EXTRA · Parashas Mikeitz · Passuk 44:11

EXTRA on Mikeitz 44:11

Complete Passuk

וַֽיְמַהֲר֗וּ וַיּוֹרִ֛דוּ אִ֥ישׁ אֶת־אַמְתַּחְתּ֖וֹ אָ֑רְצָה וַֽיִּפְתְּח֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ אַמְתַּחְתּֽוֹ׃

Then they hastened, and took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Classical midrash on the brothers’ eager cooperation with the search.

Sefaria · Bereshit Rabbah (context)

Core Text of Chazal

וַיְמַהֲרוּ וַיּוֹרִדוּ... וַיִּפְתְּחוּ. הַזְּרִיזוּת מְעִידָה עַל בִּטָּחוֹן בְּחַפּוֹתָם.

English of Core Text: “Then they hastened, and took down… and opened.” The haste testifies to their confidence in their innocence.

On the daf / in context: The midrash observes that the brothers’ rapid compliance with the search is the behavior of men who are certain nothing will be found.

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

What Is Learned: The brothers open their sacks willingly and quickly because they know themselves to be clean; the discovery that follows is therefore all the more devastating.