(יב) וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ אֶחָ֑יו לִרְע֛וֹת אֶׄתׄ־צֹ֥אן אֲבִיהֶ֖ם בִּשְׁכֶֽם׃ (יג) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־יוֹסֵ֗ף הֲל֤וֹא אַחֶ֙יךָ֙ רֹעִ֣ים בִּשְׁכֶ֔ם לְכָ֖ה וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ הִנֵּֽנִי׃ (יד) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ לֶךְ־נָ֨א רְאֵ֜ה אֶת־שְׁל֤וֹם אַחֶ֙יךָ֙ וְאֶת־שְׁל֣וֹם הַצֹּ֔אן וַהֲשִׁבֵ֖נִי דָּבָ֑ר וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֙הוּ֙ מֵעֵ֣מֶק חֶבְר֔וֹן וַיָּבֹ֖א שְׁכֶֽמָה׃ (טו) וַיִּמְצָאֵ֣הוּ אִ֔ישׁ וְהִנֵּ֥ה תֹעֶ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וַיִּשְׁאָלֵ֧הוּ הָאִ֛ישׁ לֵאמֹ֖ר מַה־תְּבַקֵּֽשׁ׃ (טז) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֶת־אַחַ֖י אָנֹכִ֣י מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א לִ֔י אֵיפֹ֖ה הֵ֥ם רֹעִֽים׃ (יז) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הָאִישׁ֙ נָסְע֣וּ מִזֶּ֔ה כִּ֤י שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ אֹֽמְרִ֔ים נֵלְכָ֖ה דֹּתָ֑יְנָה וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ יוֹסֵף֙ אַחַ֣ר אֶחָ֔יו וַיִּמְצָאֵ֖ם בְּדֹתָֽן׃
(12) One time, when his brothers had gone to pasture their father’s flock at Shechem, (13) Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers are pasturing at Shechem. Come, I will send you to them.” He answered, “I am ready.” (14) And he said to him, “Go and see how your brothers are and how the flocks are faring, and bring me back word.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron. When he reached Shechem, (15) a man came upon him wandering in the fields. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?” (16) He answered, “I am looking for my brothers. Could you tell me where they are pasturing?” (17) The man said, “They have gone from here, for I heard them say: Let us go to Dothan.” So Joseph followed his brothers and found them at Dothan.
Many of the commentators sensed that Yisrael was a little anxious about sending Yosef to his brothers in Shekhem. Some even point to Yosef's response, הנני, as indicating that Yosef also sensed some danger. What danger did they see in this mission?
ר׳ יוסף קרא
לפי שנתיירא יעקב מבניו שהוליכו הצאן במרעה שם שכם אשר הרגו זכורם, אמר ליוסף הלא אחיך רועים בשכם, ולשם הרגו כל אנשי העיר ומתיירא אני מן יושבי הארץ.
Rabbi Yosef Kara
Yaakov was afraid for his sons who had gone to graze the family's sheep near Shekhem. Because his sons had killed all the men of that town, Yaakov was now afraid that the neighboring people would seek revenge against his children.
ר׳ שמשון רפאל הירש
יעקב חש בפירור שישנו בין יוסף לאחיו.
Rabbi Samson Rafael Hirsch
Yaakov was anxious because of the rift that existed between Yosef and his brothers.
Questions to consider:
- Haamek Davar asks: If Yaakov knew that this was a dangerous mission, why didn't he send one of his servants to find out how the brothers were doing? Which of the above commentaries could be used as a basis for a reasonable answer?
- Which danger do you think was greater, the threat of revenge for the massacre at Shekhem or the threat of what Yosef's brothers might do to him? In general, which is more dangerous: internal threats or threats from enemies?
Textual skills/questions:
- Yosef is the second person in Genesis to encounter a mysterious, anonymous person. Who was the first?
- Shekhem, where Yosef's brothers take the sheep, is some 100 kilometers (70 miles) from Hevron, where they lived. Dotan, where Yosef meets up with them, is even further away from home. Could they not find a closer place to graze their sheep?
- Yosef was תועה in the field. This word appeared earlier concerning Avraham (20:13), Hagar (21:14), and even Yaakov (27:12).