"Lir'os Es Tzon Avihem" - Why are there dots on the word "Es"?
Rashi (citing Bereishis Rabah 84:13): To teach us that they went primarily, not to graze the sheep, 1 but rather 'Lir'os Es Atzman' (to graze themselves).
Since it is as if "Es" was not written (see Sifsei Chachamim).
What is the significance of the fact that Yosef's brothers were shepherding the sheep specifically in Shechem?
Seforno: Because it was not far away. 1
Rashbam (citing R' Yosef Kara) and Targum Yonasan (to 37:13): Since they had recently wiped out the entire town (34:25-29), it was a dangerous place to be in, which is why Yaakov sent Yosef to check on their wellbeing.
Oznayim la'Torah (citing the Midrash Rabah): They went to graze the sheep in Shechem, because Yaakov had purchased it, and they were careful not to graze in a location that did not belong to them.
Malbim: It was far from Yaakov's house. 2 They trusted that Yaakov would not send Yosef there, for it was dangerous (and they wished to be far away from Yosef and his designs and slander). Also, if they would kill him, perhaps their father would attribute it to the city dwellers, since they hated Yaakov (ever since his sons wiped out Shechem).
But refer to 37:12:2:4 and 37:14:1.1:1 .
Measured today, Shechem is 78 km (49 miles) north of Chevron, along the north-south road that follows the mountain ridge. (CS)
The verse says they went to graze "[... Tzon] Avihem," but Rashi writes, "they went only to 'graze' themselves." Why is this significant in the story; what does it teach us?
Ha'amek Davar: This teaches that an Aveirah leads to a bigger Aveirah. They grazed themselves (i.e. they ate) from their father's flock without permission (refer to 37:12:1:1), and came to a much greater Aveirah. 1
Harchev Davar, Gur Aryeh: Chulin 4b says that enticement comes only through food and drink. When a person lets himself be carried away, the Yetzer ha'Ra entices him and brings him to sin. This is what brought the brothers towards the sin [of Yosef's sale]. They never would have done so had they not gone to graze themselves!
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "... They went only to 'graze' themselves." What does this mean?
Rosh, Riva, Moshav Zekenim: The outcome of this trip was the sale of Yosef, which ultimately led to their sustenance during the famine.
Hadar Zekenim, "Rashi" on Bereishis Rabah: They went in order to eat and drink 1 - and convince themselves to kill Yosef (Avos d'R' Nasan).
Oznayim la'Torah (to 37:2): Like most shepherds, the brothers grazed the sheep with their own interests in mind - so that the sheep should grow fat and provide more meat and go up in price - and Yosef taught them that, until a sheep is slaughtered, one should graze the sheep with the good of the sheep in mind (like the Midrash with Moshe Rabeinu and sheep that ran to the water to drink - See Oznayim la'Torah to 37:2, DH Eileh). And the Torah teaches us this here, to explain why Hashem chose Yosef over above the brothers, because Hashem tests the leaders of Yisrael to see how they treat the sheep - like He tested Moshe and David - and we see from here that Yosef, out of all the brothers, proved himself worthy of leadership.
Ha'amek Davar: Specifically, to indulge themselves in eating their father's animals, without permission to do so. Also refer to 37:12:151:1.
Rashi writes: "There are dots above the word 'Es;' [the brothers] went only to 'graze' themselves." How is this derived?
Gur Aryeh: Dots above a word tell us to omit it in the interpretation. The word "Es" would tell us that a verb is being done to something else (i.e. they brought the animals to graze). Without this word, we must interpret that they brought themselves.
Rashi writes: "... They went only to 'graze' themselves." But if so, the word "Es" should have been omitted entirely?
Gur Aryeh #1: The brothers surely said to Yaakov that they were going to graze the animals. The dots above the word Es reveal to us their true intentions.
Gur Aryeh #2: Without the word Es ('li'Re'os Tzon Avihem'), I would have interpreted that they grazed the animals (just as if the word Es had been written). It is only because the word Es is written and then negated (by the dots) that we interpret that they went only for themselves.
Rashi writes: "... They went only to 'graze' themselves." But the verse then continues explicitly, "... their father's flocks"!
Gur Aryeh: This means that they went also to graze their father's flocks (in addition to themselves).
