בראשית, פרק ל״ז, פסוק כ״ה

As a young man is cast into a desolate pit, a quiet meal unfolds nearby, marking a dramatic turning point in the history of the Israelites where human plotting and hidden divine providence seamlessly intertwine. The brothers sit down to eat, a simple act that vividly reveals their state of mind. The primary approach among commentators is that the brothers did not view their actions as a moral failure that should disrupt their meal. Convinced of their own righteousness, they saw their brother as a dangerous pursuer who had to be removed [ספורנו, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. To block out his desperate cries and pleas, they distanced themselves slightly from the pit while they ate [ביאור יש״ר, חזקוני]. Some explain that this meal was eaten in shifts, following the custom of shepherds, which accounts for Reuben's absence during the subsequent sale [בכור שור, ביאור יש״ר]. Conversely, others suggest that their consciences did not allow them to eat in complete peace, prompting them to stand up mid-meal to gaze at the pit from afar [העמק דבר, רש״ר הירש]. This meal carries a bitter, measure for measure irony: because the brothers sold him amidst eating and drinking, their descendants would later be sold for annihilation in Shushan during Haman's royal feast [רבנו בחיי].

While they eat, a caravan of Ishmaelites appears on the desert paths [אבן עזרא, רלב״ג, שד״ל, רש״י]. Their route from Gilead to Egypt passed through the Dothan Valley, deliberately bypassing Hebron. This path ensured that Jacob would remain entirely unaware of the unfolding tragedy. Furthermore, because these travelers were not typical slave traders, the brothers assumed their father would never think to search for his son among them [ביאור שטיינזלץ, קונטרס חיבה יתירה]. The exact identity of the traders sparks significant discussion, as the narrative alternates between Ishmaelites and Midianites. One perspective suggests that these tribes, all descendants of Abraham's concubines, traveled together in a single caravan, causing their names to be used interchangeably [בכור שור, ריב״א]. Another approach distinguishes their roles, noting that the brothers intended to sell him to the Ishmaelites who owned the camels, but the Midianite merchants traveling with them were the ones who actually purchased him for trade [רמב״ן]. A completely different and fascinating view proposes that the brothers never sold him at all. While they were sitting and eating, passing Midianite merchants heard his cries, pulled him from the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites without the brothers' knowledge. In this light, the brothers are held responsible for the sale only because their initial actions set the tragedy in motion [רשב״ם המובא בטור הארוך, פענח רזא, רש״ר הירש].

The specific cargo carried by the camels reveals God's meticulous, hidden providence. Typically, such desert caravans transported foul smelling tar and petroleum. Yet, God specifically arranged for a caravan laden with fragrant spices or wax [רש״י, ביאור יש״ר, רד״ק], precious balsam resins [רש״י, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ], and aromatic roots [רש״י, רד״ק, שד״ל] so that the righteous young man would not have to endure a foul stench on his agonizing journey to Egypt [רש״י, משכיל לדוד, פרדס יוסף]. Beyond mere comfort, being sold to respectable merchants dealing in precious goods, rather than simple grain, paved the way for his eventual rise to prominence in the Egyptian royal court [מלבי״ם, רלב״ג]. Furthermore, because the caravan carried small, concentrated loads of medicinal spices, the weak and physically broken captive was permitted to ride atop a camel rather than being forced to march on foot [העמק דבר]. Knowing that this large convoy was heading directly down to Egypt assured the brothers that he would be absorbed into the vast Egyptian slave markets. From there, they believed he could never return, permanently eliminating the threat they felt he posed [מלבי״ם, קונטרס חיבה יתירה].