וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו לָ֚מָּה יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲדֹנִ֔י כַּדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה חָלִ֙ילָה֙ לַעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ מֵעֲשׂ֖וֹת כַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃
And they said unto him, “Why does my lord speak such words? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing.”
Rashi on Bereishis 44:7. Rashi explains chalilah as an expression of disgrace and cites the rabbinic usage of “chas ve-shalom” as a parallel expression.
Rashi’s explanation focuses on the brothers’ wording: they reject the accusation as something disgraceful and unthinkable for them to have done.
What Is Learned: The brothers’ response is not merely a denial of the facts; the word chalilah expresses their emphatic rejection of the accusation as a disgraceful act.