Vayeishev 37:15 · EXTRA

EXTRA · Parashas Vayeishev · Passuk 37:15 · not a Torah Temimah citation on this passuk

The Complete Passuk

וַיִּמְצָאֵ֣הוּ אִ֔ישׁ וְהִנֵּ֥ה תֹעֶ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וַיִּשְׁאָלֵ֧הוּ הָאִ֛ישׁ לֵאמֹ֖ר מַה־תְּבַקֵּֽשׁ׃

a man came upon him wandering in the fields. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?”

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Classical source (EXTRA side-ring): Bereshis Rabbah 84:14.

Sefaria — Bereshis Rabbah 84:14

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וַיִּמְצָאֵהוּ אִישׁ וְהִנֵּה תֹעֶה בַּשָּׂדֶה — אָמַר רַבִּי יַנַּאי: שְׁלֹשָׁה מַלְאָכִים נִזְדַּוְּגוּ לוֹ — וַיִּמְצָאֵהוּ אִישׁ, וַיִּשְׁאָלֵהוּ הָאִישׁ, וַיֹּאמֶר הָאִישׁ.

English: “And a man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field” — R’ Yannai said: three angels met him — “a man found him,” “the man asked him,” “the man said.”

In context: The triple mention of “the man” is taken as three separate angelic encounters guiding Yosef toward the brothers.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Bereshis Rabbah) — not a formal named middah of the 13. Repeated noun is counted as multiple agents.

What Is Learned

Yosef’s meeting with “the man” is read as a series of angelic interventions that steer him to his brothers’ path.