וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל לָהֶם֙ לְשָׁל֔וֹם וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֲשָׁל֛וֹם אֲבִיכֶ֥ם הַזָּקֵ֖ן אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲמַרְתֶּ֑ם הַעוֹדֶ֖נּוּ חָֽי׃
And he asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spoke? Is he yet alive?”
Classical midrash on Yosef’s inquiry after Yaakov.
הֲשָׁלוֹם אֲבִיכֶם הַזָּקֵן... הַעוֹדֶנּוּ חָי. יוֹסֵף שׁוֹאֵל עַל אָבִיו מִתּוֹךְ כְּמִיהָה גְּדוֹלָה.
English of Core Text: “Is your father well, the old man… Is he yet alive?” Yosef asks after his father out of deep longing.
On the daf / in context: The midrash hears in the repeated question the intensity of Yosef’s yearning for news of Yaakov, still concealed behind the mask of the Egyptian ruler.
Type of Learning: Derash on the verse (classic midrash) — not a formal named middah of the 13.
What Is Learned: Even while maintaining the test, Yosef cannot refrain from seeking assurance that his father still lives; the personal need breaks through the official role.