Why did the man attribute the money that they found in their sacks to their G-d and the G-d of their father?
Rashi: What he meant was that G-d gave it in their merit, or in the merit of their father. 1
Rashbam: He mentioned the G-d of their father because everybody knew that their family was accustomed to miracles.
Malbim: Hashem promised that Yisrael will leave "with great wealth" (15:14). Egypt was poor at the time. Hashem arranged that all the lands would go there to buy food, to bring wealth to Egypt. The money is for you to take later, so you need not bring. It is not known if you will take it in your merit, or in the merit of your fathers. 2
Ha'amek Davar: It is known that the Hashgachah of your G-d does wonders.
Gur Aryeh: Rashi interprets this extra phrase to mean, "... if your merit is insufficient... [He surely did so] in the merit of your forefathers."
Why did he say 'your merit'? Did he expect them themselves to leave at the end of 400 years?! And why did the Malbim say 'in the merit of your fathers' (plural)? The verse says of their father (singular).
What is "Matmon"?
Ramban #1 (citing the Ibn Ezra): It is a treasure. Perhaps someone had a treasure in his house and forgot about it, and their G-d placed it in their sacks, 1 because he had received their money.
Ramban #2: "Matmon" means (not a treasure, but) something that is hidden. 2 Ohr ha'Chayim - Someone hid the money in your sacks.
Malbim: It is hidden or stored. (The money is being stored now in the storehouse, for Yisrael to take when they leave. Why should you put it in Pharaoh's storehouse? It is for you!) "Kaspechem Ba Elai" means that all the money coming to me - is meant for you!
Ramban: Who would believe this?! How could ten bundles of 'treasure' tally with the amounts that each of the brothers paid for the grain?! (Since he attributed this to G-d, I do not understand the difficulty! - PF)
Ramban: The merchants tended to leave the money for their purchase in their sacks which the man in charge of sales would remove before filling the sack with grain (Refer to 44:1:2:1 and the note there). What purportedly happened on this occasion (according to the man's explanation) was that ten men left their sacks with the seller with the money inside, and which he had mistakenly filled without removing the money. Yosef then came, and, in his haste to send his brothers home, ordered the man to pour the contents of the ten sacks into the brothers' sacks with the money still inside. Each had the amount of money to buy as much bread (grain) that a donkey can carry. (The man said so to the brothers; obviously it was not true.)
Who gave the man permission to release Shimon from jail?
Oznayim la'Torah: This bears out the Chazal that Yosef released Shimon the moment the brothers left for Kena'an. 1
He should have said that the money belongs to the owner of the grain, like it says in Bava Metzia 26b!
Moshav Zekenim (to 43:20): We must say that Yosef bought from many merchants. 1
Ohr ha'Chayim: Someone hid the money; you acquired through the owner's despair. Bnei Noach are not commanded to return an Aveidah.
Since each man found the same amount that he paid, there is no reason to attribute the money to the owner of the grain, and especially if the brothers gave coins of Eretz Kena'an that are not common in Egypt! (PF)
This is like the Ramban, who says that Yosef bought from the Egyptians (refer to 41:48:1:2*). Others connote that he took without paying, like a tax! (Refer to 41:34:3:2 - PF.)
Who gave the man authority to say that the money was a gift from Hashem?
Ohr ha'Chayim #1: He said so himself, without knowing Yosef's intent.
Ohr ha'Chayim #2: Midrash Tanchuma says that the man was Menasheh. He knew that his father would agree.
Why did he say, "do not fear"?
Ohr ha'Chayim: It was recognized on their faces that they were afraid - "va'Yire'u ha'Anashim" (43:18).
