Photo Credit: Asher Schwartz
When Yosef sends his brothers back to Canaan with provisions, and to bring the family back to Mitzrayim, he tells them ×× ×ª×¨××× ×××¨× – what does תר××× mean? The translation is agitated, donât become agitated on the way. Rashi tells us the simple understanding is that they shouldnât argue over who was responsible for the ×××רת ××סף but there are other explanations given by Rashi, which are before this one. The Gur Aryeh explains this is because if Yosef was only to tell them not to argue, it would make more sense to use the lashon ×× ×ª×¨×××.
Therefore, Rashi offers that תר××× means âdonât get involved in Halachic discussionsâ. What happened to ×××××ª× ×××¨× ? Weâre supposed to learn Torah when weâre travelling!
No, this is in reference to learning bâiyun. It could be dangerous, one can start thinking about to sugya so intensely that they crash!
Rashi also offers that תר××× is the lashon of âhurryingâ. Maybe theyâd be so excited to go back, that theyâll break the speed limit, or travel at night, and we know from Masechet Pesachim that we have to reach out destinations before sunset.
Ramban suggests that âagitatedâ connotes worry. Maybe theyâd be worried that they would get attacked by bandits on the way. Yosef is ensuring them that because his insignia is on their things, no one would dare touch them.
The ××ק×× × adds that if anyone would start up with the brothers, Joseph would see to it that he wouldn’t be fed when they eventually come down to Egypt.
As we can see, this phrase has many parushim inside the Rishonim.
We can connect all this with the beginning of the Parsha, where To Yaakov worried that if Binyamin travelled tragedy may ensue ×¤× ×קר×× × ×ס××.
Rashi explains that when things are dangerous, ×ש×× ×ק××¨× ×שעת ×ס×× × – the Satan has his day, and can cause trouble.
There are many lessons from this idea. One is, that when weâre driving or travelling, stay safe, follow the rules, everything will be ok – and if you get there 5 minutes late nothing will happen. Because bâemet, ××-תר××× – itâs dangerous, so we must do it carefully. Learn ××ר×! I encourage everyone to learn when youâre travelling. Listen to shiurim, don’t need the radio – they have enough listeners. But donât learn bâiyun, we donât want to go through a red light because we were too stuck on a kashya.
Travel to our destination in a safe way, at the right time (nowadays we can travel at night, as we have lights) and donât be worried. For as the Ramban says, if what youâre doing is right, then Hashem will look out for us.
Shabbat Shalom.