Read the text below with Rashi's two commentaries, then answer the following questions.
1. Why are the children of Jacob recounted at the start of Exodus?
2. Why was Joseph counted as part of the ones who entered the land with Jacob, even though he was already in Egypt?
3. What do these ideas inspire in your own thoughts?
1. Why are the children of Jacob recounted at the start of Exodus?
2. Why was Joseph counted as part of the ones who entered the land with Jacob, even though he was already in Egypt?
3. What do these ideas inspire in your own thoughts?
(א) וְאֵ֗לֶּה שְׁמוֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַבָּאִ֖ים מִצְרָ֑יְמָה אֵ֣ת יַעֲקֹ֔ב אִ֥ישׁ וּבֵית֖וֹ בָּֽאוּ׃ (ב) רְאוּבֵ֣ן שִׁמְע֔וֹן לֵוִ֖י וִיהוּדָֽה׃ (ג) יִשָּׂשכָ֥ר זְבוּלֻ֖ן וּבְנְיָמִֽן׃ (ד) דָּ֥ן וְנַפְתָּלִ֖י גָּ֥ד וְאָשֵֽׁר׃ (ה) וַֽיְהִ֗י כָּל־נֶ֛פֶשׁ יֹצְאֵ֥י יֶֽרֶךְ־יַעֲקֹ֖ב שִׁבְעִ֣ים נָ֑פֶשׁ וְיוֹסֵ֖ף הָיָ֥ה בְמִצְרָֽיִם׃
(1) These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each coming with his household: (2) Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; (3) Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; (4) Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. (5) The total number of persons that were of Jacob’s issue came to seventy, Joseph being already in Egypt.
(א) ואלה שמות בני ישראל. אַעַ"פִּ שֶׁמְּנָאָן בְּחַיֵּיהֶם בִּשְׁמוֹתָם, חָזַר וּמְנָאָם בְּמִיתָתָם, לְהוֹדִיעַ חִבָּתָם, שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ לְכוֹכָבִים, שֶׁמּוֹצִיאָם וּמַכְנִיסָם בַּמִּסְפָּר וּבִשְׁמוֹתָם (שמות רבה), שֶׁנֶּ' "הַמּוֹצִיא בְמִסְפָּר צְבָאָם לְכֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם יִקְרָא" (ישעיהו מ'):
(1) ואלה שמות בני ישראל NOW THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL — Although scripture has already enumerated them by name whilst they were living, when they went down into Egypt (Genesis 46:8-27), it again enumerates them when it tells us of their death, thus showing how dear they were to God — that they are compared to the stars which also God brings out and brings in by number and name when they cease to shine, as it is said, (Isaiah 40:26) “He bringeth out their host by number, He calleth them all by name” (Exodus Rabbah 1:3; Tanchuma Yashan 1:1:2).
(א) ויוסף היה במצרים. וַהֲלֹא הוּא וּבָנָיו הָיוּ בִּכְלַל שִׁבְעִים, וּמַה בָּא לְלַמְּדֵנוּ? וְכִי לֹא הָיִינוּ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁהוּא הָיָה בְּמִצְרָיִם? אֶלָּא לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ צִדְקָתוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף, הוּא יוֹסֵף הָרוֹעֶה אֶת צֹאן אָבִיו, הוּא יוֹסֵף שֶׁהָיָה בְּמִצְרַיִם, וְנַעֲשָׂה מֶלֶךְ, וְעוֹמֵד בְּצִדְקוֹ (שמות רבה):
(1) ויוסף היה במצרים lit., AND JOSEPH WAS IN EGYPT — But were not he and his sons included in the seventy? What, then, is this statement intended to tell us? Do we not know that he was in Egypt? But its purpose is to inform you of Joseph’s righteousness: this is the same Joseph who tended his father’s sheep; this is the same Joseph who was in Egypt and became king there, and yet he remained steadfast in his righteousness, and the change from a humble position to exalted rank in Egypt caused no deterioration in his character (cf. Sifrei האזינו; Exodus Rabbah 1:7).