Literary Devices – Bereshit 43

The text refers to Binyamin in several ways (in addition to using his proper name):

• "Brother" – In Yehuda's speech to his father, he does not refer to Binyamin by name, but rather as "our brother" (verse 4), perhaps reflecting that, in contrast to the sibling's feelings towards Yosef, they actually felt a brotherly bond with Binyamin.³ Yaakov, too, refers to him as "your brother".
• הַנַּעַר – The other term used by Yehuda to describe Binyamin is "הַנַּעַר", the lad. See "Allusions" above, that this is the same term used to describe Yosef when he is first introduced to the reader and is perhaps used here to allude to that story.
• בִּנְיָמִין אָחִיו בֶּן אִמּוֹ – When Binyamin appears before Yosef, he is described as “Binyamin, his brother, the son of his mother”, with the text stressing that they are full siblings and reflecting Yosef’s feelings of closeness to him. 

• Yosef – The narrator consistently refers to Yosef by his proper name.
• "האיש" – When the brothers and Yaakov speak of  Yosef, however, they call him simply "האיש" highlighting their lack of knowledge of the identity of Yosef; in their eyes the individual with whom they have interacted is simply a powerful and inscrutable man. 

• "הָאֲנָשִׁים" – In contrast to earlier (and later) chapters where the siblings are often identified as "Yosef's brothers" or "Yaakov’s sons", throughout this chapter, they are referred to as “הָאֲנָשִׁים”.
• Sources and Articles
• See R. BachyaBereshit 43:15About R. Bachya b. Asher that the brothers are so called because, in their fear, they took care to enter Egypt disguised so that no one would know that they were brothers, but would instead think that they were individual men.
• Professor Y. Grossman, יוסף: סיפורים של חלוות (Rishon LeZion, 2021): 304-305, suggests that through the lack of relational epithets, the text highlights that at this juncture in the story, the brothers are independent players with the free will to decide how they will act in the continuation of the drama – as Yosef's brothers and Yaakov's sons, or not.⁴

When Yaakov refers to the possibility of freeing Shimon (verse 14), he does not do so by name, but rather says "אֲחִיכֶם אַחֵר" (your other brother). As Yaakov refers to Binyamin by name in the same sentence, the anonymity here is striking.

• See RambanBereshit 43:14About R. Moshe b. Nachman that Yaakov, in his anger at Shimon for his role in the massacre of Shekhem, is unwilling to call him by name.⁵
• See Bereshit Rabbah 93:2 92:3About Bereshit Rabbahand RashiBereshit 43:14About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki that, unknowingly, Yaakov is also referring to Yosef. The reader who knows the end of the story is easily able to add this layer of meaning to the text.

• Yaakov uses Hashem’s name of El Shaddai when he blesses the brothers before their journey.
• Commentators discuss his use of this name.  
• TanchumaMiketz 10About the Tanchuma notes that the name contains the word "די", enough, and that Yaakov is praying "He who said to the Universe, "Enough!", may He say "Enough!" to my troubles. 
• Ibn EzraBereshit First Commentary 43:14About R. Avraham ibn Ezra and Abarbanel suggest that this word means "God Almighty", stressing Hashem’s unlimited power, which Yaakov believes will be necessary to protect his sons.