1)

Why did they leave out the 'Alef ' in 'Anachnu'?

1.

Ba'al ha'Turim: They were hinting to the fact that one of the brothers was missing. 1


1

See also Ba'al ha'Turim to 42:14.

2)

What is the significance of the word "Kulanu"?

1.

Rashi: Without realizing it, they included Yosef in the brotherhood. 1


1

Gur Aryeh: The two words for "we" - Kulanu and Nachnu - are redundant; this comes to include even Yosef.

3)

How would the fact that they were all sons of the same father prove their innocence?

1.

Seforno: Spies would have been chosen by the king, who would never have picked ten brothers, sons of the same father. 1

2.

Ramban #1 and Rashbam: They were merely explaining why they always kept together, 2 and why their father did not send one of them together with a servant. 3

3.

Ramban #2: Since they were all sons of the same father, a prosperous dignitary with a large family, it would be easy for Yosef to check up on them and to discover that they were honest righteous men and not spies.

4.

Rosh (to 44:9), Riva (to 44:19, citing R. Levi ben Gershon): A father would not send [almost all] his sons to a place of danger.

5.

Ohr ha'Chayim, Oznayim la'Torah: Had they been Kena'ani spies, they would have sent men from a wide spectrum of families, like Moshe did. Now that they were all brothers, what point was there in spying on behalf of one family?

6.

Ha'amek Davar: A father would not send 10 sons to be separated from him constantly.


1

Da'as Zekenim says similarly, just he does not say that the king chooses spies.

2

At the behest of their father (Ramban). Refer to 42:9:3:4.

3

And also to protect themselves against robbers.

4)

What is the meaning of "Kenim Anachnu"?

1.

Seforno: All our transactions are performed with integrity.

2.

Ohr ha'Chayim: We identify ourselves, unlike spies, who do not reveal their identify.

3.

Ha'amek Davar: "Kenim" is from the root Kan (base). We have an ancestral inheritance (in Eretz Kena'an), wives and children. Such people are not sent for wandering spies, rather, bachelors are sent, with nothing drawing them to a house!

5)

What is the meaning of, "Lo Hayu Avadecha Meraglim"?

1.

Ramban, Seforno: We have never been spies (and it is not reasonable to suspect us now of spying).

2.

Oznayim la'Torah: Based on the fact that they spoke in the past tense - "Lo Hayu Avadecha... ", they were claiming that they cannot possibly have been professional spies, who would have been careful not to utter a word more than necessary so as not to expose their mission.

3.

Ohr ha'Chayim: Surely, after you accuse us, we would not spy more. Also from when we entered the land, we did not spy!

Sefer: Perek: Pasuk:
Month: Day: Year:
Month: Day: Year:

KIH Logo
D.A.F. Home Page
Sponsorships & DonationsReaders' FeedbackMailing ListsTalmud ArchivesAsk the KollelDafyomi WeblinksDafyomi CalendarOther Yomi calendars