Why did Yaakov say "Tarof Toraf Yosef," as well as "Chayah Ra'ah Achalas'hu"?
Rashi #1: It was a prophetic statement with reference to the wife of Potifar, who would attempt to seduce him and cause him to be incarcerated. 1
Rashi #2 (to Bereishis 49:9): He assumed that Yehudah (who is called a lion) had killed him. 2
Hadar Zekenim #1: It refers to Yehudah. Had he said to return Yosef, they would have paid heed to him.
Hadar Zekenim #2: Yaakov said so incredulously. Did a wild beast devour him?! If so, his robe would be torn in pieces!
Moshav Zekenim: He suspected that the brothers did not want to overtly kill him, so they tied him up, and a wild beast tore him to pieces.
Targum Yonasan: A wild beast did not devour him, nor did a human-being kill him. Rather, I see with Ru'ach ha'Kodesh that a wicked woman stands against him. 3
Malbim: Yaakov was astonished on two accounts; a. Even if Yosef was punished for a sin, an animal should not have eaten him. We find that the Navi sent to Beis El was killed by a lion, but the lion did not eat him (Melachim I 13:24). An animal rules over man only if he appears to it to be an animal. b. "Kesones Beni Chayah Ra'ah Achalas'hu" - Why did only the outer robe remain? Did the animal eat his inner robe?! Rather, [people] with free choice killed him!
Gur Aryeh: What leads Rashi to interpret this way is the extra phrase "an evil beast devoured him;" which is open for interpretation by the Midrash.
If so, why did he say "I will descend to She'ol (the grave) mourning my son" (37:35)? Tzafnas Pane'ach (37:33,35) - The blood of a youth below the age of 20 who has never married, resembles an ox's blood (Nidah 19b). Since the blood looked like a goat's blood, he thought that Yosef had sinned with a woman, and Yaakov would now need to descend to Gehinom to save him. Indeed, the image of Yaakov later appeared to Yosef and saved him from sinning with Eshes Potifar (Rashi to 39:11).
How could Yaakov declare Yosef dead on the basis of his clothes? Yevamos 120a says that we do not rely on clothes (to identify a Mes and permit his wife to remarry)!
Oznayim la'Torah: It is only clothes and articles that people tend to lend out that cannot serve as evidence of identity, 1 but clothes that one does not lend 2 - such as Yosef's special cloak - are evidence.
Since the owner may have lent them to the person who subsequently died.
Yevamos 120b. (Even though Yaakov did not rely on the tunic to permit anything, he would not have said that Yosef died, so as not he 'invite the Satan', or have torn his clothes and become Batel from Torah - had he not have been certain that Yosef was dead. - PF)
Why did Hashem not reveal the truth to Yaakov?
Rashi (citing Midrash Tanchuma): Because the brothers had issued excommunication and a curse on whoever among them would reveal the truth, and they joined Ha'Kadosh-Baruch-Hu [to be one of the 10 needed for the Cherem]. 1
Gur Aryeh: Refer to 37:33:2.1.
Mizrachi: The Cherem was in order to fulfill the decree of Galus Mitzrayim. Therefore, once Yosef told his father to descend, the Cherem was annulled. There was no need to permit it. Maharik (37) - Hashem agreed, in order that Yaakov be punished Midah k'Neged Midah (refer to 37:34:1:1). Gur Aryeh - But the brothers did not know this!
Why did Yaakov use the doubled expression, "Tarof Toraf"?
Ohr ha'Chayim: Because he assumed that (a) an animal tore and killed him; (b) It tore and took his body to its abode; therefore, Yaakov despaired of searching for his bones to bury them. If not, he would have searched to fulfill the Mitzvah of burial!
Ha'amek Davar: He was astounded. He estimated that Yosef should be saved even from evil people, and all the more so from vicious animals without free choice (refer to 37:13:151:6*)!
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "He had a flash of Ru'ach ha'Kodesh." But Rashi (to 45:27) writes that the Shechinah left Yaakov, from the time that Yosef was sold?
Gur Aryeh: The Shechinah did not rest fully upon Yaakov (until he received word that Yosef was alive, 22 years later). Our verse was but a brief glimmer of Ru'ach ha'Kodesh.
Rashi writes: "He had a flash of Ru'ach ha'Kodesh." But what was the purpose of this inspiration - Yaakov didn't even understand its meaning!
Gur Aryeh: Indeed, it was of no benefit to Yaakov. However, Yaakov was always prepared, at a level so close to receiving Ru'ach ha'Kodesh, that it flickered on of its own accord. 1
This begs the question as to why Hashem did not inform Yaakov of what had transpired; as Rashi continues.
Rashi writes: "Why didn't Hashem reveal [Yosef's whereabouts to Yaakov]? For [the brothers] had pronounced a curse and ban upon anyone who revealed it, and they included Hashem [in this]." If Hashem wished to tell Yaakov, could the brothers stop Him by "including Hashem" in their plans?
Gur Aryeh #1: The brothers reasoned that Hashem would agree to not reveal it, lest Yaakov curse his own sons. 1 Once the ban took effect, Yaakov would be unable to overturn it, even through his prayer.
Gur Aryeh #2: Only nine brothers were involved in the sale (Reuven was absent); and a ban needs a quorum of ten. They 'involved' Hashem in the sale, only in the sense that His Presence would be the tenth. The ban was only directed at themselves, that the brothers would not reveal what happened - but not at Hashem. But Hashem also did not reveal it; He honored the Shevatim's decree, and went along with it.
Gur Aryeh cites (and disputes) Maharik (37); who writes that Hashem initially accepted the ban in order that Yaakov would be separated from Yosef for 22 years, corresponding to the 22 years that Yaakov had not fulfilled Kibud Av v'Em (see Rashi to 37:34).
Rashi writes: "[The brothers] included Hashem [in the ban]." What does this mean?
Gur Aryeh: They included Hashem in their number (refer to 37:33:2.1:2). All creations have an attachment to Hashem; it was through this bond with Hashem that they included Him in their actions. Hashem is the Place (Makom) of the world, 1 everything is included in Him. If there are nine people, Hashem joins their number. 2
Gur Aryeh: Indeed, this may be derived from the precise wording of the Midrash (Pirkei d'R. Eliezer 38), "They included Ha'Makom along with them."
Gur Aryeh: Also see Avraham's prayers for Sedom (see Rashi to Bereishis 18:28).
Rashi writes: "... [The brothers] included Hashem [in the ban]." But perhaps the entire reason Hashem did not reveal it, was so that Yaakov would not curse his sons (i.e. and not due to the ban)?
Gur Aryeh: If Hashem did not wish at all to reveal Yosef's whereabouts to Yaakov, He would not have given even the slightest glimmer of a hint. Since we see that Yaakov had a flash of Ru'ach ha'Kodesh that Yosef was alive, it must be that Hashem wished that it be revealed, but He refrained because of the ban.
Rashi writes: "... [The brothers] included Hashem [in the ban]." But perhaps the entire reason Hashem did not reveal it, was so that Yaakov and his family would go down to Mitzrayim, as was decreed in the Bris Bein ha'Besarim (see Rashi to 37:14)?
Gur Aryeh: Had that been the case, then when it was time to descend (after 22 years), Hashem would have simply revealed to Yaakov, that Yosef was alive in Mitzrayim. But even then, Hashem did not reveal it (rather, He brought about that Yosef would reveal himself to the brothers upon their repentance). This was because of the ban.
Rashi writes that Yitzchak knew that Yosef was alive. Why did Yitzchak not tell Yaakov?
