Vayechi 50:21 · unit 1

Parashas Vayechi · Passuk 50:21

The Complete Passuk

וְעַתָּה֙ אַל־תִּירָ֔אוּ אָנֹכִ֛י אֲכַלְכֵּ֥ל אֶתְכֶ֖ם וְאֶֽת־טַפְּכֶ֑ם וַיְנַחֵ֣ם אוֹתָ֔ם וַיְדַבֵּ֖ר עַל־לִבָּֽם׃

Now therefore fear ye not; I will sustain you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spoke kindly unto them.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Megillah / related (R’ Binyamin bar Yefet).

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
אָמַר רַבִּי בִּנְיָמִין בַּר יֶפֶת אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם דְּבָרִים הַמִּתְקַבְּלִים עַל הַלֵּב — וּמָה עֲשָׂרָה נֵרוֹת לֹא יָכְלוּ לְכַבּוֹת נֵר אֶחָד, הֵיאַךְ יָכוֹל נֵר אֶחָד לְכַבּוֹת עֲשָׂרָה נֵרוֹת?

English: R’ Binyamin bar Yefet said in the name of R’ Elazar: This teaches that he spoke to them words that are accepted by the heart — “If ten lamps could not extinguish one lamp, how can one lamp extinguish ten lamps?”

On the daf / in context: Yosef’s reassurance is filled out with the image of the lamps: the brothers could not destroy him when they were many; he will not destroy them when he stands alone.

Type of Learning

Narrative expansion of the phrase “he spoke to their heart.”

What Is Learned

Yosef comforted his brothers with the argument that if ten could not extinguish one, one cannot extinguish ten.