וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ ל֛וֹ לְבַדּ֖וֹ וְלָהֶ֣ם לְבַדָּ֑ם וְלַמִּצְרִ֞ים הָאֹכְלִ֤ים אִתּוֹ֙ לְבַדָּ֔ם כִּי֩ לֹ֨א יוּכְל֜וּן הַמִּצְרִ֗ים לֶאֱכֹ֤ל אֶת־הָֽעִבְרִים֙ לֶ֔חֶם כִּי־תוֹעֵבָ֥ה הִ֖וא לְמִצְרָֽיִם׃
And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, that did eat with him, by themselves; because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
Classical midrash on the separation at the table.
Sefaria · Bereshit Rabbah (context)
כִּי תוֹעֵבָה הִיא לְמִצְרָיִם. הַמִּצְרִים בָּזוּ לָעִבְרִים, וְיוֹסֵף יָשַׁב לְבַדּוֹ.
English of Core Text: “For that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.” The Egyptians despised the Hebrews, and Yosef sat alone.
On the daf / in context: The midrash observes the triple separation (Yosef alone, the brothers alone, the Egyptians alone) as both a social reality of Egypt and a narrative device that heightens the isolation of Yosef even at the height of his power.
Type of Learning: Derash on the verse (classic midrash) — not a formal named middah of the 13.
What Is Learned: Even as viceroy, Yosef remains separated — neither fully Egyptian nor yet reunited with his brothers — a living embodiment of the distance that still must be bridged.