EXTRA · Parashas Mikeitz · Passuk 42:24

EXTRA on Mikeitz 42:24

Complete Passuk

וַיִּסֹּ֥ב מֵֽעֲלֵיהֶ֖ם וַיֵּ֑בְךְּ וַיָּ֤שׇׁב אֲלֵהֶם֙ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם וַיִּקַּ֤ח מֵֽאִתָּם֙ אֶת־שִׁמְע֔וֹן וַיֶּאֱסֹ֥ר אֹת֖וֹ לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃

And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Shimon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Classical midrash on Yosef’s weeping and the selection of Shimon.

Sefaria · Bereshit Rabbah 91

Core Text of Chazal

וַיִּסֹּב מֵעֲלֵיהֶם וַיֵּבְךְּ. הָרַחֲמִים נִתְעוֹרְרוּ, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן הִמְשִׁיךְ בַּמִּבְחָן.

English of Core Text: “And he turned himself about from them and wept.” Compassion was aroused, yet he continued the test.

On the daf / in context: The midrash notes that Yosef’s emotion breaks through even while he maintains the severe exterior required for the process of examination; Shimon is chosen because he had been central in the earlier plot.

Type of Learning: Derash on the verse (classic midrash) — not a formal named middah of the 13.

What Is Learned: Yosef’s tears are real and immediate, yet he does not abandon the carefully designed test; the weeping and the binding of Shimon coexist in the same moment.