Parshat Vayeshev: Shiur by Menachem Leibtag Presentation by Ronni Libson Who Really Sold Yosef?

Plans to get rid of Yosef: Brothers: Kill him immediately Reuven: Throw him into a pit

Reuven’s plan is followed Immediately after: Where did they sit to eat – close by or far away?  Threw Yosef into a pit “out in the midbar” – most probably returned to their Dotan camp site to eat  Not appetizing to eat near little brother screaming:

Where is Reuven? Plans to later save Yosef from pit – 2 options: A) stay near pit B) stay with brothers Later in story Reuven returns to pit after Yosef is sold Reuven is eating with brothers away from pit  Not joining brothers might “blow his cover”  Torah never tells us he left his brothers

Yehuda’s Plan: Sell Yosef Brothers had planned to let Yosef die and knew nothing of Reuven’s intentions to save him What can Reuven do?  Cannot disagree with brothers – they might be suspicious  Cannot allow brothers to sell Yosef – feels responsible to save him Quickly runs to pit to free Yosef before brothers sell him

Caravan of Yishmaelim travels along the ancient trade route – Via Maris

Via Maris does not pass through hilly area of Dotan Brothers, eating in Dotan, see Yishmaelite convoy turning down into the Jezreel Valley from Gilad In a few hours, caravan will pass 10 km north of Dotan Enough time to finish meal, get Yosef from the pit in “midbar” (on their way), and meet caravan to sell Yosef

Brothers not even mentioned! Pshat: Yishmaelim and Midyanim are two different groups of people Midyanim: local traders – “socharim” Yishmaelim: international movers – transport caravans Midyanim sold Yosef, not brothers

Where were brothers? Where was Reuven? Still eating far away; did not see or hear what transpired between Yosef and the Midyanim Eating with brothers, but when heard plan to sell Yosef, left and ran to the pit to get there first Reuven is not last to find out that Yosef was sold, but rather first brother to recognize Yosef is missing!

Yaakov’s conclusion: Same as brothers originally had planned to tell

Rashi: Brothers sold Yosef Brothers must be eating near the pit, and for some reason Reuven left them (either to learn with father or for “soul-searching”) 2 possibilities: 1: When midyanim came by the brothers employed their services as “middlemen” to sell Yosef 2: Yishmaelim is synonymous with midyanim (Radak) Rashbam: Caused me to be sold Support: