Why Live in Goshen/2

Why Live in Goshen?

Exegetical Approaches

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Overview

Commentators differ regarding what they think was the driving factor behind Yosef's desire that the brothers settle in Goshen.  Rashi reads the brothers' emphasis to Paroh on the need for grazing land at face value, and asserts that the main motivation was economic.  Others disagree, viewing the focus on shepherding as a ploy said to persuade Paroh, but not as the true motivation.  For them, Goshen's advantage lay in its location, rather than its rich pastures.  Abarbanel and Netziv assume that Goshen was distant from the royal court and Egyptian society, and see in this an attempt to prevent assimilation.  A last approach, in contrast, asserts that Goshen was close to the capital, and maintains that Yosef was simply looking to be close to his family.

Good Grazing Land

Yosef wanted his family to live in Goshen because it had high quality grazing land for their cattle.

Sources:RashiBereshit 46:34About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, R. Yosef Bekhor ShorBereshit 46:34Bereshit 47:4About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, Ralbag #1-2Bereshit Beur HaMilot 46:34About R. Levi b. Gershom¹

"And you will be close to me" – According to this approach, this was not Yosef's main motivation; the personal proximity was merely an additional benefit of settling in Goshen.  Alternatively, Yosef was simply highlighting the only factor that he knew would persuade his father to uproot.

Negotiations with Paroh – why highlight shepherding? According to this position, the brothers were being upfront with Paroh, honestly sharing that they desired Goshen for its good pastures.

"כִּי תוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כׇּל רֹעֵה צֹאן" – How will this factor help obtain grazing land? According to this approach, the Egyptian's disdain for herdsmen² is what determined the availability of Goshen.  Since few Egyptians engaged in shepherding, it left the rich grazing lands of Goshen uninhabited,³ making it a perfect choice for the Israelites.⁴

"לָגוּר בָּאָרֶץ בָּאנוּ" – This position might suggest that Yosef's family descended to Egypt, thinking it would be for a short stay, only until the famine ended.⁵  Thus, it was concern for their economic rather than spiritual well being, that was foremost in their minds when trying to choose a place to settle.  If so, "לָגוּר" means to sojourn rather than to actively settle.⁶

What was in it for Paroh? G. Naor⁷ posits that Paroh was in need of shepherds because he had recently amassed huge quantities of livestock.  Due to Yosef's economic policies, the Egyptian people had handed over all their cattle to Paroh in return for sustenance,⁸ but shepherds, being an "abomination", were very scarce.  Yosef, thus, had the brothers emphasize their herding experience, allowing Paroh, on his own, to realize the economic benefits which the brothers could bring him.

Paroh's permission – "בְּמֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ הוֹשֵׁב אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אַחֶיךָ יֵשְׁבוּ בְּאֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן" – Ralbag understands "מֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ" to mean the best of the land of Goshen, rather than the best of Egypt.  The brothers had no special need for quality agricultural land, only the best of the grazing area, and that is what Paroh granted them.⁹

Why shepherd in Egypt?

• If the family was planning on returning to Canaan, it is obvious that they would want to continue in their longstanding profession.¹⁰
• According to G. Naor, had the brothers not continued to be involved in shepherding, it is possible that Paroh would not have agreed to let them settle, since they would not have been able to contribute to Egypt.

Location of Goshen – This position might set Goshen in the eastern Delta, an area which had both grazing and farming lands.  For more, see Goshen.

Distance from Egyptians and Paroh

Goshen was considered an ideal site for settlement since it was isolated from both Paroh, in particular, and the Egyptians at large.

Sources:JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 2:7:5About Josephus, Seikhel TovBereshit 46:34About R. Menachem b. Shelomo, Ramban, Bereshit 45:10About R. Moshe b. NachmanRalbag #3-4Bereshit Beur HaMilot 46:34About R. Levi b. Gershom, AbarbanelBereshit 45:9About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, R. Avraham SabaTzeror HaMor Bereshit 46:31About R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor), R. Eliezer AshkenaziMa'asei Hashem, Ma'asei Avot 42About R. Eliezer Ashkenazi (Ma'asei Hashem), Keli YekarBereshit 46:32About R. Shelomo Ephraim Lunshitz, R. S"R HirschBereshit 46:33About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch, NetzivBereshit 46:2-4Bereshit 46:31-34Bereshit 47:3-6Bereshit 47:20-21Shemot 1:7About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin

Desire for distance – These sources raise several possibilities as to why the nation wanted to live in isolation:

• Out of sight of Paroh – Ramban and Abarbanel emphasize the desire to distance themselves from the royal court and its negative influences.¹¹ Netziv adds that Yosef feared that, if they stayed in the vicinity, Paroh might want to enlist the brothers in some form of government service.
• Prevent assimilation – Ralbag, R. Saba, R. Hirsch, and Netziv all assert that avoiding mingling with the Egyptians was crucial for the Israelites to maintain their national identity and not assimilate into Egyptian society.  According to Netziv, it is precisely when the brothers move out of Goshen and intermingle with Egyptian culture that the enslavement begins.  For more, see Purposes of the Egyptian Bondage.
• Prevent anti-Semitic acts – Seikhel Tov and Ralbag imply that had Yaakov's family lived amidst the Egyptians, they might have become targets of anti-Semitism, due to the hatred Egyptians held towards shepherds.

"And you will be close to me" – Since this position assumes that Goshen was at a distance from the royal court, it would need to explain that when Yosef told his father "and you will settle in Goshen and be close to me", he was merely contrasting Goshen with Canaan, and not other cities in Egypt.  This was simply a way of convincing Yaakov to move to Egypt, so that he could be (relatively) close to Yosef.

"תוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כׇּל רֹעֵה צֹאן" – How will this achieve isolation? According to this position, although the brothers did not want Goshen for its grazing land,¹² they nonetheless highlighted their shepherding profession, knowing that this was the most effective way of persuading Paroh to settle them there:¹³ 

• Shepherds detested – According to most of these sources, Yosef knew that shepherds were considered an "abomination"¹⁴ and assumed that Paroh would want to distance the abhorred shepherds from regular Egyptian society, and, thus, he be amenable to their settling in the distant Goshen.
• Shepherds honored – According to Abarbanel, in contrast, the  word "תועבה" is the Torah's euphemistic way of referring to idolatrous gods, and the verse is sharing that the Egyptians venerated shepherds to god-like status.¹⁵  As such, Yosef was hoping that Paroh would honor the esteemed shepherds and give them their desired land.

Was Goshen empty of inhabitants? According to this position, to prevent assimilation, it was necessary that no Egyptians would live in Goshen.  Ma'asei Hashem and Netziv, thus, explain that Yosef's policy of population displacement was motivated by this very need. Yosef cleverly found a way to empty the entire region and resettle his family, without even causing an uproar.¹⁶  For elaboration and for other understandings of Yosef's dealings with the Egyptians, see Yosef's Economic Policies.

"לָגוּר בָּאָרֶץ בָּאנוּ" – Netziv maintains that Yaakov and family were aware that their descent to Egypt marked the beginning of the Egyptian exile, and it is for this reason that they feared the potential for assimilation.  He further suggests that the brothers intentionally misled Paroh by saying that they had come just to "sojourn",¹⁷ thinking that it might persuade Paroh that it was unnecessary to keep the family under close scrutiny or conscript them, given that they were soon to leave.¹⁸

Paroh's Response – "בְּמֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ הוֹשֵׁב אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אַחֶיךָ יֵשְׁבוּ בְּאֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן"

• Only partially agreed – It is possible that Paroh only partially agreed to Yosef's request.  According to Chizkuni, although Paroh sent the brothers to live in Goshen, he had Yaakov live close to the palace in Egypt proper ("בְּמֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ").‎¹⁹  Despite Yosef's plan, Paroh might have still desired to keep a close eye on at least one member of the intimidating clan, and thus chose the Patriarch of the family.²⁰
• Agreed above and beyond – Netziv, in contrast, asserts that Paroh not only acquiesced to the request, but added his permission for the family to settle even in better land ("בְּמֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ"), had they so desired.²¹  According to Netziv, Paroh's agreement stemmed in part from his (mis)understanding that the brothers would be in Egypt for only a short while,²² and that it therefore did not pay to enlist them as civil servants.

Where was Goshen? This approach would place Goshen at a distance from the Egyptian capital and centers of power and culture.

Proximity to Yosef

Yosef chose Goshen so that the family could be close to him.

"And you will be close to me" – According to this approach, Yosef's initial message to his father, "וְהָיִיתָ קָרוֹב אֵלַי", represents his primary reason for choosing Goshen.  After so many years apart, Yosef presumably wished to have his father nearby so they could make up for lost time.  It is not clear, though, if Yosef wanted his brothers in Goshen for the same reason.  It is possible that he had completely forgiven them and looked to compensate for lost years, but it is also possible that he was still wary and desired to keep an eye on them.  For elaboration, see Yosef's Treatment of his Family.

"כִּי תוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כׇּל רֹעֵה צֹאן"

• This position could explain that Egyptians abhorred shepherds since it was degrading for their sheep-gods to be looked after by humans. 
• Alternatively, if one posits like Shadal,Shemot 1:8About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto that the story is taking place under Hyksos rule, it is possible that lay Egyptians looked down upon shepherds for political rather than religious reasons.  The Egyptian masses resented the new Asiatic rulers and the Semitic shepherds who were associated with them. 

Negotiating with Paroh – "וַאֲמַרְתֶּם אַנְשֵׁי מִקְנֶה הָיוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ" – Yosef realized that while the common Egyptians distrusted shepherds, Paroh, being of the Hyksos ruling class, would look upon them favorably.  Yosef, thus, had the brothers harp on this point, hoping that Paroh would invite them to dwell nearby, in the pasture-filled land of Goshen.

Was Goshen available? According to this approach, Goshen might have been part of the royal estate which Paroh could bequeath to whomever he pleased.

What was in it for Paroh? Seeing Yosef's loyalty and the vast contributions that he had brought to the country might have convinced Paroh that it would be to his benefit to have a strong army of Yosef's kinsmen living close by.²³  Their proximity would allow for easy consultation and conscripting them for their services when needed.

"לָגוּר בָּאָרֶץ בָּאנוּ"

• This approach might suggest that Yosef and the brothers thought that the family would return to Canaan once the economic situation allowed.  Recognizing that his time with his family was short, Yosef wanted them as close as possible.
• Alternatively, despite the realization that it would be centuries before returning to Canaan, Yosef's choice of Goshen was guided by the familial needs of the present, rather than the national needs of the future.

Paroh's Permission – "בְּמֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ הוֹשֵׁב אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אַחֶיךָ יֵשְׁבוּ בְּאֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן" – According to this position, Paroh fully agreed to Yosef's request and offered the brothers Goshen, which was part of "the best of the land" and under royal control.²⁴

Location of Goshen – Goshen was close to or part of the Egyptian capital.  Depending on how one dates the story, this could be in the Delta region or in Upper Egypt, closer to the Nile.  For more, see Goshen.

¹ Ralbag suggests that there was a combined total of four factors motivating Yosef to choose Goshen.  The first two of these related to the quality of the land, and the latter two (discussed below) related to a desire for segregation.

² Ralbag assumes that this disdain was related to the Egyptian veneration of sheep.

³ See Ralbag who claims that the region was not built up.  If, however, Goshen was considered not just good pasture, but also "the best" of Egyptian land, it is not clear why it would be unsettled. This might be why Ralbag assumes that when Paroh said he will give them the "best of the land", he was referring to the "best of Goshen", rather than the best of Egypt as a whole.

⁴ R"Y Bekhor Shor, in contrast, suggests that the word "abomination" is simply the Torah's derogatory term to refer to Egyptian worship of sheep, and does not imply that the Egyptians had any antipathy toward shepherds.  In fact, he claims that the Egyptians venerated shepherds because they cared for and raised their gods, and for that reason wanted them to receive a choice portion of land.

⁵ Note how Yosef's brothers explain to Paroh that there was no more grazing land in Canaan, implying that as soon as Canaan was revitalized they would return there.

⁶ See the Haggadah of Pesach which understands the phrase "לָגוּר בָּאָרֶץ בָּאנוּ" to imply that Yosef's brothers came with intent to stay only temporarily: "מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹא יָרַד יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ לְהִשְׁתַּקֵעַ בְּמִצְרַיִם אֶלָּא לָגוּר שָׁם".  R"Y Bekhor Shor disagrees and asserts that the simple sense of the verse is that the brothers came to settle more permanently.  The later description "וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶם אֲחֻזָּה בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם" might support his reading, as the word "אֲחֻזָּה" connotes a more permanent settlement.

⁷ See his article, "כיצד הצליחו יעקב וביתו לרדת מצרימה", Orot Etzion 21 (1992): 128-139.

⁸ He is assuming that the story of Yosef's harsh policies towards the Egyptians overlapped with the brothers' descent to Egypt.

⁹ In contrast, R"Y Bekhor Shor assumes that Paroh settled the brothers in what was truly the best of the land as a whole. Since R"Y Bekhor Shor assumes (see note above) that shepherds were among the most esteemed people in Egypt, it is understandable that Paroh would want to honor them by giving them the most desired region.

¹⁰ This is especially true according to R"Y Bekhor Shor (above) who maintains that the shepherding occupation was highly regarded.   R. BachyaBereshit 46:32About R. Bachya b. Asher adds that the occupation gave them both economic and spiritual benefits.  It helped them attain the necessary provisions of wool, meat, and milk (perhaps especially important in time of famine), while the solitude of shepherding facilitated spiritual closeness to the Divine.  Moreover, he posits that the Patriarchs knew that eventually they would be exiled to Egypt where there would be a danger of acculturating and worshiping Egyptian gods. To prevent any notion of worshiping sheep, they chose the profession of shepherds which would make it difficult for their descendants to revere such animals.

¹¹ See N. Leibowitz, Iyyunim Be Sefer Bereshit (Jerusalem, 1992): 369, who suggests that Abarbanel might be speaking from his own experiences as a court minister, knowing all too well that proximity to the palace can also be fraught with danger.

¹² According to the Netziv, after the brothers settle in Goshen, they actually did not shepherd at all.  The entire claim was merely part of a ruse to convince Paroh.

¹³ For obvious reasons, they could not explicitly share their true fears of conscription, assimilation, or anti-Semitism.

¹⁴ Midrash Seikhel Tov explains that the Egyptians worshiped sheep and thus were troubled when shepherds would milk, shear, or prod their gods, viewing this as a denigration.

¹⁵ As proof, he points to the fact that both Paroh and the Egyptians owned their own cattle. Cf. R"Y Bekhor Shor in the note above.

¹⁶ According to this logic, it is not clear why Goshen specifically, as opposed to any other region, was chosen.  Ma'asei Hashem suggests that all other areas had priests whom Yosef could not uproot as part of his policy, but since Goshen and its rich grazing land had been home to shepherds whom the priests detested, no priests had ever lived there.

¹⁷ The word "לָגוּר" implies that they would leave after the famine, when in fact they had come to settle.  Netziv tries to mitigate the deceit by suggesting that it was not really a lie since the family never really wanted to become full fledged citizens, but rather to always remain distinct from the population, like foreigners.

¹⁸ This was intended to prevent Paroh from enlisting them in government service.

¹⁹ According to Chizkuni, the verse should read as if it has a semicolon after the phrase "בְּמֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ הוֹשֵׁב אֶת אָבִיךָ".  According to him, Paroh had benevolent motives; he thought that the elderly Yaakov would do better in the clean air of the Egyptian capital.

²⁰ Alternatively, if Yaakov was viewed as an esteemed prophetic figure, Paroh may have hoped that his living in proximity to the court would have benefits for the kingdom as a whole.

²¹ He claims that, in addition to Goshen, Yosef later gave the brothers fields and vineyards outside of Goshen: "וַיּוֹשֵׁב יוֹסֵף אֶת אָבִיו וְאֶת אֶחָיו וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶם אֲחֻזָּה בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בְּמֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ".

²² See above that according to Netziv, the brothers said that they were coming to "sojourn" in Egypt despite knowing that the exile was beginning, just in order to deceive Paroh.  Cf. Ramban, in contrast, who assumes that the brothers candidly asked permission to stay for just a short duration, and Paroh responded by telling Yosef that they should be treated as full citizens.

²³ This might be especially true if Paroh was of Hyksos origins.

²⁴ During the reign of the Hyksos, the capital was in Avaris, in the North Eastern Delta. This rich land could easily be termed "the best of the land".