Why Live in Goshen/2

Why Live in Goshen?

Exegetical Approaches

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Good Land

Yosef wanted the brothers to live in Goshen because it had a high quality land, with good grazing 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. Gershom,

אַנְשֵׁי מִקְנֶה / רֹעֵה צֹאן – It is the brothers' occupation as shepherds which leads to the choice of Goshen for their settlement.

כִּי תוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כׇּל רֹעֵה צֹאן – According to R"Y Bekhor Shor, the Torah uses the word "abomination" in denigration to refer to the idolatry of the Egyptians, and not as an epithet to describe their feelings towards shepherds. In fact, he claims that the Egyptians esteemed shepherds, and  therefore would desire that they live in a good portion of land.

Why continue in the shepherding profession?

Location of Goshen

"And you will be close to me"

"לָגוּר בָּאָרֶץ בָּאנוּ"

"אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ מִצְרַיְמָה וְאָנֹכִי אַעַלְךָ גַם עָלֹה"

Segregated from Egyptians and Paroh

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 46:34Bereshit 47:4Shemot 1:7About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin

Proximity to Yosef