Derasha 1 on Mikeitz 44:3

TT · Parashas Mikeitz · Passuk 44:3

Complete Passuk

הַבֹּ֖קֶר א֑וֹר וְהָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים שֻׁלְּח֔וּ הֵ֖מָּה וַחֲמֹרֵיהֶֽם׃

With the first light of morning, the men were sent off with their pack animals.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Pesachim 2a.

Core Text of Chazal

הבקר אור. האור בקר לא כתיב אלא הבקר אור – [הבקר האיר הוא], וכמאן דאמר צפרא נהר.

English of Core Text: “As soon as the morning was light…” It is not written “the light was morning” but “the morning was light” — [meaning] the morning became light, as in the expression “the morning shone.”

On the daf / in context: The Gemara discusses the precise language of “or” and its implications for the definition of daybreak.

Type of Learning: Derash on the verse (Bavli) — linguistic / not a formal named middah of the 13.

What Is Learned: The phrasing “the morning was light” supports the understanding that “or” here describes the illumination of morning rather than a noun for night.