וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֗יו אֲבָל֮ אֲשֵׁמִ֣ים׀אֲנַ֘חְנוּ֮ עַל־אָחִ֒ינוּ֒ אֲשֶׁ֨ר רָאִ֜ינוּ צָרַ֥ת נַפְשׁ֛וֹ בְּהִתְחַֽנְנ֥וֹ אֵלֵ֖ינוּ וְלֹ֣א שָׁמָ֑עְנוּ עַל־כֵּן֙ בָּ֣אָה אֵלֵ֔ינוּ הַצָּרָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת׃
And they said one to another, “We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.”
Exact Source: Bereishis Rabbah 91:8
אִם כֵּנִים אַתֶּם וגוֹ׳ וְאֶת אֲחִיכֶם הַקָּטֹן, וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו אֲבָל אֲשֵׁמִים אֲנַחְנוּ. רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא אָמַר לָשׁוֹן דְּרוֹמִי הוּא, אֲבָל, בְּרַם.
English of Source Text: Rabbi Abba bar Kahana explains the word “אבל” as a foreign-language expression meaning “indeed” or “but.” The Midrash then records the brothers' recognition that they had seen Yosef's distress when he pleaded with them and had not listened.
On the passuk: Their words are an explicit acknowledgment of guilt over what they had done to Yosef.
Type of Learning: Derash on the verse (classic midrash) — not a formal named middah of the 13.
What Is Learned: True admission of guilt (“we are verily guilty”) is the necessary first step toward reconciliation; the brothers finally articulate the connection between their past silence and their present suffering.