Difference between revisions of "Why Live in Goshen/2"
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<point><b>"כִּי תוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כׇּל רֹעֵה צֹאן" and the choice of Goshen</b><ul> | <point><b>"כִּי תוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כׇּל רֹעֵה צֹאן" and the choice of Goshen</b><ul> | ||
<li><b>Disdained</b> – According to Ralbag, the Egyptians abhorred shepherds,<fn>According to him, the Egyptians worshiped sheep.  As such they might have looked down upon any who who supervised and led sheep, as it suggests that the shepherds felt that they were superior to the sheep-gods.</fn> and did not want to live in the same vicinity.  Since there was an uninhabited area in Goshen,<fn>If, however, Goshen was considered "the best" of Egyptian land, it is not clear why it would be unsettled, and why, of all people, the Egyptians would allow the detested shepherds to live there. This might be why Ralbag assumes that Paroh gave them the "best  of Goshen" but not the best of Egypt as a whole.</fn> Yosef knew that he would be able to have his brothers settle there.</li> | <li><b>Disdained</b> – According to Ralbag, the Egyptians abhorred shepherds,<fn>According to him, the Egyptians worshiped sheep.  As such they might have looked down upon any who who supervised and led sheep, as it suggests that the shepherds felt that they were superior to the sheep-gods.</fn> and did not want to live in the same vicinity.  Since there was an uninhabited area in Goshen,<fn>If, however, Goshen was considered "the best" of Egyptian land, it is not clear why it would be unsettled, and why, of all people, the Egyptians would allow the detested shepherds to live there. This might be why Ralbag assumes that Paroh gave them the "best  of Goshen" but not the best of Egypt as a whole.</fn> Yosef knew that he would be able to have his brothers settle there.</li> | ||
| − | <li><b>Honored</b> – R"Y Bekhor Shor 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 antipathy toward shepherds.<fn>This is a difficult read of the verse, since according to R"Y Bekhor Shor it should read "תוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כׇּל צֹאן"  and not "כׇּל רֹעֵה צֹאן". Later, however, Moshe speaks of the sheep themselves an "abomination" - "כִּי תּוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם נִזְבַּח לַי"י אֱלֹהֵינוּ הֵן נִזְבַּח אֶת תּוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם לְעֵינֵיהֶם וְלֹא יִסְקְלֻנוּ" (Shemot 8:22).</fn>  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.</li> | + | <li><b>Honored</b> – R"Y Bekhor Shor 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.<fn>This is a difficult read of the verse, since according to R"Y Bekhor Shor it should read "תוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כׇּל צֹאן"  and not "כׇּל רֹעֵה צֹאן". Later, however, Moshe speaks of the sheep themselves an "abomination" - "כִּי תּוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם נִזְבַּח לַי"י אֱלֹהֵינוּ הֵן נִזְבַּח אֶת תּוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם לְעֵינֵיהֶם וְלֹא יִסְקְלֻנוּ" (Shemot 8:22).</fn>  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.</li> |
</ul></point> | </ul></point> | ||
<point><b>Conversation with Paroh</b><ul> | <point><b>Conversation with Paroh</b><ul> | ||
| − | <li><b>Paroh amenable</b> – Ralbag implies that | + | <li><b>Paroh amenable</b> – Ralbag implies that once Paroh invited the brothers to dwell in Egypt, Yosef had the authority to place them wherever he wished.  Nonetheless, out of his uprightness, Yosef still made sure to get Paroh's specific permission for rights to Goshen.</li> |
<li><b>Paroh needed convincing</b> – G. Naor<fn>See his article, <a href="http://asif.co.il/?wpfb_filepage=10-pdf-10">"כיצד הצליחו יעקב וביתו לרדת מצרימה"</a>, Orot Etzion 21 (1992): 128-139.</fn> posits, in contrast, that Yosef realized that it would not be a simple matter, in a time of famine, to convince Paroh to permit the settlement of an entire clan of foreigners.  He realized, however, that since the Egyptian nation had handed over all their cattle to Paroh,<fn>He is assuming that the story of Yosef's harsh policies towards the Egyptians overlapped with the brothers' descent to Egypt.</fn> but shepherds (being an "abomination") were very scarce, Paroh was in need of shepherds for himself.  Yosef thus had the brothers emphasize their cattle herding, allowing Paroh to realize on his own the benefit the brothers could bring him.</li> | <li><b>Paroh needed convincing</b> – G. Naor<fn>See his article, <a href="http://asif.co.il/?wpfb_filepage=10-pdf-10">"כיצד הצליחו יעקב וביתו לרדת מצרימה"</a>, Orot Etzion 21 (1992): 128-139.</fn> posits, in contrast, that Yosef realized that it would not be a simple matter, in a time of famine, to convince Paroh to permit the settlement of an entire clan of foreigners.  He realized, however, that since the Egyptian nation had handed over all their cattle to Paroh,<fn>He is assuming that the story of Yosef's harsh policies towards the Egyptians overlapped with the brothers' descent to Egypt.</fn> but shepherds (being an "abomination") were very scarce, Paroh was in need of shepherds for himself.  Yosef thus had the brothers emphasize their cattle herding, allowing Paroh to realize on his own the benefit the brothers could bring him.</li> | ||
</ul></point> | </ul></point> | ||
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<point><b>"כִּי תוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כׇּל רֹעֵה צֹאן"</b><ul> | <point><b>"כִּי תוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כׇּל רֹעֵה צֹאן"</b><ul> | ||
<li>This position could explain as above, that Egyptians abhorred shepherds since it was degrading to their sheep-gods to be looked after by humans. </li> | <li>This position could explain as above, that Egyptians abhorred shepherds since it was degrading to their sheep-gods to be looked after by humans. </li> | ||
| − | <li>Alternatively, if one posits, as does <multilink><a href="ShadalShemot1-8" data-aht="source">Shadal,</a><a href="ShadalShemot1-8" data-aht="source">Shemot 1:8</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink> 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.  They resented the new Asiatic rule and any shepherds who were associated with them. </li> | + | <li>Alternatively, if one posits, as does <multilink><a href="ShadalShemot1-8" data-aht="source">Shadal,</a><a href="ShadalShemot1-8" data-aht="source">Shemot 1:8</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink> 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.  They resented the new Asiatic rule and any shepherds who were associated with them.</li> |
</ul></point> | </ul></point> | ||
<point><b>Discussion with Paroh - "וַאֲמַרְתֶּם אַנְשֵׁי מִקְנֶה הָיוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ"</b> – Yosef realized that while the lay Egyptians distrusted shepherds, the Hyksos Paroh would look upon them favorably.  He thus had the brothers focus on this point, hoping that Paroh would invite them to dwell nearby, in the pasture-filled Goshen.</point> | <point><b>Discussion with Paroh - "וַאֲמַרְתֶּם אַנְשֵׁי מִקְנֶה הָיוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ"</b> – Yosef realized that while the lay Egyptians distrusted shepherds, the Hyksos Paroh would look upon them favorably.  He thus had the brothers focus on this point, hoping that Paroh would invite them to dwell nearby, in the pasture-filled Goshen.</point> | ||
Version as of 03:26, 18 December 2015
Why Live in Goshen?
Exegetical Approaches
Good Grazing Land
Yosef wanted his family to live in Goshen because it had high quality grazing land for their cattle.
"כִּי תוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כׇּל רֹעֵה צֹאן" and the choice of Goshen
- Disdained – According to Ralbag, the Egyptians abhorred shepherds,2 and did not want to live in the same vicinity. Since there was an uninhabited area in Goshen,3 Yosef knew that he would be able to have his brothers settle there.
- Honored – R"Y Bekhor Shor 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.4 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.
Conversation with Paroh
- Paroh amenable – Ralbag implies that once Paroh invited the brothers to dwell in Egypt, Yosef had the authority to place them wherever he wished. Nonetheless, out of his uprightness, Yosef still made sure to get Paroh's specific permission for rights to Goshen.
- Paroh needed convincing – G. Naor5 posits, in contrast, that Yosef realized that it would not be a simple matter, in a time of famine, to convince Paroh to permit the settlement of an entire clan of foreigners. He realized, however, that since the Egyptian nation had handed over all their cattle to Paroh,6 but shepherds (being an "abomination") were very scarce, Paroh was in need of shepherds for himself. Yosef thus had the brothers emphasize their cattle herding, allowing Paroh to realize on his own the benefit the brothers could bring him.
Paroh's response – "בְּמֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ" – Ralbag understands this 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. In contrast, R"Y Bekhor Shor assumes that Paroh really settled the brothers in the best of the land as a whole.7
"לָגוּר בָּאָרֶץ בָּאנוּ" – According to this approach, it is possible that when the family descended to Egypt they thought that it would be for a short stay, until the famine ended. They explain to Paroh that they seek land because there was no more grazing land in Canaan, implying that as soon as Canaan was revitalized they would return there. If so, "לָגוּר" means to sojourn rather than to actively settle.8
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.9
- In addition, R. Bachya posits 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 facilitated attaining closeness to the Divine.10
- According to G. Naor, had the brothers not continued to be involved in shepherding, it was possible that Paroh would not have agreed to let them settle since they would not have what to contribute to Egypt.
"And you will be close to me" – This approach could read this as an additional benefit of settling in Goshen; Yosef would be close enough to look after the family. Alternatively, Yosef was simply highlighting the factor that he knew would persuade his father to uproot.
Location of Goshen – This position might set Goshen in the eastern Delta, an area which had both grazing and farming lands.
Distance from Egyptians and Paroh
Goshen was considered an ideal site for settlement since it was isolated from both Paroh and the Egyptians at large.
Sources:Josephus, Seikhel Tov, Ramban, Ralbag #3-4, Abarbanel, R. Avraham Saba, R. Eliezer Ashkenazi, Keli Yekar, R. S"R Hirsch, Netziv
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 maintain that not mingling with the Egyptians was crucial for the Israelites to maintain their national identity and not assimilate into Egyptian society.12
- Prevent anti-Semitic acts – Seikhel Tov and Ralbag imply that had the family lived amid the Egyptians, they might have become targets of anti-Semitism, due to the hatred Egyptians held towards shepherds.
"כִּי תוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כׇּל רֹעֵה צֹאן"
- Shepherds abhorred – Most of these sources assume that the Egyptians denigrated shepherds. Seikhel Tov explains that they were troubled that shepherds would milk, shear, prod and control the sheep, rather than revere and worship them. It was this disgust on the part of the Egyptians, which Yosef hoped would allow the Israelites to settle apart from them in Goshen.
- Shepherds honored – Abarbanel explains that the word "תועבה" is the Torah's euphemistic way of referring to idolatrous gods; thus the verse is saying that the Egyptians venerated shepherds to god-like status.13 As such, they would be willing to give them whatever land they wished.
Discussion with Paroh - "וַאֲמַרְתֶּם אַנְשֵׁי מִקְנֶה הָיוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ" – According to this position, though the brothers did not want Goshen for its grazing land14 (but rather for its isolation), they nonetheless highlighted their shepherding profession since they know that this is what might convince Paroh to settle them there.
- According to most of these sources, Yosef assumed that Paroh would want to distance the "abhorred" shepherds from regular Egyptian society and thus be amenable to their settling in the distant Goshen.
- According to Abarbanel, in contrast, Yosef was hoping that Paroh would honor the esteemed shepherds and give them their desired plots.
Paroh's Response - בְּמֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ הוֹשֵׁב אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אַחֶיךָ יֵשְׁבוּ בְּאֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן
- Agreed above and beyond –Netziv asserts that Paroh not only acquiesced to the request, but added that he would be willing for the family to settle in even better land (בְּמֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ), had they so desired.15 According to Netziv, Paroh's agreement stemmed in part from his (mis)understanding that the brothers would only be in Egypt for a short while,16 and that it therefore did not pay to put them to state service.
- Only partially agreed - Alternatively. 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 place in Egypt proper (בְּמֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ).17 Paroh might have wanted to keep a close eye on at least one member of the intimidating clan, and thus chose the Patriarch of the family.18
Yosef's policy of population displacement – According to Ma'asei Hashem and Netziv, Yosef's decision to displace the Egyptians was motivated by the need to empty Goshen of its inhabitants so as to give the city to his family without causing an uproar.19 For elaboration and for other understandings of Yosef's dealings with the Egyptians, see Yosef's Economic Policies.
"And you will be close to me" – Since this position posits that Goshen was at a distance from the royal court, it would have to explain that when Yosef told his father "and you will settle in Goshen and be close to me" he was 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 oculd be (relatively) close to Yosef.
"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. Netziv suggests that the brothers intentionally misled Paroh by saying that they had come just to "sojourn",20 and implying that they would leave after the famine, when in fact they had come to settle.21 This might be supported by the text's saying that Yosef gave them an "אֲחֻזָּה", which connotes a more permanent inheritance.
Where was Goshen – This approach would place Goshen at a distance from the capital.
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 wanted his father nearby. It is not clear, though, if he wanted his brothers in Goshen for the same reason. Had he totally forgiven them and looked to make up for lost years, or was he still wary and desirous of keeping an eye on them?
"כִּי תוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כׇּל רֹעֵה צֹאן"
- This position could explain as above, that Egyptians abhorred shepherds since it was degrading to their sheep-gods to be looked after by humans.
- Alternatively, if one posits, as does Shadal, 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. They resented the new Asiatic rule and any shepherds who were associated with them.
Discussion with Paroh - "וַאֲמַרְתֶּם אַנְשֵׁי מִקְנֶה הָיוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ" – Yosef realized that while the lay Egyptians distrusted shepherds, the Hyksos Paroh would look upon them favorably. He thus had the brothers focus on this point, hoping that Paroh would invite them to dwell nearby, in the pasture-filled Goshen.
Paroh's response
