What is the meaning of "Lechem l'Fi ha'Taf"?
Rashi, Ramban #1 and Targum Yonasan: He sustained them generously 1 according to the needs of the children (the size of the family).
Seforno: He rationed them (throughout the years of famine) according to the number of people in each family. 2
Ramban #2: This Pasuk is referring to the (five) years of famine, which returned after Yaakov died. 3 This may be inferred from 50:21.
Machzor Vitri (See also Sifsei Chachamim).
He did not feed them liberally, in keeping with the Gemara (Ta'anis 11a), that one should not indulge when everybody else is hungry. The Seforno learns this way based on his explanation that the famine continued after Yaakov's family arrived in Egypt; refer to 47:17:2:2 and 47:18:1:1). (According to Rashi (refer to 47:13:1:1), the coming Pesukim discuss the years of famine before Yaakov came.) See Ramban to 47:18. Also refer to 47:12:1:3*.
Like the opinion of Rebbi Yosi, that the famine stopped when Yaakov arrived in Egypt, and returned when he died. This was a great Kavod for Yaakov. Rashi, however, explains like Rebbi Shimon; when Yaakov came, the famine stopped and did not return.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "[Yosef provided food for his brothers] in accordance with [the number of] the children - i.e. according to the needs of their entire households." What is Rashi clarifying for us?
Gur Aryeh: The verse is not coming to tell us that Yosef rationed his brothers' food; giving them the precise amount needed for their children, and no more. 1 On the contrary, he gave them all that they needed.
As Seforno explains.
Rashi writes: "'The children' (ha'Taf) - i.e. ... their entire households (Kol Bnei Beisam)." Why explain this way?
Gur Aryeh: If Yosef provided food only for the children, what would the rest of their households eat? Rather, 'Taf" must include everyone in the house. The children are mentioned as the primary members of the house, for they are raised there.
