amek Davar: Since there would be 11 distinguished invitees, they needed to slaughter especially for them.
Mishnah (Chulin 85a): This excludes an animal that is found to be a Terefah, if it was slaughtered to Avodah Zarah, Chulin in the Mikdash or Kodshim ba'Chutz or an animal that needed to be stoned. (The Mishnah discusses Kisuy ha'Dam, but also regarding Oso v'Es Beno, these are called Shechitos that do not permit. - PF)
This also explains why he only prepared the meal after inviting his brothers, contrary to the usual practice of first preparing the meal. (EC)
Since the Shechitah of a Nochri is Nevelah even if a Yisrael oversees it, as Chazal learn from "v'Zavachta v'Achalta" (Devarim 12:21), how could the brothers eat from this Shechitah?
Moshav Zekenim (to 43:26): The Avos fulfilled the Torah (extra Mitzvos of Yisrael) only when they wanted to. 1
Oznayim la'Torah: Having heard from [Yosef], 'I fear Elokim,' and also his servants were truthful, this was not an idolater's Shechitah. Before Matan Torah, they chose to fulfill Shechitah; anyone who did not serve idols was qualified to slaughter.
The Ramban (to Vayikra 18:25) says that Yaakov (all the more so his children - PF) was not so adamant to guard all the Mitzvos in Chutz la'Aretz.
Presumably here, they were afraid to refuse due to their fear of Yosef.
Why did Yosef make his brothers wait until the afternoon to eat?
Toldos Yitzchak: Here, the Targum of "Tzaharayim" is 'Sheirusa' (meal. We can say that it was in the morning.) Elsewhere, the Targum is Tihara (midday).
Ha'amek Davar: It is the midday meal. It is called Tzaharayim because most people eat then, like it says in Shabbos (10a), but surely Yosef ate later, like Melech Agripas used to eat at three hours after midday (Pesachim 107b). 1
This is astounding. Shabbos 10a says that, most people eat in the fourth hour, and Chachamim during the sixth hour. It is damaging not to eat before midday! Agripas was an unusual case, and he rose at three hours of the day. Why would we assume that Yosef was like Stam kings, and did not rise early to fulfill "A'ira Shachar" (Tehilim 57:9)? (PF)
Why does it say "Iti Yochelu ha'Anashim," and not vice-versa?
Ha'amek Davar: The bigger Chidush is taught first. The Chidush was that Yosef, who usually ate later (refer to 43:16:151:2) ate earlier, in order to eat with them without paining them. So much he benefited and honored them! 'Ha'Anashim Yochelu Iti' would mean that the Chidush is that they eat with me.
