EXTRA · Parashas Mikeitz · Passuk 44:2

EXTRA on Mikeitz 44:2

Complete Passuk

וְאֶת־גְּבִיעִ֞י גְּבִ֣יעַ הַכֶּ֗סֶף תָּשִׂים֙ בְּפִי֙ אַמְתַּ֣חַת הַקָּטֹ֔ן וְאֵ֖ת כֶּ֣סֶף שִׁבְר֑וֹ וַיַּ֕עַשׂ כִּדְבַ֥ר יוֹסֵ֖ף אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֵּֽר׃

And put my goblet, the silver goblet, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Yosef had spoken.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Classical midrash on the deliberate placement of the cup.

Sefaria · Bereshit Rabbah (context)

Core Text of Chazal

גְּבִיעִי גְּבִיעַ הַכֶּסֶף תָּשִׂים בְּפִי אַמְתַּחַת הַקָּטֹן. הַגָּבִיעַ מֻצָּב בְּכַוָּנָה אֵצֶל בִּנְיָמִין.

English of Core Text: “Put my goblet, the silver goblet, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest.” The cup is deliberately placed with Binyamin.

On the daf / in context: The midrash underscores that the choice of Binyamin is not random; the final pressure is designed to fall exactly on the brother who was never part of the original crime.

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

What Is Learned: The silver cup is the instrument that isolates Binyamin and thereby forces the brothers to decide whether they will abandon another son of Rachel or stand with him.