165. He therefore "took from them Simeon" (Beresheet 42:24) so that he would not indict him together with Levi. For when they came together, Simeon and Levi might bring accusations. The phrase, "and bound him before their eyes" means that he arrested him only in front of their eyes. When they left, he gave him food and drink.
166. It may be said that Joseph acted according to the verse, "If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink" (Mishlei 25:21). FOR THIS REASON HE FED SIMEON, WHO WAS HIS ENEMY. How could the righteous Joseph have behaved in such a manner? As the verse ends with the words, "for you shall heap coals of fire on his head, and Hashem shall reward you." IT IS NOT SEEMLY FOR A RIGHTEOUS MAN TO TAKE REVENGE UPON HIS BROTHER.
167. HE ANSWERS, Heaven forbid that Joseph had such intentions. His conduct toward him was only that of a man toward his brother, and in no other way. And not to him alone, but to all his brothers he behaved so, as it is written, "Then Joseph gave orders to fill their sacks with grain, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus it was performed" (Beresheet 42:25), all to be brotherly toward them.
168. Rabbi Yosi continued with the verse, "Though they are at peace, and likewise many, even so they shall be cut down, and it shall pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more" (Nachum 1:12). This verse has been explained as follows, When the people are peaceful, with no dissension in their midst, the Holy One, blessed be He, has pity on them, and Judgment has no sway. Even if they worship idols, if they are at peace, no judgment has power over them. It can also be explained in relation to the verse, "Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone" (Hoshea 4:17). IT MEANS THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY SERVE IDOLS, IF THEY ARE JOINED, "LET HIM ALONE."
169. HE ASKS, What then is the meaning of the phrase, "even so they shall be cut down (also: 'shorn')?" HE ANSWERS, As it talks of peace in the beginning, here IT likewise TALKS of peace, which means charity. For charity is peace, and whoever promotes charity, promotes peace above and below. Hence the scripture reads, "even so they shall be shorn, and it shall pass away." The word "shorn" REFERS TO those who shear their money for charity. "EVEN SO" INDICATES THAT AS THE BEGINNING TALKS OF PEACE, HERE ALSO IT TALKS OF PEACE (NAMELY, CHARITY) AS HAS BEEN EXPLAINED. Of the phrase, "It shall pass away," HE ASKS, Should it have been written, "They shall pass away" IN THE PLURAL, JUST AS IT IS WRITTEN, "THEY WILL...BE CUT DOWN?" Why is it written, "it shall pass away?" HE REPLIES, The subject is wrathful judgment, just as in the verse, "until the indignation passes" (Yeshayah 26:20); IT MEANS until judgment passes away from them.
170. Another explanation is that the verse, "Thus says Hashem, though (if) they are a peace (also: 'whole')," refers to Yisrael, to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, gave an everlasting Covenant, NAMELY, CIRCUMCISION, to keep always, so as to be whole on all sides - CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT above and below, THAT ARE NETZACH AND HOD. If man does not guard the Covenant at all times, he is defective in every respect. How do we know this? From the verse, "Walk before Me, and be perfect" (Beresheet 17:1). Perfect means whole, and we derive from this that before the Covenant was established in him, BEFORE HE WAS CIRCUMCISED, he was defective.
171. Therefore, "if they be whole" MEANS if they observe the precept OF CIRCUMCISION, and are therefore whole instead of defective; "and likewise many," NAMELY they will increase and multiply, for souls come into the world only through the Covenant. "And they shall be cut down" REFERS TO THE FIRST PHRASE, "If they be whole" and constantly guard THE COVENANT, namely, "they shall be cut down" those who are circumcised, and accept upon them the Covenant. "CUT DOWN" IS DERIVED FROM SHEARING AND CUTTING. Then "it shall pass away," the filth of the foreskin that was upon them.
172. Another interpretation of "Thus says Hashem, 'If they be whole and likewise many'" is that these are the children of Jacob, who, as long as they were with Joseph, were whole, because they were joined with the Covenant, WHICH IS JOSEPH. "Even so they shall be cut down (Heb. nagozu)" MEANS when they went away and left Joseph and Simeon. NAGOZU IS DERIVED FROM PASSING AWAY, AS IN "IT IS SOON PAST (HEB. GAZ), AND WE FLY AWAY" (TEHILIM 90:10). Then "it shall pass away" means that then Judgment is passed upon them, as it is written, "and Hashem will pass through to smite Egypt" (Shemot 12:23). IN BOTH VERSES, PASS ALLUDES TO JUDGMENT.
173. Come and behold, There is harsh Judgment and mild Judgment. The harsh Judgment is strong, and the mild weak. When the mild Judgment is nourished from the harsh, it becomes powerful.
174. When judgment is executed upon Yisrael, it is mild and not strengthened by harsh Judgment. When executed upon idolatrous nations, the mild Judgment is strengthened by the supernal harsh Judgment. This is the meaning of the verse "and Hashem will pass (Heb. ve'avar) through to smite Egypt." The word "ve'avar" also means that He was filled with wrath (Heb. evra) and indignation, which was supported by harsh Judgment. In this same verse, pass away MEANS THAT HE IS FILLED WITH WRATH, ALTHOUGH IT IS MILD JUDGMENT NOT POWERED BY HARSH JUDGMENT, BECAUSE IT IS EXECUTED UPON YISRAEL. And come and behold, When ten gather together in the synagogue and one of them leaves, then the Holy One, blessed be He, is angered with him. FOR THE BROTHERS OF JOSEPH WERE TEN. AFTER THEY SEPARATED FROM JOSEPH AND SIMEON THEY REMAINED NINE, AND THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, BECAME ANGRY.