Aliya Summary: On the third day, Joseph released them all, aside for
Simon, whom he held hostage. He bid the rest of the brothers to return
to Canaan and return with their youngest brother, Benjamin, and thus
establish their innocence. The brothers recognized that this was
punishment for the sale of Joseph, and expressed regret for their deed.
Joseph instructed his servants to place the monies the brothers had paid
for the food in the sacks of grain they were given. The brothers
arrived back in Canaan and recounted the entire episode to Jacob. Jacob
was highly disturbed by the happenings, and initially refused to send
Benjamin, unwilling to consider the possibility of losing Rachel's only
remaining son. Eventually, though, after the food provisions ran low,
and Judah personally guaranteed Benjamin's safe return, Jacob acceded to
send him. He sent them to Egypt with a prayer on his lips, and armed
with a gift for the Egyptian ruler.
Reuven offered that
his sons should die if Binyamin is not returned. Although the offer was
refused, and Binyamin did return to his father, nonetheless Reuven said
something he should not have said. His "two sons" are seen as referring
to two famous descendants of Reuven who did die prematurely - Datan and
Aviram. This is meant to underscore the importance of watching what we
say. Once words are uttered, their intent and circumstance is separated,
and the words live on their own.
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