בראשית, פרק מ״ד, פסוק ז׳

When accused of stealing the Egyptian ruler's goblet, the brothers respond with profound shock and an absolute rejection of the suspicion. They do not merely deny the act; they challenge the very logic behind the claim. They protest the manager speaking with such absolute certainty, as though it were an established fact that they possess the stolen item and are all willing accomplices in the crime [ספורנו, העמק דבר]. Their denial goes beyond the theft itself. They reject any hint, hidden meaning, or action remotely resembling such behavior, insisting that there is absolutely no basis for these accusations [אור החיים, מלבי״ם, שפתי כהן].

The brothers express a deep moral outrage at the suggestion of such a crime. The primary approach among commentators is that their outcry reflects a sense of disgrace and profanity. They argue that stealing, especially from a benefactor who treated them so well, is entirely foreign to their nature. Merely entertaining the thought of such a base, material crime threatens their moral and spiritual character, a detachment from worldly greed that should be evident even to an Egyptian [רש״י, ביאור יש״ר, רש״ר הירש, חומש קה״ת]. Alternatively, their response can be understood as a brief prayer for divine mercy. In this view, they are asking that God show them pity and protect them from ever stumbling into such a terrible deed [רש״י, מזרחי, גור אריה, שפתי חכמים].

To firmly establish their innocence, the brothers construct a powerful logical argument, recognized as one of the ten primary logical deductions found in the Torah [רבנו בחיי]. They point to their past behavior, reminding the manager that they had already proven their honesty by returning the money they previously found in their sacks [שטיינזלץ]. Their reasoning is undeniable: if a person finds money in a distant land, it requires great effort to return it, even for an honest individual. Yet, they voluntarily brought the money all the way back from the land of Canaan without anyone demanding it. Therefore, it is inconceivable that they would actively steal from the home of the very host who welcomed and cared for them [אור החיים, אלשיך].

Furthermore, they completely dismantle any potential motive for the theft. While the Egyptian manager might believe the goblet possesses magical powers of divination, to the brothers, it is nothing more than a simple, meaningless piece of silver or gold. They do not practice witchcraft, nor do they have any knowledge or interest in such matters [אור החיים, אלשיך].