Vayigash 45:23 · unit 1

Parashas Vayigash · Passuk 45:23

The Complete Passuk

וּלְאָבִ֞יו שָׁלַ֤ח כְּזֹאת֙ עֲשָׂרָ֣ה חֲמֹרִ֔ים נֹשְׂאִ֖ים מִטּ֣וּב מִצְרָ֑יִם וְעֶ֣שֶׂר אֲתֹנֹ֡ת נֹֽשְׂאֹ֡ת בָּ֣ר וָלֶ֠חֶם וּמָז֧וֹן לְאָבִ֛יו לַדָּֽרֶךְ׃

And to his father he sent the following: ten donkeys laden with the best of Egypt, and ten she-donkeys laden with grain, bread, and provisions for his father for the journey.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Megillah 16b.

TT lemma: מטוב מצרים.

Sefaria — Megillah 16b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
מַאי ״מִטּוּב מִצְרַיִם״? אָמַר רַבִּי בִּנְיָמִין בַּר יֶפֶת אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: שָׁלַח לוֹ יַיִן יָשָׁן, שֶׁדַּעַת זְקֵנִים נוֹחָה הֵימֶנּוּ.

English: What is “the best of Egypt”? Rabbi Binyamin bar Yefet said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: He sent him aged wine, for the mind of the elderly is soothed by it.

On the daf / in context: “The best of Egypt” is identified as old wine, chosen because it is particularly suitable for an elderly person.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Bavli) — not a formal named middah of the 13.

What Is Learned

Among the gifts Yosef sent to Yaakov was aged wine, because the minds of the elderly are eased by it.